Which prophet led the migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina?

Muhammad led the Hijra, the migration from Mecca to Medina. This journey took place in 622 CE and became the foundational turning point of early Islamic history.

Before the migration, Muhammad and his followers faced sustained opposition and persecution in Mecca. Muslims from the city gradually relocated to Yathrib, later called Medina, after its communities pledged support to Muhammad. He eventually left Mecca with Abu Bakr, while Ali remained behind temporarily to return property entrusted to Muhammad by Meccans.

Islamic tradition relates that Muhammad and Abu Bakr hid in the Cave of Thawr for three days before continuing northward with a guide. Their arrival at Quba, near Medina, preceded Muhammad’s entry into the city, where he became the religious and political leader of the growing Muslim community. The migrants from Mecca became known as the Muhajirun, while their Medinan supporters were called the Ansar.

A common mistake is to describe the Hijra as the first migration of all Muslims. Some followers had earlier migrated to Abyssinia. The Hijra specifically refers to Muhammad’s migration with his community from Mecca to Medina.