Medina Safe Havens

Link to blog post published on Muslim Matters.org with reader comments When the prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him), and his early followers were faced with immense persecution in the city of Mecca, Muhammad instructed his followers to escape from this persecution rather than continue to suffer under it. Under the Prophet’s instruction, his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina in AD 622, thus leaving the birthplace of the Prophet and of the religion of Islam. The Prophet was soon to follow, traveling under the cover of darkness and hiding along the way in a cave to protect himself from the Meccan enemies who pursued him. After the migration to Medina, Muhammad ultimately signed a compromising treaty with the Meccans to promote peace and safety for the Muslims. Thus, the concepts of migration in order to escape persecution, re-establishment of communities, and compromise for peace were all central to the Prophet’s life and to the experience of the early Mus