Baada ya kuidhinishwa kwa Ahadi ya Pili ya ‘Aqabah na kuanzishwa kwa dola ndogo ya Kiislamu katika jangwa kubwa lililojaa ukafiri na ujinga — jambo lenye faida kubwa zaidi kwa Uislamu —, Mtume ﷺ alitoa ruhusa kwa Waislamu kuhama kwenda Madinah, dola changa ya Kiislamu.

After the endorsement of the Second ‘Aqabah Pledge and the establishment of a petite Muslim state in a vast desert surging with disbelief and ignorance — the most serious gain in terms of Islam —, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) gave his leave for the Muslims to migrate to Madinah, the nascent Muslim state.

Hijra kuelekea Madinah, kwa mtazamo wa maslahi binafsi, haikuwa zaidi ya upotevu wa mali na kutoa dhabihu ya utajiri, yote kwa malipo ya usalama wa nafsi tu. Hata hapa, mhajiri hakuweza kutarajia usalama kamili; alikuwa katika hatari ya kuibiwa au hata kuuawa, iwe mwanzoni au mwishoni mwa safari yake. Wakati ujao ulikuwa na ukungu, umejaa huzuni mbalimbali zisizotabirika na migogoro. Kwa kuzingatia haya yote, Waislamu walianza kuhama, huku washirikina wakifanya kila juhudi kuwazuia na kuwakataza, wakijua mapema kwamba hatua hiyo ilimaanisha vitisho visivyowazika na hatari za uharibifu zisizofikirika kwa jamii yao yote:

Migration to Madinah, in terms of personal interests, was no more than material waste and sacrifice of wealth, all in return for personal safety only. Even here, the migrant could not expect full security; he was liable to be robbed or even killed either at the beginning or end of his departure. The future was foggy, pregnant with various unpredictable sorts of sorrows and crises. Bearing all this in mind, the Muslims began to migrate, while the polytheists spared no effort in hindering and debarring them, knowing beforehand that such a move implied unimaginable threats and unthinkable destructive dangers to their whole society:

1. Wa kwanza kuhama alikuwa Abu Salamah, mwaka mmoja kabla ya Bai'ah ya 'Aqabah Kubwa. Alipokuwa ameamua kuondoka Makkah, jamaa wa mkewe, katika jaribio la kukata tamaa la kuweka vikwazo, walimzuia mkewe, wakamchukua mwanawe na kuvunja mkono wake. Umm Salamah, baada ya mumewe kuondoka na kupoteza mwanawe, alitumia mwaka mmoja peke yake akilia na kuomboleza. Hatimaye jamaa mmoja wa upande wake alimhurumia, akawasihi wengine wamwachilie mwanawe na kumruhusu ajiunge na mumewe. Kisha alianza safari ya kilomita 500 bila msaada wowote. Mahali panapoitwa At-Tan‘im, 'Uthman bin Talhah alikutana naye akamtolea kumpa lifti hadi Madinah. Yeye, pamoja na mwanawe, walijiunga na Abu Salamah katika kijiji cha Quba’, kitongoji cha Madinah.

1. The first one to migrate was Abu Salamah, a year before the Great ‘Aqabah Pledge. When he had made up his mind to leave Makkah, his in-laws, in a desperate attempt to raise obstacles, detained his wife and snatched his son and dislocated his hand. Umm Salamah, after the departure of her husband and the loss of her son spent a year by herself weeping and lamenting. A relative of hers eventually had pity on her and exhorted the others to release her son and let her join her husband. She then set out on a journey of 500 kilometres with no help whatsoever. At a spot called At-Tan‘im, ‘Uthman bin Talhah came across her and offered to give her a ride to Madinah. She, along with her son, joined Abu Salamah in the village of Quba’, a suburb of Madinah.

