Episode Summary
As the migration to Medina reached its final stages, the only free Muslims remaining in Makkah were the Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Ali. Sensing a loss of control, the Quraysh leadership convened a high-level council at Darul Nadwah—with Shaytan present in human form—to decide the Prophet's fate. They ultimately adopted Abu Jahl’s plan for a collective assassination by every major tribe to prevent the Prophet’s family from seeking revenge. This episode details the Prophet’s miraculous escape from his surrounded home, Ali’s courageous stand as a decoy in the Prophet’s bed, and the grueling journey Ali later undertook to reunite with the Prophet in Quba.
Key Highlights
- By the time of the assassination plot, almost all Muslims had already migrated to Medina or Habesha.
- Shaytan attended the Quraysh council disguised as an old man from Najd and successfully advocated for the Prophet's murder.
- Abu Jahl proposed that one promising young man from every tribe strike the Prophet simultaneously to diffuse the legal responsibility for his death.
- Jibril warned the Prophet not to sleep in his bed that night, prompting the immediate launch of the Hijra.
- Ali slept in the Prophet's bed covered in a green blanket to deceive the assassins while the Prophet walked past them unnoticed.
- The Prophet blinded the assassins with a handful of dust and the recitation of the opening verses of Surat Yasin.
- Ali remained in Makkah for several days to return all the trusts (amanaat) kept with the Prophet before traveling to Medina on foot.
- Upon Ali's arrival in Quba with severely infected feet, the Prophet miraculously healed him using his own saliva.
Comprehensive Analysis
1. The Council of Darul Nadwah and the Presence of Shaytan
When the Quraysh realized that Makkah had emptied of Muslims and that they were finding support in Yathrib, the leadership gathered at Darul Nadwah for an emergency council. Shaytan (Iblees) joined the meeting in the guise of an old man from Najd, offering his interjection when other leaders proposed imprisonment or exile. Shaytan argued that imprisonment would only create a martyr and exile would allow the Prophet to use his eloquence to gather an army elsewhere. Ultimately, the council accepted Abu Jahl’s proposal to recruit one promising young man from every major tribe to kill the Prophet simultaneously. This plan was designed so that the Banu Abd Munaf could not fight all of Makkah and would be forced to accept blood money instead.
2. The Final Night in Makkah and Ali’s Courage
Following the council, Jibril visited the Prophet and warned him not to sleep in his bed that night, signaling the start of the Hijra. The Prophet instructed Ali to take his place in the bed and cover himself with a green Hadrami blanket, reassuring him that the assassins would not be able to harm him. Despite the house being surrounded by young men with swords, Ali later recalled that he slept perfectly because he had full faith in the Prophet’s promise that they would meet again in Medina. The Prophet chose to keep Ali back specifically because he was a reliable confidant tasked with returning the amanaat (trusts and deposits) that many Makkans still kept with the Prophet due to his reputation for honesty.
3. The Miraculous Escape and the Dust of Yasin
As the assassins gathered outside his home, the Prophet walked out and scooped up a handful of dust. He confronted the group—who were unable to see him—by throwing the dirt at them and reciting the beginning of Surat Yasin, which describes Allah putting a barrier before and behind the disbelievers so they cannot see. Each of the assassins was marked by the dust landing on their hair, and the Prophet walked right past them. When a bystander later told the assassins they had missed their target, they initially refused to believe him, claiming they could see someone sleeping in the bed. It was only at morning time that Ali stood up, revealing the deception and leaving the Quraysh outraged and confused.
4. Ali’s Grueling Journey and the Miracle in Quba
After spending a few days in Makkah to return all the records and money left in the Prophet’s care, Ali set out for Medina entirely on foot. He traveled through the heat of the desert without many supplies, causing his feet to become severely blistered and infected with pus and boils. By the time he reached Quba, he was feverish, dehydrated, and unable to walk. When the Prophet traveled to see him, he was moved to see Ali’s fevered condition and his torn-up feet. The Prophet rubbed his saliva on Ali’s infected feet with his bare hands, and Ali narrated that they were instantly and permanently healed, never hurting again for the rest of his life.