HIS LORDSHIP THE REFUGE OF TERMINATION PROCEEDS FROM THE CAVE THOR TO MADINAH; AND NARRATIVE OF THE EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE DURING THAT JOURNEY; SURÂQAH APPROACHES HIS LORDSHIP THE APOSTLE— U. W. B.—AND THE FOUR LEGS OF HIS HORSE SINK INTO THE GROUND BY THE COMMAND OF THE LORD OF BOTH WORLDS; AND RECORD OF SOME OTHER EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THAT TIME.

During the third night of the sojourn of his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—in the cave Thor, A’bdullah B. Arbattah the Dylami brought the camels according to his promise to the entrance of the cave, and A’amer B. Fahyrah also made his appearance in that place. His lordship the apostle —u. w. b.—and Abu Bakr rode on one camel, and A’bdullah with A’amer on the other. They quietly started towards Madinah by way of the shore, nor did they halt until the heat of the day compelled them to do so. On that occasion Abu Bakr prepared a couch in the shade of a rock, where he put to sleep his lordship the apostle; but after obtain­ing a pot of milk from a shepherd in the neighbourhood, he aroused him and made him drink it. After that Abu Bakr proposed that they should start again. Accordingly all four of them continued their journey.

One of the wonderful events that happened during the flight, and which is recorded in all biographies, is that of Surâqah B. Mâlek, which took place as follows. Surâqah says: ‘Messengers from the Qoraish arrived in our tribe and informed us that their chiefs of Mekkah would give one hundred camels as a reward to any man who would bring either Muhammad or his companion Abu Bakr, and that they would double the said amount for both. I was sitting among the people, when a man entered and stated that he had just seen a party travelling along the shore, and that he suspected it to consist of Muhammad with his com­panions.’ Surâqah continues: ‘Though I knew this to be the truth, I said, in order to mislead them, that those men were not Muhammad and his friends, but certain persons who had passed before me. After that I remained for awhile among the people; then I arose, went to my house, ordered a horse to be saddled, and stationed in the rear of a hill. Then I plucked my spear out from the ground, mounted my horse, and hastened towards the apostle— u. w. b.—and his friends; but when I arrived near them my horse stumbled forward, and I fell over its head to the ground. Accordingly I pulled out my divining arrows* from the quiver when I rose from the earth, and cast them for an omen, to see whether any injury would befall me from them [i.e., from the party of the four travellers] or not. I obtained a result which I disliked, but paid no attention to it, remounted my horse, and went in pursuit of them.’

In the time of [pre-Islamitic] ignorance, divining by arrows was performed as follows: A man took three arrows, one being marked with the words ‘My lord has com­manded it to me,’ the second with ‘My lord has prohibited it to me,’ and the third had no writing. Then he placed the arrows into a quiver, drew one out, and acted as he had drawn out either the command or the prohibition; but if he happened to pull out the blank arrow he repeated the operation until he obtained the order to perform the busi­ness he had in hand, or to abstain therefrom.

Surâqah continued: ‘I had approached them so closely that I heard the prophet recite something, but he paid no attention to me. Abu Bakr, however, looked back, where­on suddenly the feet of my horse sank into the ground to the knees, and I jumped off:

Distich:Such are the ways of this wicked world,
That now we are on the saddle, and anon the saddle on us.

I had much trouble to pull the legs of my horse out of the ground, and when its legs sank into the earth dust rose into the sky. I again consulted my arrows, but obtained a result contrary to my intention.’

