of this kind. The ignorant believe such material, as do those unfamiliar with the authentic reports that scholars have recorded concerning the life of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. People of knowledge, however, know that it is false.
As for what he mentioned about Alī spending the night in the Prophet’s bed, we have already explained that Alī was in no danger whatsoever. The best-known account of such protection is the believers’ defense of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—on the day of Uhud. Most of the Muslims turned and fled, emboldening the enemy against the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and making them intent on killing him. Umayya ibn Khalaf sought to kill him (1), whereupon the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—killed him with his own hand. The polytheists gashed his forehead, shattered the helmet on his head, and broke one of his incisors. The Companions around him defended him. Among them was Sad ibn Abī Waqqās, who kept shooting arrows while the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to him (2): “Shoot! May my father and mother be ransomed for you!” (3).
Talha shielded him with his hand, and Talha’s hand was left paralyzed (4). A number of the finest Muslims were killed around him.
(1) S reads: “The prospect of killing him whetted Umayya ibn Khalaf’s desire”; B reads: “Umayya ibn Khalaf desired to kill him.”
(2) “To him” is omitted from S and B.
(3) The hadith narrated by *Alī ibn Abī Tālib*—may Allah be pleased with him—is in *al-Bukhārī*, 4/39 (Book of Jihad and Military Expeditions, chapter “The Shield and One Who Protects Himself with His Companion’s Shield”). Its wording is: “I never saw the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—offer his parents as a ransom for any man after *Saʿd*. I heard him say, ‘Shoot! May my father and mother be ransomed for you!’” The hadith is also in *Muslim*, 4/1876 (Book of the Merits of the Companions, chapter “The Merit of Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās…”); *Sunan al-Tirmidhī*, 5/314 (Book of Merits, chapter “The Merits of Abū Ishāq Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās…”); *Sunan Ibn Mājah*, 1/47 (Introduction, chapter “The Merits of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace…: The Merit of Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās…”); and *al-Musnad* (al-Maʿārif ed.), 2/91, 220, 266, 267.
(4) In *al-Bukhārī*, 5/97 (Book of Military Expeditions, chapter “When Two Groups among You Were About to Lose Heart…”), Qays said: “I saw that Talha’s hand had become paralyzed; with it he had shielded the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—on the day of Uhud.”