As it is indicated in the Quran by the verse, “Allah will defend thee from men”[1], the Prophet was protected by Allah from his enemies throughout his life. Many extraordinary incidents that took place like that are narrated in hadith and biography books of the Prophet. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) started to fulfill his duty of conveying the message of Islam, he did not face a single tribe or race or a few rulers or a particular religion, rather he challenged all rulers, all peoples, and all religions. Although his uncle and his tribe were his greatest enemies, he lived without a guard for twenty-three years. There were many assassination attempts but none of them was successful; he was protected by Allah as the miraculous verse, “Allah will defend thee from men”[2] indicated.  He was able to breathe his last breath in his own bed and reach the highest place of the incorporeal abode, fulfilling his duty completely. 

We will mention some examples of his protection by Allah from his enemies.

During Hijrah

Authorities on the Prophet's biography and hadiths report unanimously that the tribe of Quraysh conspired to assassinate Allah's Messenger. Upon the suggestion of a devil disguised as a man, a crowd of people including at least one man from each tribe surrounded the house of Allah's Messenger under the command of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab. Allah's Messenger said to Ali, who was with him that night,“Stay in my bed tonight.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) waited for the tribe of Quraysh to arrive. When the house was entirely surrounded by the Quraish, the Prophet (pbuh) left his house, threw some earth at the heads of the polytheists around his house. Nobody saw him; he passed through them. [3] After he left his house, he took refuge in a cave. Two pigeons and a spider guarded him against the Qurayshi polytheists. [4]

As Allah's Messenger and Abu Bakr were going towards Madinah after leaving the cave that they had hidden in, a man named Suraqa, who was hired by the heads of Quraysh to assassinate him in return for a considerable amount of money, followed their tracks and approached them. When Abu Bakr felt worried, Allah's Messenger said, as he had done in the cave, “Do not be sad; Allah is certainly with us.” He, then, cast a glance at Suraqa, and his horse's feet became stuck in the sand. Then, he removed his horse out of the sand and began to follow them again. His horse’s feet became stuck in the sand again. This time smoke was coming out of the place where his horse's feet were stuck. Suraqa realized that it was far beyond anyone's ability to lay hands on Allah's Messenger, he had to ask for help. Allah's Messenger freed him, saying, "Go back, and make sure no one else comes." [5]

During Hijrah, when a shepherd saw Allah's Messenger and Abu Bakr, he immediately went to Makkah in order to inform the Quraysh, but when he arrived there, he forgot what he had come for. Tried as he might, he could not remember his intention, so he had to turn back. [6]

Who will save you from me?

It is a famous incident reported through many sound hadith resources. The Prophet (pbuh) was having a rest away from his friends during an expedition. A courageous head of a tribe named Ghawras stealthily approached the Prophet (pbuh). He held his sword over the Prophet's head and asked, “Who will save you from me?” The Prophet (pbuh), who woke up at that time, said, “Allah!..” without any hesitation, anxiety or fear. Then, he prayed, "O Allah, save me from him with anything You wish." Just then, Ghawras fell down due to a blow he received on the back out of nowhere. The sword that he had relied on was in the hands of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). This time the Prophet asked him,“Who will save you from me now?” Ghawras repented and said, “There is nobody to save me!..” He asked for forgiveness.The Prophet forgave Ghawras, who had tried to kill him a few minutes before and allowed him to leave.

When he returned to his tribe, those who saw what had happened were surprised and asked Ghawras, who was very courageous, “What happened to you, why couldn't you do anything?”He told them what had happened, and said, “It took place like that. I am now coming from the presence of the best of men.” [7]

Similarly, during the Battle of Badr, just as a munafiq was about to hit the Messenger of Allah with his sword from his back without being seen by anyone, the Messenger of Allah turned and glanced at him, causing him to tremble and drop the sword. [8]

He is Protected from the Attacks of Polytheists

This incident has also acquired renown as tawatur in meaning and has been considered by most interpreters to be the occasion for the revelation of the following in the chapter of Yasin: “Verily We have put yokes round their necks right up to their chins, so that their heads are forced up (and they cannot see). And We have put a bar in front of them and a bar behind them, and further, We have covered them up, so that they cannot see.“ [9]

Abu Jahl took a big rock in his hand and said with an oath, "I will hit Muhammad with this rock, if I see him in prostration." He went and found him prostrating, and had just lifted the huge rock to hit the Prophet's head when his hands were fixed in the air. Not until Allah's Messenger had finished his prayer and stood up did they become unbound, either by the permission of Allah's Messenger or because there was no longer any need for them to remain bound. [10]

In another similar incident, a man from the same tribe as Abu Jahl (Walid b. Mughira, according to one narration) went to the Kaa'ba with a big rock in his hand to hit Allah's Messenger while he was in prostration, but his eyes were sealed and he could not see Allah's Messenger in Masjid al-Haram and returned. He did not see the people who had sent him, either; he only heard their voices. When Allah's Messenger (pbuh) finished his prayer, his eyes were opened, for there was no longer any need for them to be closed. [11]

It is reported from Abu Bakr through an authentic narration that after the chapter of Lahab had been revealed, his wife, Umm Jamil, described as “Hammalat al-Hatab” (log carrier) [12] came to the Kaa'ba with a rock in her hand. She saw Abu Bakr, who was sitting beside the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) , but could not see the Messenger of Allah and asked Abu Bakr, "Where is your friend? I hear that he has satirized me. If I see him, I will hit him in the mouth with this rock." He could not see the Prophet (pbuh) though he was near her. [13] Such a carrier of logs of Hell could not, of course, have seen the one who was the object of the mystery of Lawlak and under Allah's protection, and could not have entered his presence. How could she have dared to do that?

