With the exception of the Prophet (sa) and two of his close companions, Ali and Abu Bakr and his family, only those Muslims stricken by illness or forcefully detained by the Koraysh remained in Mecca. The reason the Prophet (sa) remained behind was that he awaited the sending down of the permission of Allah to migrate, for he never did anything of significance without first receiving an instruction from Allah. On several occasions Abu Bakr had asked the Prophet (sa) for permission to migrate with his family, but each time the Prophet (sa) would say, "Don't be in such a hurry Abu Bakr, perhaps Allah will provide a traveling companion for you." So Abu Bakr waited obediently ever hopeful that he would be permitted to migrate with the Prophet (sa) himself. Although the Koraysh hated having Muslims in their midst, they became increasingly anxious over the matter of their migration to Yathrib, for they knew that they would never migrate there unless they had the support of many of its citizens. The Koraysh chieftains began to fear, with half−hearted contempt, the warnings of the Al-Quran and the Prophet (sa). The warning which bothered them most was: " ... as for you, leaders of Koraysh, a great affair will come upon you that you will indeed hate." So they decided it was time to call a meeting in the time honored house, the House of Assembly, to discuss how they might best rid themselves of Prophet Muhammad (sa). It was agreed by those present to invite other Korayshi chieftains as well as the chieftains of other tribes to the meeting and that the meeting should take place at night. Trusted messengers were then sent to the outlying tribes and upon the appointed night, they and other chieftains met in secret in the House of Assembly. The meeting proved to be less than harmonious as none could agree upon a solution and soon tempers became frayed as raised voices filled the air.
All the shouting and arguing subsided when, suddenly, a very loud knock at the door was heard. Someone got up and opened it, and there before them stood a man, unknown to any of them. The newcomer's facial characteristics and clothing were those of the people of the Najd, and so when he told the gathering he was from that region he was not disbelieved −− later, the Prophet (sa) told his companions that the man was none other than satan in disguise. The chieftains invited the newcomer to sit with them and satan inquired the reason for the meeting then asked why there was so much discord between them. The situation was explained to him −− although he already knew it −− so satan asked each of the chieftains to tell him their proposal and listened to them but did not pass a comment, however, the situation changed when it came time for Abu Jahl to present his solution and their visitor listened enthusiastically. Abu Jahl told him that in his opinion, the only way to rid themselves of the Prophet (sa) would be to kill him. However, this was not an easy matter. Abu Jahl went on to say that in his opinion the safest manner would be for each branch of the tribe to select and arm their strongest, most powerful warrior, then, upon a given night, wait of the Prophet (sa) to come out from his house, then pounce upon him altogether at the same time and kill him. Abu Jahl drew the attention of their visitor and those present, that by killing the Prophet (sa) in such a manner his blood would rest upon all their hands, and not just an individual branch of the Koraysh tribe which would, without doubt, be singled out for the revenge of his killing. Abu Jahl also pointed out that it was reasonable to assume that the family of the Prophet (sa) and his companions would be unlikely to take revenge on all the branches of the Koraysh because not only were they united in the matter, great in number, but much to strong to oppose. Up until that moment, satan had remained silent, but now his eyes darted with delight as he said, "Abu Jahl is right, in my opinion this is the only way to do it!" The chieftains accepted his advice, plans were drawn up and satan left them gloating in his wickedness.
THE MIGRATION
On the night the Koraysh planned to kill Prophet Muhammad (sa) Angel Gabriel visited him and told him he must not sleep in his bed that night. He also gave him the news that Allah had given him permission to migrate. When the Prophet (sa) told Ali Gabriel's news he was delighted and volunteered immediately to sleep in his bed whereupon the Prophet (sa) assured him that no harm would befall him. On account of his honesty, several people had entrusted their valuables to the Prophet (sa) for safekeeping. Now that permission to migrate had been given he could no longer take charge of them so he asked Ali to remain behind and return them to their rightful owners then to come to Yathrib as soon as he had discharged his duty. Later that night, Ali wrapped himself up in the Prophet's cloak and slept soundly on the Prophet's bed.
