The Hijrah of the Prophet ﷺ evokes mixed feelings – joy and pain. But before we go into that, we need to ask: why did the Prophet ﷺ migrate?
It may appear to be a simple question, but there are many lessons we can learn from this momentous historic event. One answer might be that he was being persecuted. Another answer might be that he migrated in order to spread Islam somewhere else. When he migrated, he had been carrying the divine message for thirteen years, facing opposition and abuse, which was also inflicted on his followers.
The Hijrah was not something he had intended from the beginning. When he first received the revelation, he did not decide that he would eventually leave Makkah. Rather, he was forced to leave.
In the thirteenth year, he hit a brick wall. The situation was getting worse. The persecution had intensified and he had tried to seek support outside Makkah. Before the Hijrah, he travelled to al-Ta’if to see whether he could find support and assistance from the tribe of Thaqif. However, the people of al-Ta’if were even more hostile towards him than the people of Makkah.
When he returned from al-Ta’if, the Quraysh prevented him from re-entering Makkah. In modern terms, it was like having his visa cancelled and being told that he could no longer enter the city.
The Prophetﷺ therefore made use of the existing tribal system. He approached al-Mut‘im ibn ‘Adi, who was not a Muslim, and requested his jiwaar, or protection, so that he could enter Makkah safely.
According to the tribal customs of the time, if a respected tribe or tribal leader granted protection to an individual, the other Arab leaders were expected to honour it. Al-Mut‘im ibn ‘Adi agreed to protect Rasulullah ﷺ and was prepared to fight in his defence.
Although al-Mut‘im was not a Muslim, he was a dignified and honourable man. His story, and the story of his children, is a beautiful part of the seerah, but it is a subject for another occasion.
The mission of the Prophetﷺ was to allow people to hear the word of Allah, think about it, reflect upon it and then decide for themselves whether or not they wished to accept it. He wanted them to hear the real message, in a free environment, without it being misrepresented as fake news or distorted by spin-doctors.
Throughout his time in Makkah, he pursued this mission peacefully. He repeatedly asked the Quraysh for freedom of speech, to allow him to convey the message and leave people to choose. He reminded them that he wanted nothing in exchange – no money, or status, or benefits. However, the Quraysh remained adamant. They would not permit him ﷺ to spread his message freely.
In the previous session, we discussed the groups that came from Yathrib to meet the Prophet ﷺ. The first group consisted of six people. The following year, twelve people came. In the third year, seventy-five people came to Makkah and gave their pledge to him.
The Prophet ﷺ then recognised that Allah was opening a new path for him. He could no longer remain in Makkah. He had exhausted every possible effort. This is something upon which we should reflect deeply: the Hijrah was not merely an optional journey for the Prophetﷺ. He was compelled to leave.
Courage and sacrifice
When we read his seerah, we see that this was one of the most courageous decisions he ever made. This is the first lesson for us.
Sometimes, we need to take a leap forward, but the leap cannot be made without courage and sacrifice.
The Prophet ﷺ took an enormous leap. Makkah was the most beloved city to him. It was the most beloved city to Allah and to the righteous, and it remains the holiest city on earth. Nevertheless, the matter was not simply about attachment to a place. His priority was to deliver the message and fulfil the mission entrusted to him.
There are times in our own lives when we must balance our emotional attachments against our mission and purpose. Which is more important: my attachment to my country and family, or fulfilling my potential, achieving a worthy aim, becoming a better person and performing my responsibilities more effectively? Such decisions require courage.
Do not reject opportunities – assess them, then act
The Prophet ﷺ made this courageous decision after receiving permission from Allah. He had not actively sought migration, but when the opportunity arose, he did not reject it.
Sometimes, opportunities come to us in life, but because of hesitation, we miss the boat. Afterwards, we may say, “It was not my qadar,” or, “It was not my destiny.”
We understand that everything occurs by the decree of Allah, but we are still required to make the right decisions after properly assessing the situation.