Assassination Attempts

The following is related through authentic reports: Amir b. Tufayl and Arbad b. Qays conspired to assassinate Allah's Messenger (pbuh). Amir said, "I will keep him busy, and you will hit him." Amir kept Allah's Messenger busy, but Arbad did not do anything. Amir asked him later, "Why didn't you hit him?" Arbad answered. "How could I? Every time I intended to hit him, I saw you between us. Did you expect me to hit you?" [14]

Another incident reported in authentic resources took place in either the Battle of Uhud or Hunayn. Shayba b. Uthman al-Hajabayya, whose father and uncle had been killed by Hamza, approached Allah's Messenger creeping up quietly from behind in order to take the revenge of his father and uncle. He lifted his sword, but it suddenly slipped out of his hand. Allah's Messenger turned to him and put his hand on Shayba's chest. When relating this event, Shayba said, "At that moment no one else could have been more beloved to me." He became a Muslim at that very moment. Then Allah's Messenger said to him, "Now go and fight!" Shayba says, "I fought in front of Allah's Messenger. Had I met my own father, I would have killed even him." [15]

On the day of the conquest of Makkah, a man called Fadala came to Allah's Messenger with the intention of shooting him. Allah's Messenger looked at him, and said, smiling, "What have you told yourself?" and prayed that he might be forgiven, and Fadala became a believer. Fadala later said, "No one in the world would have been more beloved than him at that moment." [16]

Once, some Jews were going to throw a huge rock at the Prophet's head from above while he was sitting; however, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stood up and left that place as a result of Divine protection, bringing their plot to naught. [17]

There are many more instances of the same kind as those examples above. Bukhari and Muslim, and other hadith scholars report from Hazrat Aisha that after the verse, “Allah will defend thee from men” [18] had been revealed, Allah's Messenger said to those who had guarded him from time to time: "O men, leave me! For my Lord protects me." [19]

The miracles we have narrated up to now show that each species in this universe recognize Allah's Messenger (pbuh) and is connected with him. His miracles have become manifest through each species in the universe. Thus, he is the envoy and the Messenger of Allah, who is “the Creator of the Universe” and “the Lord of all beings”.

An important inspector appointed by a ruler is recognized by every department of the administration and is connected with each of them, because he has a duty to perform on behalf of the ruler. A judicial inspector, for example, is connected only with the Judicial Department; other departments may not know of him. Similarly, a military inspector is not recognized by the Civil Administration, and so on. Since all beings that exist in the departments of this Divine Kingdom, from angels to insects and spiders, know him, recognize him, or have been informed about him; he is the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds and the Seal of the prophets, with a prophethood that is above that of all other prophets.

___________________________________________

[1]al-Maida, 5/67.
[2]al-Maida, 5/67.
[3]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:349; Musnad (tahqiq: Ahmad Shakir), 4:269, no. 2009); al-Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 2:228.
[4]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:313, 349; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:236; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:368, 637; Musnad, 1:248; San’ani, al-Musannaf, 5:389; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya, 3:179-181; Ibnu’l-Qayyim, Zadu’l-Maad (tahqiq: Arnawud), 3:52; at-Tabrizi, Mishqatu’l-Masabih, no. 5934; Maruzi, Musnad Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, no. 73; Zayla’i, Nasbu’r-Raya, 1:123; al-Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 6:52-53, 7:27.)
[5]Bukhari, Manaqib: 25; Muslim, Zuhd:75; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, 65, 9:11.
[6]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:351; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:715.
[7]Bukhari, Jihad: 84, 87, Maghazi: 31, 32; Muslim, Salatu’l-Musafirin: 311, no. 843; Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:347, 348; al-Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 9:7-8; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 3:29-30.
[8]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:347; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:710.
[9]Yasin, 36/8-9.
[10]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:351; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:241; al-Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 8:227; Muslim, No. 2797; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya, 3:42-43.
[11]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:351; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:242.
[12]Lahab, 111/4.
[13]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:349; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:233; al-Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 1:353; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, 8:152; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 2:361.
[14]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:353; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:249; Bayhaqi, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa: 5:318.
[15]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:353; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:248; al-Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 6:183,184; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:718; al-Asqalani, al-Isaba, 2:157.
[16]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:353; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:248; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:718.
[17]Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:352; Khafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:243; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:716; Abu Nuaym, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa, 2:489-490.
[18]al-Maida, 5/67.
[19]Tirmidhi, 5:351, no. 3406; Tirmidhi (tahqiq: Ahmad Shakir), no. 3049; Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:352; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 2:313.