Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
12. Emigration—From Makkah to Madinah
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warning them of the danger to their city. As
Tabarani reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas,
“every tribe provided manpower and weaponry in
full measure.” No one was left behind. The army of
10,000 was divided into groups of several hundred
men. Each division marched in ranks, led by a
commander bearing a standard. The Prophet asked
his uncle (Abbas to let Abu Sufyan, an old opponent
of the Prophet, witness the Muslims’ march. Abu
Sufyan watched from beside a narrow mountain
pass as, row upon row, the Muslim army filed past.
He could hardly believe his eyes. “Who has the
power to confront this army?” he exclaimed. “I
have never seen anything like it.” The Prophet thus
went to great lengths to impress Abu Sufyan. At the
same time he announced that anyone entering Abu
Sufyan’s house would be safe. The result was that
Abu Sufyan himself appealed to the people of
Makkah to capitulate before Muhammad, for no
one was strong enough to fight him. Events, which
followed the conquest of the city, prove
conclusively that the extensive preparations were
not aimed at causing bloodshed: they were aimed at
frightening the Makkans into submission, so that
the city could be captured for Islam without any
