The Message of Islam — Page 28
28 The Migration Under the Prophet’s direction, the Muslims in Makkah began to proceed to Madinah quietly and without creating any stir. After a short period, the only adult male Muslims left in Makkah, besides the Prophet saw, were Abu Bakr ra and Ali ra, and a handful of slaves, who had no choice in the matter. Quraish took alarm that the Prophet saw might soon move beyond their reach, and they resolved to put a violent end to him on a particular night. At this point, the Prophet saw received God’s command to leave Makkah, and he did so in company with Abu Bakr ra. When it was discovered that the Prophet saw had left Makkah, the Quraish organized a party to pursue him and Abu Bakr ra. Guided by a tracker, the party arrived outside the cave in which the two fugitives had taken shelter. The tracker assured them that the fugitives had not gone any further. He was ridiculed, as there was nowhere for anyone to go except inside the cave, and this possibility they ruled out. Who would take the risk of serious bodily harm, and possibly death, from the vipers and reptiles that abounded inside and around the cave? Abu Bakr ra heard the voices of Quraish in altercation and was much afraid that if their hiding place was discovered, serious harm might befall the Prophet saw. When he mentioned his fear, the Prophet saw replied: Have no fear. We are not only two, there is a third with us, i. e. , God. (see Surah at-Taubah, 9:40) The pursuers returned to Makkah, foiled in their immediate objective, but firm in their purpose. They announced that anyone who brought back the Prophet saw, alive or dead, would receive a