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The people of Quraysh did their utmost to prevent the remaining Muslims in Makkah from migrating to Madeenah. They used several methods to do so, such as:
1- Separating husband, wife and child
We will let the Mother of the believers, Umm Salamah Hind bint Abu Umayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, tell us about the wonders of faith and the strength of certitude during her migration and that of her husband. She narrated that
When Abu Salamah decided to migrate to Madeenah, he prepared his camel for me and let me ride it while carrying my son in my lap. Then he set out in front, directing the camel.
When the men of Banu Al-Mugheerah bin ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Makhzoom [Umm Salamah’s family] saw him, they went towards him and said, “You have surmounted us [by embracing Islam and migrating]. Why should we let you take this relative of ours with you to another country?” They then snatched the rein of the camel and took me from him. At this point, the family of Abu Salamah, Banu ‘Abdul-Asad became incensed and, “By Allah, we will not leave our son [Umm Salamah’s child] with her as you have taken her from our relative.” The two families then tugged the child from one another until his arm was dislocated. Banu ‘Abdul-Asad took the child while Banu Al-Mugheerah retained me with them. My husband, Abu Salamah then set out for Madeenah. Thus, I was separated from my child and husband.
Every morning, I would go out to the valleys of Makkah crying until evening came and this continued for about a year, until one of my cousins from Banu Al-Mugheerah passed by me and felt pity for me. He said to Banu Al-Mugheerah, “Why do you not let this poor woman go whom you have separated from her child and husband?” They, therefore, said to me, “Go and join your husband if you wish.” Then, Banu ‘Abdul-Asad returned my child to me.
I set out for Madeenah, and no one was with me. I said to myself, “I will seek provision from anyone I meet until I reach my husband.” When I reached At-Tan‘eem, I met ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah bin Abu Talhah from Banu ‘Abdul-Daar. He asked me, “Where are you going, O daughter of Banu ’Umayyah?” I said, “I want to go to my husband in Madeenah.” He asked me, “Is there anyone with you?” I replied, “No, no one is with me except Allah and my son.” He said, “By Allah, I will not leave you.”
He took the rein of the camel and led me to Madeenah. I never saw a man from the Arabs more noble-mannered than him. When we reached a place of rest, he would make my camel kneel and go away until I dismounted, then he would take the camel, put down its load and tie it to a tree and sleep in the shade of the tree until the time of our departure. He would then take my camel, prepare it and step back until I mounted it. He continued doing so until we reached Madeenah. When he saw the houses of Banu ‘Amr bin ‘Awf in Qubaa’, he said to me, “Your husband lives in this village. Enter it with the blessing of Allah.” Then, he left for Makkah.
Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, would say, “By Allah, I do not know of a Muslim household that suffered what the household of Abu Salamah suffered, and I never saw a more noble-mannered company than ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah.”
This is an example of the cruel methods that were adopted by Quraysh to prevent Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, from migration. It separated him, his wife and his beloved child by force in order to dissuade him from migrating. However, when faith is inculcated in the heart, it is impossible for its holder to give anything else precedence over Islam and faith, even if it is his child or spouse. Therefore, Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, set out for Madeenah paying no attention to anything else. This method of the disbelievers trying to coax him into abandoning his emigration was unsuccessful with him, and he thereby set a good example for callers to Allah The Almighty.
Such is the effect of faith when it mingles with a happy heart. This was a family that was torn apart, a woman who was weeping over her ordeal, a child whose arm was dislocated and who was deprived of his parents, and a husband and father who set the best example of sacrifice to be the first one to reach the land of migration. They sought the reward of Allah The Almighty, insisting on pursuing the path of faith and join the brigade of guidance. How then could disbelief and its leaders afflict the likes of them in any way?
Note the act of ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a disbeliever at that time (and who embraced Islam before the conquest of Makkah), yet Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, praised the nobility of his company. This was evidence of his fine character, chivalry and protection of the weak. His chivalry and his genuine Arab morals prevented him from letting this honorable woman travel alone in this desolate desert even though she was not a follower of his religion. He knew that by her migration, she was defying him and the other disbelievers of Quraysh.
There can be no comparison between such morals and the ethics of civilization in the twentieth century where freedoms are assaulted and honor is raped, even in public; and where the news that we read daily in newspapers are a shame to humanity, where new methods of rape, violating honor and usurping property are constantly devised.
This story and similar ones indicate that the virtues and merits of the Arabs outweighed their faults and vices; hence, Allah The Almighty chose His last Prophet and Messenger from them, and they were qualified to carry the message and convey it to all people.
This story manifests how Allah The Almighty takes care of His Awliyaa’ (allies) and how He subjugates others to them. He caused ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah to look after Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, spending his time and effort for her sake. The pure innate disposition of ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah was also clear; which later led him to revert to Islam after the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah. Perhaps the light started to infiltrate his heart since this journey accompanying Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her.
(To be continued…)
