General
Permission to migrate to Al-Madinah
After the second pledge of Aqabah,
the persecution of the Quraish knew no bounds. Their hostility can be gauged
from the following single event. When the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم), at the height of the atrocities, gave
the Muslims general permission to migrate from Makkah to Al-Madinah in order to
save their lives, they set out towards Al-Madinah deserting their houses and
leaving their relatives, the Quraish could not put up with this provocative
development. They began to put up obstructions of many kinds in the way of the
migrating Muslims so that they could not live in peace and worship one God in
Al-Madinah.
Umm Salamah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) relates: "When Abu Salamah had made
up his mind to set out to Al-Madinah he saddled his camel and mounted me on it
with my son Salamah. Then taking hold of the camel's halter, he went ahead.
When some of the men belonging to our clan saw him, they came near us saying,
'It is all right so far as you are concerned, but how can we allow our daughter
to go with you.' Meanwhile the clansmen of Abu Salamah came in and said, 'If
she does not go, we will not let our son go with her.' Thus Banu Abdul-Asad
took my child away." And Banu Mughirah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) returned with Umm Salamah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), with the result that Abu Salamah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was left alone for Al-Madinah. Umm Salamah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was separated from her husband and son,
while Abu Salamah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
received the recompense for migrating without his wife and son.
When Suhaib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) tried to leave for Al-Madinah, the
disbelieving Quraish said to him, "You came to us as a destitute beggar
and have grown rich among us, and now you want to go away safely with your life
and wealth." So they snatched all his possessions and allowed him to leave
for Al-Madinah. When Hishâm bin Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) decided to migrate, the disbelievers caught and put him in
captivity and tortured him. Aiyâsh (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) migrated to Al-Madinah but Abu Jahl followed him and
deceitfully brought him back to Makkah and made him a captive.
In short, despite these impediments,
the believers kept migrating to Al-Madinah one or two at a time. All these
migrants were the guests of the Muslims in Al-Madinah. Migrating Muslims were
called the Muhâjirin and their helpers in Al-Madinah were known as the Ansâr.
The 14th year of Prophethood had started. Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) bin Abu Tâlib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
and their wives and children were yet to migrate, along with some others who
were weak and old people. Besides these few, all the Muslims had already
migrated to Al-Madinah and their houses were lying vacant. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) had not made up his
mind, for he was awaiting permission from Allâh the Almighty. He also held back
Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to accompany him to
Al-Madinah. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
bin Abu Tâlib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was also delaying his migration waiting for permission from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).
Holding
Counsel by the Quraish in Dar An-Nadwah
When the Quraish noticed that, one
by one, all the Muslims slipped out of their hands and they had gone to
Al-Madinah in substantial numbers, the Makkans felt it posed a danger to them
and they grew anxious about the future. Since the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was now living almost alone, after the
departure of his Companions, the Quraish targeted the very existence of the
preacher of Islam. They were now in a haste to implement their plan, for with
the departure of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم),
the matter would get out of their control. They were all thinking in the same
direction until every tribe of Makkah was occupied with the same common thought
of putting the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
to death. Thus, at the end of the month of Safar, the $14^{th}$ year of
Prophethood, the chiefs of all the tribes except Banu Hâshim assembled in Dar
An-Nadwah to deliberate upon the issue. The chieftains of the Quraish who took
part in the deliberation were:
Abu Jahl bin Hishâm (from Banu
Makhzum), Nabih and Munabbeh—sons of Hajjâj (from Banu Sahm tribe), Umayyah bin
Khalaf (from Banu Jumh), Abul-Bauphtari bin Hishâm, Zam'ah bin Aswad and Hakim
bin Hizâm (from Banu Asad tribe), Nadr bin Hârith (from Banu Abdud-Dâr tribe),
Utbah and Shaibah—sons of Rabi'ah, Abu Sufyân bin Harb (from Banu Umayyah
tribe), Tuaimah bin Adi, Jubair bin Mut'im, Hârith bin Âmir (from Banu Naufal
tribe). Besides these famous names, there were many other chieftains. One of
the participants was a very old and experienced devil from the Najd and was the
president of the session. There was no disagreement among the participants over
the fact that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
was the source and center of all their problems. But they had a disagreement
over how he should be dealt with.
One of them suggested: "Let him
be put in fetters so that he dies of hunger and thirst." Thereupon the
Sheikh of the Najd interrupted and said, "This is not a good proposal for
his relatives and followers will try to seek his freedom which may result in
violence and heavy bloodshed." Another person proposed: "Let him be
driven out from Makkah with no permission for his re-entry." This
suggestion was also contradicted by the Sheikh of the Najd. Many other
suggestions were put forward and were rejected by him.
Lastly, Abu Jahl proposed: "Let
a swordsman from each tribe be chosen, and all of them should surround Muhammad
(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) on all sides and
strike at him simultaneously so that his blood will be divided among all the
tribes and clans. Moreover, Banu Hâshim will not be able to face the collective
force of the entire Quraish tribes. Ultimately they will become content with
the blood money, which may be collected easily from the tribes involved in the
action." This proposal of Abu Jahl was highly appreciated by the Sheikh of
the Najd and the resolution was unanimously passed. The consultations were
going on in Dar An-Nadwah and at the same time Allâh the Almighty informed the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with all that was
taking place. Moreover, permission for his migration was also granted.
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