Migration

In 621 CE, a small group of men from Yathrib (Madinah), a town 250 miles to the north, converted to Islam in the course of a pilgrimage to Makkah. These men undertook to carry the word of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the citizens of Yathrib. Their mission succeeded to the extent that, in 622 CE, 72 people of Yathrib accepted Islam and took an oath to protect the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They also swore to cease fighting amongst themselves, thus putting an end to the internecine strife that had riven the Yathrib communities in recent years. In accepting Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet, they acquired a man of undisputed integrity who they believed would be able to act as a powerful and effective arbiter in disputes

In 622 CE, the Muslim families living in Makkah slipped away to find new homes in Yathrib. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr narrowly escaped assassination, taking refuge in a desert cave, before making their way safely to Yathrib as commanded by God. This departure from Makkah is the hijrah (emigration), from which date the Muslim calendar begins. And from this date, Yathrib also became known as Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. Madinah was to become the model Islamic city. On arrival, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) built a mosque. This was a simple structure which made use of tree trunks to support the roof, a stone to indicate the direction for prayer and a tree stump as a platform from which the Prophet (peace be upon him) could preach. Around the courtyard of the mosque were huts to accommodate the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his wives. The mosque was a place to contain all of life, and, by encompassing all aspects of the temporal as well as the spiritual, to give some indication of the ultimate unity of God.

• Conflict with Makkans
• Consolidation