On the way to Madinah

On the first night of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, Abdullah bin Uraqat Laythi, the guide hired by the Prophet to take them to Yathrib arrived in the valley of Mount Thawr with Abu Bakr’s two camels.

Abu Bakr’s slave, Amir bin Fahayra, accompanied them. The guide first headed south toward Yemen, and then led the small group westward toward the Red Sea. Before reaching the sea, he veered north toward Yathrib, taking a seldom travelled route.

They journeyed all night and half of the next day. Then they stopped, and the Prophet rested in the shade beneath a rock. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr found a herdsman who let him milk one of his goats. When the Prophet awoke, Abu Bakr gave him fresh milk. Then they pushed ahead.

Perhaps it was the next day that the Prophet and Abu Bakr passed the tent of Umm Ma’bad on the outskirts of Qadid, near Mashaal, about 130 km from Makkah. They asked her whether she had anything for four weary travellers. She apologised, saying her goats were grazing far away, and the only one at hand was a small goat that was unable to stay with the herd and didn’t have a drop of milk to give.

The Prophet asked for permission to milk it, and when he did, milk flowed from its udders. He filled a large bowl with milk and first let her drink. After that, each of the travellers drank their fill. When they had all finished, he milked the goat again and left the bowl of milk for the woman.

After they resumed their journey, the woman’s husband returned. Umm Ma’bad told him what had happened, and she gave him such a complete description of the travellers that her husband exclaimed, “That was the man from the Quraysh that I’ve been hearing about. If I ever have the opportunity, I will join his followers.”

On the third morning of the Prophet’s departure, the Makkans heard a voice echo through the streets. They were unable to find where it was coming from because it was not the voice of a human. It was a jinni (a spirit) saying: “Allah, Lord of the people, bless those two companions who reached the tent of Umm Ma’bad. In safety, they broke their journey, and in safety they resumed it. Anyone who befriends Muhammad finds success. O Quraysh! By driving Muhammad away, you have forefitted glory and dominion! Blessed is the tribe of Ka’b! Their ladies tent became a refuge for Muhammad. Ask your lady about the weak goat and the milking bowl. The goat will aslo inform you if you ask it.”

When the Prophet and his Companions left Qadid, a man by the name of Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju’shum Madlaji spotted them. He thought he would capture the fugitives and take them back to collect the reward. As he charged ahead on his horse, it suddenly stumbled and he fell to the ground. Being superstitious, he drew an arrow to see how favourable the situation was. The arrow he drew was unfavourable, but, greedy for the bounty, he ignored the omen and mounted the horse again. This time his horse carried him close enough to the fugitives that he could hear the Prophet reciting the Qur’an. Abu Bakr nervously looked back, but the Prophet was unconcerned. This time the forelegs of the horse sank into the sand, and again the rider tumbled to the ground.

Suraqa cursed the horse, and with great difficulty he managed to pull the horse’s legs our of the sand. But when he looked behind, he saw dust rising from the horse’s hoof prints like smoke. He quickly pulled out another arrow to find yet another bad omen. Now he was convinced that he would not be able to capture the Prophet . He then called to the Prophet and surrendered. The travellers stopped and waited for him to come forward. Suraqa offered them food, but they refused his rations. The Prophet did however, ask him not to tell the Quraysh of their whereabouts. Suraqa agreed, and asked to be given a letter of safe conduct for future security. The Prophet asked Amir to write the letter on a piece of tanned leather.

Suraqa then returned toward Makkah. He told all of the bounty hunters he met to go back because he had already searched the area and the fugatives were nowhere to be found. The four travellers resumed their journey, and on the way, the Prophet soon met Burida bin Husayb Aslami along with seventy or eighty families of his followers. They all embraced Islam and prayed the evening prayer with the Prophet. Burida migrated to Madinah after the Battle of Uhud.

The Prophet also met Abu Tamim Aus bim Hajr Aslami at Arj. At the same time the Prophet and Abu Bakr were riding the same camel because one of their camels had become weak. Abu Tamim offered them a camel and sent along a slave named Mas’ood bin Hanida who accompanied them all the way to Yathrib. Although Abu Tamim became Muslim, he chose to remain in Arj. He would later prove useful to the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud by sending word through Mas’ood, the slave, about the Makkans’ advance toward Madinah.

When the Prophet reached the valley of Reem, he met Zubayr bin Awwam , who was accompanying a trade caravan of Muslims returning from Syria. He presented the Prophet and Abu Bakr with sheets of white cloth.