Those Who Mocked
In response, Hazrat Khabbab bin al-Aratt رضي الله عنه said:
“By Allah, I cannot leave the religion of Muhammad ﷺ.”
Similarly, among those who mocked the Prophet ﷺ was Aswad bin Yaghuth. He was a maternal cousin of the Prophet ﷺ.
Whenever he saw the Muslims, he would say to his companions:
“Look! Before you are the kings of the earth who are going to become heirs of Kisra and Caesar.”
He said this because most of the Companions رضي الله عنهم wore old and torn clothes and were poor and needy. The Prophet ﷺ had already foretold that he would be given the keys to the kingdoms of Persia and Rome.
Aswad would also say to the Prophet ﷺ:
“Muhammad! Today you have not told us anything about the heavens. What news is there from the sky today?”
When he and his companions saw the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions رضي الله عنهم, they would whistle and make mocking gestures with their eyes.
Another man of this kind was Nadr bin al-Harith. He was also among those who mocked the Prophet ﷺ.
Most of these people were seized by various calamities and afflictions and were destroyed before the Hijrah.
Among those who mocked the Prophet ﷺ was also Walid bin Mughirah, the father of Hazrat Khalid bin al-Walid رضي الله عنه. He was the paternal uncle of Abu Jahl.
He was counted among the wealthy people of Quraysh.
During the season of Hajj, he would feed all the pilgrims and would not allow anyone to light their own cooking fire. People praised him greatly and composed poems in his praise.
He had many gardens. One of his gardens was such that it produced fruit throughout the entire year.
However, he caused the Prophet ﷺ so much suffering that the Prophet ﷺ prayed against him.
After that, all his wealth disappeared and his gardens were destroyed. Then, during the days of Hajj, there was no one left even to mention his name.
One day, Jibril عليه السلام came to the Prophet ﷺ while the Prophet ﷺ was performing Tawaf around the Kaaba.
Jibril عليه السلام came and said:
“I have been commanded to save you from those who mock you.”
At that moment, Walid bin Mughirah passed by.
Jibril عليه السلام asked the Prophet ﷺ:
“What do you think of him?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
“He is a bad servant of Allah Almighty.”
Upon hearing this, Jibril عليه السلام pointed toward Walid’s lower leg and said:
“I have brought him to his end.”
Then ‘As bin Wa’il passed in front of them.
Jibril عليه السلام asked:
“What kind of man do you find him to be?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
“He too is a bad servant.”
Hazrat Jibril عليه السلام pointed toward his foot and then said:
“I have brought him to his end.”
After that, Aswad passed by.
Regarding him, the Prophet ﷺ likewise said that he was a bad man.
Hazrat Jibril عليه السلام pointed toward his eye and said:
“I have brought him to his end.”
Then Harith bin ‘Aytilah passed by.
Hazrat Jibril عليه السلام pointed toward his stomach and said:
“I have brought him to his end.”
After this incident, Aswad bin Yaghuth left his house and was scorched by intense hot winds. His face became completely blackened.
When he returned to his house, his family could not recognize him.
They drove him out of the house and closed the doors.
At the same time, he became extremely thirsty. He kept drinking water continuously until his stomach burst.
As for Harith bin ‘Aytilah, he ate a salted fish. After that, he became extremely thirsty.
He continued drinking water until his stomach also burst.
One day, Walid bin Mughirah passed by a man who was making arrows.
By chance, one of the arrows became caught in Walid’s clothes.
Because of his arrogance, Walid did not bend down to remove the arrow and began moving forward.
The arrow pierced his lower leg.
Poison spread through him, and he died.
A thorn became lodged in the sole of ‘As bin Wa’il’s foot.
As a result, his foot became so swollen that it became flat like a millstone.
He died in that condition.
According to a narration of Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما, these people were destroyed on the same night.
The Noble Prophet ﷺ realized that the Quraysh of Makkah were causing the Muslims unbearable suffering, while the Muslims did not yet have enough strength to say or do anything about it.
Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ said to the Muslims:
“Spread out across the earth in different places. Allah Almighty will then gather you together in one place again.”
The Companions رضي الله عنهم asked:
“Where should we go?”
Pointing toward the land of Abyssinia, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Go to the land of Abyssinia, because its king is righteous. He does not allow anyone to be wronged. It is a land of truth, until Allah Almighty brings an end to these difficulties of yours and creates ease for you.”
It is mentioned in a Hadith that whoever travels from one place to another in order to protect his religion—even if he travels only the distance of a handspan—Paradise becomes obligatory for him.
Therefore, after this command, many Muslims migrated from their homeland in order to protect their religion.
Some of them migrated with their wives and children, while others migrated alone.
Among those who migrated with their wives and children was Hazrat ‘Uthman Ghani رضي الله عنه.
With him, his wife, the daughter of the Prophet ﷺ, Hazrat Ruqayyah رضي الله عنها, also migrated.
Hazrat ‘Uthman Ghani رضي الله عنه was the first person to migrate.