The
Meccan Jahiliyyah alarmed at the growing impact of Islam and their abject
helplessness to contain its radiant rays conspired to assassinate the Prophet.
Moreover, the death of Abu Talib that devoted guardian of infant Islam, had
removed an obstacle from their path, embolding the haughty ignorant to plot
Muhammad's (s.a.w.) murder.
The heads of the Quraish gathered in their "Dar Al-Nadwah" to consult about
the Messenger (s.a.w.). They decided to collectively assassinate him. Each tribe
would send one of its men to carry out the assassination at night, thus laying
the blame of the proposed murder on no one tribe. But Meccan arrogance had
reckoned the whole thing without taking into account the Omnipotent Creator Who
is always watching over peoples words and deeds and is even aware of the
thoughts they entertain.
The Almighty Allah sent Arch Angel Gabriel (a.s.), to inform Holy Prophet of
the dirty plot. "And when those who disbelieve plot against you (O Muhammad)
to wound you fatally, or to kill you, or to drive you forth; they plot, but
Allah (also) plots, and Allah is the best of plotters". Holy Our'an (8:30)
As commanded, the Prophet asked his faithful cousin Ali (a.s.) to sleep in
his bed that night and cover himself with the Prophet's (s.a.w.) garment, and
himself set out for Yathrib taking along one of his companions, the aged Abu
Bakr, whom for some reasons he considered it unwise to leave behind at Mecca.
Imam Ali (a.s.) asked if by doing so the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) would be
safe. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) confirmed that he would. Imam Ali (a.s.)
without further comment agreed to act as a decoy. Then the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.) left the house, and, passing through the besiegers, he recited: "And
We have set a bar before them and a bar behind them, and (thus) have covered
them so that they see not". Holy Qur'an (36:9)
That epoch-making night which marked a turning point in the message of Islam,
Imam Ali (a.s.) lay on the Prophet's bed as calm and composed as ever, that even
the scores of infidels besieging the house and peeping through the windows, not
the least suspected the real identity of the sleeper.
It is related that each Meccan tribe or clan was represented in the gang of
conspirators hovering around the abode of divine revelation in their vain bid to
extinguish the eternal light, even Muhammad's (s.a.w.) own infidel uncle Abu
Lahab was there claiming to represent the Bani Hashim.
At last before the break of dawn, the unholy gang, burst into the Prophet's
house, full of confidence to accomplish their dirty deed. But their all-night
vigil proved as worthless as their stone-made-gods, for to their utter surprise,
the figure which calmly emerged from the covers and stood facing them was the
Lion of Allah, Ali (a.s.), and not whom they were seeking. Frustrated in their
ungodly efforts, the infidels asked Ali the Prophet's whereabouts, to which they
received the crisp and to the point reply "Did you appoint me to watch him?" he
replied. "Didn't you say you would expel him from your town? Now he has left
you..." Thus Almighty Allah protected His Prophet from the evil of the
idolaters, and escorted him safely away from their very midst, without the
blind-hearted Arabs perceiving the least.
The
event has another significance, for it brings into sharper focus the personality
of Imam Ali (a.s.) and his selfless devotion to the cause of Islam and to his
cousin's life. He dauntlessly agreed to sleep on the Prophet's bed risking his
life and limbs, If the late Abu Talib's personality had been until recently, a
deterring factor for the Meccan polytheists from harming the Prophet, now his
son the brave Ali had ably filled up the vacuum, showing readiness to sacrifice
his own life for Muhammad's (s.a.w.) sake. Almighty Allah rewarded Ali's
selfless spirit of devotion by revealing the following verses of the Qur'an:
"And among people is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah..."
Holy Qur'an (2: 207)
Thus the Almighty brought the stratagem of the plotters to naught. By the
time the Meccan infidels recovered from their shock, the Prophet was safely out
of Mecca and on his way to Yathrib. Cautious, not to be overtaken by the
conspirators lest they start the chase, the Prophet along with his companion Abu
Bakr, took refuge in a cave of a mountain called Thawr, three miles south of
Mecca. The Quraish hastily set out to trace the Prophet, and a party of
unbelievers arrived at the very cave of Thawr. Strangely, just as the idolaters
neared the place, Abu Bakr, perhaps sensing danger suddenly started crying. His
unwarranted cries - had not Almighty Allah descended tranquility on him that
very moment making him tight-lipped, would have been enough to lead the Quraish
party to the Prophet's hide-out, periling the whole brave selfless episode. The
polytheists arrived at the cave's mouth with an expert tracker and looked
everywhere around, but by Allah's command a spider had spun a cobweb over its
entrance and a bird had come and laid eggs, presenting the semblance of an
undisturbed virgin spot, where no soul had ventured of late. The conspirators
did not think that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) could be behind flimsy
threads it had woven. Thus, they were misled.
Satisfied that no one was in the cave, the unbelievers turned back giving up
all hope of finding the Prophet. Thus the Prophet safely proceeded to Medina.
The Hijra (Migration) to Medina also marks the start of the Muslim Lunar
Calendar and according to historians it took place on the 1st of Rabi-al-Awwal.
Then, under the protection of the dark night, Imam Ali (a.s.) and Hind bin
Abu halah, hurried to the grotto to see the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.). The
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) discussed with Imam Ali (a.s.) what he should do
during his emigration to Madinah. He told Imam Ali (a.s.) to stay behind in
Mecca to hand the deposits of the people hack to them, and then to join him in
Madinah, bringing with him Fatimah al-Zahra (s.a.) and the rest of the women of
his household.
Related Link:
The
Hijrah Chapter of "A
Restatement of History of Islam" by Sayed Ali Asgher Razwy
Source:
IslamicOccasions.Com
