islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

Life of Prophet Muhammad and the Birth of Jihadable to protect him there. 25 But those converts discouraged him on the account of an ongoing deadly feudbetween two tribes in Medina and asked him to defer his emigration to a more suitable time.During the pilgrimage next year, twelve men, including those of the previous year, met Muhammadsecretly at a place, called Akaba. They pledged allegiance to his faith, which became known as the First Oathof Akaba in Islamic annals. 26 Muhammad sent his Meccan disciple Musab ibn Omayr with them forinstructing the neo-converts in their new faith.Musab’s preaching bore fruit in expanding Muhammad’s faith in Medina. During the nextpilgrimage season (622), seventy-five citizens of Medina (seventy-three men and two women) accompaniedMusab to Mecca and held a secret meeting with Muhammad at Akaba again. During the meeting,Muhammad’s uncle al-Abbas, who had accompanied him to the secret rendezvous, announced Muhammad’sdesire to relocate to Medina saying that although the Prophet’s kinsmen and disciples would protect him inMecca, ‘But he (Muhammad) preferreth to seek protection from you (Medina converts)… If ye be resolvedand able to defend him, then give the pledge. But if you doubt your ability, at once abandon the design.’ Tothis, the Medina converts replied: ‘We have heard what you say. You speak, O apostle, and choose foryourself and for your Lord what you wish.’ Then Muhammad spoke and ended by saying that ‘I invite yourallegiance on the basis that you protect me as you would your (own) women and children.’ Upon this, Al-Bara (a Medina convert) took his hand and said: ‘By Him Who sent you with the truth, we will protect you aswe protect our women. We give our allegiance and we are men of war possessing arms which have beenpassed on from father to son.’ This pledge of the Medina converts, known as helpers or ansars in Islam, iscalled the Second Oath of Akaba. 27This story makes it clear that Muhammad was obviously not in any impending danger in Mecca atthis point in time (622). Even then, he was eager to relocate to Medina on his own accord as early as 620. Acouple of months before his relocation to Medina in 622, he secured a pledge for his protection from hisMedina converts. The question thus arises: when he was so eager to move to Medina, where the prospect ofhis religion was already very promising, why would anyone need to drive him out of Mecca? Furthermore,prior to his departure in late May 622, he had already ordered his disciples to move to Medina in early Apriland they migrated there in small groups over the next two months. Muhammad and his trusted comrade AbuBakr and their families were the last ones to leave Mecca. Under this background, the following questionswarrant a thorough consideration:1. What was the purpose of Muhammad’s eager interest to migrate to Medina and obtaining aguarantee of his protection once relocated?2. Why did he send his disciples away to Medina over the months prior his own departure?3. What was he going to do in Mecca alone, where his prophetic mission had come to astandstill?These circumstances and evidence, which come from the most authentic and authoritative Islamic sources,clearly suggest that Muhammad had firmly and eagerly decided to relocate to Medina. Therefore, no oneneeded to drive him out or try to kill him, when he was going away on his own accord, saving the Quraysh ofhis insult, annoyance, and social and family discords, which they had put up with for thirteen years.Furthermore, after Muhammad left for Medina, his disciple Ali (later his son-in-law) along with Abu Bakr’swife and daughter Aisha (she was engaged to Muhammad) remained in Mecca for a few more days. And theydid not face any major harm or harassment from the Quraysh.25. Muir, p. 11426. Ibn Ishaq, p. 198–9927. Ibid, p. 204; Muir, p. 129–13014