ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Seal of the Prophets and His Message Lesson Eleven: The Beginning of Migration As a result of the oppressive atmosphere in Mecca and the unbridled persecution of the Muslims that threatened them constantly with imprisonment, torture and death, and in recognition of the fact that the Muslim warriors were not yet ready for battle, the command was given to migrate.

The Prophet gave instructions that the Muslims leave the city one by one and proceed to Yathrib. The Quraysh understood well the danger this represented, and they stooped to all kinds of illicit means to prevent the of the Prophet from departing, even taking their wives hostage. But true to their original decision, the Muslims began gradually to leave the center of polytheism, ignorance and oppression, leaving behind their attachments and their families in order to migrate.

The people of Yathrib took them into their embrace. Most of the Muslims had left, and Mecca was almost empty. This unusual situation and the disquieting news arriving from Medina greatly worried the Quraysh. Since the previous ill conduct of the leaders of unbelief and rejection had not yielded any results, they arrived at a grave and perilous decision: they planned to kill the Prophet. It was agreed that as soon as night fell, the designated assassins should go about their work.

[^1] They surrounded the house of the Prophet at night, waiting in front of the door for the Prophet to emerge at dawn. They kept his room under surveillance throughout the night and were convinced that the son of Abdullah, who had not a single protector in the city, would be unable to escape their siege of his house and that his fate would be sealed at dawn.

However, the Messenger of God ordered ‘Ali, upon whom be peace, to sleep in his bed - ‘Ali whose very spirit had been formed in Islam and who thought nothing of dying for the sake of God and the life of the Prophet. The Prophet then left the house secretly, in the company of Abu Bakr. At this point a man chanced by the house and asked those who were thirsting for the blood of the Messenger of God whom they were waiting for.

When they replied, "Muhammad," he told them, "he has escaped your grasp." When dawn rended the breast of the horizons, they were astonished to see ‘Ali, upon whom be peace, rise up from the bed of the Prophet.