Elaborate preparations began for the hijrah journey. A journey that would mark the beginning of the Islamic calendar. A journey that would change the course of Islamic history, for it was the launch pad for the propagation and spread of Islam across the globe.

Rasulullah ﷺ came secretly to the house of Abu Bakr RA at midday, in the scorching heat, with his face hidden behind a scarf. As soon as he entered the house, he tells him to clear out everyone from the house. “Only my two daughters are present,” Abu Bakr RA says, putting the heart of Rasulullah ﷺ at ease. He then asks, “What is the matter?” The matter was top secret. Rasulullah ﷺ was given permission to make hijrah.

Rasulullah ﷺ and Abu Bakr RA planned every move they would make and every turn they would take on this epic journey. Two camels were being fed by Abu Bakr RA for a long time now, in preparation for the perilous trip. These camels were given to ‘Abdullah ibn Urayqit, a skilled and experienced guide from the Banu al Dayl, in whom they had confidence, with the instruction to bring the camels along after three days to the Cave of Thawr.

In the darkness of night, Rasulullah ﷺ and Abu Bakr RA slipped out through the back window of the latter’s house in the direction of the Cave of Thawr where they would hide for three days. Arrangements for their food and protection had already been made. As the matter was top secret, only a select few would know about the undercover travel. Abu Bakr RA’s son Abdullah RA―a responsible lad―would mingle with the Quraysh during the day and find out their schemes which he would report to the two at night. Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA was selected to graze the sheep of Abu Bakr RA during the day and come with those sheep to Rasulullah ﷺ at night, so that they may survive on their milk. Before the sun rose, Abdullah RA would make his way back to Makkah, followed by Amir RA and his flock of sheep, so that the traces of ‘Abdullah RA’s footsteps may be wiped out by the sheep’s trails.

Who is Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA you might be wondering. He is one of the very early Muslims. He entered the faith before Rasulullah ﷺ could enter Dar al Arqam.

The life of this qari’ (proficient reciter of Qur’an) began as a slave, a child born to a slave of the Azd tribe. His agnomen is Abu ‘Amr and he belonged to ‘Abdullah ibn al Tufayl ibn Sakhbarah, Aisha RA’s uterine brother. After proclaiming the shahadah, he was cruelly persecuted in the path of Allah ﷻ, yet he remained resolute. Finally, Abu Bakr RA purchased him, as was his noble habit, and manumitted him.

The Makkans had no regard for him, for he was a former slave, so they did not pay close attention to his movements. He was thus chosen to play a very significant role in the hijrah journey. He grazed a flock of sheep for Rasulullah ﷺ and Abu Bakr RA, and brought those sheep to them when an hour had passed after the ‘Isha’ prayer. They would sleep soundly till Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA awakened them when it was still dark. He did this in each of those three nights and spent those nights in the company of Rasulullah ﷺ.

The level of his credibility and sincerity can be realised from this. He was trusted by Rasulullah ﷺ to keep this journey secret. The bounty of a hundred camels for the head of Rasulullah ﷺ and Abu Bakr RA did not shake his resolution. His faith in Allah ﷻ could not be bought by worldly transitory assets.

After the three days had passed, ‘Abdullah ibn Urayqit arrived with the two riding camels. They set out and took Amir bin Fuhayrah RA along with them. He would take turns, sometimes he would sit on the mount of Rasulullah ﷺ and sometimes he would sit on the conveyance of Abu Bakr RA. The guide directed them below Makkah along the road leading to the sea-shore. Travelling on this secretive road, they reached Madinah. [Bukhari]

Although Amir bin Fuhayrah’s RA participation in the hijrah is known, it is unnoticed. Having the distinction of travelling the most significant journey alongside the loftiest of mankind and the most superior individual after the Ambiya’, is no ordinary excellence. Considering the amount of spiritual benefit he derived from Rasulullah ﷺ and the volume of divine blessings he secured, one will deduce that he was indeed a prosperous individual.

