Abu
Bakr knew that migration was close and had prepared everything in order to
service the Prophet for it. One night, the Mushriks of Quraysh surrounded the
house of the Prophet in order to kill him. Each tribe had a representative thus
there being no repercussion for his assassination.
The
Prophet left his house and he threw dust on their faces and miraculously placed
a barrier between him and them, thus he left in peace and they didn’t witness
anything. Ali agreed to take the Prophets place in his bed, as the Prophet made
way to Abu Bakr’s house.
That
night, they employed ‘Abdullah bin Urayqit - who was a travel guide – to take
them to a safe place en route to al-Madeenah.
They
headed south towards Yemen as opposed to directly head north to al-Madeenah.
They
hid at the mountain of Thawr with Asma bint Abu Bakr coming bring parcels of
food every night. Three nights passed until the Quraysh’s search for the
Prophet weakened.
At
one stage, the Quraysh approached Tahwr and sought to inspect it, to which Abu
Bakr said, “Oh Messenger of Allaah, if one of them were to look down at his
feet, they will see us.” But Allah shielded them with an angel protecting them
from being sighted and this is the meaning of the Ayah:
“For Allah did indeed help him when the
disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad
and Abu Bakr ) were in the cave, and he (
)
said to his companion (Abu Bakr ): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah
is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace,
etc.) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not,
and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word
of Allah that became the uppermost” [Tawbah 9:40]
The
Quraysh head-hunted them both and promised a reward of 100 camels for their
capture.
After
three nights at Tahwr they left for al-Madenah. En route they were caught up
with Suraqah bin Maalik, who was the head of the Mudlij tribe. He knew it was
them and sought to catch up to them and capture them for the booty. Abu Bakr,
continually alert from the moment they left Thawr, informed the Prophet of
Suraqah approaching. He approached as the Prophet was reciting Quraan. The
Prophet wasn’t alarmed by Suraqah and throughout the journey didn’t panic or
turn around to inspect his surroundings at all. When Suraqah approached, the
Prophet supplicated against him to which his horse fell into the group and was
unable to move.
Suraqah
knew that the horse was paralyzed because of the Du’a of the Prophet and
requested that the Prophet make Du’a to reinstate his animal. The Prophet
supplicated and made Suraqah give word that he wouldn’t inform anyone.
As
they continued, the Prophet stopped at the tent of Umm Ma’bad who had a sheep
of whose udder didn’t produce any milk. The Prophet supplicated for it and milk
poured from it abundantly.
Commentary to follow...