This does not mean that we should rush into major decisions without thought. We must make a proper assessment, perform istikharah, do our homework, carry out our due diligence and consider the consequences carefully.
The Prophet ﷺ had been assessing the situation for three years. In the first year, six people came from Yathrib. In the second year, twelve came. In the third year, seventy-five people came and pledged their support.
He assessed the situation, asked Allah to facilitate what was best and then Allah opened the way for him.
Have a vision
After receiving permission from Allah, Rasulullah ﷺ decided to leave Makkah. However, he did not leave Makkah without direction or purpose. He left Makkah with a vision.
This is the point upon which we now need to focus. Sometimes people do things simply for the sake of doing them, without a clear destination or purpose. The Prophet ﷺ was not like this. He lived and acted with a vision.
His Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah was driven by a clear vision. He left Makkah, where the Muslims were being persecuted and prevented from practising and conveying their faith freely, and travelled to Yathrib, which later became known as Madinah. His purpose was not merely to change his geographical location. He sought an environment in which the message of Allah could be delivered more freely, without the same level of coercion, persecution and pressure that existed in Makkah.
However, we should never imagine that Madinah was a perfect, comfortable environment in which there were no problems. It was not a rosy or carefree situation. The Prophet ﷺ faced many serious challenges after arriving there.
The complex society of Madinah
Before the Prophet’s arrival, the main political and tribal groupings of Yathrib included the two major Arab tribes of al-Aws and al-Khazraj and the three prominent Jewish tribes: Banu Qaynuqa‘, Banu al-Nadir and Banu Qurayzah. This is a broad brush summary of the main divisions, which were composed of various families and clans.
The society of Madinah was therefore diverse and complex. It contained Muslims, Jewish communities and Arab polytheists. Not everyone in Madinah immediately became Muslim when the Prophet ﷺ arrived.
The phenomenon of organised hypocrisy also became a major challenge in Madinah. Hypocrisy was not a significant public phenomenon during the Makkan period because the Muslims were weak and persecuted. There was little worldly advantage in pretending to be Muslim in Makkah.
Once Islam had gained authority and influence in Madinah, some people outwardly presented themselves as Muslims while secretly opposing the Prophet ﷺ and the believers. This created a new and extremely difficult internal challenge.
The Prophet ﷺ therefore did not migrate from hardship to a place without hardship. He moved from one set of challenges to another. Despite all these difficulties, the Prophet ﷺ had a clear mission.
Allah describes that mission:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَدَاعِيًا إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَسِرَاجًا مُّنِيرًا
“O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news, a warner, one who calls to Allah by His permission, and an illuminating lamp.” (Surat al-Ahzab 33:45–46)
Allah mentions five descriptions of the Prophet ﷺ: he was sent as a witness, a bearer of good news, a warner, a caller to Allah by His permission and an illuminating lamp.
His mission was to deliver the message of Allah and guide people towards Him. Every major action in his life was connected to that mission.
The Hijrah was therefore not just a physical move from Makkah to Madinah. It was also a spiritual migration, as well as a social transformation.
The physical place certainly mattered. The pressures in Makkah restricted the Muslims, whereas Madinah gave them greater space to develop a community and convey the message. However, the Hijrah was a movement from restriction towards opportunity and from persecution towards the establishment of a community based upon revelation.
The people involved in the journey
The Prophet ﷺ travelled with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). When people speak about the Hijrah, they often imagine that the entire journey consisted only of these two people. They were indeed the two who hid together inside the Cave of Thawr, but after leaving the cave, four people travelled together towards Madinah.
They were the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Amir ibn Fuhayrah and the experienced guide hired to lead them along an unfamiliar route. The guide is identified in the books of seerah as ‘Abdullah ibn Urayqit. He had not accepted Islam at that time, but he was highly skilled, trustworthy and knowledgeable about the desert routes.
The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) hired him because of his expertise.
He was, as we might say today, the navigation system of that time. He knew routes that were not normally taken by people travelling from Makkah to Madinah and led them along a less predictable coastal path.
