The
Sun and the Moon in the Cave of Mount Thaur
When the two arrived at the cave in
Mount Thaur Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
requested the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
to wait until he searched and cleaned up the cave. So he went in, searched it
and stuffed the holes with the pieces of cloth torn from his garment and then
came out to escort the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) in. They remained hidden in the cave for three days and
nights. Some chieftains and notables from the Quraish reached the mouth of the
cave tracking their footprints. Since there was no trace beyond this, some of
them suggested that either Muhammad (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) was hidden somewhere there or might be inside the cave or had
flown to heaven from the same spot. Someone said, "No human has entered
this dark cave, it is in an undisturbed state for a long time." Another
person noticed, "There is a spider's web across the mouth of the cave and
anybody going in would have broken it." The third one pointed to a pigeon
flying around and the eggs, which it was hatching. So, all of them grew
confident that no human had entered the cave.
These disbelievers had come so close
to the entrance that both the Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) and Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
saw their feet and heard the voices of these bloodthirsty warriors of the
Quraish. In such a critical moment Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "The disbelievers have at last arrived." The
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) very confidently
said, "Grieve not, Allâh is with us," and then added, "What do
you think of those two with whom the third is Allâh?" The unfortunate
disbelievers went back dismayed and disappointed.
Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) had already told his son Abdullah bin Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to keep him informed
of the daily activities of the disbelievers of Makkah at night. Similarly, he
had instructed his slave, Âmir bin Fuhairah to graze his herd of goats anywhere
but bring them to the cave of Thaur at night. Asma' bint Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was assigned the
duty of bringing meals to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) and Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
in the night with the utmost care. The brother and sister, Abdullah and Asma' (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), returned after
performing their duties, Âmir bin Fuhairah also did his job and his return in
the late hours of the night by the way of Mount Thaur hid the tracks made by
the others. When the fervor of the disbelievers subsided, Abdullah bin Uraiqit
was told to bring the she-camels to the foot of Mount Thaur fulfilling his
agreement. It was a credit to the Arabian sense of honor and national character
that Abdullah bin Uraiqit who, although not a Muslim, kept the matter secret.
He brought the two she-camels and his own camel near the foot of Mount Thaur on
a moonlit night of Rabi' Al-Awwal, while Asma' (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) turned up with parched barley and meal.
Muhammad (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) and Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came out of the cave of Thaur. He mounted a she-camel named
Al-Qaswa, while Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
and his slave Âmir bin Fuhairah got on the other she-camel. Abdullah bin
Uraiqit serving as a guide, mounted his own camel. This small caravan of four
secretly moved forward through routes away from the main road. An event worth
mentioning took place when the caravan was about to set out. The bag of food
brought by Asma' (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was without a string. When the bag was to be suspended from the camel's saddle,
there was no string to serve this purpose. Asma' (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) made no delay in tearing her waistband in two tying one half
around her waist and with the other half, she tied the bag. This ready solution
put forward by Asma' (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
won for her praise from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) who also named her "The Lady with the String." She
was later known by this title. Another interesting event that took place was
that Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
took with him all his cash which, amounted to five or six thousand dirhams. His
father, Quhâfah who was blind and still a disbeliever, came in and told his
granddaughters that Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
went away with all the riches of the house. Asma' (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) replied, "Grandfather, he has left enough money for
us." Then she wrapped up a large number of pebbles in a piece of cloth and
put it at the place where the money was always kept. She then caught the hand
of her grandfather and took him to that spot. After touching it he was
satisfied about the presence of money. Then he said to his granddaughters,
"The departure of Abu Bakr now is no longer a matter of sorrow."