After reaching Madinah, Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA together with Bilal RA and Abu Bakr RA became ill, due to the climate of Madinah not suiting them. Rasulullah ﷺ supplicated to Allah ﷻ to remove the fever of Madinah and to bless them therein. He also prayed to make Madinah as beloved as Makkah was to them, or more. And these prayers were granted. [Bukhari]

Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA benefitted tremendously from the Qur’anic teachings of Rasulullah ﷺ. He learnt at the feet of Rasulullah ﷺ and became one of the proficient reciters of Qur’an. He was one of the Companions of al Suffah, viewed as the students of Islam. They had dedicated themselves to the acquisition of knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah and its dissemination.

He had the grand honour of participating in Badr, Uhud, and Hamra’ al Asad. He obtained the magnificent rewards and attained the exalted ranks promised in the Qur’an and Sunnah for their participation, coupled with Allah’s praises for their participants. He could not participate in any other major campaign as he was martyred in the fourth year after hijrah in the month of Safar only four months after Uhud.

Abu Bara’ (a disbeliever) approached Rasulullah ﷺ and pleaded with him to send some of his Companions to the people of Najd to invite them to Islam. Rasulullah ﷺ was hesitant to send them for he feared that the people of Najd might harm them. However, Abu Bara’ put his fears to rest assuring him that he will protect them. Rasulullah ﷺ selected the exclusive students of the Qur’an for this expedition. They were seventy in number and were called the Qurra’ (proficient reciters of the Qur’an). They would gather firewood during the day, to earn a living, and would stand in salah at night reciting the Qur’an, to earn the Pleasure of Allah ﷻ.

These 70 Qurra’ travelled with their guide until they reached Bi’r Ma’unah, from where Haram ibn Milhan RA was sent with Rasulullah’s ﷺ epistle to the enemy of Allah ﷻ, ‘Amir ibn Tufayl. The devil did not even look at the prophetic epistle and acted treacherously to the envoy by signalling to one of his men to kill him. “Allah is the greatest, I have triumphed by the Lord of the Ka’bah,” shouted Haram RA as he fell to the ground after being stabbed in the back. This sentence of his would be the cause for the acceptance of Islam of his killer, Jabbar ibn Sulma al Kilabi.

The tribes of Ri’l, Dhakwan, ‘Usayyah, and Banu Lihyan then joined together and massacred those Sahabah RA to the very last of them. Only Ka’b ibn Zaid RA survived with multiple wounds, for they left him as dead whereas he still had streaks of life in him, and ‘Amr ibn Umayyah al Damari RA who they took as prisoner. Later, ‘Amir ibn Tufayl freed him, for the expiation of the oath of his mother.

After butchering them, Ibn Tufayl pointing at one of the slain asked ‘Amr who he was, “He is ‘Amir ibn Fuhayrah,” ‘Amr explained. Ibn Tufayl stated, “I saw him lifted to the sky after he was killed till I saw the sky between him and the earth, and then he was brought down upon the earth.”

The devastating news of the killed Muslims reached Rasulullah ﷺ and he relayed this news to his Companions, “Your companions (of Bi’r Ma’unah) have been killed, and they have asked their Lord saying, ‘O our Lord! Inform our brothers about us as we are pleased with You and You are pleased with us.’” So Allah ﷻ informed them about the martyrs by revealing a verse of the Qur’an which was later abrogated. The verse read:

أَلاَ بَلِّغُوا عَنَّا قَوْمَنَا بِأَنَّا قَدْ لَقِينَا رَبَّنَا فَرَضِيَ عَنَّا وَأَرْضَانَا

Inform our people that we have met our Lord, and He is pleased with us, and we are pleased with Him.

Rasulullah ﷺ was deeply hurt and grief stricken with their killing. He invoked curses upon the tribes of Ri’l, Dhakwan, ‘Usayyah, and Banu Lihyan who disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. For a full month, he invoked curses upon their murderers in the Salat al Fajr. This was the introduction of the Qunut in the morning prayer. [Bukhari]

Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA, the devotee of the Qur’an, was really an exceptional person. Obscure to the dwellers on earth, recognised by the inhabitants of the heavens. Rasulullah ﷺ loved him dearly and was saddened and pained at his martyrdom. The martyrs are ever living enjoying themselves in Jannat, and their legacy will continue to live on.

Amir ibn Fuhayrah RA left to the mercy of Allah ﷻ at the age of 40. His body was not found after his martyrdom. It was believed that the angels had concealed his body. [Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah]