The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 2 of 4

IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHiR 151
Muhammad b. 'Uhayd Allah, from N3ic, from Ibn 'Umar, who said, 'We arrived
from Mecca and took up residence at al-'Usha, including 'Umar h. al-Khamh,
Aha Wbayda h. al-Jarah, and Salim, freed-man of Aha Hudhayfa. It was Salim
who acted as their Imam because he had greater knowledge of the Qur'm than
the others."'
Section: On the cause of the emigration of the Messenger of God (@AS).
God Almighty revealed, "Say: 0 God, make my place of arrival good and make
my place of departure good. And grant me an aid and authority from Yourself'
(snrat Bani Isrz"il; XVII, v.80).
And God did give him good guidance and inspired him to call out the above
prayer to provide hi prompt relief and a rapid departure. The Almighty gave
hi permission to migrate to the "Medina, the 'city', of the Prophet", where there
were the anjar and friends, a place where he could make his home in security and
whose people would he his helpers.
Ahmad h. Hanhal, and 'Uthman h. Abii Shayha said, from Jarir, from %bns
b. Ahn Zubynn, from his father, from Ihn 'Abbas, that the Messenger of God
(SAAS) was at Mecca when he was ordered to migrate and there was revealed to
hi the verse, "Say: 0 God, make my place of anival good, and make my place
of departure good. And grant me an aid and authority from Yourself."
Qamda said, "The phrase 'place of arrival' referred to Medina, while the
words 'place of departure' referred to his emigration from Mecca. The words
'grant me an aid and authority from Yourself referred to God's hook and His
ordinances and restrictions."
Ihn Is@q stated, "The Messenger of God (SAAS) stayed on in Mecca after his
supporters had emigrated, waiting for permission to be given to himself to leave.
"There remained there with him only those (Muslims) who had been detained
or who had apostatized, except for 'Ah, son of Abn Tdih, and Ahn Bakr b. Aha
Quhafa, God bless them both.
"Abn Bakr often asked the Messenger of God (SAAS) for permission to leave,
but he would reply, 'Don't be in a hurry. God may well give you a companion.'
And Abii Bakr hoped it would be him.
"When Quraysh saw that the Messenger of God (SAAS) had assembled a
party and bad supporters from others than their own people and from a town
other than theirs, and saw his Companions moving out to join these others, they
realized that the Muslims had found a new home with them and bad acquired
their protection.
"Quraysh were concerned that the Messenger of God (SAAS) would leave
and join them, since they knew that he had decided to do battle with them.
"They therefore gathered in the Dzr al-Nadwa, the house of assembly, the
home of Qusayy h. Kilah, where all their decisions were made. They discussed