Cave Verse

Verse 40 of Surah At-Tawbah is called the “Cave Verse” (Ayat al-Ghar): “If you do not aid the Prophet, Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed, Allah is with us.’ And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with armies you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah was the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise” (Quran 9:40).

This verse refers to the Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah and his hiding in the Cave of Thawr. It reminds us that Allah, who miraculously supported His Prophet in the most difficult and complex situations, is capable of supporting him again. This was at a time when the polytheists of Makkah had plotted a dangerous scheme to eliminate the Prophet. They decided to surround his house at night with a large number of swordsmen from various Arab tribes and attack him collectively at dawn, killing him in his bed. The Prophet (peace be upon him), informed by Allah of this plan, prepared to leave Makkah and migrate to Madinah. However, to avoid being captured by the Quraysh, he first took refuge in the Cave of Thawr, located south of Makkah and in the opposite direction of the road to Madinah.

The enemies made great efforts to find the Prophet but returned disappointed. After staying in the cave for three days and nights and ensuring the enemies had retreated, the Prophet (peace be upon him) traveled through an alternate route to Madinah, arriving safely after several days and nights. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in Islamic history.

On this journey, Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet (peace be upon him). The story of Abu Bakr’s companionship with the Prophet (peace be upon him) during this journey and the subtle references to it in the verse have sparked various discussions among Shia and Sunni commentators. Fakhr al-Razi, in his commentary, made a biased effort to deduce twelve virtues for Abu Bakr from this verse. On the other hand, some insist that the verse contains multiple criticisms. The following points clarify the matter:

1. The word “companion” (sahib) does not imply praise or criticism, as it simply means a companion or travel partner, regardless of whether they are good or bad. For example, in verse 37 of Surah Al-Kahf, in the story of two individuals—one faithful and God-worshipping, and the other faithless and polytheistic—we read: “His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, ‘Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust?'”
2. The pronoun “upon him” (alayhi) in the phrase “And Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him” refers to the Prophet (peace be upon him), as indicated by the subsequent phrase “and supported him with armies you did not see.” It should not be assumed that tranquillity (sakinah) is related to grief or sorrow. In the Quran, we frequently read that tranquillity was sent down upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) during difficult and challenging situations. For example, in verse 26 of the same surah, regarding the Battle of Hunayn, we read: “Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers.” Similarly, in verse 26 of Surah Al-Fath, we read: “And Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers.” In both cases, there is no mention of grief or sorrow, but rather of complex circumstances.
3. The phrase “and supported him with armies you did not see” cannot refer to Abu Bakr, as the entire discussion in this verse revolves around Allah’s support for the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Quran aims to clarify that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is not alone and that if people do not support him, Allah will.

[1] Tafsir Nemuneh, vol. 7, p. 418; Al-Durr al-Manthur fi Tafsir bi al-Ma’thur, vol. 3, p. 239; Majma’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran, vol. 5, p. 48; Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran, vol. 9, p. 279; Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, vol. 16, p. 49.