Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah (a Companion) narrated that he went to a battle with the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the direction of Najd. When the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, returned, they also returned with him. They stopped at midday in a valley with many trees in it. The people all took shade under different trees and the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, stayed under a tree and hung his sword on it. Jaabir said: “We all slept and then the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, called us, so we came and found a Bedouin sitting near him (his name was Ghawrath ibn Al-Haarith). The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘This man took my sword when I was sleeping, and I awoke to find it in his hand, unsheathed. He said to me, ‘Do you fear me?’ I said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Who will protect you from me?’ I said: ‘Allah’, three times, so he sheathed the sword. And this is him sitting here.’ Then the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not punish him.”(1)
In another narration: “The sword then fell from his hand, so the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, picked it up and said: ‘Who will protect you?’ The man said: ‘Be the best captor.’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘Do you bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘I promise that I will not fight you nor will I be with a people that fight against you.’ So the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, let him go, and he returned to his people saying: ‘I have come to you from the best of all people.’”(2)
- Reported by Al-Bukhaari (2910) and Muslim (843).
2. Reported by Al-Haakim (4322).
