<aside> 💡 By preparing heavily for the HIjra, (pbuh) made it clear to Muslims that in all the affairs of their lives, their dependence should be on God alone, but that such dependence on the Divine need not prevent them from demonstrating respect for the causes which God has made to operate in this universe.

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Background

• Essay Plan:

• The year is 622, 2nd of Rabi' al-Awwal, or September 20, 622 C.E

• Four months before Hijrah, Abu Bakr came to the Prophet and sought permission to emigrate. The Prophet told him he was waiting permission to emigrate, so Abu Bakr stayed in Mecca, waiting for the Prophet.

• One day, the Prophet went to Abu Bakr at noon and informed him that they should migrate tonight.

• The Quraysh met at Dar al-Nadwa and then went to the Prophet’s house to kill him at night (8:30).

  And ˹remember, O Prophet,˺ when the disbelievers conspired to capture, kill, or exile you. They planned, but Allah also planned. And Allah is the best of planners. (Surah Al-Anfaal, 8:30)

• However, Jibril had already given the Prophet (pbuh) God’s permission to migrate that night and forbade him to sleep in his own bed.

• The Prophet (pbuh) told ‘Ali to sleep in his bed.

  • Ali had to return the belongings of the Quraysh, whom they entrusted the Prophet with to keep safe.
    • Their disbelief in his message was not because they doubted his truthfulness; rather, it was due to their arrogance and their proud resistance to the truth.

• Then, he came out of his house and threw dust at the assassins, reciting from Surah Yasin (36:9). They were unable to see the Prophet ﷺ walk out.

  and have placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them and covered them ˹all˺ up, so they fail to see ˹the truth˺. (Surah Yasin, 36:9)

• When they entered the house in the morning, they found 'Ali (RA) sleeping in his bed.

Cave Thawr

• When he left Makka, Allah ﷻ said:

  And say, “My Lord! Grant me an honourable entrance and an honourable exit and give me a supporting authority from Yourself.” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:80)

• Abu Bakr’s son, Abdullah would come to give them news of Makka.

• Abu Bakr's daughter, Asma, brought them food each evening.

• Abu Bakr's servant, Amir ibn Fuhayrah, would pasture his sheep and goats and then let them rest in the evening near the Thawr cave so that they could drink their milk.

• They hired a guide that was to come after three days to guide them to Medina.

• They took refuge in Cave Thawr for three days

• Abu Bakr went in to make sure it was clean and safe.

  • Abu Bakr’s foot was stung while the Prophet (pbuh) was sleeping, and he did not cry out for fear of waking the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet ﷺ however awaken and spit into the wound, healing it.

• The Quraysh set a bounty of 100 camels for their capture. Some reached the mouth of the cave.

  • Abu Bakr whispered to him (pbuh) in terror, "If one of them looked under his feet, he would see us!" "O Abu Bakr," he (pbuh) replied, "What do you think could befall two people the third of whom is God?'

    ˹It does not matter˺ if you ˹believers˺ do not support him, for Allah did in fact support him when the disbelievers drove him out ˹of Mecca˺ and he was only one of two. While they both were in the cave, he reassured his companion, “Do not worry, for Allah is certainly with us.” So Allah sent down His serenity upon the Prophet, supported him with forces you ˹believers˺ did not see, and made the word of the disbelievers lowest, while the Word of Allah is supreme. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surah at-Tawbah, 9:40)

  • Hence, Allah blinded the polytheist from glancing into the cave.