In the Seir Kâzrâni there is a tradition of Abu Bakr that he said: ‘At the time of our departure we were seen by none of the people who were in search of us, except Surâ­qah B. Mâlek, who was riding after us. I said: “O apostle of Allah, one who is seeking us has reached us.” But he replied: “Do not grieve, for God is with us.” When Surâqah had come up, and the length of only one or two spears intervened between us, I wept and said: “O apostle of Allah, a pursuer has overtaken us.” He asked: “Why weepest thou?” I said: “O apostle of Allah, I swear by God that I do not weep for myself, but for thee.” His lordship then exclaimed: “Great God, ward off his wicked intention from us as Thou pleasest!” whereon all of a sudden the legs of his horse sank into the ground, and Surâqah, alighting, said: “I know that this is of thy doing. Pray that I may be released. I promise to turn back every­one who will pursue thee. Accept an arrow from my quiver as a sign, and when thou reachest my camels and sheep on thy journey, take whatever thou pleasest.” His lordship, however, would not agree.’ It is said that when Surâqah requested the legs of his horse to be released, his holy and prophetic lordship exclaimed: ‘O my God, relieve his horse, if he be sincere!’ whereon the four legs of the horse immediately rose up to the surface from the ground. It is related of Surâqah that he said: ‘When I witnessed this event, I knew that the dignity of the apostle —u. w. b.—would rise, and that he would overcome his enemies. Accordingly I offered him provisions and goods. He would, however, not receive any, but said: “Keep our affairs secret.” Then I begged from his lordship a writing of safety, which A’amer B. Fahyrah wrote by his order on a piece of leather, and handed to me. They continued their journey in security, but I returned, and to everyone I met pursuing him, I said: “I have examined all the roads, but have found no traces of Muhammad and his companions.” In this manner I hindered the people from pursuing the apostle—u. w. b.’ There is a tradition that after the battle of Honain Surâqah left his tribe and hastened to wait upon his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b—attaining the honour of kissing his feet at a place called Jaghrânah. He took his writing of safety in his hand, saying: ‘O apostle of Allah, this is thy letter.’ His lordship replied: ‘Yes; and this is a day of good faith and well-doing.’ And in this locality Surâqah was ennobled by professing Islâm.

Of the number of events which took place during that journey, one is that his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—happened to pass near the tent of Omm Moa’b­dah, the daughter of Khâled Khozaa’y, who was an old woman, endued with great intellect and penetration. She was accustomed to sit in her tent and to regale all who passed that way with food, according to her ability. When they reached her tent they asked for dates and bread, but she replied: ‘This year no rain has fallen, and there is distress and famine among us. By Allah! if I had any food I would give you a repast, and you would have no need to buy any.’ His lordship the apostle perceived a sheep in a corner of her tent, and said: ‘What is this?’ Omm Moa’bdah replied: ‘This is a sheep which has, on account of its extreme emaciation and weakness, remained behind the flock.’ His lordship asked: ‘Has it any milk?’ She replied: ‘It is too weak to have any.’ He continued: ‘Wilt thou allow me to milk her?’ Moa’bdah said: ‘Yes; may my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee!’ Accordingly his lordship placed his blessed hands upon the paps of the sheep, pronounced the ineffable name of God coupled with a prayer, whereon the udder of the ewe immediately became heavy, and she spread out her legs wide, on account of the great quantity of milk. His lordship then asked for a vessel from the owner of the tent, and milked the sheep into it, first offering to Omm Moa’bdah some milk to drink, and afterwards inviting his companions to drink also. All drank as much as they liked. At last he also slaked his thirst, and having filled all the vessels that were in the place with milk, they departed under the protection of God. A short time after the departure of his lordship, the husband of Omm Moa’bdah returned from pasturing his sheep, and was astonished to perceive all the vessels filled with milk in a corner of his hut; but Omm Moa’bdah replied that a blessed man had alighted, and narrated to her husband what had taken place. On his making further inquiries, she continued: ‘I saw a man with a beautiful countenance, having a pleasant odour with agreeable manners, who was free from the defects of corpulency or leanness.’ Thus she continued to describe to her husband the other qualities and perfections of his holy and prophetic lordship till Abu Moa’bdah exclaimed: ‘By Allah! this is a man of the Qoraish whom they are in search of. Had I been so fortunate as to meet him I would have offered him my services to accompany him, and I still hope that I shall meet him.’ Omm Moa’bdah years afterwards said: ‘That feeble ewe, which the blessed hand of his lordship had touched, lived nearly eighteen years, giving milk every morning and evening. It perished during the Khalifate of O’mar B. Alkhattâb—u. w. b.—in the ‘year of the destruction of cattle.’

It is related that on the second day after his lordship had, with his companions, departed from the place of Omm Moa’bdah, the inhabitants of Mekkah heard the voice of a herald in the sanctuary, reciting some distichs, the first of which was as follows:

Distich:May God the Lord of mankind reward with the best of rewards The friends who alighted at the tent of Omm Moa’bdah.