THE PLAN IS HATCHED
It was the month of Safar and in the still of the night warriors from each branch of the Koraysh concealed themselves around the Prophet's house and lay in wait for him to come out. Some time later during the night the Prophet (sa) emerged from his house and as he did he recited the following verses from the Al-Quran:"Ya Seen. By the Wise Al-Quran, you (Prophet Muhammad) are truly among the Messengers sent upon a Straight Path. The sending down of the Mighty, the Most Merciful so that you may warn a people whose fathers were not warned, and so were heedless. The Phrase has become obligatory upon most of them, yet they do not believe. We have bound their necks with fetters up to their chin, so that their heads are
raised and cannot be lowered. We have set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and, We have covered them so that they do not see." Al-Quran 36:1−9
As he stooped down he picked up a handful of dust and cast it over them. Immediately, a deep sleep descended upon the warriors and the Prophet (sa) passed through their midst without anyone seeing him. The warriors slept on outside the house of the Prophet (sa) until someone came and woke them asking why they were still there. When they replied they were waiting for the Prophet (sa) to come out, the man rebuked them telling them that he had seen the Prophet (sa) elsewhere in the City, and told them of the dust in their hair. The warriors refused to accept the possibility that the Prophet (sa) had escaped without their knowledge so they entered the house and found Ali, who they mistakenly took to be the Prophet (sa), sleeping peacefully wrapped in the Prophet's green cloak. After having satisfied themselves that the Prophet (sa) was still in the house they continued to wait outside. When Ali awoke they realized that the man had been correct and pandemonium reigned −− the Koraysh plan had been thwarted −− and the warriors returned to their chieftains to raise the alarm.
THE FIRST STAGE OF THE MIGRATION
Upon the noon of that same day, the Prophet (sa) made his way to the house of his dear companion, Abu Bakr. It was unusual for him to visit Abu Bakr at that time of day so instinctively he knew there must be an important reason for his visit. After the exchange of greetings the Prophet (sa) informed him that Allah had given him permission to migrate from Mecca. Abu Bakr asked whether they were to migrate together and when the Prophet (sa) told him they were, he was so overcome with joy that tears rolled down his cheeks. Abu Bakr had hoped that Allah would permit him to accompany the Prophet (sa) so in anticipation he had purchased two strong camels and set aside some provisions for the journey. Abu Bakr offered the Prophet (sa) the finest of the camels, however, on account of the importance of the occasion he declined his generosity saying, "I shall only ride a camel that belongs to me," so the Prophet (sa) bought one from Abu Bakr. In the past, the Prophet (sa) had accepted several gifts from his good friend, but this occasion was different from that of the others. The Prophet (sa) named his camel "Kaswa" and of all the camels he was to own, Kaswa was his favorite. At the back of the house, Abu Bakr had the camels prepared and asked his son Abdullah to accompany them to a cave in Mount Thawr, which lies to the south of Mecca, in the opposite direction to Yathrib. He also asked the shepherd Amir, Fuhayrah's son, whom he had freed from service sometime before, to follow behind them with his flock to obliterate their tracks for the desert Arabs were expert trackers and the camel's hoof prints might easily be detected. It was time to depart so Prophet Muhammad (sa), Abu Bakr with Abdullah riding pillion behind his father mounted their camels and set off for Mount Thawr and left Mecca undetected. After they had been riding for a while, the Prophet (sa) brought his camel to a halt and looked back in sadness at his beloved City and said, "Upon all the earth of Allah, you are the dearest place to me, and the dearest to Allah, had my people not driven me out from you I would not have left you." When they reached the caves of Mount Thawr, Abu Bakr told his son to return to Mecca with both camels and instructed him to pay attention to any plot he might hear. Abu Bakr also told his son to return only when he felt it was safe to do so and to bring fresh supplies. It was common place to see camels being driven into Mecca so Abu Bakr felt his son would not be in any immediate danger, also, it was logical to suppose the Koraysh would be searching for the Prophet (sa) on the road to Yathrib and not on the road to Yemen, at least for a while.
