Life-of-Muhammad

38Life of Muhammad sadecided they should now kill the Prophet sa . By a specialdivine design, it seems, the date they appointed forkilling the Prophet sa was appointed for his escape. Whenthe Meccan party was collecting in front of theProphet's sa house with intent to kill, the Prophet sa wasmoving out in the secrecy of the night. The Meccansmust have feared anticipation of their foul design by theProphet sa . They proceeded cautiously and when theProphet sa himself passed by, they took him for someoneelse, and withdrew to avoid being noticed. TheProphet's sa closest friend Abu Bakr ra had been informedof the Prophet's sa plan the day before. He duly joinedand then both left Mecca, and took shelter in a cavecalled Thaur, about three or four miles from Mecca overa hill. When the Meccans learnt of the Prophet's saescape, they collected and sent a force in pursuit. Led bya tracker, they reached Thaur. Standing at the mouth ofthe cave in which the Prophet sa and Abu Bakr ra sathiding, the tracker said that Muhammad sa was either inthe cave or had ascended to heaven. Abu Bakr ra heardthis and his heart sank. "The enemy has nearly got us,"he whispered. "Fear not, God is with us," replied theProphet sa . "I fear not for myself," went on Abu Bakr ra ,"but for you. For, if I die, I am but an ordinary mortal;but if you die, it will mean death to faith and spirit"(Zurqani). "Even so, fear not," assured the Prophet sa , "Weare not two in this cave. There is a third—God"(Bukhari).Meccan tyranny was destined to end. Islam was tohave the chance to grow. The pursuers were deceived.They ridiculed the tracker's judgement. It was too opena cave, they said, for anybody to take shelter in, for withsnakes and vipers it was none too safe. If they had butbent a little, they could have sighted the two. But theydid not, and dismissing the tracker, they returned toMecca.For two days the Prophet sa and Abu Bakr ra waited inthe cave. On the third night, according to the plan, twofleet camels were brought to the cave, one for the