Migration to Madinah

Migration to yasrib was the 2nd migration of Islam and Muslims. Muslims migrated from Makkah to
Madinah including Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Causes of Migration:

One of the major causes of migration to Abyssinia was the persecution and opposition from the people
of Makkah, especially the Quraish. Holy Prophet (PBUH) was preaching Islam to a confined number of
people but when the Holy Prophet (PBUH) declared his message openly. He received opposition from
the influential people of Makkah as their response was hostile towards the new call. The divine message
called for a complete change in the social, political, economic, conduct and commercial affairs. The
ruling ones felt that the call was to attract many people if it was not dealt with stiffly. Among the those
who lead in the opposition were Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, Abu Sufyan, Walid bin Mughaira and Atba bin
Rabi. Poor converted to Islam like Bilal, Ammar bin Yasir and suffered torture. They were thrown into
prisons, starved and persecuted at the hands of Quraish chiefs. In the scorching heat of desert, they
were offered the alternative of worshipping idols or death. Even the rich ones were not spared, which
included Talha, Zubair, Saeed bin Zaid, Usman, Abu Bakr and Abdullah bin Masud. Rubbish and thorny
bushes were thrown in the way of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Once while praying in Kaaba, a Quraish
tried to strangle his sheet around his neck. Abu Jahl once placed filth on the back of Holy Prophet
(PBUH) during prayer which was removed by his daughter, Hazrat Fatimah (R.A). Holy Prophet (PBUH)
was called a mad man, poet and magician. Poems were written to ridicule him. Abu Lahab forced his two
sons to divorce their wives, who were the daughters of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Ruqayya and Umm-e-
Kulsum. He was also called ‘abtar’, a man with no male offspring. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) was also
offered a huge fortune, the kingship of Arabia or Hejaz, Quraish also promised to marry him to fairest
girl of the land if he gave up preaching. Abu Talib the uncle of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) conveyed this
message to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Holy Prophet (PBUH) responded in the following words: “If they
place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand and ask me to stop preaching the word of
God to thew people, I will never accept what they say. I shall persist in it until Allah enables me to
discharge it fully or perish in the attempt. After this his uncle pledged to support him and Banu Hashim
to protect the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

As Makkah was a religious hub and people from the other areas came to Kaaba. This strengthened
Quraish economically, politically and socially. People worship the idols placed in Kaaba every year. Other
than this gambling, drinking, adultery, murder and plundering were also common. Islam totally opposed
all these practices. This made idol worshippers feel this as a threat to their dignity and beliefs. The
people of Banu Umayyad can't see anyone from Banu Hashim having supremacy over them and as the
result they opposed Holy Prophet (PBUH) as he belonged to Banu Hashim. The Quran says about the
people of Makkah: “Also, they say: why is not this Quran sent down to some influential person, leading
man in either of the two (chief) cities.”

In the 10th year of prophethood Hazrat Khadijah died. I the same year Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) uncle
Hazrat Abu Talib also died. This year was called Am-ul-Hazn as Holy Prophet (PBUH) was deeply grieved.
His uncle was a huge support for him against the persecutors and enemies of Islam. Many shared his
sorrow but could provide him with support like the one his uncle does. This provided an opportunity to
the enemies to harm him as the Muslims were weak.