Beginning
of the Yathrib Period
Explanation
of the City's Welcome
Having
heard the news of his emigration, of Quraysh's plot to
kill him, and of his travel in midsummer on an untrodden
path ridden with hardships across rocky mountains and
valleys aglow with fire under the torrid sun individuals
and groups of men and women went out to welcome Muhammad
to their city. Excited by their own curiosity after the
spread of the news of Muhammad's mission throughout the
Arabian Peninsula, the people of Yathrib went out to see
and meet the author of this call to renounce the holy
faith and sacred beliefs of their ancestors. More importantly,
they went out to meet Muhammad and to welcome him because
his intention was henceforth to live with them in their
own city. Every clan and tribe of Yathrib well knew what
political, social, and other advantages it stood to gain
should it succeed in convincing the new guest to reside
in its midst. Indeed, they went out to take a look at
this man that they might confirm their intuition concerning
him. Hence, neither the unbelievers of Yathrib nor its
Jews were any less enthusiastic than the Muslims, whether
Muhajirun or Ansar. That is why they came from all sides
to walk in his procession although each was naturally
moved by different feelings. As Muhammad allowed his camel
to run loose, they followed him in a disorderly manner;
it was as if he had intended it that way in order to give
each one of them a chance to come closer to him to take
a nearer glimpse of his face. It was as if everyone had
come out in order to gather in one moment of consciousness
all that he had heard about and all that he could see
of the person to whom he had given the grand oath of allegiance
at al `Aqabah where he pledged to lay down his life when
necessary in fighting any man whatever that stood in the
way of the faith. It was, furthermore, as if everyone
wanted to see the man who taught the unity of God based
upon a scientific investigation of the cosmos and an objective
search for the truth: a doctrine for the sake of which
he had abandoned his native town, its people, and borne
their enmity and harm for some thirteen consecutive years.
