Life of Muhammad — Page 21
sa 21 belief and regard for duty. Turning to the Prophet sa , he said: "My nephew, go your way. Do your duty. Let my people give me up. I am with you" ( Hish a m ). EMIGRATION TO ABYSSINIA When tyranny reached its extreme limit the Prophet sa assembled his followers, and pointing to the west told them of a land across the sea where men were not murdered because of a change of faith, where they could worship God unmolested, and where there was a just king. Let them go there; maybe the change would bring them relief. A party of Muslim men, women and children, acting on this suggestion, went to Abyssinia. The migration was on a small scale and very pathetic. The Arabs regarded themselves as keepers of the Ka ‘ ba, and so they were. To leave Mecca was for them a great wrench, and no Arab could think of doing so unless living in Mecca had become absolutely impossible. Nor were the Meccans prepared to tolerate such a movement. They would not let their victims escape and have the least chance to live elsewhere. The party, therefore, had to keep its preparations for the journey a close secret and to depart without even saying good-bye to their friends and relations. Their departure, however, became known to some and did not fail to impress them. ‘ Umar ra , subsequently the Second Khalifah of Islam, was still a disbeliever, a bitter enemy and persecutor of Muslims. By sheer chance, he met some members of this party. One of these was a woman, Ummi ‘ Abdullah ra. When ‘ Umar ra saw household effects packed up and loaded on animals, he understood at once that it was a party leaving Mecca to take refuge elsewhere. "Are you going?" he asked. "Yes, God is our witness," replied Ummi ‘ Abdullah ra. "We go to another land, because you treat us most cruelly here. We will not return now until Allah pleases to make it easy for us. " ‘ Umar ra was