#7521

Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported that Abu Bakr Siddiq came to the residence of my father ('Azib) and bought a haudaj from him and said to 'Azib:Send your son to my residence (to carry this haudaj), and my father said to me: Carry it (for him). So I carried it and there went along with him (with Abu Bakr) my father in order to fetch its price and he ('Azib) said to Abu Bakr: Abu Bakr, narrate to me what you both did on the night when you set out on a journey along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He said: We set out during the night and went on walking until it was noon, and the path was vacant and so none passed by that (until) there appeared prominently before us a large rock. It had its shade and the rays of the sun did not reach that place. So we got down at that place. I then went to the rock and levelled the ground with my hands at the place where the Prophet (ﷺ) would take rest under its shade. I then set the bedding and said: Allah's Messenger, go to sleep and I shall keep a watch around you. I went out and watched around him. There we saw a shepherd moving towards that rock with his flock and he intended what we intended (i. e. taking rest). I met him and said to him: Young boy, to which place do you belong? He said: I am a person from Medina. I said, is there any milk in the udders of your sheep and goats? He said: Yes. He took hold of a goat, and I said to him: Clean the udder well so that it should be free from hair, dust and impurity. I saw al-Bara' striking his hand upon the other (to give an indication) how he did that. He milked the goat for me in a wooden cup which he had with him and I had with me a bucket in which I kept water for drinking and for performing ablution. I came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and did not like to awaken him from sleep but he was accidentally startled from the sleep. I poured water upon the milk (till It was cold) and I said: Allah's Messenger, take this milk. He then took It and I was delighted and he (the Holy Prophet) said: Is now not the time to march on? I said: Of course. So he marched on after the sun had passed the meridian and Suraqa b. Malik pursued us and we had been walking on soft, level ground. I said: Allah's Messenger, we are about to be overtaken by them. Thereupon he said: Be not grieved. Verily, Allah is with us. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) cursed him and his horse sank into the earth. I think he also said: I know you have hurled curse upon me. So supplicate Allah for me and I take an oath that I shall turn everyone away who would come in search of you. So he (Allah's Messenger) supplicated Allah and he was rescued and he came back and to everyone he met, he said: I have combed all this side. In short, he diverted everyone whom he met and he in fact fulfilled his promise