Volume 3, Book 37, Number 494:
Narrated Aisha:
(wife of the Prophet) Since I reached the age when I could remember things, I have seen my par –
ents worshipping according to the right faith of Islam. Not a single day passed but Allah’s Apostle
visited us both in the morning and in the evening. When the Muslims were persecuted, Abu Bakr set
out for Ethiopia as an emigrant. When he reached a place called Bark-al-Ghimad, he met Ibn Ad-
Daghna, the chief of the Qara tribe, who asked Abu Bakr, “Where are you going?” Abu Bakr said, “My
people have turned me out of the country and I would like to tour the world and worship my Lord.”
Ibn Ad-Daghna said, “A man like you will not go out, nor will he be turned out as you help the poor
earn their living, keep good relation with your Kith and kin, help the disabled (or the dependents),
provide guests with food and shelter, and help people during their troubles. I am your protector. So,
go back and worship your Lord at your home.” Ibn Ad-Daghna went along with Abu Bakr and took
him to the chiefs of Quraish saying to them, “A man like Abu Bakr will not go out, nor will he be
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SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 3 > BOOK 37: TRANSFERANCE OF A DEBT FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER (AL-HAWAALA)
turned out. Do you turn out a man who helps the poor earn their living, keeps good relations with
Kith and kin, helps the disabled, provides guests with food and shelter, and helps the people during
their troubles?”
So, Quraish allowed Ibn Ad-Daghna’s guarantee of protection and told Abu- Bakr that he was se –
cure, and said to Ibn Ad-Daghna, “Advise Abu Bakr to worship his Lord in his house and to pray and
read what he liked and not to hurt us and not to do these things publicly, for we fear that our sons
and women may follow him.” Ibn Ad-Daghna told Abu Bakr of all that, so Abu- Bakr continued wor –
shipping his Lord in his house and did not pray or recite Qur’an aloud except in his house. Later on
Abu Bakr had an idea of building a mosque in the court yard of his house. He fulfilled that idea and
started praying and reciting Qur’an there publicly. The women and the offspring of the pagans star –
ted gathering around him and looking at him astonishingly. Abu Bakr was a softhearted person and
could not help weeping while reciting Qur’an. This horrified the pagan chiefs of Quraish. They sent
for Ibn Ad-Daghna and when he came, they said, “We have given Abu Bakr protection on condition
that he will worship his Lord in his house, but he has transgressed that condition and has built a
mosque in the court yard of his house and offered his prayer and recited Qur’an in public. We are
afraid lest he mislead our women and offspring. So, go to him and tell him that if he wishes he can
worship his Lord in his house only, and if not, then tell him to return your pledge of protection as we
do not like to betray you by revoking your pledge, nor can we tolerate Abu Bakr’s public declaration
of Islam (his worshipping).”
‘Aisha added: Ibn Ad-Daghna came to Abu Bakr and said, “You know the conditions on which I
gave you protection, so you should either abide by those conditions or revoke my protection, as I do
not like to hear the ‘Arabs saying that Ibn Ad-Daghna gave the pledge of protection to a person and
his people did not respect it.” Abu Bakr said, “I revoke your pledge of protection and am satisfied with
Allah’s protection.” At that time Allah’s Apostle was still in Mecca and he said to his companions,
“Your place of emigration has been shown to me. I have seen salty land, planted with date-palms and
situated between two mountains which are the two ,Harras.” So, when the Prophet told it, some of the
companions migrated to Medina, and some of those who had migrated to Ethiopia returned to Med –
ina. When Abu Bakr prepared for emigration, Allah’s Apostle said to him, “Wait, for I expect to be
permitted to emigrate.” Abu Bakr asked, “May my father be sacrificed for your sake, do you really ex –
pect that?” Allah’s Apostle replied in the affirmative. So, Abu Bakr postponed his departure in order
to accompany Allah’s Apostle and fed two camels which he had, with the leaves of Samor trees for
four months.