Beyond the Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (III)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Almighty Allah says in Holy Qur’an Naml, 27:69-70, “Say: ‘Go ye through the earth and see what has been the end of those guilty (Of sin)’. But grieve not over them, nor distress thyself Because of their plots.”

Prophet Ibrahim (AS) now embarked on Hijrah (holy flight) from his ancestral home, and avoiding the Syrian desert, came to the fertile lands of Aram or Syria, and to Canaan, after the incident of throwing him into the fire took place (Qur’an 11:69-76). It is some years after this we may suppose he built the Ka’ba with Ismail, and his prayer may be referred to same time (Qur’an 2:124-129; 14:35-41).

The Holy Qur’an, Al-Ankabut 29:26, alludes to Prophet Ibrahim’s visit to Egypt, “So Lut believed in him (Abraham’s message of Islamic monotheism). He (Abraham) said: ‘I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord. Verily, He is the All Mighty, the All Wise.”

Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) left his father, people and country then started his journey with his wife and Lut to a city called Ur, then to a place called Haran, and then to Palestine. After going to Palestine, Ibrahim (A.S.) went to Egypt. During this journey, Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) invited people to worship Allah, showed them the right path and helped the poor.

Abu Huraira (R.A.) narrated that: “Abraham did not tell a lie except on three occasions. Twice for the sake of Allah when he said, ‘I am sick’, and when he said, ‘(I have not done this but) the big idol has done it’. The (third was) that while Abraham and Sarah (his wife) were going (on a journey) and passed by (the territory of) a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant, ‘This man (Abraham) is accompanied by a very charming lady’. So, he sent for Abraham and asked him about Sarah, saying, ‘Who is this lady?’ Abraham said, ‘She is my sister’. Abraham went to Sarah and said, ‘O Sarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister, so don’t contradict my statement’. The tyrant then called Sarah and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff and) he was confounded. He asked Sarah. ‘Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm you’. So, Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her a second time, but (his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and) was more confounded. He again requested Sarah, ‘Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you’. Sarah asked Allah again and he became alright. He then called one of his guards (who had brought her) and said, ‘You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil’. The tyrant then gave Hajar (Hajrah) as a girl-servant to Sarah. Sarah came back (to Abraham) while he was praying. Abraham, gesturing with his hand, asked, ‘What has happened?’ She replied, ‘Allah has spoiled the evil plot of the infidel (or immoral person) and gave me Hajar (Hajrah) for service.’”

Abu Huraira then addressed his listeners, saying, “That (Hajarah) was your mother, O Bani Ma-is-Sama (Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, Hajar’s son)” (Sahih Bukhari: 3358).

Prophet Ibrahim, as a prophet and messenger of Allah, played a prominent role as an example of faith in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. But just as all 124,000 prophets of God are Muslims preaching the oneness of Allah, Prophet Ibrahim was never a Jew or Christian. The Holy Qur’an, Al-Imran 3:67-68 says, “Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian but he was true in faith and bowed his will to God’s (which is Islam) and he joined not gods with God. Without doubt, among men, the nearest of kin to Abraham are those who follow him as are also this Apostle and those who believe; and God is the Protector of those who have faith.”

As a result of his unwavering faith in Allah, Ibrahim was promised by Allah to be a leader to all the nations of the world.  The Qur’an extols Ibrahim as a model, an exemplar, obedient and not an idolater (Qur’an 16:120-123).

Also, Prophet Musa (AS) embarked on Hijrah like other prophets of God, and in fact, as one the models among the five chosen prophets (Ulul-Azm). The others are Nuh, Ibrahim, Isa and Muhammad (SAW).

At about the age of 30, Prophet Musa had a mishap in the City of Cairo, which served as trigger for his Hijrah from the land of Pharaoh to the land of Prophet Shuaib (AS) in Madyan. The Holy Qur’an, Qasas 28:14-21 relates, “When he reached full age, And was firmly established (In life), We bestowed on him wisdom and knowledge: for thus Do We reward those Who do good. And he entered the City At a time when its people Were not watching: and he Found there two men fighting, — One of his own religion, And the other, of his foes. Now the man of his own Religion appealed to him Against his foe, and Moses Struck him with his fist And made an end of him. He said: ‘This is a work Of Evil (Satan): for he is An enemy that manifestly Misleads!’ He prayed: ‘O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul! Do Thou then forgive me!’ So (God) forgave him: for He Is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. He said: ‘O my Lord! For that Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace on me, never Shall I be a help To those who sin!’ So, he saw the morning In the City, looking about, In a state of fear, when Behold, the man who had, The day before, sought his help Called aloud for his help (Again). Moses said to him: ‘Thou art truly, it is clear, A quarrelsome fellow!’ Then, when he decided to lay Hold of the man who was An enemy to both of them, That man said: ‘O Moses! Is it thy intention to slay me As thou slewest a man Yesterday? Thy intention is None other than to become A powerful violent man In the land, and not to be One who sets things right!’ And there came a man, Running, from the furthest end Of the City. He said: ‘O Moses! the Chiefs Are taking counsel together About thee, to slay thee: So, get thee away, for I Do give thee sincere advice’. He therefore got away therefrom, Looking about, in a state Of fear. He prayed: ‘O my Lord! Save me From people given to wrong-doing.’”

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