2/23/2020 Migration to Abyssinia - Madain Project (en)

Migration to Abyssinia (Hijra)

Muslims migrated twice to Habshah (Abyssinia) first in 613 CE and second in 616 CE to flee from the
persecutions of Qureysh. First Migration comprised of eleven men and four women, the Second Migration
comprised of eighty three men and fourteen women.

Location

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circa First Migration

614 CE

The silver coin with the depiction of king Armah, minted circa
during his reign. It has been suggested that either he or 614 CE
more probably his father, who gave shelter to the Muslim
emigrants around 615–6 at Axum. Although the Aksumite
monarch who received them is known in Islamic sources as
the Negus (‫ ﻧﺟﺎﺷﻲ‬najāšī) Ashama ibn Abjar. Second Migration

The first group of Mulsim emigrants that arrived in Aksum, circa

comprised of twelve men and four women, was granted 614 CE
asylum in the year 7 (BHj.) (613 CE) under Ashama ibn-
Abjar, the ruler of the Kingdom of Aksum. This group
included Uthman ibn Affan, who later became the third
caliph. This group reached Aksum, traveling via a ship from Aftermath
the sea port of Shuaiba, landing most probably at Adulis and
then on to Aksum.

How did the Muslim migrants from Mecca traveled to Aksum, circa
the details of their travels are very scant in historical 614 CE
sources. Ibn Sa'd relates in his book Kitab Tabaqat Al-
Kubraon the authority of Harith ibn al-Fudail that the group
boarded one of the two merchant ships from Shuaiba (Yaqut
says it was the place where ships (marfa') used to beach for References
Mecca in the days before Jidda became its port), and paid
half Dinar (‫ )دﯾﻧﺎر‬each for faring them across the sea. Ibn Ishāq (2004). Sīratu Rasūlillāh (tr. Alfred

At the time of Hijrah towards Habshah (Abyssinia), the circa

Kingdom of Aksum was entering in a period of decline, 615 CE
known as the end of second goldan age of Aksumite
Kingdom. This era of revival of the Aksumite power and it's
decline conincides with the advent of Islam on the Arabian
Guillaume). Oxford University Press. pp. 150–153.
peninsula. So essentially when the Muslim migrants fleeing
Mecca arrived in Aksum they would have found a relatively M. Elfasi, Ivan Hrbek (1988). Africa from the
prosperous land. At the time the Kingdom of Aksum was a Seventh to the Eleventh Century. UNESCO. p. 560.
Christian majority land. Reid, Richard J. (12 January 2012). "The Islamic
Frontier in Eastern Africa". A
The second migration took place in 615 CE. The group of circa History of Modern Africa:
emigrants this time comprised eighty three men and 615 CE1800 to the Present. John
eighteen to nineteen women. Following the first migration to Wiley and Sons. p. 106. ISBN

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2/23/2020 Migration to Abyssinia - Madain Project (en)

Abyssinia, the Meccan polytheists were on the alert for a 0470658983. Retrieved
second migration, however they were not able to stop the 15 March 2015.
Muslims' escape. During this period were the Muslims in Ibn Saʻd, (1993). Kitab al-
Arabia subjected to the Meccan boycott of the Hashemites Tabaqat al-Kabir (S. M.
(617 CE), the Year of Sorrow (619 CE), Muhammad's visit to
Haq & H. K. Ghazanfar,
Ta'if (620), the Isra and Mi'raj (621 CE) and finally the
Trans.). New Delhi: Kitab Bhavan. Account of the
Migration to Medina (622 CE).
First Hijrah of the Companions of the Apostle of
The Kingdom of Aksum was declared as a favoured land by circa
prophet Muhammad, if you have to migrate, migrate towards 614 CE
Habshah. The route of the Second Migration was most
probably same as that of First Migration to Habshah
(Abyssinia). The group left Mecca and headed towards the
Allah To Abyssinia
Shuaiba port, where they boarded a ship to cross the Red
Sea. The only difference was the return route, Muslims The Sealed Nectar (‫" )اﻟرﺣﯾﻖ اﻟﻣﺧﺗوم‬Archived copy".
returned to Medina rather than Mecca. Archived from the original on 2006-11-28. Retrieved
2007-01-13.CS1 maint: Archived copy
After the two migrantions some of the muslims settled in E. A. Wallis Budge (Aug 1, 2014). A
Habashah, possible in Negash, some migrated and left History of Ethiopia: Volume I: Nubia and Abyssinia.
Abyssinia by sea for preaching overseas to east Asia. Routledge. pp. vii.
According to an Islamic tradition as-Sahabah Mosque is the Martin Lings (2006). Muhammad: His Life Based on
oldest mosque built in Eritrea by the first Muslim Migrants the Earliest Sources. Inner Traditions. pp. 81–84.
when they first arrived in Abyssinia. They built a Mosque so
M. Elfasi, Ivan Hrbek (1988). Africa from the
they could pray, and named it al-Sahaba Mosque. Sahaba in
Seventh to the Eleventh Century. UNESCO. p. 560.
Arabic means companions, and that is to imply that al-
Sahaba Mosque was built by the companions of Prophet Bowersock, G.W (Dr). The Throne of Adulis: Red
Muhammed. That makes this Mosque the first in Africa. The Sea Wars on the Eve of Islam. Oxford University
mosque was renovated most recently in the twentieth Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0-19-973932-5
century, and currently is not fuctional. Rafiq Zakaria, 1991, Muhammad and The Quran,
New Delhi: Penguin Books, pp. 403-4. ISBN 0-14-
014423-4
John L. Esposito (ed.) (2003). The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Oxford University Press. p. 351.CS1 maint: Extra text: authors
list (link)
Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture, ABC-CLIO, p. 278
Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad, pp. 167-169. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.

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