This also shows that it is permissible to benefit from the expertise of a trustworthy non-Muslim when there is a legitimate need and no betrayal is feared.
‘Amir ibn Fuhayrah was the freedman of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He assisted them during their stay near the cave and then accompanied them on the journey.
Inside the cave
During the period in the Cave of Thawr itself, the Prophet ﷺ was accompanied by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
Allah says:
إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا
“When they were both in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed, Allah is with us.’” (Surat al-Tawbah 9:40)
The other members of the plan were carrying out different responsibilities. After the appointed three nights had passed, the guide returned with the camels, and ‘Amir ibn Fuhayrah joined them for the journey towards Madinah.
Detailed planning before the Hijrah
The Hijrah was carefully planned. When we read the seerah, we see how much preparation the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) made before beginning the journey.
They considered who would provide food, who would bring news, who would conceal their movements, who would guide them and which route they would take.
Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) prepared the provisions for the journey. She tore part of her waistband to tie the food bag and became known as Dhat al-Nitaqayn: the woman of the two waistbands.
‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered information in Makkah. He spent the day among Quraysh, listening to their discussions and learning of their plans. After nightfall, he went to the cave and informed the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr of what he had heard.
Before dawn, he returned to Makkah so that people would assume that he had spent the entire night there.
‘Amir ibn Fuhayrah brought the sheep near the cave after nightfall, providing the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr with milk. He then led the flock away before morning.
Abu Bakr had also prepared two camels for the journey, while the experienced guide was instructed to return at the agreed time after three nights. Every part of the plan had been carefully considered.
Do your homework and then rely upon Allah
This is what we must learn to do in our own lives. We should do our homework, use the available means and then entrust the outcome to Allah. Though everything occurs by the decree of Allah, if you failed to study, submit the application, prepare properly or take the necessary steps, do not blame qadar (destiny) for your own negligence.
The Prophet ﷺ relied completely upon Allah, but his reliance did not prevent him from planning. This is tawakkul. Tawakkul does not mean abandoning the means. It means taking the means while knowing that the result remains entirely in the hands of Allah.
The pursuers reached the cave
Despite the careful planning, the men of Quraysh came extremely close to discovering the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
Abu Bakr said:
لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ نَظَرَ تَحْتَ قَدَمَيْهِ لَأَبْصَرَنَا
“If one of them were to look beneath his feet, he would see us.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَنُّكَ بِاثْنَيْنِ اللَّهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا؟
“O Abu Bakr, what do you think of two people when Allah is their third?” (Bukhari and Muslim)
This does not mean that Allah was physically present as a third person. It means that Allah was with them through His knowledge and His care. They were surrounded by His protection and support.
The pursuers were standing so close that Abu Bakr could see their feet. Humanly speaking, they could have been discovered. However, Allah protected them.
Allah says:
فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا
“Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him and supported him with forces that you did not see.” (Surat al-Tawbah 9:40)
The lesson is that Allah protected His Messenger through means which the pursuers could not overcome or even perceive.
The spider and pigeons
A well-known seerah story says that a spider spun a web across the entrance of the cave and that pigeons made a nest there and laid eggs. According to this account, the men of Quraysh saw the web and the nest and concluded that no one could have entered the cave recently.
This story is extremely popular, and some scholars accepted or strengthened certain routes through which parts of it were reported. What is unquestionably established is that Quraysh reached the cave, that Abu Bakr could see their feet, that the Prophet ﷺ reassured him and that Allah protected them through forces the pursuers could not see.
Allah’s support can come in unexpected ways
The wider lesson remains true: we should never underestimate the support of Allah. Allah is not restricted to the means human beings consider powerful. Protection does not necessarily depend upon armies, rockets or sophisticated defence systems. Allah may protect His servant through something entirely unexpected or through means that no one can see – even a flimsy spider’s web.
Human beings measure strength according to size, technology and material power. Allah can overturn all those calculations. The Prophet ﷺ took every reasonable step, but ultimately it was Allah who protected him. This balance is essential. Do not abandon planning and claim to rely upon Allah. At the same time, do not become so impressed by your plan that you imagine it can succeed without Him.