2. Tukio jingine la unyama wa Wamakkah washirikina, kuhusu hijra, ni la Suhaib. Mtu huyu alionyesha nia yake ya kuhama, na bila shaka hili lilikuwa chanzo cha hasira kwa makafiri. Wakaanza kumtukana, wakidai kwamba alikuja Makkah akiwa mtu wa kuzurura asiye na thamani, lakini mji wao ulikuwa wa ukarimu kiasi kwamba kwa sababu yao alifanikiwa kupata mali nyingi na kuwa tajiri. Wakatoa amri kwamba asiondoke. Alipoona hivyo, alitoa pendekezo la kuwapa mali yake yote. Hatimaye wakakubali kumwachia kwa sharti hilo. Mtume ﷺ alisikia habari hii na akaitolea maoni akisema:

2. Another instance of the atrocities of the polytheist Makkans, as regards migration, is Suhaib. This man expressed his wish to migrate and of course this was a source of indignation to the disbelievers. They began to insult him claiming that he had come into Makkah as a worthless tramp, but their town was gracious enough and thanks to them he managed to make a lot of money and become wealthy. They gave orders that he would not leave. Seeing this, he offered to give away all his wealth to them. They eventually agreed to release him on that condition. The Prophet heard this story and commented on it saying:

• "Suhaib ndiye mshindi, hatimaye."

• “Suhaib is the winner, after all.”.

3. Kisha, kuna simulizi ya ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, ‘Ayyash bin Abi Rabi‘a na Hisham bin Al-‘Asi, ambao walikubaliana kukutana mahali fulani asubuhi moja ili kuondoka kuelekea Madinah; ‘Umar na ‘Ayyash walifika, lakini Hisham alizuiliwa na watu wa Makka.

3. Then, there was the story of ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, ‘Ayyash bin Abi Rabi‘a and Hisham bin Al-‘Asi, who agreed to meet at a certain place one morning in order to leave for Madinah; ‘Umar and ‘Ayyash came but Hisham was detained by the Makkans.

Muda mfupi baadaye Abu Jahl na nduguye Al-Harith walikuja Madinah kumwona ndugu yao wa tatu 'Ayyash. Walijaribu kwa hila kugusa sehemu nyeti zaidi ya mwanadamu, yaani uhusiano wake na mama yake. Walimwambia kwamba mama yake ameapa kwamba hatachana nywele zake wala kujikinga na jua mpaka amwone yeye. 'Ayyash aliona huruma kwa mama yake, lakini 'Umar alikuwa na akili ya kutosha kuelewa kwamba walitaka kumvuta 'Ayyash mbali na Uislamu, hivyo akamwonya dhidi ya hila zao na kuongeza, "Mama yako angechana nywele zake kama chawa wangemsumbua, na angejikinga na jua kama jua la Makkah lingekuwa kali sana kwake." Licha ya maneno haya, 'Ayyash alikuwa ameazimia kwenda kumwona mama yake, hivyo 'Umar akampa ngamia wake mtiifu, akimshauri ashikamane na mgongo wake kwa sababu utampa wokovu iwapo ataona chochote cha shaka upande wao. Kundi la watatu wakaanza safari kuelekea Makkah. Mara tu walipokuwa wamefunika sehemu ya safari, Abu Jahl alilalamika kuhusu ngamia wake na akamwomba 'Ayyash amruhusu apande nyuma yake kwenye ngamia wake. Walipopiga magoti hadi usawa wa ardhi, wale washirikina wawili wakamvamia 'Ayyash na kumfunga. Wakaingia Makkah wakipiga kelele kuwaambia watu wafuate mfano wao kuhusu "wajinga".

