Emigration to MadinahTHE EMIGRATION
Thanks to the allegiance and support offered by the Ansaar, the Muslims found a new rock
of refuge. The Prophet (r) commanded the Muslims in Makkah to emigrate from Makkah
and join their brothers-in-faith, the Ansaar, in Madinah. He told his companions, “God has
provided to you some brethren and homes where you will live in safety.” So the Muslims
departed, one small group after another, from Makkah to Yathrib, leaving the Prophet (r)
behind in Makkah in anticipation of the command of Allah as to when he should leave the
city.
But it was not easy to emigrate as the Quraysh decided at once to take stringent measures
against them. The pagan Quraysh did everything they could to stop the exodus such as
creating obstacles along the way of the emigrants to prevent their departure. The Muslims,
though, were equally determined to leave at all costs. Some, like Abu Salama, had departed
alone, leaving their wives and children, while others, like Suhayb, had to give up their life-
long earnings before leaving Makkah. Umm Salama relates the following about her and her
husband's departure:
“When Abu Salama had made up his mind to set out for Madinah, he saddled his camel
and mounted me on it with my son Salama. Then, taking hold of the camel’s halter, he went
ahead. When some of the men belonging to Bani al-Mughari saw him, they came near us
saying, “It is alright so far as you are concerned, but how can we allow your wife to go with
you?” They snatched the camel’s headstall from his hand and took me with them. At this
crucial point, Banu ‘Abdul Asad, the clansmen of Abu Salama, got angry. They said: ‘By God,
you have torn her from our brother, but we will not allow our son to go with her.” A scuffle
started between them for the child Salama, until his arm was dislocated, and Bani Asad took
him away leaving me with Bani al-Mughira while my husband went away to Madinah. Thus,
all the three of us -- my self, my husband and my son were separated. I used to go out every
morning to Abtah weeping till nightfall. A whole year passed in this manner when one of my
cousins from Al-Mughira took pity on me and said to Bani al-Mughira: “Why don’t you let
this poor woman go? You have separated her from her husband and son.” So they said to
me: “You can go to your husband if you like.” Then Banu Asad reunited me with my son. I
saddled my camel and taking the child with me, set out for Madinah in search of my hus-
band accompanied by not a blessed soul with me. When I arrived at Tan’im I happened to
meet ‘Uthman Ibn Talha of Bani ‘Abdul-Dar who asked me where I intended to go. I replied
that I was going to my husband in Medinah. He asked if I had anybody with me to which I
said in reply, ‘None save this child and God.’ He said, ‘By God, it is not easy for you to reach
your destination’. He took hold of the camel’s rope and went ahead leading it. I swear, I
have never met a man nobler than he. Whenever we had to stop, he used to kneel the
camel and withdraw; after I had got down, he used to unload the camel, tie it to a tree and