Hijrah teaches vision, planning and trust
The Prophet ﷺ had a vision: to convey Allah’s message and establish a community in which people could worship Him. He had a plan: people were assigned to gather intelligence, provide food and milk, prepare transport and guide the journey. He used expertise: he hired a highly skilled guide even though the guide was not yet Muslim. He exercised caution: he stayed in the cave for three nights and travelled by an unexpected route. And after taking all these measures, he relied completely upon Allah.
The Hijrah was therefore not a haphazard escape, or an unplanned fleeing. This is how a believer should approach life: with clear purpose, and by carrying out due diligence and ultimately relying upon Allah.
The plot to kill the Prophet ﷺ
The second incident from the Hijrah is the story of Suraqah ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him). Quraysh had not given up. They were determined to stop the Prophet ﷺ and prevent him from reaching Madinah. Before he left Makkah, they had already decided that they wanted to kill him. They had become frustrated by the spread of his message and concluded that they had to remove him completely.
Allah refers to their plot:
وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ
“Remember when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, kill you or drive you out. They plotted, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners.” (Surat al-Anfal 8:30)
The well-known account in the books of seerah states that Quraysh wanted the responsibility for his death to be distributed among several tribes. In the tribal system, if one individual killed someone, the victim’s family could seek retribution from that killer. However, if young men representing several powerful clans struck together, Banu Hashim would be unable to fight all of those tribes. They would therefore be forced to accept blood money instead.
Their plan was that each participating clan would select a strong young man. They would surround the Prophet’s house at night and strike him simultaneously, so that responsibility for his blood would be shared among them. It appeared to be a carefully constructed plan, but Allah’s plan was different.
‘Ali remained in the Prophet’s house
The Prophet ﷺ instructed ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) to remain behind in Makkah.
The books of seerah relate that ‘Ali slept in the Prophet’s bed that night and remained in Makkah to return the trusts that people had left with the Prophet ﷺ. This is remarkable. The people of Quraysh rejected the Prophet ﷺ and plotted to kill him, yet they continued entrusting their valuables to him because they knew that he was truthful and trustworthy. Even while leaving under threat, the Prophet ﷺ did not neglect their property. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was left behind to return every trust to its owner.
This reflects the character of the Prophet ﷺ. The wrongdoing of other people did not make him betray his own principles.
Leaving the house
Some seerah reports state that the Prophet ﷺ left while the men were gathered outside his house. They relate that Allah prevented them from seeing him and that he cast dust towards them while reciting from the beginning of Surat Ya-Sin:
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ
“We have placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them and covered them, so they cannot see.” (Surat Ya-Sin 36:9)
These details are famous in the seerah literature, but their chains are not at the same level as the authenticated narration of Suraqah in Sahih al-Bukhari. What is certain is that Quraysh plotted against the Prophet ﷺ, Allah saved him from their plan, and he successfully left Makkah.
A reward was placed upon them
When Quraysh discovered that the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had escaped, they offered a large reward to anyone who could capture or kill them.
The authentic narration states that the reward was equal to their blood money. This was understood as an enormous reward, commonly described in the seerah as one hundred camels for each of them. One hundred camels represented a fortune. Even today, that would be an extraordinary amount of wealth. This encouraged people to search for them, hoping to claim the reward. Suraqah ibn Malik was one of those who went after them.
Suraqah tried to claim the reward
Suraqah was sitting among members of his tribe when a man reported seeing travellers in the distance near the coast. Suraqah immediately suspected that they were the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. However, he wanted the reward for himself. He tried to convince the others that the travellers must have been different people whom they had seen earlier.
He remained with the gathering for a short time so that he would not appear suspicious. Then he quietly returned home, instructed his servant to prepare his horse behind a hill and left secretly with his spear.
He wanted to reach the Prophet ﷺ before anyone else did. He eventually caught sight of them and rode rapidly towards them.
