CHAPTER 6
What does one do when they are no longer able to live in an environment where they are persecuted for being Muslim?
If persecution reaches extreme levels and there is a real threat to the believers' lives and families, it is a Qur'anic teaching and a Prophetic tradition for them to leave the oppressive land for the vast “Land of Allah.”
Allah relates in the Quran the story of those who were oppressed but “sinned” by failing to migrate to the “vast Land of Allah.”
When the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves, they will ask, “What was wrong with you?” They will answer, “We were oppressed on earth.” The angels will say, “Was the Land of Allah not vast for you to have migrated to some other place? (4:97)
Allah (SWT) loves us to possess the virtue of patience. But in some extreme cases, such as the Prophet's (peace be upon him) early companions in Makkah, the persecution was intolerable, as described in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5.
“The series of persecutions began late in the fourth year of the Prophet's life, slowly at first, but steadily accelerated and worsened day by day and month by month until the situation became so grave and intolerable by the middle of the fifth year that the Muslims began to seriously consider ways to avoid the excruciating tortures they were subjected to.” (The Fermented Liquor)
The Prophet’s Mercy & Leadership
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was extremely sad to see most of his followers go through all that pain. Out of his love and mercy for them, and the fact that he could not protect them, he searched for an alternative.
In the month of Rajab of the fifth year, he suggested to his Companions who wanted to leave Makkah that they migrate to Abyssinia.
But why Abyssinia?
Because it was ruled by a just Christian ruler named Ashamah, the Negus, a fair ruler who would not wrong any of his subordinates.
The first to migrate was a group of around 12 men and 4 women, led by Uthman ibn Affan and his wife, Ruqayyah, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He was followed by other Companions, including Uthman ibn Maz’un, Abdel Rahman ibn Auf, Al-Zubair ibn Al-Awwam, Mus’ab ibn Umayr, Abu Salama, and Umm Salama.
This was a very difficult decision to make, and a very sad trip separating them from their people and tribe. But it was a sacrifice they were willing to make for the sake of safeguarding their religion and protecting themselves.
Upon leaving Makkah, they headed towards the Red Sea, and reached Abyssinia by boat, where they were welcomed and given due hospitality.
The Second Abyssinian Migration
Two months later, in the month of Ramadan, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recited Surat Al-Najm (Chapter 53) in the Ka'bah, and a rumour spread that the people of Makkah had converted to Islam after hearing these Quranic verses.
The Muslims in Abyssinia heard this rumour and decided to return, assuming that the persecution of Muslims had ended. They returned to Makkah, where they arrived in the month of Shawwal.
Before entering Makkah, they realised that the news they had received was false and nothing had changed. The majority decided to return to Abyssinia, while a few remained and continued to Makkah.
As word spread of the hospitable environment the Muslims discovered in exile, more Muslims desired to leave Makkah. They were given permission to depart by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There were approximately 83 men and 19 women present.
The Quraish made every effort to prevent this new migration. They were unable to accept that Muslims had found refuge in other countries and feared that their reputation would suffer irreparable harm. Therefore, they dispatched two envoys to the Negus of Abyssinia in an effort to return their people to Makkah.
Amr ibn Al-‘As and ‘Abdullah ibn Abi-Rabi'ah, two Makkan envoys, arrived in Abyssinia bearing numerous gifts for the king. The argument for expelling the Muslims was presented to the Negus, who then requested to hear the other side of the story.
Speech of The Prophet’s Cousin
Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), defended their case with a brilliant speech in which he stated:
“Your Majesty, we were once an ignorant people. We worshipped idols, ate dead animals, committed grave sins, severed family ties, and abused the weak. We were like this until God sent a Prophet from among us who was renowned for his noble descent, honesty, dependability, and decency.
He urged us to worship God alone and to refrain from adoring stones and idols. He commanded us to speak nothing but the truth and to return our trusts to their rightful owners. In addition, he commanded us to maintain our familial ties, be kind to our neighbours, and avoid forbidden behaviour.
He also commanded us not to commit evil, speak falsehoods, devour the property of orphans, or accuse chaste women of wrongdoing without evidence or witness. He has commanded us to worship God alone without associating anything with Him, to pray, to give Zakat, and to fast.
As a result, we had faith in him and in God's message to him. We only worshipped God. And we rejected what we had previously associated as His partners. We consider illegal what he has told us is illegal and legal what he has told us is legal.
Our people have attacked us, tortured us, and forced us to abandon our religion solely for this reason. They intend to convince us to return to idol worship instead of praising God. They want us to consider the evil actions we committed in the past to be legitimate.
When they tortured us, confined us, and came between us and our religion, we fled to your kingdom, choosing you as our protector because we require your assistance. We hope to be treated fairly while in your service, O King!”
The Rule of a Righteous King
These words left an impression on the king. When asked to recite some verses, Ja'far recited the Surah Maryam. The Negus and his bishops were moved to tears upon hearing verses about the story of John, Mary, and Jesus.
Negus stated:
It appears that these words and those revealed to Jesus have the same origin.
He refused to turn over the prisoners to the two Makkan envoys. He stated that they were free to live and worship as they pleased in his kingdom.
In his final attempt before departing, ‘Amr ibn Al-‘As accused the Muslims of showing Jesus contempt. The Negus summoned Ja'far, who replied, “I'm here.”
“Our faith in Jesus is based on what our Prophet has told us about him; Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, who was created at God's command.”
Hearing this response, the Negus sent the two envoys away with their gifts and granted security and peace to the Muslims. They spent fifteen years in Abyssinia before joining the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Madinah.
In addition, the Negus converted to Islam after receiving a letter from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions prayed the funeral prayer for him when he passed away. A just king who discovered the truth and passed away at peace. May Allah (SWT) show him mercy. Ameen.
