Wistful, he looked at Ka’bah Mukarramah from there and said, ‘O the city of Makkah! You are the most beloved to me of the entire world. If my people had not exiled me from you, I would have never settled anywhere else other than you.’
It was already decided with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq , so he also arrived at the same place. Considering that the unbelievers will come after them by following in their footsteps and seeing that the blessed feet of the Holy Rasool have been injured, he made the Beloved and Blessed Rasool seated onto his shoulders and reached the cave of Saur in the same night, treading through thorny bushes and sharp stony mountains.
(Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, pp. 58)
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq first entered the cave himself and cleaned the cave thoroughly. He tore his clothes into pieces to plug all the holes of the cave. Thereafter, the Holy Rasool went inside the cave and slept by placing his blessed head in the lap of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq · Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq had covered one hole with his heel. A snake inside the hole bit his blessed heel repeatedly but the ardent devotee did not move his foot, lest it might discomfort the Rasool of Rahmah . However, due to severe pain, a few drops of his tears trickled onto the cheeks of the Holy Rasool . The Holy Rasool , therefore, woke up and became anxious to see his companion weeping. He asked, ‘What happened, Abu Bakr?’ It was replied, ‘Ya Rasoolallah! Some snake has bitten me.’ Upon hearing this, the Holy Rasool applied his blessed saliva onto the wound. By the virtue of this, the pain relieved instantly and the wound also healed up.
The Holy Rasool and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq stayed inside that cave for three nights. The unbelievers of Makkah searched for them everywhere in Makkah. Even they reached near the cave of Saur but Divine security was in place at the entrance of the cave. That is, a spider spun a web at the entrance to the cave and a female pigeon laid the eggs in the corner. Upon seeing all this, the unbelievers said to themselves that ‘had there been anyone inside the cave, neither the spider would spin its web, nor would a female pigeon have laid eggs here.’ Hearing the footfalls of the unbelievers, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq was a bit worried and said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah ! Our enemies have now come so close that if they look at their own feet, they will find us.’ The Holy Rasool said:
Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 10, Surah At-Taubah, Ayah 40)
The calm overwhelmed Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq and he became fearless and contented. On fourth day, 1st Rabi’-ul-Awwal, Monday, the Holy Rasool came out of the cave and moved towards Madinah. The Holy Quran depicts this parable of the cave of Saur in the following words:
If you do not help the Beloved (Prophet Muhammad), so indeed Allah has already helped him when he had to go out {for migration) due to the mischief of the disbelievers,. (being the second of the) two souls when they were in the cave, when he was saying to his friend, ‘Do not grieve,. indeed Allah is with us.’ So Allah sent down His tranquillit:y upon him and helped him with armies you did not see, and deteriorated the word of the disbelievers,. Allah’s Word is supreme,. and Allah is Overpowering, Ever Wise.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 10, Surah At-Taubah, Ayah 40)
It was already decided with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq , so he also arrived at the same place. Considering that the unbelievers will come after them by following in their footsteps and seeing that the blessed feet of the Holy Rasool have been injured, he made the Beloved and Blessed Rasool seated onto his shoulders and reached the cave of Saur in the same night, treading through thorny bushes and sharp stony mountains.
(Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, pp. 58)
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq first entered the cave himself and cleaned the cave thoroughly. He tore his clothes into pieces to plug all the holes of the cave. Thereafter, the Holy Rasool went inside the cave and slept by placing his blessed head in the lap of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq · Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq had covered one hole with his heel. A snake inside the hole bit his blessed heel repeatedly but the ardent devotee did not move his foot, lest it might discomfort the Rasool of Rahmah . However, due to severe pain, a few drops of his tears trickled onto the cheeks of the Holy Rasool . The Holy Rasool , therefore, woke up and became anxious to see his companion weeping. He asked, ‘What happened, Abu Bakr?’ It was replied, ‘Ya Rasoolallah! Some snake has bitten me.’ Upon hearing this, the Holy Rasool applied his blessed saliva onto the wound. By the virtue of this, the pain relieved instantly and the wound also healed up.
The Holy Rasool and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq stayed inside that cave for three nights. The unbelievers of Makkah searched for them everywhere in Makkah. Even they reached near the cave of Saur but Divine security was in place at the entrance of the cave. That is, a spider spun a web at the entrance to the cave and a female pigeon laid the eggs in the corner. Upon seeing all this, the unbelievers said to themselves that ‘had there been anyone inside the cave, neither the spider would spin its web, nor would a female pigeon have laid eggs here.’ Hearing the footfalls of the unbelievers, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq was a bit worried and said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah ! Our enemies have now come so close that if they look at their own feet, they will find us.’ The Holy Rasool said:
Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 10, Surah At-Taubah, Ayah 40)
The calm overwhelmed Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq and he became fearless and contented. On fourth day, 1st Rabi’-ul-Awwal, Monday, the Holy Rasool came out of the cave and moved towards Madinah. The Holy Quran depicts this parable of the cave of Saur in the following words:
If you do not help the Beloved (Prophet Muhammad), so indeed Allah has already helped him when he had to go out {for migration) due to the mischief of the disbelievers,. (being the second of the) two souls when they were in the cave, when he was saying to his friend, ‘Do not grieve,. indeed Allah is with us.’ So Allah sent down His tranquillit:y upon him and helped him with armies you did not see, and deteriorated the word of the disbelievers,. Allah’s Word is supreme,. and Allah is Overpowering, Ever Wise.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 10, Surah At-Taubah, Ayah 40)
Moral:
The parable of the cave of Saur and aforementioned Quranic Ayah related to it is a great evidence of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr’s excellence and his devotion and love for the Beloved Rasool . This sign will remain glowing like the sun until the Judgement Day. Allah has certified him in the Holy Quran as the companion of His Beloved Rasool in the cave. This is such an appellation that can never be denied.
This is supreme excellence of Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar that has never been awarded to anyone, nor will it ever be bestowed to anyone.
