Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
Sira traditions show that after the successful spread of Islam in Medina and
the second pledge of al-Aqaba, Muhammad's followers gradually began to emigrate to Medina. The Meccans are said to have prohibited^55 some Muslims from emigrating, and increased their persecution of them.^56 Muhammad himself reportedly waited for God's permission to emigrate,^57 which he is said to have received about the time some of the Quraysh had conspired to murder him. Muhammad then left for Medina with A^58 bu Bakr, both of whom are reported to have hidden themselves in a cave just south of Mecca for a few days to avoid capture. After the Mecca^59 ns had given up hope, Muhammad and Abu Bakr journeyed northward to Medina, and are said to have arrived in Quba' on the 24th of September 622 AD.^60 Later,Ali and the rest of Muhammad's and Abu Bakr's families reportedly
emigrated from Mecca to Medina.^61
Qur'an 16Qur'an 16Qur'an 16Qur'an 16 begins by stating that God's commandment will come to pass and
includes a phrase against "associators." The v. 2 presents God as sending
the angels and spirit with His command, and v. 3 shows Him as Creator and
higher than claimed associates. The vv. 4f speak of the Creation and God as
the Provider, and the v. 9 presents a tenet of Qur'anic predestination. The
vv. 23f deal with Monotheism, the Resurrection and Judgment, and the
somewhat ambiguous v. 28 may refer to the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1f) or
the destruction of Job's children (Job 1:19). The vv. 37f speak of former
messengers and predestination, and the Ethiopic term for "idol" ("taghut")
is used in v. 38. The v. 40 presents some of Muhammad's opponent^62 s as
swearing by Allah that there is no Resurrection, and one of the earliest
allusions to an emigration is found in v. 43. Although some maintain that
the emigration to Abyssinia is meant here, it is more likely a^63 reference to
Medina (cf. 16:111) In any event 16:43 is the only Qur'anic pa^64 ssage
which mentions an emigration and predates the raids on the Meccan
caravans. The v. 45 shows that previous messengers were also humans, and
in case of doubt, that the "People of the Remembrance"[z§w] (i.e. Jews or
Christians) should be asked. The v. 47 seems to refer to Korah (cf. Num.
16:1f), and v. 53 claims that Allah said that "two gods" should not be
accepted. The vv. 59f are directed against polytheists, v. 61 alludes to the
then contemporary Arabian practice of burying new-born daughters, and v.
62 mentions the judgment of those who do not believe in the Resurrection.
The vv. 65f relate that other messengers were sent before Muhammad, and
in comparison to Moses (cf. 32:23; 41:45) , Muhammad also is now^65 said to
have received "the Book" (v. 66). The vv. 67f speak of the wonder of
Creation and God's provision, in which alcoholic beverages are spoken of