His horse repeatedly failed him
As Suraqah approached, his horse stumbled and threw him to the ground. He then used his divining arrows to decide whether he should continue trying to harm them. The result told him not to proceed, but his desire for the reward was stronger, so he ignored it and continued.
As he came closer, he heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting the Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ continued looking ahead, while Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) frequently looked behind them because he was worried for the Prophet’s safety. Suddenly, the front legs of Suraqah’s horse sank into the hard ground up to its knees, and Suraqah fell again. The horse struggled to pull its legs free, and dust rose into the air like smoke.
Suraqah tried more than once, but every time he attempted to approach and harm them, he was prevented. He finally realised that this was not normal. He understood that the mission of the Prophet ﷺ would prevail and that he would not be able to capture him.
Suraqah asked for safety
Suraqah called out to the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), assuring them that they were safe from him. He asked the Prophet ﷺ to pray for his horse to be released, promising that he would not harm them and that he would turn other pursuers away.
The Prophet ﷺ supplicated, and Suraqah’s horse was freed. Suraqah then informed them about the reward Quraysh had offered and the plans being made in Makkah. He offered them provisions and supplies, but they did not accept anything from him. The Prophet ﷺ simply instructed him:
أَخْفِ عَنَّا
“Conceal our whereabouts.”
Suraqah asked for a written document guaranteeing his safety. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that a statement of security be written for him on a piece of leather or parchment.
Suraqah then returned along the same route. Whenever he met people searching for the Prophet ﷺ, he told them that he had searched that area thoroughly and that there was no need for them to continue in that direction.
The man who had left seeking the reward now became a means of protecting the Prophet ﷺ from other pursuers.
Suraqah accepted Islam during this encounter but concealed it. He asked for a written guarantee of safety and fulfilled his promise to divert other pursuers. The biographical works generally state that he accepted Islam later, around the time of the conquest of Makkah or shortly afterwards.
Therefore, it is better to say that the encounter changed his attitude and gave him certainty that the Prophet ﷺ would ultimately be victorious, but his formal acceptance of Islam came later.
The promise of the bracelets of Kisra
A famous seerah report states that the Prophet ﷺ said to Suraqah:
كَيْفَ بِكَ إِذَا لَبِسْتَ سِوَارَيْ كِسْرَى؟
“How will you be when you wear the two bracelets of Kisra?”
Kisra (Khosrow) was the title of the Persian emperor.
Consider the circumstances in which this promise was reportedly made. The Prophet ﷺ was leaving his homeland under threat. Quraysh had placed a reward upon him, and Suraqah had just pursued him hoping to capture him.
Yet the Prophet ﷺ was looking beyond that immediate danger. He was speaking with complete confidence about the future defeat of the Persian Empire and the arrival of its royal treasures in Muslim hands. The report conveyed extraordinary optimism and vision. The Prophet ﷺ was not mentally imprisoned by the difficulty of the moment. He knew that the message of Islam would spread far beyond Makkah and Madinah.
The bracelets during the caliphate of ‘Umar
Historical reports state that during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), the treasures of the Persian emperor were brought to Madinah after the Muslim conquests.
‘Umar called Suraqah and placed the bracelets of Kisra upon his arms, thereby fulfilling the earlier promise attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. ‘Umar is reported to have praised Allah for taking the bracelets from Kisra and placing them upon the arms of Suraqah, a Bedouin man from Banu Mudlij. The is recorded in works such as al-Bayhaqi’s Dala’il al-Nubuwwah.
The point is striking: the Muslims who were once being persecuted in Makkah later witnessed the collapse of one of the greatest empires in the world.
The Hijrah contains many lessons for us
The Hijrah was one journey, but we can learn a lot from it. It teaches us about vision, planning, patience, courage, sacrifice, trust in Allah and the use of practical means.
The Prophet ﷺ also gave Hijrah a wider spiritual meaning. He said:
وَالْمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ
“The true emigrant is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 10)
This means that the meaning of Hijrah is not restricted to physically leaving one city and moving to another. Thus, a person may perform a spiritual Hijrah by leaving sin and moving towards obedience.
