Protection
The protection of Allah for His Prophet, and that He suffices him against those who injured him
- Allah told His Prophet ﷺ “…and Allah will protect you from the people…”;[1]
- And He says, “And be patient upon your Lord’s command, for you are indeed in our sight.”[2]
- And, “Is not Allah sufficient for His slave?…” [3]
This last verse has been explained that Allah is sufficient for His Prophet ﷺ against his enemies and the idolaters. As for those who mocked and plotted against the Prophet ﷺ,
- Allah says, “Indeed We suffice you against these mockers.”[4]
- “And remember O dear Prophet when the disbelievers were scheming against you to either imprison you, or to kill you or to banish you; and they were sceming, and Allah was making His secret plan: and Allah’s secret plan is the best.” [5]
Sayyidia Aisha, Mother of Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, tells us “Before the verse “…and Allah will protect you from the people…”;[6] was sent down, the Prophet ﷺ had guards.” After its revelation, he looked out of his tent and told his guards to leave him saying, “Leave me my people. My Lord has given me protection.”[7]
Incident 1
We are also told that the Prophet ﷺ was traveling and it had reached mid-day so he dismounted and his Companions found a tree under which he may rest from the heat of the day. As he rested a Bedouin named Ghawrath, Al Harith’s son came with sword drawn to him and said, “Who will protect you from me?” The Prophet ﷺ “Allah, the Exalted.” Upon hearing this, the hand of the Bedouin began to tremble, and his sword fell from it, and he struck his head on the tree so hard that his skull was exposed. The Prophet ﷺ forgave him and the Bedouin returned to his tribe saying, “I have come to you from the best of people.”[8]
Al Khattabi sheds more light upon the incident saying that when Ghawrath had made up his mind to kill the Prophet ﷺ he alone knew of his intention. Ghawrath stood at the blessed head of the Prophet ﷺ with his sword drawn and the Prophet ﷺ said, “O Allah, You are sufficient for me against him.” Whereupon Ghawrath fell on his face on account of a pain that smote him between his shoulders, and his sword fell from his hand.[9]
Incident 2
There was a similar occurrence at the battle of Badr when he ﷺ left his Companions to relieve himself, but this time it was one of the hypocrites who followed him. We are also told of the time when the Prophet ﷺ was on an expedition to Dhu Amar against the tribe of Ghatafan. Du’thur, Al Harith’s son, who was their chief and the bravest man amongst the Ghatafan had made it very well known to his tribe that when the chance presented itself he would kill the Prophet ﷺ however, when the time presented itself he did not. When he returned to his tribe they asked the reason why he had not killed him. He told them that that he had seen a tall white man who pushed him in the chest and that he had fallen backwards, and his sword fell from him, and he was sure he had seen an angel. He told his tribesmen that it was this that had caused him to become a Muslim. It has been said that the following verse refers to this incident,
“O People who Believe! Remember Allah’s favour upon you, when a people wished to extend their hands against you, so He restrained their hands from you;…”[10]
Upon the sending down of this verse the Prophet ﷺ who had previously been concerned about the Quraysh declared, “Whosoever wants to harm me will be disappointed.”[11]
Incident 3
In an attempt to harm the Messenger of Allah ﷺ the wife of Abu Lahab, Umm Jamill had strewn thorns in the Prophet’s path, but it was as though he walked on soft sand.[12] When she heard a chapter had been sent down censuring her and her husband she went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who was sitting with Sayyidina Abu Bakr beside the Ka’ba with a stone grinder in her hand. She stopped before Sayyidina Abu Bakr and demanded to know the whereabouts of the Prophet ﷺ. She could not see him sitting next to him as Allah had made him invisible to her. In contempt she said to Sayyidina Abu Bakr, “I have heard that he has mocked me, and by Allah, if I had found him, I would have hurt him ﷺ with this stone grinder!”[13]
Incident 4
Al Hakam, Abi’l-As’s son tells of the time they conspired to kill the Prophet ﷺ. When they came across him, they found him praying, and heard a terrible sound behind them, it was so frightening that they thought not one person would be left alive in Tihama. He tells us they all fainted and did not regain consciousness until after the Prophet ﷺ had concluded the prayer and returned to his family. One night he and his companions agreed to make another attempt on his life and lay in wait until they saw him ﷺ, but suddenly the hills of Safwa and Marwa stood between him and them.[14]
Incident 5
Sayyidina Umar tells us that at one time he and Abu Jahm, Hudhayfa’s son agreed between themselves to kill the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. It was night time and as they approached his home they began to listen for him. Then they heard him begin to recite the verses,
“The true event!”
