Hijrah to Madīnah

The Hijrah to Madīnah refers to the migration of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and the early Muslim community from Makkah to Yathrib (later known as Madīnat al-Nabī) in 622 CE. In sīrah literature, it marks the decisive turning point in early Islamic history, transforming the Muslims from a persecuted religious group in Makkah into an organized socio-political community in Madīnah. The event also marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar (al-taʾrīkh al-hijrī). Classical Muslim historians portray the Hijrah as the culmination of years of persecution suffered by Muslims at the hands of Quraysh, including social boycott, economic sanctions, torture, and tribal hostility.

According to the dominant chronology preserved in classical sīrah works, the Hijrah occurred during the thirteenth year of the Prophet’s mission. Before the migration, delegations from Yathrib met the Prophet ﷺ during the pilgrimage seasons in Makkah and pledged their support in the Pledges of al-ʿAqabah (Bayʿat al-ʿAqabah). These agreements prepared the way for the Prophet’s migration and facilitated the spread of Islam among the tribes of Aws and Khazraj. As opposition from Quraysh intensified, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his followers to migrate gradually to Madīnah. Those who migrated became known as the Muhājirūn, while the Muslims of Madīnah who welcomed them became known as the Anṣār.

Sīrah sources report that Quraysh convened at Dār al-Nadwah and formulated a plan to assassinate the Prophet ﷺ before his departure from Makkah. According to reports preserved by Ibn Isḥāq and other early historians, selected young men from different Quraysh clans were chosen to participate collectively in the attack so that responsibility for the killing would be shared among the tribes. The Qurʾān refers to this conspiracy in Sūrat al-Anfāl: “And [remember] when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you, kill you, or expel you. They planned, and Allah planned; and Allah is the best of planners” (Qurʾān 8:30).

Before leaving Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ entrusted ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib with the responsibility of returning trusts and possessions deposited with him by the people of Makkah. This episode is frequently cited in sīrah literature as evidence of the Prophet’s integrity and the trust placed in ʿAlī. The Prophet ﷺ then departed together with Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, his closest companion, taking careful measures to avoid the Quraysh search parties.

To evade pursuit, the Prophet ﷺ and Abū Bakr traveIled southward and sought refuge in the Cave of Thawr near Makkah. Classical reports state that Quraysh pursuers approached the cave but failed to discover them. Later Islamic tradition relates that Allah protected the Prophet ﷺ and Abū Bakr through miraculous means, including a spider’s web and a bird’s nest at the entrance of the cave. The Qurʾān alludes to this episode in Sūrat al-Tawbah: “When the two were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us’” (Qurʾān 9:40).

After remaining in the Cave of Thawr for three nights, the Prophet ﷺ and Abū Bakr resumed their journey with the assistance of the guide ʿAbd Allāh ibn Urayqiṭ, who led them along less frequented desert routes. Upon arriving in Madīnah, the Prophet ﷺ was warmly welcomed by its inhabitants, who had long awaited his arrival. Among the earliest events following the migration was the Prophet’s stay at the house of Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī, whose hospitality occupies an important place in sīrah narratives.

Soon after his arrival in Madīnah, the Prophet ﷺ established al-Masjid al-Nabawī and instituted bonds of brotherhood (muʾākhāh) between the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār. The Hijrah also marked the foundation of the first Islamic polity. Classical sources describe how the Prophet ﷺ organized relations among the various communities of Madīnah through the Constitution of Madīnah (Ṣaḥīfat al-Madīnah), which established principles of cooperation, communal responsibility, and collective security among Muslims, Jews, and other inhabitants of the city.

The Hijrah transformed the Muslim community politically, socially, and spiritually. From Madīnah, Muslims were able to defend themselves against Quraysh and establish a stable society grounded in Islamic principles. Major events of early Islamic history, including the battles of Badr, Uḥud, and al-Khandaq, occurred after the Hijrah and contributed to the consolidation of Islam in Arabia. In Islamic thought, the Hijrah symbolizes sacrifice, perseverance, trust in Allah, and the willingness to abandon one’s homeland for the preservation of faith. Classical authorities including Ibn Isḥāq, Ibn Hishām, Ibn Saʿd, and al-Ṭabarī preserve extensive accounts of the migration, while modern scholarship likewise regards it as one of the most consequential events in the formation of early Islamic civilization.