THE REACTION OF THE KORAYSH
The Koraysh were deeply angered that the Prophet (sa) had slipped through their fingers. They searched Mecca from beginning to end but there was no sign of him, nor could anyone throw light upon his whereabouts. Abu Bakr had left his daughters, Ayesha, who was now seven years old, and her elder sister Asma with his wife Umm Ruman in Mecca. Eventually several members of the Koraysh, including Abu Jahl, suspected that Abu Bakr might have accompanied the Prophet (sa) so they went to his house to demand his whereabouts. Ayesha answered the door and when she told them that she did not know where her father was, Abu Jahl struck her with such force that her earring flew off. Abu Jahl and his companions failed to extract the information they sought and so they left in the hope that they would be more successful elsewhere. In the meantime, the Koraysh chieftains offered a substantial reward of no less than one hundred camels for his capture. The lure of owning such a herd encouraged many parties to set off on the road to Yathrib in search of him. Three days had now passed but this time when Abdullah and his sister Asma brought provisions they also brought news of the reward that had been offered. Abu Bakr then told his son that the next time he came he should bring Abdullah, Arkat's son to guide them on to Yathrib and that they should also bring enough provisions for the journey and their camels. Although Abdullah, Arkat's son had not yet embraced Islam, Abu Bakr knew him to be not only reliable but trustworthy, and was confident he would never betray them.
THE SCORPION
There were many caves in Mount Thawr and when they found one which was suitable, Abu Bakr had entered first on that eventful first day of the migration. However, as he entered he had noticed there were several holes in both its walls and floor and feared they might be home to snakes or other poisonous insects, or even reptiles, so he looked around the cave and found some stones to plug them. He had almost finished plugging them when he ran out of stones. He searched for some more but there were none to be found so he tore pieces of cloth from his garment and pushed them deep down into the holes. When the Prophet (sa) entered he lay down and rested his head upon Abu Bakr's lap and slept. Only one hole remained unplugged, as there had be insufficient cloth with which to plug it so Abu Bakr lodged his elbow in it to seal the hole. As the Prophet (sa) slept, a scorpion that had been hiding in that very hole bit Abu Bakr. The bite was extremely painful, yet Abu Bakr, whose manners where of such high quality, did not move, nor yet did he cry out in pain as he feared he might disturb the Prophet (sa) whilst he slept. The pain increased as the flesh around the bite became red and very swollen as the poison took effect. At last a tear fell from Abu Bakr's eye onto the Prophet (sa) before he could catch it and the Prophet (sa) awoke. When he saw the very pained expression on his face he was troubled and asked what ailed him whereupon Abu Bakr told him of the scorpion's bite. Prophet Muhammad (sa) said, "Bismillah" and treated the bite with his salvia and breath and immediately, both the pain and swelling left him −− Abu Bakr had been blessed with a miraculous cure.
A CHANGE OF DIRECTION
By now the search parties had exhausted the roads leading to Yathrib so they started to look in other directions so it wasn't surprising that one such party decided to search the caves of Mount Thawr. As they neared Mount Thawr. Allah caused yet another miracle to occur, a spider spun a huge web across the entrance of the cave, and a pair of pigeons gathered some twigs from a nearby tree, then built a nest beneath the web on the ledge. When the search party reached the Mount they explored the caves thoroughly and as they neared the cave the female pigeon settled herself on the nest and laid her eggs whilst her mate perched nearby. The shouts and tramping of footsteps grew nearer and nearer. Soon, footsteps could be heard on the ledge directly above the cave. Abu Bakr became alarmed at the thought of being discovered and whispered to the Prophet (sa), "If they look under their feet they will see us!" In his gentle, reassuring manner, Prophet Muhammad (sa) consoled him saying, "What do you think of two people who have Allah with them as their third?" When Abu Bakr heard these words peace descended upon him and his fear vanished. Shortly after, one of the search party noticed the cave underneath the ledge on which he was standing and peered over to take a better look at it. When he saw the spider's web and the pigeon sitting on its nest he told the others that it would be a complete waste of time and effort to climb down to check the cave as he was sure it must be empty on account of the nest and the spider's web. Another peered over the ledge and agreed saying the cob−web was so old that it must have been spun before the Prophet (sa) had even been born! The bounty hunters agreed and left not knowing how close they had been to the Prophet (sa) and his companion. As for the pigeons, their descendants are those that fly around Ka'ba today. That night Abdullah and his sister Asma, accompanied by Amir, the shepherd, who came without his flock this time, and Arkat's son Abdullah, made their way with the camels to the cave where they were awaited. When they reached the mountain, Abdullah and his companions waited for the Prophet (sa) and Abu Bakr to descend its slope. Asma had packed a bag full of provisions for the journey, however, in her haste she had forgotten to bring a rope to secure them on to the camel's back. Being a resourceful young lady, she untied the rope belt from around her waist, divided it in two and tied the bag securely onto the camel then used the remainder as her belt, from that time onward she was often referred to with tenderness as "she of the pair of belts.” And so the Prophet (sa), Abu Bakr and their guide set out on the second stage of their migration to Yathrib, soon to be renamed Medina, whilst his children and the shepherd returned in safety to Mecca.
