Migration to Abyssinia
Encyclopedia
The migration known as the first Hijarat was made in two groups totalling more than a hundred persons. According to Islam
ic tradition, eleven male and five female Sahabah
, the Muslims who originally converged in Mecca
, sought refuge from Quraysh persecution in the Kingdom of Aksum
(modern-day Ethiopia
) in of in the first batch. This act is known as the first migration to Abyssinia; Abyssinia in this incident because of the Arabic word, al-Habasha
, whence "Abyssinia" is derived. They returned after three months to Arabia due to misinformation, only to find that the persecution
had not halted. "The hardships and sufferings borne by the Muslims were ever on the increase. Muhammad
at last permitted them to emigrate to some other place. Abyssinia at that time was ruled by a Christian King, Aṣḥama ibn Abjar
, (who later embraced Islam), famous for his mercy and equity. In Rajab of the fifth year of the mission, the first group emigrated to Abyssinia. The group comprised about eleven men and four women. The Qureysh pursued them to the port to capture them, but their vessels had left the shore. When the group reached Abyssinia, they heard the rumour that the whole tribe of the Qureysh had accepted Islam. They were naturally very much pleased at the news and returned to their country. On approaching Mecca, they learnt that the rumour was false and the persecutions were going on unabated. Some of them decided to return to Abyssinia and the rest entered Mecca, seeking the protection of a few influential people. This is known as the first migration to Abyssinia. Later on, a bigger group of eighty-three men and eighteen women emigrated to Abyssinia (separately). This is called the second emigration to that country. Some Sahabah took part in both the migrations."
Rafiq Zakaria noted:
Some reports noted migrations were made to Abyssinia in three batches.
, Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh
, Uthman ibn Affan and his wife Ruqayyah bint Muhammad
. The first batch was led by Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh. Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas did not return to Arabia
straight away but went to Chittagong
port (now in Bangladesh
), and then to Kamrup-Manipur
(now in northeast India
)in 615 and reached China
with other companions including two Sahabahs. Waqqas reached China in 616, preached for sometime in Canton and elsewhere among the Hui Chi
(later Hui Hui) and then returned to Arabia.
After persecution and torture, Muhammad ordered his companions to migrate to Abyssinia. Hamza
embraced Islam in 616 with Umar
(the second Caliph
of Islam).
.
They snuck out of Mecca on a dark night and headed for the sea where two boats happened to be sailing for their destination, Ethiopia. News of their intended departure reached Quraish, so some men were despatched in their pursuit, but the Muslims had already left Shuaibah Port towards their secure haven where they were received warmly and accorded hospitality by the Negus
, Aṣḥama ibn Abjar, also called al-Najashi, (Arabic
: النجاشي). Among these emigrants were Uthman and Ruqayyah.
consisted of 79 men and 9 women. According to some reports the number is 83 men and 18 women (The number differs largely). This group was headed by Ja'far ibn Abī Tālib
, who was also the only person from the Banu Hashim
clan who migrated to Abyssinia.
The Muslim refugees who had expected to be left in peace, were surprised by the arrival, in the Abyssinian capital, of an embassy from Mecca, led by a certain 'Amr ibn al-'As
. 'Amr had brought rich presents for the king and his courtiers to ingratiate himself with them.
When the king gave audience to the emissary of the Quraysh, he said that the Muslims in Abyssinia were not refugees from persecution but were fugitives from justice and law, and requested him to extradite them to Mecca. The king, however, wanted to hear the other side of the story also before giving any judgment, and summoned Ja'far ibn Abī Tālib to the court to answer the charges against the Muslims.
Ja'far made a most memorable defense. Following is a summary of his speech in the court of Abyssinia in answer to the questions posed by the Christian king.
When Ja'far concluded his speech, the king asked him to read some verses which were revealed to Muhammad. Ja'far read a few verses from Sura
Maryam
(Mary), the 19th chapter of the Qur'an
. When the king heard these verses, he said that their fountainhead was the same as that of the verses of the Evangel. He then declared that he was convinced of his veracity, and added, to the great chagrin of 'Amr bin Aas, that the Muslims were free to live in his kingdom for as long as they wished.
