Emigration—From Makkah to Madinah

hands before it could touch the ground. He noticed the hush, which descended upon them when the Prophet spoke, the reverence preventing them from looking him straight in the eye. When this envoy reported back to the Quraysh, they were deeply impressed by his description of the Muslims’ loyalty and affection for their leader. ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ud asked them: “Are you not as my fathers and sons?” The people told him that they were indeed. “Are you suspicious of me in any way?” he asked them. They said not. “Well,” ‘Urwah continued, “this man (Muhammad) has made a good proposal to you. Agree to it, and let me go to confer with him.”153 The Prophet made clear his intention to accept any demand the Quraysh made as long as it did not contradict the law of God. The Quraysh displayed all manner of bigotry while the treaty was being compiled. They removed the words “Muhammad, Messenger of God” from the draft and inserted “Muhammad, son of ‘Abdullah” instead. Taking offence at the words “In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful,” they insisted on “In Your Name, Oh God,” being written. Finally, they added a clause saying that any Quraysh who joined the Muslims must be returned. On the other hand, the Quraysh would not have to do the same with any Muslim who came to them. They refused the Muslims permission to enter Makkah for their pilgrimage that year. These clauses were more than the Companions could bear. ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ud even commented that those whom the Prophet had gathered around himself were