Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 70
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 70 ‘When these emigrants arrived at the nearest port, they were fortunate in finding a trading vessel ready to leave for Abyssinia. They were all taken on board and the vessel set sail. When Quraish came to know of their migration they were much upset and sen t some men after them in pursuit, but by the time they arrived at the coast the vessel had sailed away and they returned to Mecca frustrated. The Muslims, having arrived in Abyssinia, settled down in peace and in gratitude to God for having delivered them from the tyranny of Quraish. It is related that they had been settled in their new home for only a short while when a rumour reached them that Quraish had all embraced Islam and that there was peace and quiet in Mecca. Hearing this, it is said, a majority of them set out on the return journey to Mecca. When they approached Mecca they discovered that the rumour had been without foundation. They were so perplexed that they did not know what to do. Some of them retraced their steps and went back to Abyssinia, and others entered Mecca secr etly or under the protection of some influential powerful person. The migration and the alleged return took place in the fifth year of the prophet hood of the Holy Prophet. A careful appraisal of all the circumstances makes it very doubtful whether any such rumour had reached the migrants in Abyssinia and whether any of them had undertaken the return journey to Mecca. This incident has somehow been thought to be connected wit h another incident which is related in some ahadith , Bokhari’s version of which is: ‘On one occasion, the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, recited the verses of Sura