In the Seir Kâzrâni the text of these verses is given as follows:

May God reward with the best of rewards
Those two blessed companions,
Who have entered the tent of Omm Moa’bdah!
They have been strengthened in the orthodox religion,
And have shown him the way—guidance
Received from the religion of God.
He who is a companion of Muhammad
Is strengthened with victory.
Prosperity lift the family of Qossay,
When the light of Muhammad departed from it.
May the Bani Ka’b be happy
On account of their good-natured son!
One asked: ‘What was the miracle
He performed in the tent of Omm Moa’bdah?’
She had a feeble sheep,
From misery its very bones were weak.
He stroked it with his blessed hand,
Immediately it produced milk;
To everyone he gave some milk,
And plenty of it to the old woman.
When the voice of his miracle became loud
He liberated that sheep.
The felicity of Abu Bakr was hence increased,
That he did not leave his [Muhammad’s] company.

These distichs appear to be imperfect, as the author of the Rauzatu-l-âhbâb adds from the Muhtassar ramûzu-l-hâshem that after this event she fled with her husband. Both professed Islâm, and her family were accustomed to rejoice in commemoration of the day when the blessed man had alighted among them.

Of the events that took place during this year, the meet­ing of Burydah B. Alkhadzib Alaslamy is one which took place as follows: When Burydah had heard that his holy and prophetic lordship had with Abu Bakr Ssiddiq left Mekkah and was on his way to Madinah, and that the Qoraish had promised a reward of one hundred camels to anyone who would either slay or capture the just-mentioned two fugitives, he coveted the prize, started with seventy men of his tribe, overtook his lordship the refuge of apostleship—u. w. b.—who asked him: ‘Who art thou?’ He replied: ‘I am Burydah B. Alkhadzib;’ and as his lord­ship was accustomed to draw good omens from names, he looked at Abu Bakr and said: ‘Go on; our business has turned out well, and terminated prosperously.’ His lord­ship further asked: ‘Of what tribe art thou?’ He rejoined: ‘Of Omm Salmah.’ His lordship continued: ‘We have been delivered and are safe.’ And on asking: ‘Of what nation art thou?’ he replied: ‘Of the Bani Saham.’ His lordship replied: ‘Thy arrows are spent.’ Burydah was astonished at the quick repartee and pleasant speech of his lordship, and asked: ‘Who art thou?’ His lordship replied: ‘I am Muhammad B. A’bdullah, the apostle of God.’ Burydah continued: ‘I testify that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is His apostle;’ and all the seventy men who were with him [likewise] pro­fessed Islâm. That night Burydah spent with his lordship the refuge of apostleship—u. w. b.—and when it was morn­ing, he said: ‘O apostle of Allah, do not go to Madinah without a banner preceding thee.’ Then he opened his turban, fixed it on a spear, and rode in front of the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.

La’lây Hamdâny has recorded in the Mustaqadza’ that none of the traditions of his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.— concerning countries were fulfilled, except the tradition about Burydah, according to which he had said to him: ‘Verily thou wilt after my time settle in a town of Khorâsân, which my brother Zulqarneen [the two - horned Alex­ander] has built, and which is named Merv. Thou wilt become the light of the inhabitants of the East and their leader. The author of the Mustaqadza’ has recorded in the Rûz Mahashar that Abu-l-a’llâ said: ‘After the demise of his lordship the apostle, Burydah departed with some warriors to Merv and died there. He was buried in a Mohallah [ward of the town], at present known by the name of Mohallahi-Tannûr [the ward of the oven], in the vicinity of Hukm B. O’mru Ghuffûry, who had been the Amir and Qâdzi of that town—may Allah reward them both, and all those who were dear to the apostle of Allah.

Ttolhah B. A’bdullah happened to be returning from a commercial journey to Syria, and met his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—with Abu Bakr and their companions. He dressed his lordship the apostle and Abu Bakr in white robes, and desired to accompany that august personage; but his lordship said: ‘Go [first] to Mekkah, and depart from it, so that the exile may be complete.’ Some assert, however, that the person who met them was not Ttolhah, but Zobeir B. Ala’wwâm. There is also a tradition that the departure of his lordship and of Abu Bakr [from Mekkah] took place on the twenty-sixth day of the month Ssafar, in the fourteenth year of the mission. Others, however, allege that it happened during one of the first three nights of the month Rabyi’, the first in the said year, either on a Monday or a Thursday, according to two different opinions.