arrived, warned either by the voice of Iblis, or by reports of spies
dogging the Prophet's footsteps. 'O Assembly of the Khazraj and Aus!'
said these delegates, 'it hath come to our ears that ye have allured
one of our men, Mohammad ibn Abdullah and taken an oath with him to
wage war upon us.'
"The idolaters of our party, knowing nothing about the events of the
night, swore with most evident sincerity that the Quraish were
mistaken. 'This business is improbable!' exclaimed one of their
chieftains, Abu Salul by name. 'My "qawm" would not have hidden it
from me and I have heard naught about it.'"
The Quraish tribesmen went away, more or less tranquilised, but they
met on their road some Bedouins who had been witnesses of the strange
gathering in the Aqabah ravine and who imparted their suspicions. The
Quraish, convinced of the treachery of the Khazraj and the Aus, turned
back in great haste to the encampment. But the tents were struck; the
birds had flown and were far off by that time, out of danger.
[Sidenote: THE PLOT AGAINST THE PROPHET]
Henceforward the Prophet could reckon on safety and shelter in the
town of Yasrib and he gave orders to all his disciples to take refuge
within its walls.
The idolaters could not help feeling great apprehension, by reason of
their victims meeting with the inhabitants of a rival city. The
worshippers of images impeded the union by means of great violence,
and it was only one by one, or in small, successive groups, that the
Believers were able to reach their place of safety. From that day
onwards, they took the name of "Muhajirun," or emigrants.
As for the Prophet, relieved of all anxiety concerning them, he
stopped in Makkah with Ali and Abu Bakr only. They knew full well the
risk they ran, but despite Abu Bakr's adjurations, Mohammad wished to
make a supreme effort, and resort to force before leaving his native
town. He still hoped to rescue some of his fellow-countrymen from
idolatry, especially as he now had a shelter to offer them; and
besides, he did not like to leave his post without authorisation from
the Lord.
The emigration of the Believers carried the fury of the Quraish
idolaters to the highest pitch as well as causing them great anxiety.
They resolved to strike a decisive blow.
They called a meeting in the "Dar-un-Nadwa," "House of Counsel," built
by their ancestor, Qusayy ibn Kilab. The most important resolutions
were taken in this "Dar-un-Nadwa," where only the descendants of
Qusayy were admitted, but not until they had reached the age of forty.
Just as representatives of every division of the Quraish were entering
the "House of Counsel," a tall, old man of haughty bearing, attired in
woollen garments, appeared on the threshold. In reply to questions as
to who he was and what he wanted, he replied: 'I am a Shaikh of the
Najd. Attracted by your noble gait and the sweetness of your favourite
scents, I feel great desire to hear you speak. If ye consent to admit
me to your noble assembly, perchance my advice may not be entirely
useless.'
The inhabitants of the Najd lived too far away to be suspected of
acting in complicity with Mohammad, therefore the Committee of the
Elders found that nothing prevented them from authorising the noble
stranger to be present during the meeting, and he followed them into
the hall of debate. The Head Committee started the discussion at once.
'We all know,' they said to each other, 'about the intrigues of this
man Mohammad and the danger with which he threatens our country. We
will talk over the best means of defence. Let each of us give his
opinion freely.'
The first to speak was Abul Bukhtari who made this proposal: 'Let us
cast our enemy into a dungeon, load him with chains, and bolt the door
upon him until he die.'--'Such a proceeding would be fraught with
fatal consequences,' the Shaikh of the Najd objected, 'if you carry it
out. The news of your act of violence would filter through the prison
gates and reach the ears of Mohammad's companions who, ye may be sure,
would quickly attack you in order to free him. Thanks to assistance of
the Yasrib Mussulmans, they would be victorious. Let us hear some one
else's proposition.'
Asad ibn Rabiya rose and said: 'Why cannot we expulse him from among
us and banish him from our country? When he is gone, little we reck
where he taketh refuge or what becometh of him. We shall be well rid
of him.'--'Truly, a fine piece of advice!' exclaimed the Shaikh of the
Najd. 'Know ye nothing about the beauty of your adversary's speech,
the charm of his voice and the strength of his arguments? Scarcely
will he have set foot among the neighbouring Arab tribes, when he will
dominate them by his eloquence, cause them to follow in his wake, and
come back from exile at their head, to have his own way with you all!
Try and find a more reasonable plan to crush him.'