Shortly afterwards Abu Jahl, and his brother Al-Harith came to Madinah to see their third brother ‘Ayyash. They cunningly tried to touch the most sensitive area in man, i.e. his relation with his mother. They addressed him claiming that his mother had sworn she would never comb her hair, nor shade herself off the sun unless she had seen him. ‘Ayyash took pity on his mother, but ‘Umar was intelligent enough to understand that they wanted to entice ‘Ayyash away from Islam so he cautioned him against their tricks, and added “your mother would comb her hair if lice pestered her, and would shade herself off if the sun of Makkah got too hot for her.” These words notwithstanding, ‘Ayyash was determined to go and see his mother, so ‘Umar gave him his manageable docile camel advising him to stick to its back because it would provide rescue for him if he perceived anything suspicious on their part. The party of three then set forth towards Makkah. As soon as they covered part of the distance, Abu Jahl complained about his camel and requested ‘Ayyash to allow him to ride behind him on his camel. When they knelt down to the level of the ground, the two polytheists fell upon ‘Ayyash and tied him. They rode on into Makkah shouting at people to follow their example with respect to ‘fools’.

Hizi ni mifano mitatu tu inayojieleza yenyewe ya jinsi Waquraishi wa Makkah walivyoitikia mtu yeyote aliyekusudia kuhama. Hata hivyo, Waumini bado waliweza kutoroka kwa makundi mfululizo, na kwa kasi hivyo kwamba ndani ya miezi miwili tangu Bai'ah ya Pili ya ‘Aqabah, mitaa mizima ya Makkah ilikuwa imeachwa tupu. Karibu wafuasi wote wa Muhammad ﷺ walikuwa wamehamia makao yao mapya, isipokuwa Abu Bakr, ‘Ali, Mtume ﷺ mwenyewe, na zile nafsi tukufu zisizo na msaada ambazo zilikuwa zimezuiliwa kifungoni au hazikuweza kutoroka. Mtume ﷺ, pamoja na Abu Bakr na ‘Ali, alikuwa ameshafanya maandalizi yote muhimu ya kuhama, lakini alikuwa akingojea idhini kutoka kwa Mola wake.

These are just three self-explanatory models of the Makkans’ reaction towards anyone intending to migrate. Nevertheless, the believers still managed to escape in successive groups and so rapidly that within two months of the Second ‘Aqabah Pledge, entire quarters of Makkah were deserted. Almost all the followers of Muhammad had migrated to their new abode, except Abu Bakr, ‘Ali, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) himself, and those helpless noble souls who had been detained in confinement or were unable to escape. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) , together with Abu Bakr and ‘Ali, had made all the necessary preparations for migration but was waiting for leave from his Lord.

Ni jambo la kuzingatiwa kwamba wengi wa Waislamu waliohamia Abyssinia (Ethiopia) walirejea Madinah kujiunga na Waislamu wengine waliokuwa huko.

It is noteworthy that most of the Mwho had migrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), came back to Madinah to join the rest of the Muslims there.

Hali ilikuwa ngumu sana bila shaka huko Makka, lakini Muhammad ﷺ hakusumbuka hata kidogo. Abu Bakr alikuwa akimsihi Nabii aondoke katika mji huo. Alikuwa pia akingoja kwa hamu fursa ya kumsindikiza Muhammad ﷺ katika safari hii ya kihistoria. Lakini Nabii alimwambia kwamba wakati wake bado haujafika; Mola wake alikuwa hajampa amri ya kuhama. Akingoja Amri ya Allah, Abu Bakr alikuwa ameandaa maandalizi ya safari. Alikuwa amenunua ngamia wawili wepesi na kuwalisha vizuri kwa miezi minne ili waweze kustahimili mateso ya safari ndefu ya jangwani kwa mfululizo.

The situation was no doubt critical in Makkah but Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was not at all perturbed. Abu Bakr was, however, urging the Prophet to depart from that town. He was also eagerly waiting for an opportunity to accompany Muhammad (Peace be upon him) on this eventful journey. But the Prophet told him that the time had not yet come; the Lord had not given him the command to migrate. In anticipation of the Command of Allâh, Abu Bakr had made preparations for the journey. He had purchased two swift camels and had fed them properly for four months so that they could successively stand the ordeals of the long desert journey.

