Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in what he quoted from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while they were in the cave and the polytheists were at the mouth of the cave: “If one of them were to look at his feet, he would see us.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Musnad Ahmad 11Sahih (Darussalam) meaning: What do you think? Is there anyone who can overpower them or harm them? This story occurred when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated from Makkah to al-Madinah. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) made his call public and invited people, and they followed him, the polytheists feared and rose up against his call, pressuring him and harming him with words and actions. So Allah permitted him to migrate from Makkah to al-Madinah. He (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated after thirteen years of his mission. He migrated to al-Madinah, and no one accompanied him except Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the guide, and the servant. He migrated by the command of Allah, and Abu Bakr accompanied him. When the polytheists heard of his departure from Makkah, they offered a reward of one hundred camels for whoever brought him, and one hundred camels for whoever brought Abu Bakr. The people began searching for the two men in the mountains, the valleys, and the caves, everywhere, until they stood at the cave where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr were. It was the Cave of Thawr, where they hid for three nights until the search for them cooled down. Abu Bakr said: “O Messenger of Allah, if one of them were to look at his foot, he would see us” because we were in the cave beneath them. He said: Sahih Muslim 2381 And in the Book of Allah, it is stated that He said to him: [At-Tawbah 9:40] So he said both things, meaning he said: [At-Tawbah 9:40] and he said: Sahih Muslim 2381 meaning: Is there anyone who can overpower them with harm or otherwise? The answer is: No one can overpower them, for there is no one who can prevent what He has given, nor give what He has prevented, nor humiliate whom He has honored, nor honor whom He has humiliated. [Ali 'Imran 3:26]
In this story is evidence of the perfection of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) reliance on his Lord, that he depended on Him and entrusted his affairs to Him. This is the point of placing this hadith in the chapter on certainty and reliance.
In it is also evidence that the story of the spider weaving is not authentic. What is found in some histories is that a spider wove over the door of the cave, that a tree grew in it, and that there was a pigeon on one of its branches. It is said that when the polytheists came to the cave, they said: “There is no one in this; this pigeon is on a tree branch at its door, and this spider has nested at its door.” All of this is not authentic. The One who prevented the polytheists from seeing the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr, and prevented them from seeing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr, was not physical matters that could happen to them or others, but rather spiritual matters, a sign from the signs of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah veiled the eyes of the polytheists from seeing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr. If it had been that a spider wove, or a tree grew, or a pigeon was on a branch, these would be physical matters by which one hides from another. But the matter was a sign from the signs of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So the conclusion is that what is mentioned in the books of history regarding this is not authentic. Rather, the truth, of which there is no doubt, is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) blinded the eyes of the polytheists from seeing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion in the cave. And success is from Allah.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in what he quoted from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while they were in the cave and the polytheists were at the mouth of the cave: “If one of them were to look at his feet, he would see us.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
O Abu Bakr, what do you think of two, of whom Allah is the third?
يا أبا بكر ما ظنك باثنين الله ثالثهماwhat can befall two who have Allah as the third One with them
ما ظنك باثنين الله ثالثهماDo not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.
لا تحزن إن الله معناDo not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.
لا تحزن إن الله معناwhat can befall two who have Allah as the third One with them
ما ظنك باثنين الله ثالثهماSay, "O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.
قل اللهم مالك الملك تؤتي الملك من تشاء وتنزع الملك ممن تشاء وتعز من تشاء وتذل من تشاء بيدك الخير إنك على كل شيء قديرIn this story is evidence of the perfection of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) reliance on his Lord, that he depended on Him and entrusted his affairs to Him. This is the point of placing this hadith in the chapter on certainty and reliance.
In it is also evidence that the story of the spider weaving is not authentic. What is found in some histories is that a spider wove over the door of the cave, that a tree grew in it, and that there was a pigeon on one of its branches. It is said that when the polytheists came to the cave, they said: “There is no one in this; this pigeon is on a tree branch at its door, and this spider has nested at its door.” All of this is not authentic. The One who prevented the polytheists from seeing the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr, and prevented them from seeing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr, was not physical matters that could happen to them or others, but rather spiritual matters, a sign from the signs of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah veiled the eyes of the polytheists from seeing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr. If it had been that a spider wove, or a tree grew, or a pigeon was on a branch, these would be physical matters by which one hides from another. But the matter was a sign from the signs of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So the conclusion is that what is mentioned in the books of history regarding this is not authentic. Rather, the truth, of which there is no doubt, is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) blinded the eyes of the polytheists from seeing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companion in the cave. And success is from Allah.