Flight to Medina
For many years the Prophet Muhammed had lived in Mecca, the
city where he was born. It was from here that he heard the words
of Allah, and where he started to preach the message Allah had
given to him. Many people came to listen. They listened eagerly
and very soon became Muhammed's followers. However he also
gained many enemies among the city's merchants and rich people.
They were scared of the power Muhammed seemed to have. No
amount of money could gain this trust and power. They were
afraid of losing their own position and power so they started to
persecute Muhammed's followers and plotted to kill Muhammed
himself.
One night, a group of hired men set out to the house of
Muhammed. However Muhammed had been warned by the Angel
Jibril, who had given him Allah's message in the cave, not to sleep
at his home that night. When the assassins burst into his house,
with their knives gleaming and ready to kill, the man they found
was not the Prophet, but his cousin, Ali.
Meanwhile, Muhammed hurried to the home of his friend, Abu
Bakr, who had two strong camels waiting. There was no time to
lose. They mounted the camels and set off for the city Medina,
and safety. But, to confuse the enemies they knew would follow,
they went by a very roundabout route, so their tracks in the desert
criss-crossed in the sand. When they reached a cool, quiet cave in
the mountains, they stopped and hid.
Sure enough, Muhammed's enemies were not far behind. They
were furious at being tricked, so the merchants offered a reward
of one hundred camels to anyone who captured the Prophet. Even
though the tracks confused them they soon reached the cave.
The people in the cave were scared.
“Whatever shall we do?” said Abu Bakr. “If they find us, they will
definitely kill us.”
“Allah will protect us, have faith,” Muhammed told his friends.
And so Allah did protect them. Even though their enemies found
the entrance to the cave they did not come inside.
“There’s no-one inside,” they muttered. “Look at the spider’s web
right across the entrance, and that bird’s nest on the ledge. No
one has been in there for years. It’s obvious.” Then they rode
away. Allah had put the web and the bird there and kept the two
men hidden.
A few days later, when at last it was safe to leave the cave,
Muhammed and his friend made their way across the desert to
Medina, and they were given a very warm welcome.
Suggested Comprehension Questions for Medina Story
1. Where was the Prophet Muhammed born?
2. Why do you think the rich people didn’t like Muhammed?
3. Do you think rich or powerful people now would hate somebody
like Muhammed?
4. How did Muhammed know that people were going to come and
try and kill him?
5. Who did the assassin’s find when they burst into the cave?
6. Who did Muhammed go to Medina with?
7. How did they get to Medina?
8. How did Muhammed confuse the assassins who were following
him?
9. What was the reward offered for the capture of Muhammed?
10.In the story how is the cave described (the one that
Muhammed and friend hid in)?
11.Why did the assassins not look in the cave?
12.Do you think that Muhammed ever lost faith in Allah?
Possible Spelling Lists
1
cave
gain
faith
safe
Allah
house
burst
spider
power
camel
2
prophet
Muhammed
confuse
knives
desert
preach
listen
Allah
Medina
capture
3
Muhammed
prophet
cousin
eagerly
assassins
definitely
route
entrance
Allah
persecute