3. The Hijrah
About the tenth year of his prophecy, when the Prophet left the
“mountain pass of Abu Tālib,” hisuncle Abu Tālib,who wasalsohis
sole protector,died, asdid alsohis devotedwifeKhadijah.Henceforth
there was no protection for his life nor any place of refuge.
Finallytheidol-worshippersofMeccadevisedasecretplantokillthe
Prophet.Atnighttheysurroundedhishousefromallsideswiththeaim
offorcingthemselvesinattheendofthenightandcuttinghimtopieces
whilehewasinbed.ButGod,theExalted,informedhimoftheplanand
commandedhimtoleaveforYathrib.TheProphetasked‘Alītosleepin
his bed so that the enemy would not detect his absence; ‘Alī readily
agreedtosacrificehislifefortheProphetandsleptintheProphet’sbed.
ThentheProphetleftthehouseunderDivineprotection,passingamidst
his enemies,and taking refugein a cavenear Mecca. After threedays
whenhisenemies,havinglookedeverywhere,gave uphopeof captur-
ing him and returned to Mecca, he left the cave and set out for Yathrib.