The Second ‘Oqba Pledge
Thus due to the efforts of Mus’ab Islam spread among the tribes of the Ansar. Consequently, the next year, in the thirteenth year of prophethood, seventy-three men and two women came to Makkah with the caravan of Madinah to invite the Prophet (PBUH) to emigrate to Madinah and take permanent residence there. They were supposed to obtain the Prophet’s consent for it.
This group arrived at the same place in the dark of the night where the people of Madinah used to meet the Prophet (PBUH) for the last two years. The Prophet (PBUH) went to meet them there with his uncle Hazrat ‘Abbas, who had not embraced Islam yet. At that time Hazrat ‘Abbas said an important thing to the people of Madinah: “Do you understand that the Quraysh of Makkah are arch enemies of Muhammad (PBUH) When you pledge allegiance to him, bear in mind that it could be extremely difficult and demanding to keep it. To enter into a pact with Muhammad (PBUH) is to invite red and black wars. Whatever you decide to do, think well beforehand about the consequences. Otherwise, leave the situation as it is.”
The sincere members of the Madinah delegation did not say anything in reply to Hazrat ‘Abbas’ suggestion, but submitted to the Prophet (PBUH) to grace them with his words. The Prophet (PBUH) recited some Qur`an to them which filled their hearts with the effulgence of faith. They put forth their request before him to emigrate to Madinah so that they might fully avail themselves of the blessings of his company. The Prophet (PBUH) asked them:
- Will you support me to your best in the propagation of the true religion?
- If I immigrate to your city, will you support me and my companions as you support your family members?
The faithful Muslims from Madinah asked the Prophet (PBUH) what their reward would be if they fulfilled their obligations. The Prophet (PBUH) answered: “Paradise.” The members of the delegation submitted, “O Prophet of Allah! Tell us for our satisfaction that you would not ever leave us.” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “No, my life and death will be with you.” Hearing these words, they flocked around the Prophet (PBUH) with exultation and enthusiasm and pledged their faith in Islam. Baraa` bin M’aroor was the first fortunate person who offered the pledge that night. A Devil (Shaytan) watched it all from the top of a mountain and raised an alarming call for the Makkans announcing, “Come and see. Muhammad (PBUH) and his people are planning to wage a war against you.”
The Prophet (PBUH) asked them to ignore that voice. ‘Abbas bin ‘Ubada told the Prophet (PBUH) “If you permit, we could show the excellence of our swordsmanship to the Makkans as early as tomorrow.” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “No, I do not have permission (from Allah) to enter into a battle yet.” Then the Prophet (PBUH) selected twelve of them calling them Naqeeb, and said, “As ‘Isa ibn Maryam (Alaihisalam) had chosen twelve disciples for him, I also appoint twelve of you to go to the people of Madinah and preach Islam to them. In Makkah I will do this work myself.” Their names were: Nine persons from the Khazraj tribe:
As’ad bin Zurara, Rafey bin Maalik, ‘Ubada bin Saamit, (these three were also present at the time of the First ‘Oqba Pledge), S’ad bin Rabi’, Munzir bin ‘Amr, ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha, Baraa` bin M’aroor, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haraam, S’ad bin ‘Ubada. Three persons from the Aws tribe:
Usayd bin Huzayr, S’ad bin Khaythama, Abul Haytham bin Tayhaan. (Musnad Ahmad, 3: 339. Mustadrak Haakim, 2: 624-25. Imam Zahabi has considered Haakim’s narration as authentic. See for details Seerat Ibn Hisham, 1: 438-448, 467. Also Fathul Bari 7: 219-223.)
At the daybreak the Quraysh somehow got an inkling of the incident. They came out in search of the people of Madinah, but their caravan had set out from Makkah early in the morning. They, nevertheless, found S’ad bin ‘Ubada and Munzir bin ‘Amr, two members of the Madinah delegation, there. Hazrat Munzir escaped, but they caught hold of S’ad bin ‘Ubada. They tied him with a piece of rope and brought him to Makkah. They beat him and pulled his locks. Hazrat S’ad bin ‘Ubada was one of the twelve persons appointed as Naqeeb by the Prophet (PBUH) He himself narrates that when the Quraysh were beating him up, a good-looking person with white-reddish countenance approached them. S’ad thought that if anyone from those could ever be a source of good for him, it might be that person. When he reached close, he slapped S’ad strongly in the face, which convinced him that there was none around who could do any good to him.
