The hijrah: migration to Madinah
The word hijrah means migration. In Islamic history it means the journey of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, thirteen years after the first revelation. It was such a turning point that the companions counted the years of the Islamic calendar from his arrival in Madinah (Sahih al-Bukhari 3934).
A new home prepared
In Makkah the persecution kept growing. Meanwhile, people from the town of Yathrib, later called Madinah, met the Prophet during the pilgrimage season, accepted Islam, and promised to protect him. The Muslims of Makkah began to migrate there quietly, leaving their homes and property behind.
Two in the cave
Then the Prophet left Makkah with Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Abu Bakr's family prepared food for the journey, and his daughter Asma, may Allah be pleased with her, tied the bag closed with a piece torn from her own waistband. The two hid in a cave on Mount Thawr, near Makkah, for three nights (Sahih al-Bukhari 3905).
The men of Quraysh searched for them and came right up to the cave. Abu Bakr later said: "O Messenger of Allah, if one of them looked below his feet, he would see us." The Prophet replied:
O Abu Bakr, what do you think of two persons, the third of whom is Allah?
Sahih al-Bukhari 3653 and Sahih Muslim 2381 (agreed upon)
Allah mentions this moment in the Quran, describing the Prophet and Abu Bakr:
when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see
Quran 9:40 (part of the verse; Saheeh International translation of the meaning)
Arabic: لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا
How to say it: Laa tahzan, innal-laaha ma'anaa
Meaning: "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us."
Scholars explain that "Allah is with us" means He was with them with His help and support. Whatever you face as a new Muslim, these words are yours too.
Arrival in Madinah
The Prophet first stayed a little more than ten nights with the clan of Banu Amr ibn Awf, at Quba on the edge of Madinah, where he founded the mosque of Quba. Then he rode into the city, with people walking alongside him (Sahih al-Bukhari 3906). Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a boy at the time, remembered it this way:
On the day the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Madīnah, everything therein became illuminated.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3618 (sahih, al-Albani)
Building the mosque
One of the first things he did in Madinah was build a mosque, which is today the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet did not just give orders: he carried bricks himself alongside his companions (Sahih al-Bukhari 3906). Its wall facing the qiblah (the direction of prayer) was made of palm trunks (Sahih al-Bukhari 428). This simple building became the heart of the community: a place for prayer, learning, and gathering.
Brothers in faith
The emigrants from Makkah, the Muhajirun, had left almost everything behind. The Muslims of Madinah, the Ansar (the helpers), welcomed them, and the Prophet paired emigrants and helpers as brothers. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, may Allah be pleased with him, was paired with Sa'd ibn al-Rabi', may Allah be pleased with him, who offered to give him half of his wealth. Abd al-Rahman replied that he did not need it and asked where the market was, and he began to trade (Sahih al-Bukhari 2048). Allah praised the Ansar:
They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation.
Quran 59:9 (part of the verse; Saheeh International translation of the meaning)
Many new Muslims find their own version of this brotherhood and sisterhood today: a friend at the masjid, a mentor, a family that welcomes you. You are part of the same community.
What did the Prophet say to Abu Bakr in the cave when the searchers came close?
The hijrah turned a persecuted group into a community built on trust in Allah, with a mosque at its center and brotherhood between believers.
Next: life in Madinah, the conquest of Makkah, the farewell pilgrimage, and the Prophet's passing.
Sources
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Up next: Madinah, the conquest of Makkah, and the farewell
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