Ironically enough, life in Makkah was easier and simpler for Muslims than it was in Madinah. This can be true in the sense that, in Makkah Muslims were only tortured and persecuted, while they clung to their faith. They had a little margin of freedom which afforded them hardly any options, and consequently any responsibility. Here lies ease and simplicity. On the other hand, life was harder and more complicated for Muslims. They had more than one antagonist, rival or an enemy. In Madinah, Muslims were no more that weak persecuted minority, rather, they became a strong majority, which if not ruled Madinah, they participated influently in running it. Having the enmity of Quraish in the background, the Muslims had to deal with a variety of people and issues. They had the Muhajireen and al- Ansar. They had al- Aws and al- Khazraj. They had to deal with the Jews who never welcomed the Presence of Muslims in “their” town, Madinah. Finally, the had the alarming issue of the hypocrites, who pretended to be Muslims, while in fact, they wanted to eradicate Islam from Madinah alltogether.
Madinah had a strategic location on the trading route from Makkah to Syria and back. Quraish realized the fatal error they had committed by allowing Muslims to flee from between their hands and claws. So many battles, expeditions and skirmishes took place between Makkah on the one hand, and the Muslims on the other. The ultimate result of this was the unquestionable victory of Muslims, and the devastating defeat of Quraish, which was crowned by the conquest of Makkah and the Arabian tribes embracing Islam collectively.