They leave what Allah has made haram and move towards what He has made halal. They leave heedlessness and move towards remembrance. They leave harmful habits and move towards a life that pleases Allah. This opportunity remains open to every believer.
A person may need to migrate away from a sinful habit, a destructive relationship, dishonest earnings, harmful entertainment or an environment which repeatedly pulls them towards disobedience. This movement may be difficult, but it is a form of returning to Allah.
Hijrah begins when a person recognises, “This is taking me away from Allah. I need to leave it and move towards something better.”
The right environment matters
One of the central purposes of the Prophet’s Hijrah was to find an environment in which the message of Allah could be conveyed and a believing community could grow.
The environment surrounding something has a real effect upon it. You may possess the finest seed, but if you place it in unsuitable soil, it will not grow. If you do not water it, it will not grow. If you prevent it from receiving sunlight, it will not grow. The problem is not necessarily with the seed. The environment may be preventing its development. The same can happen to a person.
Someone may have faith and sincere intentions, but the environment around them may continually suffocate their growth. They may find that they are no longer progressing. Perhaps they are even moving backwards instead of forwards. At that point, they need to stop and reflect:
“What must I change in my life? Why am I not growing? Which surroundings, habits or relationships are holding me back?”
Remaining indefinitely in an environment that continually weakens your iman and character can be dangerous. So, sometimes growth requires changing the environment.
Changing the environment does not remove every challenge
This does not mean that moving elsewhere will create a life without problems. The Prophet ﷺ left the persecution of Makkah, but Madinah brought new challenges: warfare, hypocrisy, political tensions, treaties and the responsibilities of building a community.
The purpose of changing the environment is not to escape every difficulty. No place in the dunya will be free from tests. The purpose is to move towards an environment in which you have a better opportunity to fulfil your mission and grow in obedience to Allah.
Driven by revelation
The Prophet ﷺ was driven by revelation. We should also strive to become ambassadors of goodness and representatives of the values taught by revelation. This does not mean that every person must become a public speaker or formal preacher. A person can convey Islam through their behaviour, character and dealings with others.
Dawah does not happen only through running a stall outside a mosque, debating at Speakers’ Corner or giving public lectures. These may be useful forms of dawah for people suited to them, but they are not the only forms. You may carry out more effective dawah by being an honest, kind and trustworthy person.
When people see that you keep your promises, fulfil your responsibilities, treat others fairly and behave with dignity, they see the effect of Islam upon your character. Your honesty at work is dawah. Your kindness towards your neighbours is dawah. Your fairness in business is dawah. Your patience and good manners within your family are dawah.
A person may deliver a long speech about Islam but undermine the message through dishonest behaviour. Another person may say very little, but their character makes people respect the faith they represent.
The Prophet ﷺ was trusted even by the people plotting against him. They knew his truthfulness and continued leaving their possessions in his care. This is the kind of character through which the message of Allah becomes visible.
Brotherhood as a means of spreading knowledge
The Muhajirun undoubtedly had more knowledge than the Muslims of Madinah. Many of them had spent years with the Prophet ﷺ in Makkah. Some had been Muslim for thirteen years, while others had been with him for seven, six, five or a different number of years. They had learnt the Qur’an directly from him, witnessed the revelation and received years of training.
By comparison, many of the Muslims of Madinah had accepted Islam only one or two years before the Hijrah. Their faith was sincere, but their knowledge was still limited because they had not enjoyed the same length of companionship with the Prophet ﷺ.
How, then, could this new community be educated quickly? One of the answers was the brotherhood established between the Muhajirun and the Ansar. The Prophet ﷺ brought people together so that the knowledge accumulated in Makkah could be spread rapidly throughout Madinah. The Muhajirun could teach their new brothers, answer their questions and convey what they had learnt from the Prophet ﷺ.
Knowledge was therefore spread through close personal relationships. It was not confined to public speeches or formal lessons. A person learnt from the brother with whom he lived, worked and spent his time.
Through one institution, the Prophet ﷺ addressed several needs at once. The brotherhood provided social support, financial assistance and education. It brought the new community together and accelerated its development. This demonstrates how carefully the Prophet ﷺ was planning.
Planning requires accurate information
Another example of the Prophet’s planning is that he asked the Companions to count the number of people who professed Islam. Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ:
أَحْصُوا لِي كَمْ يَلْفِظُ الْإِسْلَامَ
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he said, ‘Count for me those who profess Islam.’”
They counted between six and seven hundred people. (Muslim)
In modern management language, we would say that the Prophet ﷺ was gathering data. If you want to create a serious plan, you need accurate information. You need numbers, statistics and an understanding of the people and resources available to you. You cannot build an effective plan without knowing how many people you have, who is with you, what their abilities are and what needs must be addressed.
A plan without information is based upon assumptions. It would be foolish to distribute responsibilities, organise education or prepare the community without first understanding its size and condition.
The Prophet ﷺ asked for these numbers so that people could be prepared, educated and trained, and so that responsibilities could be distributed appropriately.
The Prophet ﷺ continually trained his Companions
The Prophet ﷺ did not merely establish institutions and then leave people to manage themselves. He continually educated and trained his Companions.
A report found in the books of Shama’il describes how the Prophet ﷺ organised his time after entering his home:
كَانَ إِذَا أَوَى إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ جَزَّأَ دُخُولَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَجْزَاءٍ: جُزْءًا لِلَّهِ، وَجُزْءًا لِأَهْلِهِ، وَجُزْءًا لِنَفْسِهِ، ثُمَّ جَزَّأَ جُزْءَهُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ
“When he retired to his home, he divided his time into three portions: a portion for Allah, a portion for his family and a portion for himself. He then divided his own portion between himself and the people.” (al-Shama’il al-Muhammadiyyah)
The Prophet ﷺ gave time to worship, his family, his own needs and the education of the community. People of knowledge and leadership would enter upon him, learn from him and then convey what they had learnt to those outside.
The Prophet ﷺ trained the leading Companions, answered their questions and helped them deal with tribal matters, family problems, legal questions and the practical issues facing the community.
He did not try to carry every responsibility alone. He developed people who could then educate, guide and lead others. Although he was the Messenger of Allah, he planned, trained people, gathered information and did whatever was reasonably necessary to build the community.
Moving from reaction to action
One of the most important lessons of the Hijrah is that the Prophet ﷺ moved from reaction to action. In Makkah, much of the Muslim experience was reactive. Quraysh attacked the Prophet ﷺ, blocked people from listening to him and spread rumours about him. They persecuted the believers and continually attempted to prevent the message from spreading.
The Prophet ﷺ continued conveying the truth, but the Muslims were frequently placed in the position of responding to the actions of Quraysh. In Madinah, the situation changed. The Prophet ﷺ could take the initiative.
He built the mosque, trained leaders, formed alliances, established the Charter of Madinah and created brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar. He began building the institutions required for a stable community. It was now about action rather than constant reaction.
This is an important lesson for individuals and communities. If you spend all your time reacting to attacks, rumours and the actions of other people, you will struggle to build anything meaningful.
Sometimes a response is necessary, but reaction should not consume all your time and energy. You must also build, educate, organise, train and create positive alternatives.
The importance of collective effort
The Hijrah also demonstrates the importance of collective work. In Makkah, the believers were watched and persecuted. They could not always meet and work together openly. Their movements were restricted, and they were unable to develop the institutions of a community. In Madinah, they could cooperate. They could distribute responsibilities, combine their skills and work towards common goals.
The Prophet ﷺ did not build the community alone. The Muhajirun and Ansar worked together. People contributed according to their knowledge, wealth, strength and abilities. When people work collectively, they can achieve and grow in ways that would not be possible if everyone remained isolated.
Choosing the right time
Timing is another important lesson from the Hijrah. Sometimes you may have an excellent plan, but if you choose the wrong time to implement it, the whole plan may fail. The idea itself may be good, but the timing may not be suitable.
