The Muslims Move to Madinah

This Sirah lesson tells the story of the Hijrah the moment our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Muslims left everything they had ever known and made their way to a new home.

People from a city called Madinah had come to Makkah, heard the message of Islam, and accepted it. They told our beloved Prophet ﷺ: the Muslims would be safe with them. They promised to protect them. So Muhammad ﷺ told the Muslims to go. He stayed behind a little longer, making sure everyone got out safely. Then Allah, The All-Aware, sent Angel Jibril عليه السلام to warn him: the enemies were planning to kill him. It was time to leave.

He told his closest friend, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. “Allah has given me permission to leave for Madinah.” Abu Bakr asked if he could come. “Yes,” said our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

That night, the two of them quietly slipped away. They stopped to rest in the cave of Thawr. The enemies followed their footprints through the sand and came right to the entrance of the cave. Abu Bakr felt the fear close in. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said: “Don’t worry. Allah is with us.” The enemies turned back without looking inside. After three days in the cave with Abu Bakr’s children and his servant secretly bringing them food and news they set off for Madinah again.

The lesson pauses here with a question every child can sit with: what do you do to feel better when you’re worried?