Then it was the turn of Abu Jahal. 'By our gods!' said he, 'I have a
project which, I am certain, will satisfy you entirely.'--'Speak! What
is thy plan?' exclaimed his audience.--'This is it. In each
subdivision of our tribe we'll choose a young, vigorous warrior
belonging to a family equally noble and respected, and we'll place in
his hand a well-sharpened sword. These young warriors, banded
together, shall throw themselves on Mohammad at the same instant; all
striking him at once. By acting in this way, the responsibility of
shedding his blood will be shared among all the subdivisions to which
the murderers belong, and the Abd Manaf, relatives of the dead man,
unable to declare war upon every subdivision of our tribe, will be
obliged to content themselves with receiving the "Diyah" (blood
ransom) that we may be good enough to offer.'--'These are words of
intelligence!' exclaimed the Shaikh of the Najd, who was no other than
Iblis (Satan) disguised in human shape. 'That man's motion points to
the only way out of your difficulty.'
This perfidious counsel met with the unanimous approval of the
assembly. The Unbelievers flattered themselves that their enemy was
already got rid of, but they had reckoned without the will of the
Almighty. The angel Jibra'il, sent by Him, warned the Prophet of the
conspiracy to take his life, and brought him orders to emigrate in his
turn, at the same time warning him as follows: 'Sleep not this night
upon thy wonted couch.'
In Mohammad's house were several sums of money deposited with him by
Unbelievers, and he did not care to go away before having given back
what was due to each rightful owner. He charged his faithful Ali to
carry this out, after having told him what he had just heard and
saying: 'Sleep in my stead, on my habitual couch, and wrap thyself in
this--my green mantle of the Hazramaut. Fear naught; no harm can come
to thee from my enemies.'
When the first four hours of the night had gone by, the conspirators,
among whom was Abu Jahal who had come to excite their zeal, were
posted in ambush close to the door of the house, to prevent Mohammad
from escaping. They did not wish to consummate their crime in
darkness, for people might then have denied the participation of the
Quraish. They preferred to await daybreak, so that it might be plainly
visible that each and every one had an equal share in the murder. But
He who never sleeps watched over His Prophet surrounded by foes.
"_Verily on their necks, We have placed chains which reach the chin,
and forced up are their heads * And before them have We set a barrier
and behind them a barrier, and We have shrouded them in a veil, so
that they shall not see._" (THE QUR'AN, XXXVI, 7-8.)
Confiding in the protection of his Lord, Mohammad crept quietly out of
his dwelling, picking up some loose earth and throwing a handful or
two on the head of each conspirator. He then went away. The eyes of
the miscreants, beneath lids heavy with tedious waiting and blinded by
the bandage of sleep that Allah had placed thereon, saw nothing.
'For whom are ye watching here?' quoth a passer-by, coming on the
scene.--'For Mohammad.'--'Allah hath saved him and he hath tricked you
all. He hath just departed right under your noses and after covering
your pates with dust, he strode away gaily.'
Each startled man swiftly clapped his hand to his head and,
withdrawing his fingers dirty with dust, gave signs of stupefaction.
But, peering through a crack in the door, they saw Ali asleep on the
Prophet's couch and wrapped in his green mantle. This sight set the
villains' minds at rest and they all stood sentinel till dawn.
Actuated by the same impulse, when the sun rose, they battered down
the door and with swords unsheathed, threw themselves on Ali. He sat
up facing them. They recognised him and called out: 'How now! Can it
be thee, O Ali? Where is thy companion?'--'I know not.'
In their fury at having been so finely tricked, they seized up Ali and
imprisoned him in the Temple; but quickly recognising what a grave
mistake they would make by being revenged on the son of Abu Talib,
they set him free.
[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _And before them have We set a barrier
and behind them a barrier, and We have shrouded them in a veil, so
that they shall not see._]
[Illustration: (Ornamental page) CHAPTER THE FIFTH]
[Illustration: _Interior of a Mosque._ _Al Mihrab: the niche marking
the direction of Makkah._]
[Illustration: (Calligraphy) _And fight for the cause of Allah against
those who fight against you._]
CHAPTER THE FIFTH
[Sidenote: THE HEGIRA, OR THE EMIGRATION OF THE PROPHET TO MADINAH]
At the moment when the Mohammedans were emigrating to Yasrib, Abu Bakr
begged the Prophet to let him join them, but was answered thus: 'It is
needless to hurry. Maybe Allah may give thee the companion thou dost
prefer to undertake the journey in thy company.'
