Why did Muhammad and his followers migrate from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE?

In 622 CE, the Prophet Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina—an event known as the Hijrah—primarily to escape intense persecution in their native city.12

Following Muhammad’s public preaching, which challenged the polytheistic beliefs and idolatry practiced by the Quraysh tribe in Mecca, tensions escalated significantly. After the death of his uncle Abū Ṭālib, who had provided him with tribal protection, Muhammad lost his security in Mecca and faced an assassination plot.3

Unable to secure safety in the nearby town of Al-Ṭā’if, Muhammad accepted an invitation from representatives of the oasis town of Yathrib (later known as Medina). The residents of Medina guaranteed him and his followers protection, allowing them to establish a new community, or ummah, where they could practice their faith without the threat of violence.134