“How tremendous is the true event!”
“And what have you understood, how tremendous the true event is!”
“The tribes of Thamud and A’ad denied the event of great dismay. (The Day of Resurrection)”
“So, regarding the Thamud, they were destroyed by a terrible scream.”
“And as for A’ad, they were destroyed by a severe thundering windstorm.”
“He forced it upon them with strength, consecutively for seven nights and eight days – so you would see those people overthrown in it, like trunks of date palms fallen down.”
“So, do you see any survivor among them?”[15]
Upon hearing these verses Abu Jahm struck Sayyidina Umar on his arm saying, “Save yourself!” and they ran away in fright. This incident contributed to the conversion of Sayyidina Umar.[16]
Incident 6
Among the attempts upon the life of the Prophet ﷺ is this famous incident. The chiefs from each branch of the Quraysh tribes plotted to kill the Prophet ﷺ. One night they concealed themselves around the Prophet’s ﷺ house and lay in wait for him. Later that night he came out from his house and as he did so, he recited the following verses,
“Yaa-Seen.”
“By oath of the wise Qur’an.”
“You (O dear Prophet ﷺ) are indeed one of the Noble Messengers.”
“On the Straight Path.”
“(The Qur’an is) Sent down by the Almighty, the Most Merciful.”
“So that you may warn these people whose ancestors were not warned, they are therefore unaware.”
“Undoubtedly, it (their disbelief) has proved true for most of them, so they will not believe.”
“We have indeed put shackles around their necks reaching up to the chins, so they remain facing upwards.”
“And We have set a wall before them and a wall behind them and covered the top – so they are unable to see anything.”[17]
Then he stooped to pick up a handful of dust and cast it over them, and immediately a deep sleep descended upon them and the Prophet ﷺ passed through their midst without anyone seeing him.
Incident 7
As mentioned, Allah protected His Prophet ﷺ and Sayyidina Abu Bakr during their migration when they stayed in the Cave and we heard how Allah caused a spider to spin its web over the mouth of the cave and two pigeons to settle on its ledge. Added to this is the conversation Sayyidina Umayyh, Ubbay’s son had with his companion to whom he said, “The spider’s web must have been there before the Prophet ﷺ was even born.” The Quraysh concluded no one could possibly be in the Cave and left. One of the other Quraysh said, “If there had been anyone in it, these doves would not be there either.”[18]
Incident 8
Allah protected his Prophet ﷺ again during his migration. Sayyidina Suraka, Malik’s son, whose grandfather was Jushum spotted the Prophet ﷺ and Sayyidina Abu Bakr in the distance, so he armed himself and rode out after them. Sayyidina Suraka almost caught up with them when the feet of his horse sank into the ground and he was thrown from the horse. Sayyidina Suraka took hold of his diving arrows and cast them but did not receive the answer for which he hoped. He remounted and rode on and as he drew near he heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting the Qu’ran. The Prophet ﷺ did not turn around, however, Sayyidina Abu Bakr did and said, “He is catching up with us!” Whereupon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite the verse “…Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us…”[19]
And he supplicated against Sayyidina Suraka. Sayyidina Suraka’s horse sank once more into the ground and he was thrown. Sayyidina Suraka got up and pulled the horse by its reins and the horse emerged with something resembling smoke coming from its feet. Sayyidina Suraka cried out, “I know you have supplicated against me, supplicate again for me and I will act as a decoy for you; neither shall I harm you nor will others harm you.” Sayyidina Suraka told them of the plans of his fellow tribesmen and the Prophet ﷺ told him not to let anyone follow them. Sayyidina Suraka returned to his tribesmen and told them they were no-where to be seen so it was pointless to search for them in that direction.[20]
Before Sayyidina Suraka parted company with the Prophet ﷺ asked, “How would you like to wear the robes of Chosroes (the King of Persia)?” Sayyidina Suraka was astonished and knew that the word of the Prophet ﷺ would surely be fulfilled, so he requested the statement be written down for him as a sign, and so Sayyidina Abu Bakr wrote it down on a piece of leather, which Sayyidina Suraka then placed in his quiver for safekeeping and returned to Makkah. In the years that followed as the Prophet ﷺ was returning from the Encounter of Hunain, Sayyidina Suraka met him again and embraced Islam.