Hoping that this companion would turn out to be the Prophet in person,
Abu Bakr purchased two swift she-camels, which he stabled in the
courtyard of his house, feeding them liberally, and keeping them in
readiness to take to the road.
Ayishah has said: "The Prophet, who never let a day go by, without
coming to see my father, morning or evening, arrived suddenly at an
unwonted hour. Abu Bakr guessed that some serious matter brought his
son-in-law to our dwelling, and made room for him on the bench. The
Prophet sat down and told him: 'Allah authoriseth me to depart from
Makkah with my "qawm." My turn hath come to emigrate.'--'With me, O
Prophet! in company with me?' supplicated Abu Bakr, plying him with
questions. 'Yea, in thy company.'--'At this answer, tears of joy such
as I had never seen before, welled up in my father's eyes, and he
apprised Mohammad of his preparations for travel.'"
The she-camels, in rare fettle, were handed over to Ibn-i-Arqas, an
idolater, but in whom, nevertheless, Abu Bakr placed great confidence.
Ibn-i-Arqas was to take them to graze, and three days later, lead them
to a meeting-place appointed at the mouth of a cave in the Jabal Saur,
about an hour and half's walk from Makkah, on the road leading to the
sea. Ibn-i-Arqas would then serve as a guide as far as Yasrib.
By a small door at the back of the house, the two fugitives went off
secretly, stepping softly, and making their way to the Saur cave. The
Prophet's naked feet were soon bleeding, cut by the sharp, loose
stones of the mountain paths. Abu Bakr, in despair at seeing the blood
of God's Chosen One flowing, carried him on his back the rest of the
way, and put him down in front of the entrance to the grot in which he
entered first. He explored every hole and corner to make sure that it
did not serve as a refuge for wild beasts or reptiles. He picked up
all the stones, which he piled in his cloak, and threw them down the
side of the mountain. Then, with torn fragments of his apparel, he
stopped up any holes which might have been places of concealment for
scorpions or other venomous insects. Then only did he admit Mohammad
who fell asleep, his head resting on his companion's thigh.
But under the sand carpeting the cave, was hidden a viper which had
thus escaped Abu Bakr's vigilant, searching glances. By an involuntary
movement, the devoted disciple stamped on the reptile which, furious,
turned with a hiss, and drove its dart into Abu Bakr's heel. The pain
was atrocious, but, fearing to awaken the Prophet whose head was
pillowed on his companion's thigh, Abu Bakr made not the slightest
movement, nor did he let a cry escape his lips.
Shortly afterwards, the venom began its malignant course through his
veins, and the intensity of the pain drew tears from his eyes. A few
burning drops fell on Mohammad's cheek. Waking up with a start, the
Prophet asked: 'What ails thee, O sincere friend?'--'I have been stung
by a viper.'
The sacrifice of his being, made by Abu Bakr, had overwhelmed him with
joy bringing warmth to his heart, and triumphed over the evil effects
of the poison that had begun to freeze his limbs, so that directly the
Prophet rubbed the poisonous wound with a little of his saliva, all
pain and swelling disappeared.
The Quraish, disturbed and maddened by the flight of Mohammad and Abu
Bakr, despatched two town-criers, one on each side of the city of
Makkah, charging them to offer a reward of a hundred she-camels for
anyone who should overtake the fugitives. The most cunning trackers
set out in all directions.
Abu Jahal lost no time in rushing to Abu Bakr's dwelling, and knocked
furiously at the door. Asma, Ayishah's sister, came out to him. 'Where
is thy father?' he asked.--'By God! I know not,' she replied. He
lifted his hand and slapped her face so brutally that he tore out one
of her earrings. He then rejoined a group of young men who were
following a clue that took them to the Jabal Saur.
Scarcely had His Apostle sought shelter in the grot, then Allah
ordered a shrub, grown to about a man's height, and known as
"Umm-ul-Ghilan," a little way off from the cave, to leave the spot
where it flourished and block up the entrance. Then He sent a spider
to spin its web between the branches of the shrub and the jagged edges
of the cavern's mouth; and also a pair of wild pigeons that built a
nest and laid eggs in the narrow entrance.
At that juncture, the trackers began to arrive from all parts, enticed
by the bait of the reward; but they were brought to a standstill by
the fragile barrier built by the most humble among insects: a web that
the slightest breath of the breeze sufficed to destroy.