Then there came a person who took pity on him and asked, “Don’t you have any right of neighborhood, or know anyone with whom you have a tie of mutual support?” S’ad bin ‘Ubada replied in the affirmative and mentioned that Jubayr bin Mut’am and Harith bin Harb, the grandsons of ‘Abde Manaaf, used to come to Madinah for trade and that he had accorded to them protection several times. He suggested that S’ad should call out their names and announce his relationship with them. S’ad did the same. The same person then went to the two persons and informed them that a man from the Khazraj tribe was being beaten, and that he was calling out their names to seek protection. The two persons came to the scene, recognized S’ad, and acknowledged that he had done favors to them. They secured his release and thus S’ad bin ‘Ubada was able to return to Madinah. (Seerat Ibn Hisham, 1: 449-450, Rahmatullil ‘Aalameen, 1: 81.)
Permission for Emigration to Madinah
After the Second ‘Oqba Pledge, the Prophet (PBUH) allowed those Muslims to emigrate to Madinah who were undergoing so severe persecution at Makkah that living there had become impossible. They did not have any sorrow for leaving behind their homes, relatives, and family, but were excited with the prospect of being able to worship the One True God freely in Madinah. (Zadul Ma’ad, 3: 49, Rahmatullil ‘Aalameen, 1:82.) Those who tried to emigrate had again to undergo great sufferings due to the opposition of the Quraysh of Makkah.
When Hazrat Suhayb Rumi was about to emigrate, the disbelievers surrounded him and said, “Suhayb! When you had come to Makkah, you were a pauper. You earned a lot by working in this city. Now you want to move out with all your wealth? We will not let you do that.” Hazrat Suhayb asked them, “Will you allow me to go if I leave behind all my possessions?” Finding them ready to accept this condition, he gave them all he had and set out to Makkah empty-handed. When the Prophet (PBUH) heard about the incident, he commented: “Suhayb earned a profit in this deal.” (Seerat Ibn Hisham, 1: 477, Dalael An-Nabuwwah lil Bayhaqui, 2, 522.)
Hazrat Umme Salma says that when her husband Abu Salma® wanted to emigrate to Madinah, he helped her ride the camel and sit there with her son Salma in her lap. When they started, the people of Bani Mugheera, the tribe of the lady, stopped them and said, “You could go, but you cannot take our girl with you.” Now the people of the tribe of Abu Salma, Banu ‘Abdul Asad, also arrived there. They claimed that Abu Salma could not take the boy Salma with him as he belonged to their tribe. They made the camel sit, and the people of Banu ‘Abdul Asad snatched the boy Salma from her mother, while the people of Banu Mugheera took the lady with them. Abu Salma, who considered making Hijrah (Emigration) for the sake of safeguarding his religion a mandatory duty, set out to Madinah alone. Umme Salma used to come to the place where she was separated from her husband and son and cry in helplessness. One full year passed this way. Ultimately, her cousin, the son of her paternal uncle, convinced the people of both tribes to let her go to her husband. The child was also given back to her. She rode a camel and alone set out to Madinah. Every Muslim who wanted to emigrate faced such tribulations. (Seerat Ibn Hisham, 1: 467-68.)
Hazrat ‘Umar Farooq narrates that Hazrat ‘Ayaash bin Rabi’a and Hazrat Hisham Sahabi also wanted to accompany him in his emigration to Madinah. Hazrat ‘Ayaash reached the appointed place, but the disbelievers learned about the plan of Hisham bin ‘Aas and arrested him. After the arrival of Hazrat ‘Ayaash at Madinah, Abu Jahl also reached there with his brother Harith. ‘Ayaash® was his cousin from paternal side and the mother of all three of them was one. They told Hazrat ‘Ayaash that his mother was extremely sad at his sudden separation and had declared on oath that she would not comb her hair nor would sit under a shade until she saw him. They requested him to accompany them to Makkah to console his mother and return to Madinah after a while.
Hazrat ‘Umar warned Hazrat ‘Ayaash that he doubted the story and said, “When your mother will be vexed with lice, she will herself comb her hair, and when the scorching sun of Makkah will trouble her, she will herself try to find a shelter. I advise you not to go back to Makkah.” But ‘Ayaash told him that he would return to Madinah as soon as the condition of his mother’s oath was fulfilled. Thereupon Hazrat ‘Umar gave him his camel and said, “It is very fast. If you ever suspect in the way that they are up to a mischief, this camel will help you run out of their reach easily.”
Hazrat ‘Ayaash took the camel and the three departed. One day when they were close to Makkah, Abu Jahl requested Hazrat ‘Ayaash® to let him ride with him as his camel was exhausted. When ‘Ayaash made his camel sit for the purpose, they caught him and tied him with rope and brought him to Makkah. They took a great pride in that expedition and boasted that the foolish persons were punished that way. Now ‘Ayaash was confined with Hisham bin ‘Aas. After the emigration of the Prophet (PBUH) to Madinah, Waleed bin Mugheera came to Makkah one day on the secret mission of freeing them from captivity and took them to Madinah in the dark of the night. (Mustadrak Haakim, 2: 435.)
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