Incident 9
It has also been transmitted that the Prophet ﷺ and Sayyidina Abu Bakr were spotted by a herdsman who then hastened to Makkah with the intention of informing the Quraysh. However, upon reaching Makkah, his mind went blank and he neither knew what he was doing there nor the reason why he had gone there, so he returned home.
Incident 10
Abu Jahl had sworn that when he saw the Prophet ﷺ he would crush his skull with a rock. The time presented itself and Sayyidina Ishaaq’s son tells us that as Abu Jahl took hold of a rock the Quraysh urged him on to throw it at the Prophet ﷺ who was in prostration. Allah protected His Prophet ﷺ and caused the rock stick to his hands and his hands were raised up to his neck, whereupon he abandoned his intention. After the conclusion of the prayer Abu Jahl asked the Prophet ﷺ to supplicate for him whereupon his hands were released from the rock. When he returned to his companions they asked what had happened and he told them, “A stallion, the like of which I have never seen before appeared behind him, and it looked at me as if it was going to consume me.” The Prophet ﷺ told his Companions, “That was Sayyidina Gabriel. If Abu Jahl had come any nearer, he would have been seized.”[21]
Incident 11
Another attempt was made on the life of the Prophet ﷺ this time it was a man from the children of Mughira. Sayyidina As-Samarkandi tells us that Allah caused him to become blind and therefore unable to see the Prophet ﷺ although he was still able to hear what he said. Scholars say that the verses
“We have indeed put shackles around their necks reaching up to the chins, so they remain facing upwards.”
“And We have set a wall before them and a wall behind them and covered the top – so they are unable to see anything.”[22]
refer to this and the preceding story.
One day, the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions set out to visit the tribe of Kurzaya. Sayyidina Ishaaq’s son tells us, that when they reached their destination, they sat down to rest against a wall of one of the fortresses. Amr, Jihash’s son learned of their arrival and sent one of his tribesmen to throw a millstone down from its walls upon him. Before they could achieve their aim, the Prophet ﷺ arose and returned to Madinah and told them what had happened. It has been said that the verse,
“Undoubtedly Allah made a covenant with the Descendants of Israel, and We appointed twelve chiefs among them; and Allah said, “Indeed I am with you; surely, if you establish the prayer and pay the charity, and believe in My Noble Messengers and respect them, and lend an excellent loan to Allah, I will surely forgive your sins, and I will surely admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow; then after this, if any of you disbelieves, he has certainly gone astray from the Straight Path.”[23] is applicable to this event.
Incident 12
The Jewish tribe of Nadir had made a pact with the Prophet ﷺ and part of the pact was that they would assist him when called upon. Sayyidina As-Samarkandi tells us that the Prophet ﷺ now sought their help in paying the blood money for the tribesmen of Kalb who had been killed by Amr, Umayyah’s son. Upon their arrival Huyayy, Akhtab’s son invited the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions to sit down with him expressing his wish to feed them and give them that for which they had come. The Prophet ﷺ, Sayyidina Abu Bakr and Sayyidna Umar sat down, and Huyayy got up on the pretence that he wanted to relieve himself and left the room. However, Huyayy’s intention was to kill him ﷺ. After a while Sayyidina Gabriel came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him of the plot, so without a word he left and went home.[24]
Incident 13
Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah tells us that Abu Jahl had sworn that he would tread on the neck of the Prophet ﷺ the next time he saw him in prostration. Abu Jahl’s companions came to him and told him that the Prophet ﷺ was praying near the Ka’ba, so Abu Jahl approached him, then turned away in fright, protecting himself with his hands. His companions asked what had happened and he told them, “As I approached I looked down and saw a trench full of fire into which I almost fell.