THE JOURNEY TO YATHRIB
Abdullah, Arkat's son, knew the trails of the desert well for he was a very experienced guide. It was decided that it would be more prudent not to go straight on to Yathrib, but to make an extensive detour and so Abdullah led the holy party across the desert to the sea near a village called Usfan.
UMM MABAD
At a place called Kudayd they met an old lady named Umm Mabad, and asked if she would sell them some milk and meat. Meanwhile Prophet Muhammad (sa) had noticed a weak goat lagging behind the others in the herd, it was evident that its udder was dry, so he went to it, massaged its udder then miraculously milked it. There was so much milk that it filled a large jug and they all took their fill whilst Umm Mabad looked on in amazement. After they had enjoyed the milk, the Prophet (sa) massaged its udder again and filled the jug to the brim with milk and gave it to Umm Mabad, then they continued on their journey. From that time onward the goat never ceased to produce milk in the morning and night, and lived up until the caliphate of Omar, the son of Khattab. Later, when Umm Mabad's husband returned she told him how a blessed man happened to have passed by and showed him the jug of milk then related what had happened. Her husband asked her to describe the man whereupon she described him in detail and her husband exclaimed, "By Allah, this is the companion of the Koraysh, if I see him I will follow him!" Umm Mabad had no idea she had been in the company of the Prophet (sa) and had not been shy to observe his features; it is through her observations and another like her that we receive a detailed account of his physical description. During their migration they were to encounter a slave shepherding his master's flock, when they asked if they might buy some milk the slave told them that none yielded milk and that the one that lambed the year before way now dry. Once again, the Prophet (sa) gently took the sheep, milked it three times and the shepherd embraced Islam.
THE ENCOUNTER WITH SURAKA, MALIK'S SON
Suraka, Malik's son, who was the son of Ju'shum, was among the bounty hunters with high hopes of capturing the Prophet (sa) and claiming the handsome reward of one hundred camels. One day as Suraka attended a tribal meeting, a man from the tribe of Madlij approached and told him that only a short while ago he had observed silhouettes in the distance riding by the beach and wondered if it might possibly be that Prophet (sa) and his companion. Suraka was quick to realize that the party was indeed most probably that of the Prophet (sa) however, he wanted to claim the reward for himself so he told the man he must be mistaken as he had seen a party from Mecca earlier on that day set off in the same direction. Suraka waited for an hour or two to pass, then armed himself with his bow and arrows, ordered his slave to bring his horse round to the back of the house and set off toward the shore. When Suraka came within sight of the Prophet (sa) Abu Bakr spotted him and cried out, "O Messenger of Allah, we have been discovered!" Whereupon the Messenger of Allah with calmness of voice replied, "Never," and supplicated to Allah for their safekeeping. Immediately, the legs of Suraka's horse started to sink deep into the sand whereupon Suraka cried out in alarm to the Prophet (sa) saying, "I know you have supplicated against me, supplicate for me and I will act as a decoy for you; neither shall I harm you nor will others harm you." No sooner had the words left his mouth and the Prophet (sa) supplicated than the legs of his horse were raised up out of the sand and he rode on to catch up with the Prophet (sa). Upon catching up with the Prophet (sa) Suraka offered him his provisions, but the Prophet (sa) politely thanked him and declined. Then, quite unexpectedly the Prophet (sa) asked, "How would you like to wear the robes of Chosroes (the King of Persia)?" Suraka was astonished and knew that the word of the Prophet (sa) would surely be fulfilled so he requested the statement to be written down for him as a sign, and so Abu Bakr wrote it down on a piece of leather which Suraka then placed in his quiver for safekeeping and returned to Mecca. Suraka kept his promised and told no one of the encounter. In the years that followed when the Prophet (sa) was returning from the Encounter of Hunayn, Suraka met him again and embraced Islam. Suraka's tribe opposed the Prophet (sa) for many years and in the years that followed when Khalid was sent to remedy the matter, Suraka interceded for them but it was not until after the opening of Mecca that they all embraced Islam. The promise made to Suraka was fulfilled during the caliphate of Omar when the possessions of Chosroes came into the keeping of Omar. Omar was an upright caliph and had heard Suraka’s story and in obedience to the Prophet (sa) and in the honorable spirit of Islam, Omar sent for Suraka and placed the crown of Persia upon his head then gave him the regalia and belt of Chosroes.
