Hijrab
HiJrah is primarily this essential teaching at the heart of the Prophet's
experience: a truSt in G o d that entails, withollt arrogance, absolute in de-
pendence from people, as well as the humble recognition of absolute
dependence upon God.
Abu Bakr had enlisted the services of a non-Muslim Bedouin,
AlxiuJlah ibn Urayqat, to guide them to Y'.thrib by an inconspicuous,
unfamiliar route. At the time appointed for departure, ibn Urayqat came
to meet them at the cave with the camels, and they headed west, then
south, before eventually going north toward Yathrib. It was a very perilous
journey, and were the Quraysh to catch up with the three travelers, they
wee sure to kill them so as to put an end to Muhammad's subversive
activities. The Prophet and his Companion had entrusted themselves to
Gcd, yet they had not hesitated to enlist the help of a Bedouin who,
although he shared their enemies' polytheistic beliefs, was well known to
them fot his trustworthiness (he was proudly true to his word) and his
abilities as a guide (he knew bettet than anyone else the steep, out-of-the-
waf paths they took). Again, such an attitude is present throughout the
Prophet's life: the women and men he surrounded himself with might not
share his faith, but they were known to him fat their moral gualities
and/or their human abilities. Muhammad, like. those who came after him,
would not hesitate to rely o n them.
MosquesThe journey to Quba lasted twenty days. The Messenget and Abu Bakr
eventually reached the little village of Quba, which lay outside Yathrib.
The people were waiting fat them and gave them a warm welcome. They
Spent three days in the village and be~n construction of a mosque there,
the first of the emigration period.^4 The Prophet was to proceed in this
way at each of the three stages of the journey to Yathtib. Wfhen he left
Qt;ba, the Prophet headed toward Yathrib and halted at noon, prayer
time, in the Ranuna valley, where he performed the first Friday prayer with
his Companions: there again, construction of a mosque was begun. He
then headed for the center of the city. M any peo ple stopped him, i nviting
him to reside with them. H e asked them to let Qaswa, his camel, go
unhampered, for she wo uld indicate the exact SpOt where he would settle.