4. The Prophet’s Migration (Hijrah)
Tillthe thirteenthyear ofhis mission,theProphet calledthe peopleof
MeccatoIslam,andstoodfirmwhenfacedwiththepersecutionsofthe
Quraysh.EventuallyhegottoknowthattheQurayshhadhatchedanin-
credibleplantokillhim,soheputImam‘Ali(a.s.)tosleepinhisbedin
his place andleftMecca at night;he hidin a cave,and thenmigrated
from there to Medina.
Thehijrah ofthe Prophet openedanentirelynewchapterinthe his-
toryofIslamfromwhichastimulatingandsurprisingleadforwardwas
made.Forthisveryreason,thehijrahofMuhammad(s.a.w.)becamethe
beginning of the calendar of the Muslims.
The two tribesof Medina, Awsand Khazraj,were bitter enemiesof
eachotherforgenerations.ButwiththepresenceoftheProphetofIslam
inMedina,theybecamebrothersforlifeintheshadowoftheteachings
of Islam,and blessedsincerity andcordiality wasestablished between
them.The exampleof Muhammad’sbehaviour,hisspiritualandmoral
superiority,andthenaturalaspectofhispurereligion,causedthepeople
to come to Islam by the score, and in the end to accept it.
The Prophetof Islamwasfrom thepeople andwiththe people, and
did not maintain a distance from them. He shared with themin their
gainsandlosses.Hefirmlycriticisedoppression andaggression,which
herefrained fromand prevented.He setforthall the principleswhich
were,inthelightofIslam,effectiveforthedevelopmentoftheposition
ofwomen,andputanendtothetyrannytheyhadbeensubjectedtopre-
viously, buthealsovehemently fought againsttheirunchastityand li-
centiousness,forhewantedthemtoattainrealdevelopmentonthebasis
of the true principles of Islam.
Hedefendedtherightsofslaves,andhadcomprehensiveprogrammes
for their freedom.The Prophet of Islam created a society where black
andwhite,richandpoor,greatandsmall,wereallequalandcouldenjoy
thebenefitsofbeinghumanbeings.Insuchanatmosphere,therecould
be no question of ‘racialdiscrimination,’ for therewas a much higher
basis in virtue, knowledge, piety, human values and ethical greatness.
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