But 'Amr bin Aas bethought himself of a new stratagem, which, he felt confident, would tilt the scales against Ja'far. On the following day, therefore, he returned to the court and said to the king that he (the king) ought to waive his protection of the Muslims because they rejected the divine nature of Christ
, and claimed that he was a mortal like other men. When questioned on this point by the king, Ja'far said:
The king said: "Jesus is just what you have stated him to be, and is nothing more than that." Then addressing the Muslims, he said: "Go to your homes and live in peace. I shall never give you up to your enemies." He refused to extradite the Muslims, returned the presents which 'Amr bin Aas had brought, and dismissed his embassy.
The above list clearly shows that it was prepared after returns from Abyssinia and did not include those gone for overseas preaching and trading purposes.
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic tradition, eleven male and five female Sahabah
Sahabah
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
, the Muslims who originally converged in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, sought refuge from Quraysh persecution in the Kingdom of Aksum
Aksumite Empire
The Kingdom of Aksum or Axum, also known as the Aksumite Empire, was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite Iron Age period ca. 4th century BC to achieve prominence by the 1st century AD...
(modern-day Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
) in of in the first batch. This act is known as the first migration to Abyssinia; Abyssinia in this incident because of the Arabic word, al-Habasha
Habesha people
The term Habesha ābešā, Ḥābešā; al-Ḥabašah) refers to the South Semitic-speaking group of people whose cultural, linguistic, and in certain cases, ancestral origins trace back to those people who ruled the Axumite Empire and the kingdom known as DʿMT .Peoples referred to as "Habesha" today...
, whence "Abyssinia" is derived. They returned after three months to Arabia due to misinformation, only to find that the persecution
Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans
In the early days of Islam at Mecca, the new Muslims were often subjected to abuse and persecution.-Overview:Some were killed, such as Sumayyah bint Khabbab, the seventh convert to Islam, who was tortured first by Abu Jahl...
had not halted. "The hardships and sufferings borne by the Muslims were ever on the increase. Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
at last permitted them to emigrate to some other place. Abyssinia at that time was ruled by a Christian King, Aṣḥama ibn Abjar
Ashama ibn Abjar
According to Arabic sources, Aṣḥama ibn Abjar was Emperor or al-Najashi of Aksum at the time of Muhammad, and gave refuge to several Muslims in the Kingdom of Aksum. The term "al-Najashi" has the variant al-Negashi; it corresponds to the ancient Aksumite title Negus, with the variant Negash...
, (who later embraced Islam), famous for his mercy and equity. In Rajab of the fifth year of the mission, the first group emigrated to Abyssinia. The group comprised about eleven men and four women. The Qureysh pursued them to the port to capture them, but their vessels had left the shore. When the group reached Abyssinia, they heard the rumour that the whole tribe of the Qureysh had accepted Islam. They were naturally very much pleased at the news and returned to their country. On approaching Mecca, they learnt that the rumour was false and the persecutions were going on unabated. Some of them decided to return to Abyssinia and the rest entered Mecca, seeking the protection of a few influential people. This is known as the first migration to Abyssinia. Later on, a bigger group of eighty-three men and eighteen women emigrated to Abyssinia (separately). This is called the second emigration to that country. Some Sahabah took part in both the migrations."
Hijarat to Abyssinia (613, 615)
- Migrations in two batches (613, 615):
Rafiq Zakaria noted:
Some reports noted migrations were made to Abyssinia in three batches.
History
The party of migrations (613-15) included famous persons as Sa`d ibn Abi WaqqasSa`d ibn Abi Waqqas
Saad ibn Abī Waqqās was an early convert to Islam in 610-11 and one of the important companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sa'd was the seventeenth person to embrace Islam at the age of seventeen...
, Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh
Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh
Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh , also called Abdu ibn Jahsh, was a cousin and companion of Muhammad.'-Embrace Islam:As Jahsh and his son Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh embraced Islam, whole of their clan embraced Islam....
