Abu Bakr, the Faithful Friend
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) left his house, he went to Abu Bakr and told him it was time for them to leave. Abu Bakr was ready! The greatest manhunt was underway!
The Quraysh offered a great reward to anyone who would bring the Prophet (peace be upon him), dead or alive. How evil they were, and how great is the mercy, guidance, and protection of Allah Almighty.
Quraysh expected the Prophet (peace be upon him) would head to Madinah, but he (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr headed off in the opposite direction at first to mislead their enemies.
They camped out in a cave for some time, and during this time, a great lesson along with an ayat of the Quran were revealed.
When first entering the cave, Abu Bakr was so concerned about the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) safety and wellbeing that he insisted on entering first to rid it of any dangerous creatures, like scorpions.
When he was satisfied that it was safe, he and the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered it and stayed quietly there.
Asma, a daughter of Abu Bakr, used to bring them food and news from Makkah. She showed great courage in doing this, and she used to hide the food in her clothing and creep out of the city, going into the desert. At one time, one of the disbelievers thought she knew where the Prophet (peace be upon him) was and struck her harshly, trying to get her to talk, but she said nothing!
At one point, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr were in the cave, a group of men, eager to get the reward money, stepped very close to the entrance of the cave.
Abu Bakr could see their feet and was very afraid that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would be found. He did not care for his own safety.
All his thoughts and concern were with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the great responsibility he felt in accompanying him on this very important journey.
Abu Bakr whispered his fears to the Prophet (peace be upon him), who comforted him by saying, “What do you think of two, whose third is Allah?”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was telling his great friend Abu Bakr that they should not fear, as Allah was with them.
And Indeed, Allah Almighty protected them because He caused a bird to build a nest and lay eggs at the entrance of the cave and a spider to spin its web across the cave entrance.
In this way, the enemies of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were convinced that he could not possibly be in the cave.
When the time was right, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr left the cave and continued on their journey to Madinah.
It was a long and difficult journey, and the Muslims were in Madinah, eagerly awaiting their arrival.
Every day, men would go to the outskirts of the town, climb tall trees, and try to see if the blessed Prophet (peace be upon him) was approaching.
Many days passed, and still there was no sign of the Prophet (peace be upon him). There was no way for them to know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was safe.
They just had to trust in Allah and wait. They had left their homes, undergone much difficulty, and faced many dangers.
Without the Prophet (peace be upon him) to lead them, what would they do? It was a test of their faith and patience.
Prophet Muhammad Arrives to Madinah
At last, the happy day arrived! The men, who were watching the desert every day, looking for signs of the travelers, saw dust rising in the distance!
As the figures drew closer, it became clear that there were two of them!
And then, when they drew even closer, it was clear that finally the blessed Prophet (peace be upon him) had arrived!
The news spread quickly throughout the town.
People in their shops, in the market, and in their homes heard the news that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had arrived. Everyone rushed to welcome the Prophet (peace be upon him)!
They sang songs of joy, prayed, and followed him (peace be upon him) as he entered the city.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) humbly allowed his camel to be guided by Allah Almighty to the place where he would stay.
Everyone wanted the blessing of having the Prophet (peace be upon him) stay with them, so letting the camel stop where it chose showed the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) great mercy and wisdom.
There were many more trials to come, but the Muslims, now in Madinah, had the Prophet (peace be upon him) with them.
He was teaching them, advising them, and guiding them. Living in his midst was a great blessing, and they knew it.
They attended to their duties, gathered with him (peace be upon him), and grew in faith.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) had left the city he loved so well, seeking the pleasure of Allah.
And now, in Madinah, he (peace be upon him) continued to seek His pleasure and proclaim the message of Islam.
From the archives.
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