The Prophet ﷺ did not migrate randomly or impulsively. He waited for Allah’s permission and moved at the appropriate time.
By then, the people of Madinah had been introduced to Islam. The pledges at al-‘Aqabah had taken place, Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) had taught the Qur’an there, and a community was ready to welcome and support the Prophet ﷺ. The plan was good, and the timing was right.
A person therefore needs more than a good idea. They must also consider whether the people, environment and circumstances are ready.
Finding alternatives
Hijrah teaches us to search for alternatives. A person may try something repeatedly and find that it is not working. What should they do then? Should they simply complain, cry and remain in exactly the same position? No. They should search for another lawful route.
The Prophet ﷺ did not abandon his mission when Makkah resisted him. His purpose remained the same, but he found another environment and another way to continue the work.
Changing the method does not mean abandoning the goal.
Sometimes a person becomes so attached to one particular method that they forget the purpose behind it. When that route is closed, they assume that nothing else can be done.
The Hijrah teaches us to look for alternatives. If one route is blocked, find another lawful route through which the same good objective can be achieved.
Moving from the tribe to the Ummah
The Hijrah also marked a movement from the tribal system towards the system of the Ummah. Pre-Islamic Arab society revolved around the tribe. The tribe defined a person’s identity, alliances and security. Loyalty to the tribe often came before justice, even when the tribe was clearly wrong.
Islam introduced something greater. The tribe did not disappear, but it became part of a wider Ummah. A Muslim’s highest loyalty was no longer restricted to blood, ancestry and tribal interest.
The Ummah brought together people from Quraysh, Aws, Khazraj, Africa, Persia and many other backgrounds. The brotherhood established in Madinah showed that faith could create a bond stronger than the divisions of lineage and social class. The tribe was still part of a person’s identity, but it was no longer everything.
From a local message to a universal mission
The Hijrah also marked a movement from the local towards the national and international.
Islam was not a message for Quraysh alone. It was not restricted to the people of Makkah or to one tribe and ethnicity. Everyone was welcome. The community established in Madinah became the foundation from which the message would spread throughout Arabia and eventually across the world.
The Prophet ﷺ was not building a small tribal movement. He was carrying a revelation intended for humanity.
Flexibility and the danger of stagnation
The Hijrah teaches us to be flexible. A person may say, “I must do this here and in this particular way. I will not change anything.” But what happens when that method or environment continually prevents progress? You may need to say, “I cannot achieve it here, so let me try somewhere else. I cannot succeed through this method, so let me find another lawful method.” This is flexibility.
It does not mean compromising the principles of Islam. The principles remain fixed, but the means through which we pursue them can change.
Stagnation can destroy a person or an organisation. If you remain frozen in one position simply because you refuse to adapt, you may stop growing altogether.
Do not become stagnant.
The seed of Islamic civilisation
The seeds of Islamic civilisation were planted in Madinah. The Prophet ﷺ did not begin with palaces, impressive buildings or displays of wealth. He began with the mosque, knowledge, brotherhood, agreements, consultation and collective responsibility. These were the foundations from which Islamic civilisation grew.
A civilisation is not built merely by constructing large buildings. It is built through people, values, knowledge, justice and institutions. The Prophet ﷺ cultivated all of these in Madinah.
Taking courageous decisions
The Prophet ﷺ also taught us that there are times when we must take courageous decisions. However, courage should come after preparation, not instead of it. We must do our homework, gather the relevant information, consult others and perform istikharah. Then, after taking the necessary means, we say, “Bismillah,” and move forward.
A person should not remain paralysed by hesitation after they have planned responsibly and sought Allah’s guidance. The Prophet ﷺ planned carefully, waited for the right moment and then acted decisively.
We ask Allah to enable us to follow the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ, continue carrying his message and remain driven by revelation rather than by uncontrolled emotions.
Ameen.
Based on the talk delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 23rd June 2026 to the Al Manaar Convert Club.
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