Page 138 - Self-Sacrifice in the Qur'an's Moral Teachings

Self-Sacrifice in the Qur'an's Moral Teachings

In the eleventh year, a group of six Madinan travelers embraced
Islam. Respected and influential members of their tribes, they returned
to Madinah and called their relatives to Islam. After a short time, Islam
spread throughout Madinah. In the two pilgrimage seasons following
this event, the Madinans returned to Mecca to speak with our Prophet

(saas) and pledged their allegiance. When the Makkans learned of this,
they increased their oppression and tried to make it impossible for the
Muslims to live in the city. Given this reality, Allah revealed to Prophet
Muhammad (saas) that the Muslims should move to Madinah.
Worried that the Makkan and Madinan Muslims would form a very
strong union, the Makkan unbelievers tried to prevent the Muslims
from leaving. They arrested and tortured some and intercepted others.
Until a command came from Allah, our Prophet (saas), together
with Abu Bakr (ra) and Ali (ra), remained in Mecca. Unaware that
Allah was protecting the Prophet (saas), Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, and
other unbelieving leaders decided to organize more verbal and physi-
cal assaults against him. In this instance, they chose a strong man from
each tribe and decided to set yet another trap in order to kill him. Since
all of them would be involved, they thought that our Prophet's (saas)
tribe would be unable to respond:

When those who do not believe were planning to imprison,
kill, or expel you. They were planning and Allah was plan-
ning, but Allah is the best Planner. (Surat al-Anfal: 30)
But Allah protected the Prophet (saas) from this trap. After this
event, they sent out armed men to intercept him and Abu Bakr (ra),
who were now on their way to Madinah. Allah foiled this trap as well:

If you do not help him, Allah helped him when the unbe-
lieveres drove him out and there were two of them in the cave.

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