In 622 CE, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and a small group of companions migrated from Mecca to the oasis city of Yathrib, later renamed Medina, to escape persecution and establish a new community. The journey included three days hidden in the Cave of Thawr while Meccan search parties combed the desert. This migration, known as the Hijra, was chosen by the companions as the starting point of the Islamic calendar because it marked the birth of the first self-governing Muslim community, not merely a personal or military milestone.