Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) also informed them that in Abyssinia, there was a king in whose territory no person was able to oppress another.

At that time, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) did not wish to flee because of their outward, physical persecution. Rather, the reason for them fleeing to Allah Ta‘ala was because they were worried about the fitnah of kufr and shirk, and were concerned about safeguarding their deen from those who wished to rob them of their imaan. Hence the purpose of their migration was to take the name of Allah Ta‘ala and worship Him in peace and safety.

Accordingly, during the month of Rajab in the 5th year after nubuwwah, a small group of men and women performed the first hijrah to Abyssinia. This group comprised of the following men and women:

Men:

1. Hazrat ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Affaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

2. Hazrat ‘Abdur Rahmaan bin ‘Awf (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

3. Hazrat Zubair bin ‘Awwaam (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

4. Hazrat Abu Huzaifah bin ‘Utbah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

5. Hazrat Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

6. Hazrat Abu Salamah bin ‘Abdil ‘Aas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

7. Hazrat ‘Uthmaan bin Maz‘oon (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

8. Hazrat ‘Aamir bin Rabee‘ah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

9. Hazrat Suhail bin Bayda (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

10. Hazrat Abu Sabrah bin Abi Rahm ‘Aamiri (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

11. Hazrat Haatib bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

Women:

1. Hazrat Ruqayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the daughter of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the wife of Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

2. Hazrat Sahlah bint Suhail (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the wife of Hazrat Abu Huzaifah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

3. Hazrat Ummu Salamah bint Abi Umayyah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the wife of Hazrat Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). She was honoured to enter the nikaah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) after the death of Hazrat Abu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), gaining the title of “the mother of the believers”.

4. Hazrat Layla bint Abi Hathamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the wife of Hazrat ‘Aamir bin Rabee‘ah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

5. Hazrat Ummu Kulthoom bint Suhail bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anha), the wife of Hazrat Abu Sabrah bin Abi Rahm (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)

These eleven men and five women departed from Makkah Mukarramah in secret. Some of them were mounted on conveyances while others were on foot. It was their good fortune that when they reached the port of Jeddah, two merchant ships were about to set sail for Abyssinia. For a fare of just five dirhams, they accepted all of them as passengers.

As soon as the disbelievers of Makkah Mukarramah learnt of their secret departure from Makkah Mukarramah, they dispatched people to hunt them down. By the time these people reached the port, the ships had already set sail.

This group of Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) remained in Abyssinia from Rajab until Shawwaal. In Shawwaal, they heard news of the people of Makkah Mukarramah accepting Islam. Hence, they all returned to Makkah Mukarramah. However, as they drew close to Makkah Mukarramah, they learnt that the information they received was incorrect. This caused them to become extremely worried and perplexed. Thus, some of them slipped into Makkah Mukarramah secretly, while others entered the city under the protection of some person.

(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/240-242)