THE MEETING WITH TALHA
At sometime during their migration a small caravan was spotted traveling toward the holy party. However, there was no cause for alarm as it belonged to none other than the cousin of Abu Bakr, Talha who was returning to Mecca with merchandise from Syria. Talha had broken his journey in Yathrib and told Prophet Muhammad (sa) that the news of his migration had already reached them and that the Muslims anxiously awaited his arrival. As they parted company, Talha told them that as soon as he had sold his merchandise in Mecca it was his intention to join them in Yathrib.
THE JOURNEY TO YATHRIB CONTINUES
From Usfan the holy party journeyed to a place outside Amaj, then after passing Kudayd by way of Al Kharrar and Thaniyyatu'l Marra they went on to Likf where they watered their camels. From Likf they journeyed to Marjih of Dh'l Ghadwayn then on to the valley of Dhu Kashr. After crossing the valley they made their way to A'da passing by Al Ajrad and Dhu Salaam by way of Al Fajja. Before they reached the valley of A'da, one of the camels started to show signs of weakness so a man from the tribe of Aslam by the name of Aus, Hujr's son took the Prophet onto the outskirts of Yathrib on his camel. THE RECEPTION IN QUBA Each morning at dawn after Fajr prayer, the believers of Quba, a suburb of Yathrib, would make their way to the lava mounds near the fertile oasis which marked the City limits and anxiously awaited the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (sa). There, they would stay until no shade was left to protect them from the harsh, relentless rays of the sun. It was now midday, Monday 12th Rabi'ul Awwal, the Prophet's birthday, the sun had reached its height and the gathering had returned to the shelter of their homes when a Jew happened to observe the small party making its way to the lava mounds. The Jew had heard of the Prophet's expected arrival and called out loudly: "O children of Kayla, your luck has arrived!" There was much rejoicing as the believers rushed from their homes and raced back toward the lava mounts where they found the Prophet (sa) resting with Abu Bakr under the shade of a palm tree. As they approached the Prophet (sa), he smiled tenderly as the ladies and children burst into a song of welcoming they had composed in honor of the occasion:
"The full moon has appeared before us from Thaniyyat, (the Place of Farewell). Thanks is obligated upon us whenever an inviter of Allah invites."
