In the darkness of the night, the cruel Quraish from various tribes had besieged the home of the Holy Prophetsa with their bloodthirsty intentions. They were waiting for dawn, or for the Holy Prophetsa to come out of his home, so as to launch a sudden assault and assassinate him. Various trusts belonging to the infidels were still with the Holy Prophetsa, for despite their extreme enmity, many people would often entrust their belongings to the Holy Prophetsa on account of his truthfulness and trustworthiness.1 Therefore, the Holy Prophetsa explained the accounts of these trusts to Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra, and instructed him not to leave Makkah until these trusts were returned. Then he instructed, “You lie on my bed,” and assured him that no harm would come to him. He lied down and the Holy Prophetsa covered him with his red-coloured mantle. After this, the Holy Prophetsa invoked the name of Allāh, and left his home. At that time, the besiegers were present in front of the Holy Prophet’ssa door. However, since they did not anticipate that the Holy Prophetsa would leave his home so early in the night, at that time, they were in such a state of unawareness that the Holy Prophetsa left right through their midst, leaving them in their ignorance, and they had not a clue. Now, the Holy Prophetsa was silently, but quickly, passing through the streets of Makkah, and it was not long before he reached the outskirts of town and started towards the Cave of Thaur. The entire matter had been pre-settled with Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra, who also met the Holy Prophetsa en-route. The Cave of Thaur, which is remembered as a sacred memorial, due to this very occurrence, is situated to the south of Makkah. In other words, to the other side of Madīnah, at a distance of about three miles atop a wild and abandoned mountain, the Cave of Thaur is situated at a substantial height. Its trail is also very difficult to cross. Arriving there, Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra squeezed in first and cleaned the area, and then the Holy Prophetsa also entered.
On the other hand, the Quraish who had besieged the home of the Holy Prophetsa, would peer through after short intervals, and upon seeing Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra who was in fact lying in the place of the Holy Prophetsa, they would find comfort. But the next morning, they found out that their prey had slipped their hands. Upon this, they franticly ran here and there, searched the streets of Makkah, looked in the homes of companions, but nothing was to be found. In their rage, they took hold of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra and beat him somewhat. They went to the home of Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra and began a commotion, and scolded his daughter, but what was the use of all this?
Finally, an open announcement was made that whoever brings Muḥammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) back, dead or alive, shall be given a bounty of 100 camels. Therefore, longing for this reward, many people set out in all directions of Makkah. Even the chieftains of the Quraish set out behind the Holy Prophetsa, and following clues, they precisely reached the mouth of the Cave of Thaur. Arriving here, their detectives said, “That is it. The footsteps go no further. Therefore, either Muḥammad is hiding nearby, or he has flown to the heavens.” Someone said, “Go and check the inside of this cave as well,” but someone else said:
“Alas! What logic is there in such an idea? Is it possible for an individual to hide in such a Cave? This is an extremely dark and dangerous place, and we have always looked upon it as such.”
It is also narrated that after the Holy Prophetsa entered the cave, a spider spun a web on the tree which was located just at the entrance of the cave, and a pigeon made a nest and laid its eggs on the branch which was exactly in front of the cave. This narration is weak, but if something of this sort happened, it is not bewildering in the least. In some cases, a spider weaves a web over a vast area in just minutes, and it does not take long for a pigeon to make a nest and lay its eggs. Therefore, if, by His Divine power, God the Almighty made this happen for the protection of His messenger, it is not unbelievable. Rather, considering the situation at hand, it is completely plausible. In any case, no man from the Quraish went in, and all the people returned from here.2
It is narrated that the Quraish reached so near that their feet could be seen from inside the cave, and their voices could be heard. At this instance, Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra apprehensively, but quietly, said to the Holy Prophetsa, “O Messenger of Allāh! The Quraish are so close that their feet can be seen. If they come forward even a little more, and snare in, they will be able to see us.” The Holy Prophetsa said:
لَا تَحْزَنْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَا
Meaning, “Worry not, Allāh is with us”
Then he said:
وَمَا ظَنُّكَ یَا اَبَا بَكْرٍ بِاِثْنَیْنِ اللّٰهُ ثَالِثُھُمَا
Meaning, “O Abū Bakr! What do you infer of those two individuals, the third of which is God.”3
In another narration is related that when the Quraish reached the mouth of the Cave, Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra became very worried. When the Holy Prophetsa noticed his anxiety, he comforted him that there is nothing to worry about. At this, Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakrra said in a weeping tone:
اِنْ قُتِلْتُ فَاَنَا رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ وَ اِنْ قُتِلْتَ اَنْتَ ھَلَكَتِ الْاُمَّةُ
Meaning, “O Messenger of Allāh! If I am killed, I am merely one man. But if (God-forbid) you are harmed, then it is as if the entire community has been erased.”4
Upon this, after receiving revelation from God, the Holy Prophetsa responded in the following words:
Meaning, “O Abū Bakr, do not worry at all, because Allāh is with us, and we are both under His Divine protection.”5
In other words, ‘You are worried for me, and in the passion of your sincerity, you feel no grief for your own life. However, at this time, not only is God the Almighty my protector, but yours as well, and He shall protect us from the evil of our enemy.’6
1 * Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, p. 255, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā......, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
* As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 343, Bābu Hijratir-Rasūl, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
2 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 2, p. 126, Bābu Hijratil-Muṣṭafā wa Aṣḥābihi ilal-Madīnah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
* Tārīkhul-Khamīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan Dayār Bakrī, Volume 1, p. 329, Al-Faṣlul-Awwalu fī Khurūjihisa ma‘a Abī Bakrin mim-Makkata ilal-Ghār, Muwassasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut
3 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyisa, Bābu Manāqibil-Muhājirīna wa Faḍlihim-minhum Abū Bakrin ‘Abdullāh bin Abī Quḥāfah, Ḥadīth No. 3652-3653
4 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 2, pp. 122-123, Bābu Hijratil-Muṣṭafā wa Aṣḥābihi ilal-Madīnah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
5 At-Taubah (9:40)
6 This statement of the Holy Prophetsa, which is also recorded in the Holy Qur’ān, is a statement of great grandeur, and it exhibits the high status of the Holy Prophetsa which he possessed over Mosesas. During Pharaoh’s pursuit of Mosesas, when his people worried, Mosesas only said the wordsاِنَّ مَعِیَ رِبِّی سَیَھْدِیْنِ, meaning, “My God is with me, he shall arrange for my deliverance.” But the Holy Prophetsa used the words اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَا, meaning, “My God is with me and my companion.” By viewing this statement in comparison, this greatly sheds light on the superior character of the Holy Prophetsa, the high status of his companions and the comparatively greater treatment of God the Almighty towards the Holy Prophetsa. (Author)