Abu Bakr's First Migration (may Allah be pleased with him)

When the Muslims could no longer endure the torture that was being meted out to them on a daily basis, the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) granted them permission to migrate to Abyssinia.

the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), told them, that country was ruled by a king in whose dominion no man was wronged. Many of the weak and oppressed Companions of the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) rejoiced at this news, and they began preparations for the long and gruelling journey to Abyssinia. The situation had became so bad for the Muslims in Makkah that even Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) decided to leave and to start a new life in Abyssinia. Unlike other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had the protection of his clan (Banu Taeem). He was not put to trial in his religion as much as other Muslims were put to trial in their religion; even still, he was not spared the brutal punishment of the Quraish, and so, like many others, he resolved to leave his beloved homeland and to start a new life elsewhere. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them her) gave a detailed account of Abu Bakr's (may Allah be pleased with him) planned migration to Abyssinia. She (‘Aa’ishah - may Allah be pleased with them her) said, "From the time I was old enough to understand what was happening around me, my parents have been Muslims. And on every single day that passed by, the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to us at the two extremes of the day: the early morning and the end of the afternoon.

When the Muslims were put to trial (in their religion), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them him) left (Makkah), having decided to migrate towards the land of Abyssinia. When he reached Bark Al-Chimaad (which is about five-days traveling distance from Makkah), he met a man named Ibn Ad-Dughnah, who was the chief of Al-Qaarah (Al-Qaarah is a subdivision of the Banu Al-Haun ibn Khuzaimah tribe). Ibn Ad-Dughnah asked, "Where are you headed towards, O Abu Bakr?" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them him) said, "My people have forced me to leave (Makkah), and I now want to travel freely on earth and worship my Lord."

Ibn Ad-Dughnah said, "Someone of your ranking and character does not leave and should not be forced to leave: For indeed, you provide for the needy, you join ties of family relations, you support the weak, you honor your guests, and you help others to rise above the vicissitudes of life. I, then, will provide you with protection. Return and worship your Lord in your homeland." Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) returned, and Ibn Ad-Dughnah accompanied him. (After they arrived in Makkah) Ibn Ad-Dughnah spent the entire night visiting the various noblemen of the Quraish. And to each one of them he said, "Verily, someone of Abu Bakr's ranking and character does not leave (his homeland) and should not be forced to leave. Will you expel (from Makkah) a man who provides for the needy, joins ties of family relations, supports the weak, honors his guests, and helps others to rise above the vicissitudes of life?" The leaders of the Quraish accepted Ibn Ad-Dughnah's guarantee of protection, but they did say to him, "Order Abu Bakr to worship his Lord in his home, to pray in his home, and to recite whatever he wants to recite in his home. He must not harm us with those acts by coming out and performing them openly, for we fear that our women and children will be put to trial (i.e., that they will become attracted to his religion)" Ibn Ad-Dughnah conveyed their stipulations to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who then began to worship his Lord in his home. He abstained from praying in front of others, and he recited the Qur'an in his home but nowhere else. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then had an idea (which he immediately put into action). He built a place of worship in the courtyard that was adjacent to his house. Inside of that courtyard, he would pray and recite the Qur'an. The disbelieving women and their children would gather around him. Impressed by him (by his prayers and recitation of the Qur'an), they would gather around and simply watch and observe him. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man who cried frequently, a man who was not able to hold back his tears when he recited the Qur'an. The leaders of the Quraish began to panic (fearing that their women and children would become Muslims), and so they summoned Ibn Ad-Dughnah to come to them. When Ibn Ad-Dughnah went to them, they said, "Verily, we guaranteed the safety of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) based on your guarantee of protection, and based on the condition that he would worship his Lord in his home and nowhere else. He has transgressed the bounds of that condition. He has built a place of worship in the courtyard of his house, and there he prays and recites the Qur'an out in the open. And verily, we fear that he will tempt our women and children (towards his religion), so forbid him (from continuing to practice his religion out in the open). If he agrees to limit his worship of his Lord to his home, then that is fine; but if he refuses and is determined to openly practice his faith, then ask him to return back to you your guarantee of protection. For indeed, we do not want to deceive you by violating your guarantee of safety, but at the same time, we will not allow Abu Bakr to openly practice his faith."

Ibn Ad-Dughnah went to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, "You know what we agreed upon (that you will limit your religious activities to your home), so either you follow the terms of our agreement, or you return to me my guarantee of protection, for I do not want other Arabs to find out that my guarantee of safety for a man was ignored and violated (for that will bring shame upon me)" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Then I return to you your guarantee of safety, and I am satisfied and pleased with the protection of Allah, the Possessor of Might and Majesty." After he was no longer under the protection of Ibn Ad-Dughnah, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went out and was heading towards the Ka’bah when he was met by a fool from the fools of the Quraish — a fool who proceeded to pour dirt over the head of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then passed by Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheerah (or Al-’Aas ibn Al-Waail) and said, "Do you not see what this fool has done (to me)?" Al-Waleed (or Al-’Aas) said, "It is you who have done this to yourself (by refusing to abandon your religion)", Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then repeated this phrase three times "My Lord, how forbearing and clement You are!'"