In the early morning...

In the early morning, the young men raided the house and swept into the Prophet's bedroom. Ali (a.s.) sprang to his feet and asked them angrily, "What do you want?" "Where is Muhammad?" , they inquired. "Have you placed me as a watchman on him?" Ali retorted. "Haven't you threatened to expel him from your city?

He has left of his own will." (47) They angrily turned to Abu-Lahab and beat him, saying, "You have been deceiving us all the night!" They set out for the surrounding mountains in search of the Prophet (s.a.w.). Abu Karz, renowned for his skill in tracking footprints through the desert led them, following the tracks of the Prophet (s.a.w.), to the cave. "He could never have gone farther. He must either have ascended to heaven or sunk into the earth!',(48) They examined the entrance to the cave.

A spider had spun its web on the whole mouth of the cave. "Muhammad could not have hidden here", they thought and they departed. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) remained in the cave three nights. When he was sure that the Quraish had given up their pursuit, he set out for Madinah, accompanied by a guide whom he had hired from Mecca. After a few days they arrived at a place called Quba, outside Madinah.

There, he was received by Kulthum bin al- Hadm, an old man from the clan of Amru bin Awf.(49) During his stay there, the Prophet (s.a.w.), built the mosque of Quba. He waited for Ali bin Abi-Talib, to whom he had written earlier asking him to hand back the articles that were entrusted to him to their owners and then join him.

Acting upon the Prophet's orders, Ali (a.s.) bought camels on which he carried Fatimah his mother, Fatimah the daughter of the Prophet (s.a.w.), Fatimah daughter of al-Zubair bin Abdul-Muttalib, and Fatimah the daughter of Hamzah. Before leaving, he ordered the weak among the faithful to immigrate to Madinah by night.(50) When Ali's caravan reached Quba, the Prophet (s.a.w.) embraced Ali (a.s.) and broke into tears in sympathy with him. Ali was worn-out at the end of the tiresome journey.

Only two days after Ali's arrival at Quba the Prophet (s.a.w.) mounted his camel on his way to Madinah. "O Messenger of Allah", the clan of Amru bin Awf, gathering around him, said, "Stay with us. We are diligent and filled with fortitude. We will take up arms and protect you.". "Leave her", he pointed to his she-camel, "go her own way. She will decide."(51) The helpers (Ansar) hurried towards him making a circle round the camel.