QURANIC WISDOM

Migration: Re-planning of the Prophetic Mission Prophet’s mission of monotheism did not suit the people of ancient Makkah because the Kabah was an attraction for different polytheistic tribes resulting in the flourishing of trade, serving as a source of income for the people of Makkah and a means to bolster the economy of the city. It therefore did not suit the Makkans to believe in a religion based on monotheism. But because the Prophet could not abolish the Godgiven freedom of people, he adopted a different option of managing the situation. Instead of making an issue out of the worship aspect of the place the Prophet availed the gathering as an audience for his mission. This is an example of wise management. Opposition to Prophet’s mission increased in intensity. Due to the wisdom adhered to by the Prophet, a number of Makkans had come to accept Islam. This group comprised of some of the best people of the society of Makkah. The best minds of Makkah became followers of the Prophet due to his adoption of the wise strategy explained above. However, Prophet’s opponents still held sway in Makkah and after thirteen years of his mission, they became even more hostile. Now the Prophet had two options before him: he could either continue to stay in Makkah and fight with those opposed to Islam or leave Makkah for another place. The Prophet again applied wisdom. Ancient Makkah had become a controversial spot for the Islamic mission. When a place becomes controversial for one’s work, it is difficult to remain there and work normally. Thus the Prophet gathered information about other places and found that Madinah, which was then called Yathrib, was free of all such controversies. The Prophet hence decided to migrate to Madinah. Therefore, migration means re-planning of one’s mission. Migration was not merely leaving of one place for another, rather it involved a re-planning of prophetic mission. At the time of his migration, the Prophet made a very historical statement: “I was ordered to migrate to a town which will swallow all other towns. People call it Yathrib and it is Madinah” (Sahih Bukhari). The Prophet had predicted that his re-planning would give new success to Islam. In this way, as part of a great vision, the Prophet decided to leave Makkah and migrate to Madinah. God has created this world in such a way that every person here enjoys freedom. No one has the right to abolish the freedom of another.