Prophet Muhammad (sa), was greatly moved by their sincere welcome and exhorted his new companions saying, "O people, greet one another with peace, feed the hungry; honor the ties of kinship, pray when others sleep and you shall enter Paradise in peace." This simple, yet beautiful song of sincerity in praise and love of the Prophet (sa) was among the first to be composed and sung in his presence. It is important for all those who love Allah and His Prophet (sa) to realize that the Prophet (sa) neither objected nor forbade such compositions and we would do well to remember the words of Allah that say:
“Allah and His angels praise and venerate the Prophet. Believers, praise and venerate him, and pronounce peace upon him in abundance.” Al-Quran 33:56 One of the most famous poets during the life of the Prophet (sa) was Hassan, Thabit’s son. His poetry extols and praises the virtues of the Prophet (sa) and is recited by the lovers of the Prophet (sa) to this very day. Such was the of acceptance of his poetry by the Prophet (sa) that he requested Hassan’s seat to be raised in the Mosque so that everyone in the congregation would be able to hear and enjoy his poetry. The Prophet (sa) also informed Hassan that the Arch Angel Gabriel would defend him continuously whilst he was defending Allah and His Prophet (sa). Since that time and throughout the centuries, there have been many well−known Sufi (Ihsan) poets who continued in the same excellence. One such poet being Berzinji Bosairi whose poetry touched the heart and soul of so many that it was printed in gold. In more recent times, the late Yusuf Ishmael of Nabahan, Mufti of Beirut, Lebanon wrote the most endearing poetry in praise and love of the Prophet (sa). However, the Wahabi cult that emerged from the Najd in Saudi Arabia last century − and one would do well to remember the historical fact reported earlier on in this book of how satan, disguised as a man from the Najd consulted with the unbelievers of Mecca as to the most effective way in which they should kill the Prophet (sa), and thereafter the authentic warning of the Prophet (sa) that the horn of the devil would appear from the Najd − proclaimed that Mufti Yusuf Ishmael, on account of his poetry praising the Prophet (sa), as being a heretic and he like so many other innocent, true lovers of the Prophet (sa) became either hunted or martyred by the fanatical Wahabi cult. Such has been the false influence of the innovated Wahabi cult that many innocent Muslims are now confused and fearful of reading these beautiful poems and have either overlooked or neglected the preceding verse.
A MATTER OF LODGING
It is uncertain in whose home the Prophet (sa) stayed first in Quba, however, it has been reported that it was either the home of Kulthum, Hidm's son or else the home of Sa'ad Khaythama's son. The same circumstances apply to the lodging of Abu Bakr, he either stayed with Khubaub, Isaf's son from the children of Harith or with Kharija, Zayd's son.
ALI JOINS THE PROPHET (sa) AT QUBA
A few days after the Prophet (sa) had set out on his migration Ali was able to complete his task of returning all the valuables entrusted to the Prophet (sa). He was now able to journey to Yathrib and it was there at Quba that he finally caught up with him and was lodged in the house of Kulthum.
THE FINAL STAGE OF THE MIGRATION
Word reached the Prophet (sa) that the people of the City of Yathrib anxiously awaited his arrival. However, before his departure three days later, the foundations for the Mosque of Quba were laid after Kaswa, the Prophet”s camel led by an angel showed the Muslims where it was to be built. Prophet Muhammad (sa) arrived at Ranuna, in Yathrib at noon that Friday. A large crowd had accompanied the Prophet (sa) amongst whom were some of his kinsmen from the tribe of Bani Najjar that had ridden from Yathrib to meet him in Quba. There, in the valley of Ranuna he met members of the Khazrajite tribe, the children of Salim. Their combined numbers were approximately one hundred and it is there, in his new homeland, that the Prophet (sa) led his followers in the first Friday congregational prayer. After the prayer, Itban, Malik's son and Abbas, Ubada's son, together with people from the tribe of Salim invited the Prophet (sa) to live with them. However, the Prophet (sa) graciously declined their kind offer saying that he would settle wherever his camel sat down to rest because Kaswa, his camel had been ordered and was being led by an angel. Kaswa wandered pass the homes of the children of Bayaa, and it was there that the Prophet (sa) was met by Ziyad, Labid's son and Farwa, Amr's son with more of their fellow tribesmen. They too offered the Prophet (sa) the same invitation but he declined graciously with the same reply. Invitations abounded from everywhere amongst whom were those of Sa'ad, Ubada's son and Al Mundir, Amir's son; and Sa'ad, Rabi's son and Kharika, Zayd's son, and Abdullah, Rawaha's son from the tribe of Harith, Al Khazraj's son but once again the Prophet (sa) declined and replied in the same manner. At last the camel came to a house the Prophet (sa) remembered well from his childhood days, it was the home of his maternal relatives, the children of Adiyy, Najjar's son. His maternal relatives invited him to stay with them, but he told him his camel was being led by an angel and would