When the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was leaving Makkah, heading to Madina with the company of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, he was on his she-camel, standing in Al-Hazwarah (a place in Makkah), he said:

‘By Allah, you are the best land of Allah, and the dearest of the land of Allah to me. By Allah, had I not been expelled from you I would never have left.’ 

Immigration was not a smooth journey for all the Muslims, and especially for the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The idols were determined to assassinate the messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and prevent him from spreading his message to other cities and tribes. Allah said in Surah Al-Anfal:3;

”And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.”
وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ

Thus, the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) took some procedures to hide from them and to conceal their identities, until they reached Madinah safely. The Providence of Allah was there surrounding them, a Providence that goes beyond the materialistic reasons of this world. It was narrated that Hijrah journey lasted 12 days until the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr reached Madinah. In each step the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) took, there is a lesson to be learned, and a virtue to be delivered to people after more than 1400 years. The situation in Madinah between Muhajirin and Al-Ansar (the emigrants and helpers) under the supervision and guidelines of the Prophet Muhammad opens the door for researchers all over the world to learn about the unity in Islam and the practical application of one Ummah.

Brotherhood between Muhajir and Ansar

     The coming of prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to Madina turned a new page in the establishment of the Islamic state and the Islamic community. He started a true brotherhood between Muhajirin and Al-Ansar, this step was very essential to remove all the ignorance of the pre-Islam times. There are some facts that people can ignore, what the prophet Muhammad did in Madina is what the Islamic Ummah needs at the moments. Abdur Rahman bin `Auf said,

“When we came to Medina as emigrants, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi`. Sa`d bin Ar-Rabi` said (to me), ‘I am the richest among the Ansar, so I will give you half of my wealth and you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two you may choose I will divorce her, and when she has completed the prescribed period (before marriage) you may marry her.’ `Abdur-Rahman replied, “I am not in need of all that. Is there any marketplace where trade is practiced?’ He replied, “The market of Qainuqa.” `Abdur- Rahman went to that market the following day and brought some dried buttermilk (yogurt) and butter, and then he continued going there regularly. Few days later, `Abdur-Rahman came having traces of yellow (scent) on his body. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) asked him whether he had got married. He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Whom have you married?’ He replied, ‘A woman from the Ansar.’ Then the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, ‘How much did you pay her?’ He replied, ‘(I gave her) a gold piece equal in weight to a date stone (or a date stone of gold)! The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Give a Walima (wedding banquet) even if with one sheep.’ And here is another reminder to us that the hearts are in the Hands of Allah, Allah said in Surah Al-Anfal:63

”And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَّا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

the hijirah from sin to obedience 

       One of the great lessons of Hijrah is leaving sins for obedience. When Muslims decided to immigrate to Madina, it was not only because of the oppression that they lived under, but also because worshiping Allah peacefully became an impossible act in the community of Makkah. The tribe of Quraysh restricted Muslims from publicly praying, reading the Quran, and learning from each other and from the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), thus immigration was inevitable. Thus, Hijirah has a more comprehensive meaning than leaving lands. Hijirah is as the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:

  “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe; and a Muhajir (Emigrant) is the one who refrains from what Allah has forbidden”.

It is abandoning disbelief for belief and bad deeds for good deeds, so Hijirah is always available within the frame of this meaning. Muslim needs to abandon sins, places, and even people who drive him away from Allah. He should follow the footsteps of the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions and find another environment that guides him to Allah, helps him to remember the purpose of this life and the day of Judgment. 

May Allah show us the truth as true, and inspire us to follow it. May Allah show us falsehood as falsehood, and inspire us to abstain from it!