, Uthman ibn Affan and his wife Ruqayyah bint Muhammad
Ruqayyah bint Muhammad
Ruqayyah bint Muhammad was the second daughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his first wife Khadija. She was amongst the earliest converts to Islam. She had married Utbah ibn Abu Lahab, but he divorced her after her conversion to Islam, after which she married Uthman bin Affan...
. The first batch was led by Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh. Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas did not return to Arabia
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
straight away but went to Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
port (now in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
), and then to Kamrup-Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
(now in northeast India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)in 615 and reached China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
with other companions including two Sahabahs. Waqqas reached China in 616, preached for sometime in Canton and elsewhere among the Hui Chi
Hui people
The Hui people are an ethnic group in China, defined as Chinese speaking people descended from foreign Muslims. They are typically distinguished by their practice of Islam, however some also practice other religions, and many are direct descendants of Silk Road travelers.In modern People's...
(later Hui Hui) and then returned to Arabia.
Prelude
After the conversion of many prominent Meccans, the companions of Muhammad began to offer prayers publicly in 613. In turn, the Quraysh intensified their opposition by torturing the Muslims. Muhammad told his followers to leave for Ethiopia, where "a king rules without injustice, a land of truthfulness-until God leads us to a way out of our difficulty."After persecution and torture, Muhammad ordered his companions to migrate to Abyssinia. Hamza
Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib
Hamza ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib [b.568-d.625] was the paternal uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and his foster-brother. He and Muhammad were raised together as they were almost the same age. With excellence in the arts of wrestling and swordsmanship...
embraced Islam in 616 with Umar
Umar
`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
(the second Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
of Islam).
First migration
In of , eleven men and four women undertook the first migration. The group was headed by a companion called Uthman bin Maz'oonUthman bin Maz'oon
-Biography:He was married to Khawlah bint Hakim, both being two of the earliest converts to Islam.-References:...
.
They snuck out of Mecca on a dark night and headed for the sea where two boats happened to be sailing for their destination, Ethiopia. News of their intended departure reached Quraish, so some men were despatched in their pursuit, but the Muslims had already left Shuaibah Port towards their secure haven where they were received warmly and accorded hospitality by the Negus
Negus
Negus is a title in Ge'ez, Tigrinya, Tigre and Amharic, used for a king and at times also a vassal ruler in pre-1974 Ethiopia and pre-1890 Eritrea. It is subsequently used to translate the word "king" in Biblical and other literature...
, Aṣḥama ibn Abjar, also called al-Najashi, (Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: النجاشي). Among these emigrants were Uthman and Ruqayyah.
Returning
Gradually, the number of emigrants increased in Abyssinia. Only a few days had passed in peace, when a rumour reached them that the Meccans had finally embraced Islam. On hearing this, most of the Muslims decided to return to Mecca. When they reached the city, they came to know that the report was false. The Meccans began to persecute even more severely those persons who had returned from Abyssinia. In spite of this, however, about a hundred Muslims managed to leave Mecca and settled in Abyssinia. The Meccans however did their utmost to check the tide of emigration, but all in vain.Second migration, 615
The second migrationSecond migration to Abyssinia
Following the migration and return of the most Sahabas from the First migration to Abyssinia , the Muslims continued to suffer Persecution by the Meccans...
consisted of 79 men and 9 women. According to some reports the number is 83 men and 18 women (The number differs largely). This group was headed by Ja'far ibn Abī Tālib
Ja'far ibn Abī Tālib
Ja‘far ibn Abī Tālib , also known as Ja‘far at-Tayyār, was the son of Abu Talib ibn 'Abdul Muttalib , and the elder brother of the fourth Sunni and first Shia caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib...
, who was also the only person from the Banu Hashim
Banu Hashim
Banū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraysh tribe. Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to by the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or Huseini or Hasani...
clan who migrated to Abyssinia.
