The Conversion of Aws and Khazraj: The Beginning of a New Era in Yathrib
For these reasons, the tribes of Aws and Khazraj embraced Islam and even rushed to accept it. Each tribe was eager not to be surpassed by the other, and both feared that the Jews of Yathrib might accept the new faith before them.
The acceptance of Islam among Aws and Khazraj passed through three major stages.
The First Stage: The First Contact with the People of Yathrib
In the eleventh year of the Prophet’s mission, a group from Khazraj came to Mecca for pilgrimage. The Prophet Muhammad ï·º met them, became acquainted with them, and sat with them near Al-Aqabah.
He spoke to them about Islam and invited them to worship God alone. They responded:
“We have left our people behind, and there is no tribe among the Arabs that has greater hostility and conflict between them than ours. Perhaps God will bring unity among us through you. We will return to our people and invite them to your message, hoping that God will unite them upon it.”
These men actively spread the new message after returning to Yathrib. Soon, there was hardly a household in the city where the name of the Prophet ï·º had not been mentioned.
The Second Stage: The First Pledge of Al-Aqabah
In the twelfth year of the Prophet’s mission, the First Pledge of Al-Aqabah took place, also known as the Pledge of Women.
It was given this name because a woman named Afra’ bint Ubayd ibn Tha‘labah was among those present. It was also called the Pledge of Al-Aqabah because it occurred at the location known as Al-Aqabah.
Twelve men, along with this woman, came to the Prophet ï·º and met him at Al-Aqabah, where they pledged their loyalty to him.
Ubadah ibn Al-Samit, who was among those present, said:
“I was one of those who attended the First Pledge of Al-Aqabah. We pledged to the Prophet that we would not associate anything with God, would not steal, would not commit adultery, would not kill our children, would not bring forth false accusations, and would not disobey him in matters of goodness.”
After this pledge, the Prophet ï·º sent Mus‘ab ibn Umayr with them to teach them the Qur’an and help spread the teachings of Islam among the people of Yathrib.
Mus‘ab ibn Umayr and the Spread of Islam in Yathrib
After the First Pledge of Al-Aqabah, the Prophet Muhammad ï·º sent Mus‘ab ibn Umayr with the people of Yathrib to teach them the Qur’an and guide them in the principles of Islam.
Mus‘ab worked tirelessly in spreading the new faith throughout Yathrib. His efforts were highly successful, and Islam began reaching influential figures, leaders, and prominent members of the community.
The Second Pledge of Al-Aqabah: A Commitment to Support the Prophet ï·º
In the thirteenth year of the Prophet’s mission, the Second Pledge of Al-Aqabah took place.
The event began when seventy-three men from Yathrib came to Mecca with the intention of inviting the Prophet ï·º to migrate to their city and pledging to support him as their Prophet and leader.
They met with the Prophet ï·º at Al-Aqabah once again. His uncle Al-Abbas was present with him, although he had not yet accepted Islam.
When they gathered, Al-Abbas was the first to speak. He said:
“O people of Khazraj, Muhammad is one of us, as you know. We have protected him from his people and granted him honor and security in his homeland. Yet he has chosen to join you and seek your support. If you believe you can fulfill what you have promised him and protect him from those who oppose him, then accept this responsibility. But if you fear that you will abandon him and leave him without support, then leave him now.”
The people of Khazraj replied:
“We have heard what you said, O Abbas. Let the Messenger of God speak and take from us whatever commitment he wishes for himself and for his Lord.”
The Prophet ï·º then recited verses from the Qur’an and said:
“I pledge with you that you will protect me as you protect your women and children.”
They pledged their support to him, promising to defend him even at the cost of their wealth, the loss of their leaders, and the difficulties they might face.
Quraysh’s Plot and the Permission for Migration to Yathrib
When signs of success began appearing in Yathrib, the Prophet ï·º instructed his followers to migrate there, seeking safety for their faith and joining the new Muslim community.
Quraysh’s Fear of the Rise of Yathrib
As Islam began gaining strength in Yathrib, Quraysh became increasingly alarmed. They feared that the Prophet Muhammad ï·º would establish a powerful center there, protected by his new supporters.
Their concern was not limited to religion alone. They also feared economic consequences. Yathrib was located on the trade route between Mecca and Syria, and if its people became hostile toward Quraysh, their commercial activities could suffer greatly, threatening their wealth and livelihoods.
For this reason, Quraysh realized that they had to take a decisive step to stop what they considered a growing danger to both their religious traditions and economic interests.
They gathered together and discussed what action they should take.
The Qur’an describes their plot:
The Three Options Considered by Quraysh
Quraysh considered the three possibilities mentioned in the verse:
1. Imprisoning Muhammad ï·º
They rejected this option because they knew that his family and supporters would not allow him to remain imprisoned without resistance.
2. Expelling Him from Mecca
They also rejected this idea because they feared that Muhammad ï·º would go to Yathrib, where his followers could protect him and where he could establish a strong community. This would create a serious threat to Quraysh’s trade and influence.
3. Assassinating Him
The only remaining option was to kill him. However, Quraysh faced another problem: if one person killed Muhammad ï·º, his clan, Banu Abd Manaf, would seek revenge against the murderer.
Abu Jahl proposed a solution: select a strong young man from each Qurayshi tribe and have them all participate in the killing. In this way, responsibility for the death would be shared among all the tribes, making it impossible for Banu Abd Manaf to fight everyone. They would have no choice but to accept compensation instead.
Quraysh considered this plan effective and began preparing to carry it out.
The Night of the Assassination Attempt and Divine Permission for Hijrah
On the appointed night, they surrounded the Prophet’s house, waiting for the moment when people would become quiet and asleep so they could attack him together.
However, God informed the Prophet ï·º of their plot and granted him permission to migrate to Yathrib.
The assassination plan became the final step that led to the historic Hijrah, marking the beginning of a new era for Islam.