take him to the place where he would stay. Kaswa wandered on towards the houses belonging to the children of Malik, a branch of the Najjar tribe. Amongst their tribesmen were Asad and Awf, two of the six men that pledged their allegiance to the Prophet (sa) during the first pledging at Aqabah the year before. When Kaswa reached the buildings she wandered into a walled courtyard in which there were a few date palms, a place used to dry dates, an ancient grave yard and a building that had fallen into a state of disrepair. Asad had constructed a modest prayer area within the confines of the courtyard, and slowly Kaswa made her way to it then knelt down. The Prophet (sa) let go the reins but did not dismount, then, after a moment she got up and walked away. She had not gone far when she turned around and walked back to the place where she had knelt, once again she knelt down but this time settled herself upon the ground and Prophet Muhammad (sa) dismounted saying, "If Allah wills, this is the place." The Prophet (sa) then asked who owned the courtyard and so Mu'adh, the brother of Awf told him that it belonged to Sahl and Suhayl, two orphaned boys fostered by Asad. The Prophet (sa) smiled as he asked for someone to bring the boys to him, but they were already in the gathering and stepped forward. He asked the boys whether they would sell the courtyard to him, but they refused saying, "No, we will give it to you, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet (sa) was touched by the generosity of the orphans but insisted that he should pay them for it and so with the help of Asad a price was determined. During this time Abu Ayyoub Khalid, who lived nearby, had unloaded the Prophet's baggage from Kaswa and had taken it into his house. Once again the Prophet (sa) was besieged with invitations from his followers, but he declined saying, "I must be where my baggage is." And so the Prophet (sa) stayed in the home of Abu Ayyoub who had been the first of his tribe to pledge allegiance during the second pledging at Aqabah. The girls of the household and the neighboring households were so happy to have the Prophet (sa) staying there that they went out to meet him beating their drums singing: "We are the girls from the children of Al Najjar, Muhammad is the best neighbor!"
Once again, the Prophet (sa) smiled as he listened to the song and neither objected nor forbade the girls to sing or beat their drums. Abu Ayyoub's house had two storeys, so he and his wife moved upstairs leaving the ground floor for the Prophet (sa). Each meal−time they would take the Prophet (sa) his food and ate whatever remained, putting their fingers in the imprint of the Prophet's in anticipation of receiving a blessing. Shortly after, Prophet Muhammad (sa) gave the Muslims of Medina a new title, from now on they were referred to as the "Ansar" − the "Supporters". As for those that migrated, they were also give a new title and referred to as the "Muhajir" − the "Emigrants". Allah honors these companions by mentioning them together with their reward in the Al-Quran saying:
“As for the first outstrippers among the migrants and supporters and those who followed them in doing good, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared for them gardens underneath which rivers flow, where they shall live for ever. That is the greatest winning.” Al-Quran, 9:100
THE BUILDING OF THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE
Immediately after his arrival in Medina, the Prophet (sa) together with the elated band of followers started work on building the Mosque, the graveyard was removed and the ground prepared, some brought stones whilst others made adobe mud bricks for its walls. The palm trees that once stood in the courtyard were felled and prepared for use as support pillars for the Mosque's roof that was made from palm branches whilst the floor remained bare. It was a time for thanksgiving and throughout its building the happy band of Muslims would be heard supplicating to Allah asking Him for His Mercy and Help on both the Ansar and Muhajir saying: “O Allah, if it was not for You we would not have been guided neither would we have fasted nor prayed. Therefore send down upon us Your tranquility (Sakina) and strengthen us when we meet in times of war.” At the end of the Mosque they erected another roofed area. It was to become the home of those who embraced Islam but had neither family nor a home of their own. Upon the completion of the Mosque, the Prophet's home, consisting of two very simple, small apartments was built onto the side of the Mosque. One for Lady Swaydah and the other for Lady Ayesha. Now that the Mosque and the Prophet's home were ready, he sent Zayd and Abu Rafi with two camels and five hundred dirhams to Mecca to bring his daughters and Lady Swaydah to their new home in Medina. Abu Bakr also sent word to his son Abdullah that the time was right for them to migrate with his mother and sisters, Lady Ayesha and Asma to Yathrib. However, two of the Prophet's daughters were unable to return with Zayd and Abu Rafi', one was Lady Rukiyyah whose husband, Othman, was still in Abyssinia, and the other was Lady Zaynab whose husband refused to permit her to migrate, and so Zayd and Abu Rafi' returned with Ladies Fatima, Umm Kulthum and Swaydah.
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