'There is nothing to be done in this cave,' declared one of the
Unbelievers, Ummayyata ibn Khalaf, just as they were getting ready to
enter. 'See this cobweb. It dates, without a doubt, from before the
birth of the man we are pursuing. How could Mohammad have entered the
cave without tearing these slender threads? And look at those pigeons'
eggs. Would he not have broken them as well?'
All found these deductions well-grounded and gave up a search that
seemed futile. Abu Jahal was the only one who guessed they were on the
right track. 'Nevertheless, I feel that our enemy is not far off,' he
said. 'He is looking at us now, but magic spells cloud our eyes!' They
went away, never thinking about searching on the ground for the
tell-tale traces of the fugitives' footsteps.
While this scene was being enacted, Abu Bakr trembled greatly; not for
his own life, but for that of his companion, to whom he said: 'My
death means nothing more than a man dying; but thine means all the
lives of thy disciples!'
They remained in their hiding-place three days and three nights.
Abdullah, son of Abu Bakr, passed the whole of the day among the
Unbelievers of Makkah; and at night, brought all the news he could
gather. Ibn-i-Fuhairah, one of Abu Bakr's shepherds, led his flock to
graze among those of the Quraish. At night, he drove his sheep in
front of the cave, thus bringing food to the fugitives: milk and the
flesh of the lambs. The following day, he went away with his flock,
leading it over Abdullah's tracks so as to efface them.
On the third day, the vigilance of the Quraish being somewhat relaxed,
Ibn-i-Arqas kept his appointment punctually, bringing Abu Bakr's two
she-camels, and a third belonging to him. Asma, too, had not been
idle. She brought bags filled with provisions. All being in readiness,
Abu Bakr made the best camel kneel down in front of the Prophet, whom
he asked to mount on her back. 'I cannot ride a camel that doth not
belong to me', replied Mohammad.--'By my father and mother, she's
thine! I give her to thee.'--'I cannot accept the gift. Tell me what
she cost thee. I'll buy her for the same price.'
The bargain concluded, the Prophet bestrode that she-camel. Abu Bakr
rode the other, taking up behind him, Ibn-i-Fuhairah, his faithful
serving-man. Ibn-i-Arqas, on his own camel, guided the little caravan
on the western road to Yasrib which runs, now and again, along the
seashore.
[Sidenote: SURAQA'S MISHAP]
Quoth Suraqa ibn Malik: "I was in a group of Makkans gossiping over
recent events and the price set upon Mohammad's head, when a man of
the nomadic tribes, coming from the Badya-land, told us the following
story: 'On the road leading to the sea, I passed a small caravan
comprising three she-camels. I seemed to recognise the riders. They
were Mohammad and his companions.'
"I winked to him to be silent and said out loud, in an indifferent
sort of tone: 'Thou art mistaken. The folks thou didst meet were
Bedouins that I sent out to search for straying camels belonging to
me.'
"I remained a little longer in the midst of the citizens, before
returning to my dwelling, where I ordered my serving-maid to lead my
horse to a secluded spot in the valley. I also ordered one of my
slaves, a negro gifted with prodigious strength and indomitable
courage, to drive one of my camels to the same place and there await
my coming. I left my house by a back-door, bending down, trailing my
spear low, on a level with the ground, so as to prevent the glistening
of steel in the sunlight. I took all these precautions so as not to
call the attention of those who, allured by the promised reward, might
have followed and forced me to share with them, were I successful.
"Arrived at the place of meeting, I mounted my camel and, accompanied
by my slave who ran behind, holding my horse by the bridle, I
diligently followed the track of the fugitives. When I thought I was
sufficiently near to them, I mounted my horse, and left my camel to
the care of my slave, giving him orders to rejoin me as quickly as
possible.
"My steed was fresh, not having been ridden for some days and he was
renowned lor his speed. I put him at a gallop. But after a few
strides, he stuck his toes in the ground and fell, his nostrils in the
sand, snorting and trembling. I was thrown off. Impressed by this evil
omen, I pulled some "azlams" (divining arrows) out of my quiver to
consult the decrees of fate. The signs pointed to bad luck, but the
reward excited my greed, so I stuck to my plan and continued in
pursuit.
"Shortly afterwards I caught sight of the fugitives and, urging on my
steed, I got so near that I could hear the voice of the Prophet
reciting the Qur'an; but to my great astonishment, the noise of my
galloping horse's hoofs did not cause him the least uneasiness. He did
not even deign to turn his head. On the other hand, Abu Bakr kept on
looking round, and seemed to be in a state of the liveliest anxiety.
