Uniquely Protected by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ

Matchless Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Uniquely protected by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ

Maulana Kashif Shahzad Attari Madani

The immense virtues and unique merits that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ showered upon His final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are far greater than can be grasped and enumerated by our finite minds. In this concise article, we take a closer look at three unique merits:

1. Allah Almighty Himself protects the life of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

The guarantee of protecting the life of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has been given by Allah Almighty. The Quran declares:

وَ اللّٰهُ یَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِؕ-

And Allah will protect you from (being martyred from) the people.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 6, Surah Al-Ma’idah, Verse 67) (Sharaf-ul-Mustafa, vol. 4, p. 108)

This verse refers to the attempts made on the Prophet’s by the oppressive disbelievers of Mecca. Allah Almighty foiled their plots and guaranteed that He Himself protects to Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Commentators have reported that 70,000 angels would protect the Beloved of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم all the time, whether he was asleep or awake, these angels would not leave him. (Tafseer Saawi, vol. 2, pp. 520-521)

There were several such attempts, one of which is described by Sayyiduna Jabir رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ.

Who will save you?

Sayyiduna Jabir رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ recounts that the companions were on an expedition with the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم when on their way back in the afternoon, they reached a valley full of thorny trees. The companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم decided to rest there, taking shade under the trees. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم joined them, hanging his sword on an acacia tree and resting under it. The companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم were sleeping when all of a sudden they were awoken by the call of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. They hastened towards him صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to find a Bedouin sitting there. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم explained that while he was sleeping, this Bedouin covertly took the Prophet’s sword. When he awoke, the Bedouin was holding the sword in his hand and said to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘Who will save you from me?’ The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘Allah.’ After overpowering the Bedouin, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not punish him, but forgave him instead. (Bukhari, vol. 3, p. 59, Hadees 4135)

Commenting on this, Imam Badr-ud-Deen Mahmood ‘Ayni رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes: ‘The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was very passionate about softening the hearts of the disbelievers and wanted them to accept Islam. This is why he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم forgave the Bedouin instead of punishing him. The impact of this virtuous gesture moved the Bedouin to embrace Islam and then preach it to his people. Eventually, this single prophetic gesture led to many people embracing Islam.’ (‘Umda-tul-Qaari, vol. 12, p. 166)

Go back!

The Mother of the Believers, Lady ‘Aaishah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا relates that the companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم used to gaurd the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم [when required]. When the verse

وَ اللّٰهُ یَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِؕ-

Was revealed, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم put his head out of the tent and said: ‘O people! Go back, for indeed Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is protecting me,’ [i.e. I no longer require the protection of human beings].’ (Tirmizi, vol. 5, p. 35, Hadees 3057; Naseem-ur-Riyaad, vol. 4, p. 222)

Fanoos ban kay jis ki hifazat hawa karay

Woh shama’ kiya bujhay jisay roshan Khuda karay

2. Offering Salah after ‘Asr Salah

Permission to offer Nafl Salah after ‘Asr Salah was granted exclusively to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 2, p. 264)

The prohibition of Salah after ‘Asr Salah

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated:  ‘لَا صَلَاةَ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ حَتّٰى تَغِيْبَ الشَّمْسُ’ ‘There is no Salah after ‘Asr Salah until the sun sets.’ (Bukhari, vol. 1, p. 213, Hadees 586)

Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Mufti Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes: ‘Nafl Salah is not permitted from after ‘Asr Salah until the sun becomes dull.’ (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, p. 456) He adds in another place: ‘Nafl Salah is not permissible after ‘Asr.’ (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, p. 696)

Making Qada of the two Sunnahs of Zuhr

Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Umm-e-Salamah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا relates: ‘The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came to my house after completing ‘Asr Salah and prayed two cycles of prayer. I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Today you prayed a Salah that you have never prayed before.’ The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied: ‘Khalid Bin Waleed رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ arrived with the spoils of war; as I was [engaged in distributing] them, I was unable to pray two cycles of Salah after Zuhr. I have made them up now.’ I asked: ‘If we are unable to offer those two cycles, should we too make them up?’ He replied, ‘No.’ (Musnad Abu Ya’la, vol. 6, p. 123, Hadees 6993; Khasaais-ul-Kubra, vol. 2, p. 416)

Dear readers, note how the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would remain consistent in the prayers that he initiated. The two cycles of Sunnah Salah that were missed once due to the aforementioned reason were later made up after ‘Asr Salah. Thereafter, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم continued to offer them until he passed away. (Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 3, 228; Zurqaani ‘Alal Mawahib, vol. 7, p. 154) The Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah ‘Aaishah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا further relates that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم never ceased performing two cycles after ‘Asr Salah. (Bukhari, vol. 1, p. 215, Hadees 592) Mufti Sharif-ul-Haq Amjadi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, states: ‘The reports about the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم praying two cycles after ‘Asr Salah are exclusive to him.’ (Nuzha-tul-Qaari, vol. 2, p. 261)

3. The folding of the earth

When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would walk, the earth would fold up for him. (Sharaf-ul-Mustafa, vol. 4, p. 211) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ mentioned: ‘I have never seen anyone brisker in his walk than the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. It was as though the earth would fold up for him. We would exert ourselves [to keep up with him], whereas he would not find it difficult [and would continue walking according to his normal speed].’ (Tirmizi, vol. 5, p. 369, Hadees 3668) Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه adds: ‘The Prophet’s briskness refers to how quickly he would cover the route covered and not to the manner of his walk; the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would walk gracefully, in an extremely elegant manner. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ states:

وَ اقْصِدْ فِیْ مَشْیِكَ

And walk moderately

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 21, Surah Luqmaan, Verse 19)

However, despite him walking slowly, a great distance would be covered very quickly.’ (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 8, p. 61)