Migration
Before mounting Al-Qaswa, the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) looked at Makkah and
said overwhelmed with grief: "O Makkah! You are to me dearest of all the
cities. But your citizens allowed me not to reside here." Following this
Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "They
have banned their Prophet and they are now bound to be ruined." About the
same time this Ayah (Verse) was revealed:
"Permission
to fight is given to those who are fought against because they have been
wronged; and surely, Allâh is Able to give them victory." (22:39)
It is worth considering how and
under what rigorous circumstances they embraced Islam and remained firm and
stuck to the truth in the face of opposition from all quarters and at the cost
of soul-shattering torture and persecution. Could anyone dare imply that they
had come to the fold of Islam under threats or out of greed? No, not at all!
Now, after the revelation of this Verse begins the era when the believers were
permitted to face and fight those who obstructed the path of Islam. It is
interesting to watch how people in large numbers accepted Islam under these
trying situation that lay ahead.
This small caravan set out in the
early part of the night. The next day, on Rabi' Al-Awwal 1, the 14th
year of Prophethood, they arrived at the tent of Umm Ma'bad in the afternoon.
That old woman belonged to the Khuzâ'ah tribe. She used to serve travelers
water and drinks. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
halted there, took milk and then resumed his journey after a short rest. They
had moved a little ahead when Surâqah bin Mâlik appeared on the scene pursuing
the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
Surâqah bin Mâlik bin Ju'shum was a
famous warrior. He was once sitting in his dwelling place along with his
companions when, in the early morning, a man came and revealed that he had
witnessed three riders on camel moving in such and such direction. He presumed
that they must be Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
and his companions. Surâqah made a sign to silence him and said that he knew
very well who those travelers were, and that they were such and such persons
who had left on a journey last night. By this ploy Surâqah meant to chase and
catch the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
to get the reward of the one hundred camels and he wanted no one else to share
in it. He came home in a hurry, sent his horse and weapons outside the dwelling
and then he himself reached the spot where his horse was evading others' eyes.
He hurried after the fugitives tracking their footprints. He let his horse go
at a canter until the fugitives came into the full view. But his horse stumbled
abruptly and he was thrown off. He remounted his horse but it again stumbled
and he was thrown off. But he continued his chase until his horse stumbled for
the third time, and he was thrown off again.
Such a queer misfortune sent fear
through his body and he felt sure that his attempt would have to be given up.
Then admitting his failure, he called out to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to halt and listen to him. He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) stopped his
movement. Surâqah drew near and said, "I had come to take you back to
Makkah as a prisoner. But I now seek your pardon. Please write for me a warrant
of security besides forgiving me for my evil intentions. I promise to take back
with me all those coming in this direction who have the same purpose as I
did." Thus, with the order of the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم), either Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) or Âmir bin Fuhairah wrote the warrant
sitting on the camel's back and threw it towards him. He turned back with the
warrant and took back all others assuring them that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was long gone and
traceless. Surâqah embraced Islam after the conquest of Makkah and the warrant
of security was a source of safety for him.
From the cave of Thaur and the
low-lying land of Makkah, Abdullah bin Uraiqit took the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to the coastal area.
Passing across the main track to the other side of Usfân. He continued his
journey up to Qudaid through the valley of Amaj and then cutting across the
main road he came down into the field of Kharâr Laqaf, Mudlijah and Majâj
crossing the territory of Dhul-Ghadwin and passing through the grove of Dhu
Salam they crossed Al-Abâbid and Al-Arj. In the valley of Al-Arj, a camel of
the caravan became exhausted. A man of Aslam clan brought a camel from Aus bin
Hajar, who also gave a slave to accompany the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). From there the caravan, after crossing
Thaniyatul-Âir, reached the valley of Reem, and from there to Quba' at noon.
After Surâqah bin Mâlik retreated,
the caravan had marched a little ahead when Zubair bin Awwâm (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) came across them on his way back to
Makkah at the head of his trade caravan. He gave gifts of garments to the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with his fervent
desire to join the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
in Al-Madinah after reaching Makkah. During this journey, people at various
places recognized Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ),
for they had so often seen him leading trade caravans. However, they were not
familiar with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
and so, they asked Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
about the person going ahead of him. He replied, "This is my leader and
the guide."
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