It was a terrifying sight and the fluttering of wings filled the earth.” Later, the Prophet ﷺ told his Companions that the fluttering of wings was those of angels and said, “If he had come any nearer they would have torn him limb by limb.” It was then that the verse “Yes indeed, man is surely rebellious.”[25] was revealed.[26]
Incident 14
Sayyidina Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ had killed in combat the father and uncle of Shayba, Uthman Al Juhani’s son. At the Battle of Hunain the chance to revenge these deaths presented itself and Shayba cried out, “Today my revenge will be taken against Muhammad ﷺ!” As the fighting intensified he came, with sword ready to strike, up behind the Prophet ﷺ, and said, “As I drew near a fiery flame, swifter than lightning rose up before me, so I turned and fled. The Prophet ﷺ was aware of my presence and called me back then placed his hand upon my chest. Before that he had been the most hated of all people to me, then he told me, ‘Draw near and fight!’
This I did and went ahead of him fighting with my sword. Even if I had met my father, I would have fought against him rather than the Prophet ﷺ.”[27]
Incident 15
It was the year of the Opening of Makkah and Fadala, Sayyidina Amr’s son tells us, “I wanted to kill the Prophet ﷺ as he circulated the Ka’ba. As I drew near to him he asked, ‘Is it Fadala?’ and I replied that it was. He then asked, ‘What were you saying to yourself?’ and I replied, ‘Nothing’. The Prophet ﷺ laughed and asked Allah to forgive me then placed his hand on my chest and my heart became still. By Allah, as soon as he lifted it, Allah had not created anyone more beloved to me than him.”[28]
Incident 16
Amir, At-Tufayl’s son and Arbad, Kays son, plotted together to kill the Prophet ﷺ. Amir said to Arbad, “I will distract Muhammad ﷺ so you can strike him.” But Arbad was prevented from seeing him. He told Amir, “By Allah, whenever I intended to strike him, I found that you were between him and me – how could I strike you!”[29]
Incident 17
Many Jews and soothsayers instilled fear of the Prophet ﷺ into the Quraysh, telling them that he would have power over them, and urged them to rise up and kill him ﷺ. Allah protected him and His command was realised.
The Prophet ﷺ said that he was helped by the casting of terror into the hearts of his enemies who were even as far away as a month’s travel from him.[30]
[1] Surah No:5. Verse: 67
[2] Surah No:52. Verse: 48
[3] Surah No: 39. Verse: 36
[4] Surah No:15. Verse: 95
[5] Surah No: 8. Verse: 30
[6] Surah No:5. Verse: 67
[7] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P193.
[8] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P193.
[9] Related in the Sahih. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P193.
[10] Surah No:5. Verse:11
[11] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P194.
[12] Ibn Jarir related this in a mursal form in his Tafsir. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P194.
[13] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P194.
[14] Abu Nu’aym. At-Tabarani. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P194.
[15] Surah No: 69. Verses: 1-8
[16] A similar hadith is recorded by ibn Hanbal. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P195.
[17] Surah No:36. Verses: 8-9
[18] Ibn Ishaq. Al-Bayhaqi. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P195.
[19] Surah No:9. Verse:40
[20] Bukhari. Muslim. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P195.
[21] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P196.
[22] Surah No:36. Verses: 8-9
[23] Surah No:12. Verse:12
[24] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P196.
[25] Surah No:96: verse No:6
[26] Muslim. An-Nasai. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P197.
[27] Abu Nu’aym. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P197.
[28] Ibn Ishaq. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P197.
[29] Ibn Ishaq. Al-Bayhaqi. Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P197.
[30] Ash-Shifa, Part One, Chapter Four, Miracles of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), section 25. P197.