"Just another effort and I was right up with them, when suddenly my
horse's legs sank up to his knees into the earth, although it seemed
very hard and firm in that spot. I was thrown over his head. I got up,
exasperated, swearing at him and lashing him to make him get a
foothold. But all in vain. His struggles and efforts only succeeded in
making him sink more deeply down, as far as his belly, whilst a
dust-cloud resembling a pillar of smoke, issued from the hole where he
was swallowed up. I was overcome by sudden fear.
"Once more I tried my luck by the arrows. The forebodings of evil
fortune were just as plainly shown. Feeling sure, therefore, that some
great calamity was in store to punish me for my projects, I cried out:
'O Mohammad, I plead for mercy at thy hands! In exchange, I'll bring
thee useful tidings and beguile all those who are following me; but
pray to thy God that He set my horse free.'
"Mohammad threw up his hands, saying: 'O Allah! if Suraqa is sincere,
deliver his steed.' The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the
soil lessened its grip, and getting up on my horse whose legs were now
at liberty, I rejoined the fugitives with whom I offered to share my
arms, and provisions. They refused, not wishing to accept anything
from an unbeliever and they commanded me to leave them in peace.
"From what I had witnessed, I became convinced that Mohammad would
conquer in the end, and I persisted in demanding a safe-conduct
proving that he granted me his pardon and that there no longer existed
any cause for enmity between him and me. Obeying his orders, Abu Bakr
made out, on a piece of leather, the document I claimed. It saved my
life during the Taif expedition. I then turned back. Once more in
Makkah, I told my black slave and all my fellow-citizens--who had
guessed the motives governing my journey--that I had seen nothing, and
I cursed the information that had led me to set out on such a useless
and fatiguing expedition."
[Sidenote: THE PROPHET'S ARRIVAL AT QUBA (_June 28th A.D. 622_)]
Thanks to the inconceivable rapidity with which news travels in
Arabian countries, the Mussulmen of Yasrib had already heard of the
Prophet's departure and that he intended to rejoin them.
Quoth one among them: "Every day, after the morning prayer, we go to
the Hira, a burning plain, covered with scattered black pebbles and
which stretches out south-west of the town. There, our hands shading
our eyes from the dazzling sun, we gaze as far as our sight permits,
hoping to catch sight of Allah's Apostle. We turn not back in the
direction of our dwellings until high noon, doubly defeated by the
blaze of the perpendicular rays of the sun and their reverberation on
white sand and calcined stones.
"One day, among all these days of overwhelming heat, we had just
returned, when a Jew, noted for the extraordinary acuity of his sight,
made out, from the top of one of the towers on the ramparts, a caravan
consisting of a few men in white garb, mounted on camels. They seemed
rising and falling, driven to and fro by the eddying mirage.
"Guessing that he saw the Prophet and his companions, the Jew turned
round in the direction of the city. 'O Assembly of the Arabs!' he
shouted in resouding accents, 'the good luck ye did expect hath come
at last!'
"Awakened from our siesta, we rushed in the direction of the caravan.
It was encamped at the foot of a solitary palm-tree, a few paces off
the Quba oasis. With Abu Bakr, the Prophet was resting in the shade of
this tree. As both appeared to be about the same age, and considering
that the majority had never met Allah's Apostle, we hesitated, not
knowing to whom of the couple we should pay homage.
"Just then, the palm's scanty shade having changed its direction, the
sunlight fell on the face of one of the travellers. Thereupon, we
noticed the other rise to his feet and stretch his mantle over the
head of his companion, to protect him from the rays of the orb of day.
Thus an end was put to our hesitation."
The Banu Amir ibn Auf to whom the hamlet of Quba belonged, now
arrived, transported with joy, to invite to sojourn in their midst the
illustrious guest sent to them by Allah. The Prophet lodged with
Kulsum ibn Hidmi; Abu Bakr with Khubib ibn Saf, while the other
Muhajirun took up their quarters with Sad ibn Khazimah, one of the
Najibs.
[Sidenote: THE ERA OF THE HEGIRA]
This happy ending of Mohammad's journey took place on a Monday, at
noon, the twelfth day of the month Rabi'u'l-Awwal. The year of this
emigration, renowned under the name of "Hijrah" (called "Hegira" by
the Europeans), has been adopted by Mussulmans for the beginning of
their era. It corresponds to A.D. 622.