Prophet Feared He Would Be Killed Had To Have Guards Near Him

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Orientalists and other critics have for years depicted Prophet Muhammad (p) as a violent aggressor and warmonger. At the same time the enemies of Muslims are portrayed as victims. Even though Muhammad (p) and his followers were persecuted, tortured and some even murdered for over a decade long, critics like to gloss over these facts and present Muhammad (p) as aggressor for defending his community.

They say that the Muslims in Mecca were opportunistic; they claim that Muhammad (p) and his followers were weak at Mecca and didn’t have the man power to fight pagan Quraysh and thus called for peace. They further claim that once Muslims left Mecca (fleeing persecution) to Madina, Muhammad’s (p) community grew strong, and he came in power and hence he used that opportunity to wage war against the Quraysh. What critics leave out is that persecution of Quraysh against the Muslims continued even when the Muslims left Makkah to Medina.

So for them to brand the Quraysh as some kind of victims who didn’t do nothing to deserve to be retaliated against is nothing but bald-faced lie to defame the character of Prophet Muhammad (p).

We have a number of historical Hadiths that show us the reality about Muslims when they lived in Medina. It gives us a picture that the Muslims did not live comfortable lives due to fear of the Quraysh. They were constantly in fear that the Quraysh will come to Medina and kill them.

The following Hadith tells us that when Prophet Muhammad (p) fled persecution from Mecca to Medina (Yathrib), he couldn’t sleep and had to have guards near him.

Sahih Muslim:

“A’isha reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace he upon him) lay on bed during one night and said: Were there a pious person from amongst my companions who should keep a watch for me during the night? She said: We heard the noise of arms, whereupon Allah’s Messenger said: Who is it? And Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas said: Allah’s Messenger. I have come to serve as your sentinel. ‘A’isha said: Allah’s Messenger slept (such a sound sleep) that I heard the noise of his snoring.” (Sahih Muslim Book 31, Hadith 5925)

Sahih Muslim:

“A’isha reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace he upon him) laid down on bed during one night on his arrival at Medina and said: Were there a pious person from amongst my Companions who should keep a watch for me during the night? She (A’isha) reported: We were in this state that we heard the clanging noise of arms. lie (the Holy Prophet) said: Who is it? He said: This is Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas. Allah’s Messenger said to him: What brings you here? Thereupon he said: I harboured fear (lest any harm should come to) Allah’s Messenger, so I came to serve as your sentinel. Allah’s Messenger invoked blessings upon him. He then slept. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Rumh with a slight variation of wording.” (Sahih Muslim Book 31, Hadith 5926)

Jami at-Tirmidhi:

“Narrated ‘Aishah: “The Messenger of Allah did not sleep one night upon arriving in Al-Medina. So he said: ‘If only a righteous man would guard me tonight.'” She said: “So we were like that, when we heard the clanging of weapons. He said: ‘Who is this?’ So he said: ‘Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas.’ So the Messenger of Allah said: ‘What has brought you?’ Sa’d said: ‘Fear for the Messenger of Allah came upon me, so I came to protect him.’ So the Messenger of Allah supplicated for him, then slept.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi Volume 1, Book 46, Hadith 3756)

Sahih al-Bukhari:

“Narrated Aisha: One night the Prophet was unable to sleep and said, “Would that a righteous man from my companions guarded me tonight.” Suddenly we heard the clatter of arms, whereupon the Prophet said, “Who is it?” It was said, “I am Sa`d, O Allah’s Messenger! I have come to guard you.” The Prophet then slept so soundly that we heard him snoring. Abu `Abdullah said: `Aisha said: Bilal said, “Would that I but stayed overnight in a valley with Idhkhir and Jalil (two kinds of grass) around me (i.e., in Mecca).” Then I told that to the Prophet.” (Sahih al-Bukhari Vol. 9, Book 90, Hadith 337)

From the above authentic Hadith, we see that the Makkans were still after the Prophet (p), otherwise he wouldn’t have asked for guards to protect him so he gets some sleep, especially since he was 100s miles away from Mecca.

This gives us proof that Muhammad (p) and his followers were still hounded by the Quraysh for their beliefs. This shows, whatever missionaries and critics alike claim about Muslims, that they were safe in Medina, is false. They are trying to absolve the criminal Quraysh of any wrong doing, and thus the Muslims had no right to fight back. But as the evidences has shown, the Muslims were still hounded by the Quraysh. So the claim by them that Muslims were ‘safe in Madinah’ is not true, nor is it backed up historically.

Please do click on the following link where we have showed other incidents, that Quraysh leaders were still continually persecuting, waging war against Muslims in Madina, before the battle of Badr (click here: ‘The Quraysh Persecute Muslims When They Fled To Madinah‘).

Tagged as: Islam, Madinah, Makkah, Muslim, Persecution, QURAYSH