Washirikina walizuiwa kwa mshangao na hofu na harakati za makini na za haraka za wafuasi wa Muhammad ﷺ kuelekea makao yao mapya huko Madinah. Walikumbwa na wasiwasi usio na kifani na wakahofia sana muundo wao mzima wa kipagani na kiuchumi. Tayari walikuwa wamemtambua Muhammad ﷺ kama kiongozi mwenye ushawishi mkubwa; na wafuasi wake kama watu wenye azma, waadilifu, na daima tayari kutoa kila walichokuwa nacho kwa ajili ya Mtume wa Allâh ﷺ. Makabila ya Al-Aws na Al-Khazraj, ambayo yangekuwa wenyeji wa Waislamu wa Makkah, pia yalijulikana Arabia kwa nguvu zao na uwezo wao wa vita, na kwa mtazamo wao wa busara na wenye akili wakati wa amani. Pia hawakupenda chuki na upendeleo, kwa sababu wenyewe walikuwa wamepitia siku chungu za vita kati ya makabila. Madinah yenyewe, makao makuu yanayotarajiwa ya Mwito wa Kiislamu unaokua daima, ilikuwa na nafasi ya kimkakati yenye umuhimu mkubwa. Ilidhibiti njia za biashara zinazoelekea Makkah, ambao watu wake walikuwa wakifanya biashara ya takriban robo milioni ya dinari za dhahabu za bidhaa kila mwaka. Usalama wa njia za misafara ulikuwa muhimu kwa kuendelea kwa maisha ya kiuchumi yenye ustawi. Kwa kuzingatia mambo hayo yote, washirikina walihisi kuwa wamo katika hatari kubwa. Kwa hiyo walianza kutafuta njia yenye ufanisi zaidi ambayo ingeweza kuzuia hatari hii iliyokaribia. Walikutana Alhamisi, tarehe 26 Safar, mwaka wa kumi na nne wa Utume / tarehe 12 Septemba 622 B.K., yaani miezi miwili na nusu baada ya Ahadi Kuu ya ‘Aqabah. Siku hiyo, “Bunge la Makkah” lilifanya mkutano mzito kuliko yote, na ajenda moja tu: Jinsi ya kuchukua hatua madhubuti kwa lengo la kuzuia wimbi hilo la mafuriko. Wajumbe wanaowakilisha makabila yote ya Kiquraishi walihudhuria mkutano huo, na miongoni mwao muhimu zaidi walikuwa:

The polytheists were paralysed by the carefully planned and speedy movement of Muhammad’s followers towards their new abode in Madinah. They were caught in unprecedented anxiety and got deeply worried over their whole pagan and economic entity. They already experienced Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as an influential leader; and his followers as determined, decent and always ready to sacrifice all they had for the sake of the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him). Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj tribes, the would-be-hosts of the Makkan Muslims, were also known in Arabia for their might and power in war, and judicious and sensible approach in peace. They were also averse to rancour and prejudice for they themselves had had bitter days of inter-tribal warfare. Madinah , itself, the prospective headquarters of the ever-growing Islamic Call, enjoyed the most serious strategic position. It commanded the commercial routes leading to Makkah whose people used to deal in about a quarter of a million gold dinar-worth commodities every year. Security of the caravan routes was crucial for the perpetuity of prosperous economic life. All those factors borne in mind, the polytheists felt they were in the grip of a serious threat. They, therefore, began to seek the most effective method that could avert this imminent danger. They convened a meeting on Thursday, 26th Safar, the year fourteen of Prophethood / 12th September 622 A.D., i.e. two and a half months after the Great ‘Aqabah Pledge. On that day, “the Parliament of Makkah” held the most serious meeting ever, with one item on the agenda: How to take effective measures with a view to stopping that tidal wave. Delegates representing all the Quraishite tribes attended the meeting, the most significant of whom were: