where was mohammed? (Part 3)
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Written by Layth (e-mail: laytth@hotmail.com)

[DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS CONTROVERSIAL IN ITS FINDINGS AND ONLY REPRESENTS THE VIEWS OF THE AUTHOR. IT MAY NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF OTHER FREE-MINDS MEMBERS. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN POSTED FOR ITS THOUGHT-PROVOKING CONTENT]

Part III - Mohammed Emigrates.

This is where the Sunnis and Shia begin to agree with the narration taken from the Scripture. After preaching the message of God to his own community of Baca; and after finding much resistance and oppression...Mohammed Emigrates from his home after all attempts to establish a 'God Alone Community' are met with failure and defeat.

Ø       The Migration/Hijra:

“O prophet, We have made lawful for you the wives to whom you have already given their dowry, and the one who is committed to you by oath, as granted to you by God, and the daughters of your father's brothers, and the daughters of your father's sisters, and the daughters of your mother's brothers, and the daughters of your mother's sisters, of whom they have emigrated with you. Also, the believing woman who had decreed herself to the prophet, the prophet may marry her if he wishes, as a privilege given only to you and not to the believers. We have already decreed their rights in regard to their spouses and those who are still dependant. This is to spare you any hardship. God is Forgiver, Merciful.” (The Message 33:50)

“God has pardoned the prophet and the emigrants and the supporters that followed him in the darkest hour, even though the hearts of some of them nearly deviated, but then He pardoned them. He is towards them Compassionate, Merciful.” (The Message 9:117)

We can clearly read that Mohammed (and his followers/supporters & family members) all emigrated from their town of Baca to at least one or possibly two locations ...

Ø       Yathrib:

One of these places where Mohammed emigrated was known as 'Yathrib':'

“And a group of them said: “O people of Yathrib, you cannot make a stand; therefore, retreat.” And a small party of them sought permission from the prophet, saying: “Our homes are exposed,” while they were not exposed. They just wanted to flee.” (The Message 33:13)

Jurisdiction of Rome around the period 600 A.D.

Looking at the map of Rome's jurisdiction at the time, it would make perfect sense that Mohammed would migrate south away from Rome's influence towards a place where they had no jurisdiction. It is therefore plausible that one of the places where the prophet migrated was the town known today as `Medina` in the area of north west Arabia where certain artifacts related to the prophet and his era seem to have been found.

Ø       Beca/Jerusalem is still Mohammed's Focal Point.

Although Mohammed has been evicted, he is still upholding the focal point of the Temple in Jerusalem…This would explain why the Sunnis and Shia record until today that the prophet did indeed face Jerusalem for the first part of his stay in Medina (as evidenced by the mosque with two qiblas) and why they still call Jerusalem the ‘1^st qibla’.

But the question still remains: ‘how was the qibla changed?’

Ø       God Establishes a new Focal Point (Qibla):

Here is a clear 'turning' away from the existing focal point to newer one.

In-fact, this is where traditions and archeology meet with the Scripture as they relate that when the prophet came to Medina, he set the focal point towards the North East (in this case they claim Jerusalem), and that after a period of time he set it in the opposite direction. 

What is an interesting point to note is that if we drew a straight line from Medina to Jerusalem (in-line with the original qibla as per the Scripture), and then we extend the same line completely in the opposite direction (in-line with the turning away from the qibla as per the Scripture), we see that the alleged temple of Mecca, contrary to what the Sunnis and Shia claimed,  does not come onto this path.

An imaginary line drawn from Medina to Jerusalem and opposite.

Ø       Why Change to a New Focal Point?

Establishing a new 'Focal Point' (or Qibla) has precedence in the Quran and was done during the time of the Exodus when Moses and his companions were on the run from Pharaoh and needed to face towards the direction where their enemy would come from during their Salat.

As for Mohammed's people...it was a 'test' of sorts:

“And as such, We have made you a balanced nation so that you may be witness over the people, and that the messenger may be witness over you. And We did not make the focal point that you became on except to distinguish who follows the messenger from those who will turn on their heels. It was a great thing indeed except for those whom God had guided; God was not to waste your belief. God is Merciful and Compassionate over the people.” (The Message 2:143)

Ø       The Medina/Yathrib Expansion:

During his time in Yathrib, Mohammed and his followers were forced into a number of conflicts which gave them governance over lands/areas they had previously not been involved with.

“And He inherited you their land, their homes, their money, and lands you had never stepped on. God is able to do all things.” (The Message 33:27)

Ø       Financial Growth & Development:

Ø       Military Strategy & Experience:

It was during this ‘Yathrib Campaign' that it would seem most of the warfare' verses were revealed (4:77, 47:20, 2:217).

Ø       Rome was to be fought!

This was a prediction of the inevitable battle against an organized and well trained army...The results as we shall see were quite disastrous.

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Click here to read: Part IV - Baca/Jerusalem is Liberated.