Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 125
125 miles from Mecca over a hill. When the Meccans learnt of the Prophet’s escape, they collected and sent a force in pursuit. Led by a tracker, they reached Thawr. Standing at the mouth of the cave in which the Prophet and Abu Bakr sat hiding, the tracker said that Muhammad was either in the cave or had ascended to heaven. Abu Bakr heard this and his heart sank. "The enemy has nearly got us," he whispered. "Fear not, God is with us," replied the Prophet. "I fear not for myself," went on Abu Bakr, "but for you. For, if I die, I am but an ordinary mortal; but if you die, it will mean death to faith and spirit. " 141 "Even so, fear not," assured the Prophet, "We are not two in this cave. There is a third—God. " 142 Meccan tyranny was destined to end. Islam was to have the chance to grow. The pursuers were deceived. They ridiculed the tracker’s judgement. It was too open a cave, they said, for anybody to take shelter in, for with snakes and vipers it was none too safe. If they had but bent a little, they could have sighted the two. But they did not, and dismissing the tracker, they returned to Mecca. For two days the Prophet and Abu Bakr waited in the cave. On the third night, according to the plan, two fleet camels were brought to the cave, one for the Prophet and the guide; the other for Abu Bakr and his servant, ‘Amir bin Fuhayrah. Suraqah Pursues the Prophet Before setting out, the Prophet looked back at Mecca. Emotions welled up in his heart. Mecca was his birthplace. He had lived there as child and man and had received there the Divine Call. It was the place where his forefathers had lived and flourished since the time of Ishmael. With these thoughts, he had a last long look at it and then said, "Mecca, thou art dearer to me than any other place in the world, but thy people would not let me live here. " Upon this Abu Bakr said, "The place hath turned out its Prophet. It only awaiteth its destruction. " The Meccans, after the failure of their pursuit, put a prize on the heads of the two fugitives. Whoever captured and restored to the Meccans the Prophet or Abu Bakr dead or alive was to have a reward of a hundred camels. The announcement was made among the tribes around Mecca. Tempted by the reward, Suraqah bin Malik, a Bedouin chief, started in pursuit of the party and ultimately sighted them on the road to Medina. He saw two mounted camels and, feeling sure they were bearing the Prophet and Abu Bakr, spurred on his horse. The horse reared and fell before it had gone very far and Suraqah fell with it. Suraqah’s own account of what happened is interesting. He says: After I fell from the horse, I consulted my luck in the superstitious fashion common with Arabs by a throw of the arrows. The arrows boded ill-luck. But the temptation of the reward was great. I mounted again and resumed my pursuit and nearly overtook the party. The Prophet rode with dignity, and did not look back. Abu Bakr, however, looked back again and again (evidently, out of fear for the safety of the Prophet). As I neared them, my horse reared again,