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PROMISE

79

“Jabir accompanied the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, upon a campaign near Najd and returned with him. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and his Companions reached a valley with thorny trees at noon-time and decided to rest. They dispersed, each in search of shade. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, hung his sword upon the branch of a tree and lay down in its shade. We also rested when, suddenly, we heard the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, calling us. We hastened to him and saw a desert Arab was sitting near him. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said to us: ‘This man drew my sword against me while I was asleep. I awoke and saw he had the drawn sword in his hand. He said to me: 'Who will save you from me?' I told him: 'Allah, Allah, Allah.' The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, got up but did not reprimand him.”

“In another narration:

We were with the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, in the campaign of Dhat-ir-Riqu'a when we came upon a shady tree so we left it for him to rest under. An unbeliever came and seeing the sword of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, which was hanging from the tree, drew it, and said to him: ‘Do you fear me?’ He answered: ‘No.’ Then the man asked: ‘Who then will save you from me?’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, answered: ‘Allah.’”

Abu Bakr Ishmaeli says in his book that when he said this, the sword fell from the man's hand and the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, picked it up and asked him: ‘Now, who will save you from me?’ The man replied: ‘Be a good captor.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked him: ‘Will you bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that I am His Messenger?’ The man answered: ‘No. But I promise you that I will not fight against you, nor will I join those who do so.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, let him go free and he returned to his people and told them: ‘I have returned to you from someone who is the best of all mankind.’”

Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Jabir who related this.