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To those Muslims, who did not have clan protection
- many were slaves - emigration was advised and the
first lot of fifteen, later eighty went to nearby
Abyssinia, across the Red Sea.
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- With
time, more and more people were drawn to Islam including
some from Yathrib; (later to be known as Madina).
Yathrib was an agricultural settlement, located some
200 miles north of Makkah. It had extensive date palm
gardens and was a well-watered pleasant area compared
to Makkah. The people of Yathrib extended wholehearted
help to the penniless Muhajirs, (migrants, from the
root word 'Hijr' meaning to migrate) and were called
'Ansars' (Helpers) by the Prophet.
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- The
stronger the Islamic movement grew, the more the Makkans
panicked and more intense became their persecution.
Finally, the Prophet decided that it would be pragmatic
if the Muslims were to migrate to Yathrib. And so
they did, unobtrusively and gradually (all except
the fiery Omar. He not only declared his intention
to migrate loudly and clearly, but also defied any
Makkan to stop him). Though all the Muslims had left,
the Prophet himself refused to go. No matter what
the hardship and the danger, he would not leave the
environs of the Ka'bah, unless commanded by God. Only
his closest friend, Abu Bakr and young Ali remained
in Makkah with him.
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- Muhammad's
life was in grave danger by this time. Abu Sufian,
a life long enemy, had come out with a truly diabolic
plan (some authorities ascribe the plan to Abu Jahal).
To avoid the certain retribution by Bani Hashim in
the event of bodily harm to the Prophet, Abu Sufian
proposed that several young men, one each from different
clans of the Quraish, should simultaneously plunge
their swords and kill the Prophet. The logic was that
the Bani Hashim would not be able to enter into a
blood feud with all the clans simultaneously and they
survive. The plan was approved and the young men chosen.
Only the exact moment of the strike was as yet undecided.
The Prophet was aware of what was afoot but he was
steadfast in refusing to leave the Ka'bah and except
for arranging with Abu Bakr to keep two fast riding
camels ready, did nothing further in the matter.
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