Quraish delegation
The migration of the Muslims to Abyssinia, and their reception at the friendly court of that country, alarmed the Quraysh. They entertained the fear that Muslims might grow in strength, or find new allies, and then, some day, might return to Mecca to challenge them. To head off this potential threat, such as they saw it, they decided to send an embassy to the court of the king of Abyssinia to try to persuade him to extradite the Muslims to Mecca.The Muslim refugees who had expected to be left in peace, were surprised by the arrival, in the Abyssinian capital, of an embassy from Mecca, led by a certain 'Amr ibn al-'As
'Amr ibn al-'As
`Amr ibn al-`As was an Arab military commander who is most noted for leading the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 640. A contemporary of Muhammad, and one of the Sahaba , who rose quickly through the Muslim hierarchy following his conversion to Islam in the year 8 AH...
. 'Amr had brought rich presents for the king and his courtiers to ingratiate himself with them.
When the king gave audience to the emissary of the Quraysh, he said that the Muslims in Abyssinia were not refugees from persecution but were fugitives from justice and law, and requested him to extradite them to Mecca. The king, however, wanted to hear the other side of the story also before giving any judgment, and summoned Ja'far ibn Abī Tālib to the court to answer the charges against the Muslims.
Ja'far made a most memorable defense. Following is a summary of his speech in the court of Abyssinia in answer to the questions posed by the Christian king.
When Ja'far concluded his speech, the king asked him to read some verses which were revealed to Muhammad. Ja'far read a few verses from Sura
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
Maryam
Maryam (sura)
Sura Maryam is the 19th sura of the Qur'an and is a Makkan sura with 98 ayat . It is named after Maryām, the actual name for Mary, Mother of Jesus . The popular variant of the name Maryam, Mary, is a Westernized or Anglicized version...
(Mary), the 19th chapter of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. When the king heard these verses, he said that their fountainhead was the same as that of the verses of the Evangel. He then declared that he was convinced of his veracity, and added, to the great chagrin of 'Amr bin Aas, that the Muslims were free to live in his kingdom for as long as they wished.
But 'Amr bin Aas bethought himself of a new stratagem, which, he felt confident, would tilt the scales against Ja'far. On the following day, therefore, he returned to the court and said to the king that he (the king) ought to waive his protection of the Muslims because they rejected the divine nature of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, and claimed that he was a mortal like other men. When questioned on this point by the king, Ja'far said:
The king said: "Jesus is just what you have stated him to be, and is nothing more than that." Then addressing the Muslims, he said: "Go to your homes and live in peace. I shall never give you up to your enemies." He refused to extradite the Muslims, returned the presents which 'Amr bin Aas had brought, and dismissed his embassy.
List
The first march (Hijira) in 615 AD had a group of eleven men and four women. The list of the Sahhbas who migrated to Ethiopia in the first march includes the following.- 1.Sa`d ibn Abi WaqqasSa`d ibn Abi WaqqasSaad ibn Abī Waqqās was an early convert to Islam in 610-11 and one of the important companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sa'd was the seventeenth person to embrace Islam at the age of seventeen...
- 2.Jahsh
- 3.Abd-Allah ibn JahshAbd-Allah ibn JahshAbd-Allah ibn Jahsh , also called Abdu ibn Jahsh, was a cousin and companion of Muhammad.'-Embrace Islam:As Jahsh and his son Abd-Allah ibn Jahsh embraced Islam, whole of their clan embraced Islam....
- 4.Uthman ibn Affan
- 5.Ruqayyah bint MuhammadRuqayyah bint MuhammadRuqayyah bint Muhammad was the second daughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his first wife Khadija. She was amongst the earliest converts to Islam. She had married Utbah ibn Abu Lahab, but he divorced her after her conversion to Islam, after which she married Uthman bin Affan...
, the wife of Uthman - 6.Abu Huzeyfa Bin Outba
- 7.Shelet Bin Seid, wife of Abu Huzeyfa
- 8.Zubayr ibn al-Awam
- 8.Musab Bin Oumr
- 10.Abdur Rahman bin Awf
- 11.Abu Selemah Bin Abdel Ased
- 12.Amu Selemah, wife of Abu Selmah
- 13.Ousman Bin Mezun
- 14.Amir Abin Rebiah, leader of the group
- 15.Layla Bint Abi Asmah –Wife of Amir
The above list clearly shows that it was prepared after returns from Abyssinia and did not include those gone for overseas preaching and trading purposes.