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42
The young men said to one another): And when you withdraw from them, and that which
they worship, except Allâh, then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you
from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair (i.e. will give you what you will need
of provision, dwelling, etc.)18:16].
Next, there is the story of Al-Khidr (The Teacher of Arabia) and Moses (Peace be upon him) in a
clear and delicate reference to the vicissitudes of life. Future circumstances of life are not
necessarily the products of the prevalent condit ions, they might be categorically the opposite. In
other words, the war waged against the Muslims would in the future assume a different turn, and
the tyrannous oppressors would one day come to suffer and be subjected to the same tortures to
which the Muslims were then put. Furthermore, there is the story of Dhul-Qarnain (The Two Horned
One), the powerful ruler of west and east. This story says explicitly that Allâh takes His righteous
servants to inherit the earth and whatever in it. It also speaks that Allâh raises a righteous man
every now and then to protect the weak against the strong.
Sûrah Az-Zumar
(Chapter 39 — The Crowds) was then revealed pointing directly to migration and
stating that the earth is spacious enough and the believers must not consider themselves
constrained by the forces of tyranny and evil:
"Good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world, and Allâh's earth is spacious (so
if you cannot worship Allâh at a place, then go to another)! Only those who are patient shall
receive their rewards in full without reckoning." [39:10].
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) had already known that Ashamah Negus, king of Abyssinia
(Ethiopia), was a fair ruler who would not wrong any of his subordinates, so he permitted some of
his followers to seek asylum there in Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
In Rajab of the fifth year of Prophethood, a group of twelve men and four women left for Abyssinia
(Ethiopia). Among the emigrants were 'Uthman bin 'Affan and his wife Ruqaiyah [the daughter of
the Prophet (Peace be upon him)]. With respect to these two emigrants, the Prophet (Peace be upon
him) said:
"They are the first people to migrate in the cause of Allâh after Abraham and Lot (Peace be
upon them) ."
They sneaked out of Makkah under the heavy curtain of a dark night and headed for the sea where
two boats happened to be sailing for Abyssinia (Ethiopia), their destination. News of their intended
departure reached the ears of Quraish, so some men were despatched in their pursuit, but the
believers had already left Shuaibah Port towards their secure haven where they were received
warmly and accorded due hospitality.
In Ramadan of the same year, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) went into the Holy Sanctuary where
there was a large host of Quraish polytheists, including some notables and celebrities. Suddenly he
began reciting
Sûrah An-Najm
(Chapter 41 — The Star). The awe-inspiring Words of Allâh
descended unawares upon them and they immediately got stunned by them. It was the first time for
them to be shocked by the truthful Revelation. It had formerly been the favourite trick of those
people who wished to dishonour Revelation, not only not to listen to it themselves but also to talk
loudly and insolently when it was being read, so that even the true listeners may not be able to
hear. They used to think that they were drowning the Voice of Allâh; in fact, they were piling up
misery for themselves, for Allâh's Voice can never be silenced, "And those who disbelieve say:
"Listen not to this Qur'ân, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may
overcome." [41:26].
When the unspeakably fascinating Words of Allâh came into direct contact with their hearts, they
were entranced and got oblivious of the materialistic world around them and were caught in a state
of full attentiveness to the Divine Words to such an extent that when the Prophet (Peace be upon
him) reached the stormy heart-beating ending:
"So fall you down in prostration to Allâh and worship Him (Alone)." [53:62]
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