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On the way to Madinah 
On the first night of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, Abdullah bin Uraqat 
Laythi, the guide hired by the Prophet to take them to Yathrib 
arrived in the valley of Mount Thawr with Abu Bakr’s two camels. 
Abu Bakr’s slave, Amir bin Fahayra, accompanied them. The 
guide first headed south toward Yemen, and then led the small 
group westward toward the Red Sea. Before reaching the sea, he 
veered north toward Yathrib, taking a seldom travelled route. 
They journeyed all night and half of the next day. Then they 
stopped, and the Prophet rested in the shade beneath a rock. 
Meanwhile, Abu Bakr found a herdsman who let him milk one of 

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his goats. When the Prophet awoke, Abu Bakr gave him fresh 
milk. Then they pushed ahead. 
Perhaps it was the next day that the Prophet and Abu Bakr 
passed the tent of Umm Ma’bad on the outskirts of Qadid, near 
Mashaal, about 130 km from Makkah. They asked her whether 
she had anything for four weary travellers. She apologised, saying 
her goats were grazing far away, and the only one at hand was a 
small goat that was unable to stay with the herd and didn’t have a 
drop of milk to give.
The Prophet asked for permission to milk it, and when he 
did, milk flowed from its udders. He filled a large bowl with milk 
and first let her drink. After that, each of the travellers drank their 
fill. When they had all finished, he milked the goat again and left 
the bowl of milk for the woman. 
After they resumed their journey, the woman’s husband 
returned. Umm Ma’bad told him what had happened, and she 
gave him such a complete description of the travellers that her 
husband exclaimed, “That was the man from the Quraysh that 
I’ve been hearing about. If I ever have the opportunity, I will join 
his followers.” 
On the third morning of the Prophet’s departure, the 
Makkans heard a voice echo through the streets. They were 
unable to find where it was coming from because it was not the 
voice of a human. It was a jinni (a spirit) saying: “Allah, Lord of 
the people, bless those two companions who reached the tent of 
Umm Ma’bad. In safety, they broke their journey, and in safety 
they resumed it. Anyone who befriends Muhammad finds 
success. O Quraysh! By driving Muhammad away, you have 
forefitted glory and dominion! Blessed is the tribe of Ka’b! Their 
ladies tent became a refuge for Muhammad. Ask your lady about 
the weak goat and the milking bowl. The goat will aslo inform 
you if you ask it.” 

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When the Prophet and his Companions left Qadid, a man 
by the name of Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju’shum Madlaji spotted 
them. He thought he would capture the fugitives and take them 
back to collect the reward. As he charged ahead on his horse, it 
suddenly stumbled and he fell to the ground. Being superstitious, 
he drew an arrow to see how favourable the situation was. The 
arrow he drew was unfavourable, but, greedy for the bounty, he 
ignored the omen and mounted the horse again. This time his 
horse carried him close enough to the fugitives that he could hear 
the Prophet reciting the Qur’an. Abu Bakr nervously looked 
back, but the Prophet was unconcerned. This time the forelegs of 
the horse sank into the sand, and again the rider tumbled to the 
ground. 
Suraqa cursed the horse, and with great difficulty he managed 
to pull the horse’s legs our of the sand. But when he looked 
behind, he saw dust rising from the horse’s hoof prints like 
smoke. He quickly pulled out another arrow to find yet another 
bad omen. Now he was convinced that he would not be able to 
capture the Prophet . He then called to the Prophet and 
surrendered. The travellers stopped and waited for him to come 
forward. Suraqa offered them food, but they refused his rations. 
The Prophet did however, ask him not to tell the Quraysh of 
their whereabouts. Suraqa agreed, and asked to be given a letter of 
safe conduct for future security. The Prophet asked Amir to 
write the letter on a piece of tanned leather. 
Suraqa then returned toward Makkah. He told all of the 
bounty hunters he met to go back because he had already 
searched the area and the fugatives were nowhere to be found. 
The four travellers resumed their journey, and on the way, 
the Prophet soon met Burida bin Husayb Aslami along with 
seventy or eighty families of his followers. They all embraced 
Islam and prayed the evening prayer with the Prophet. Burida 
migrated to Madinah after the Battle of Uhud. 

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The Prophet also met Abu Tamim Aus bim Hajr Aslami at 
Arj. At the same time the Prophet and Abu Bakr were riding the 
same camel because one of their camels had become weak. Abu 
Tamim offered them a camel and sent along a slave named 
Mas’ood bin Hanida who accompanied them all the way to 
Yathrib. Although Abu Tamim became Muslim, he chose to 
remain in Arj. He would later prove useful to the Muslims in the 
Battle of Uhud by sending word through Mas’ood, the slave, 
about the Makkans’ advance toward Madinah. 
When the Prophet reached the valley of Reem, he met 
Zubayr bin Awwam , who was accompanying a trade caravan of 
Muslims returning from Syria. He presented the Prophet and 
Abu Bakr with sheets of white cloth.