Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 21belief and regard for duty. Turning to the Prophet sa , hesaid:"My nephew, go your way. Do your duty. Let my peoplegive me up. I am with you" (Hisham).EMIGRATION TO ABYSSINIAWhen tyranny reached its extreme limit the Prophet saassembled his followers, and pointing to the west toldthem of a land across the sea where men were notmurdered because of a change of faith, where they couldworship God unmolested, and where there was a justking. Let them go there; maybe the change would bringthem relief. A party of Muslim men, women andchildren, acting on this suggestion, went to Abyssinia.The migration was on a small scale and very pathetic.The Arabs regarded themselves as keepers of the Ka‘ba,and so they were. To leave Mecca was for them a greatwrench, and no Arab could think of doing so unlessliving in Mecca had become absolutely impossible. Norwere the Meccans prepared to tolerate such amovement. They would not let their victims escape andhave the least chance to live elsewhere. The party,therefore, had to keep its preparations for the journey aclose secret and to depart without even saying good-byeto their friends and relations. Their departure, however,became known to some and did not fail to impress them.‘Umar ra , subsequently the Second Khalifah of Islam, wasstill a disbeliever, a bitter enemy and persecutor ofMuslims. By sheer chance, he met some members ofthis party. One of these was a woman, Ummi‘Abdullah ra . When ‘Umar ra saw household effects packedup and loaded on animals, he understood at once that itwas a party leaving Mecca to take refuge elsewhere. "Areyou going?" he asked. "Yes, God is our witness," repliedUmmi ‘Abdullah ra . "We go to another land, because youtreat us most cruelly here. We will not return now untilAllah pleases to make it easy for us." ‘Umar ra was