The disbelievers hatched several plots to remove the bodies of Prophet Mohammed (SAS) and his two Companions buried in Madina. Sheikh Abdul Haq (died 1052H) has described three major plots as reported by the earlier scholars. These plots failed and rather demonstrated additional miracles of Prophet Mohammed (SAS).

It was reported by Ibn Najjar in his book, ‘History of Baghdad’. Between 386-411H, the Egyptian ruler was Fatimi and Madina was under his rule. Egyptian ruler tried to transfer the bodies of Prophet Mohammed (SAS) and his two Companions from Madina to Egypt to shift the attention of the people from Madina to Egypt. He built a very expensive structure in Egypt to house these bodies. He sent Abu Al-Fatuh to Madina to carry out this dirty plan.  When Abu Al-Fatuh arrived in Madina, the residents of Madina came to know about this plot.Qari Zalbani recited the following verses of Quran there. Al-Taubah # 12-13.                              

But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with disapproval and criticism, then fight (you) the leaders of disbelief - for surely their oaths are nothing to them - so that they may stop. Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths, and intended to expel the Messenger while they did attack you first? Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.

The residents of Madina got very angry and were about to kill Abu Al-Fatuh and his soldiers. Abu Al-Fatuh got scared. He said,

 “I shall never carry out this plan even if the ruler of Egypt kills me.”

In the meanwhile, a big storm swept through Madina that evening. Many houses were damaged. Some animals and a few people died by this storm.      

Abu Al-Fatuh found a good excuse to run away from Madina. Allah (SWT) saved the Prophet (SAS) and his Companions from these criminals.

The ruler made a second attempt and failed again. These two attempts were made between  386H - 411H .

Christian made this plot in 557H as reported by Samhoudi. Sultan Nuruddin Zanki was ruler of Syria at that time. His advisor was Jamal-ud-Din Asfahani. One night Sultan saw Prophet Mohammed (SAS) in his dream thrice. The Prophet (SAS) pointed towards two men standing there and asked the Sultan to save him from the mischief of those two men.

Sultan understood that something unusual has taken place in Madina. He immediately started his journey towards Madina in the company of his advisor.He also gathered expensive gifts for the residents of Madina. He reached Madina in sixteen days. It was announced that every resident should personally come to receive his gift from Sultan. He did not see these two persons during the distribution of the gifts. Sultan enquired, “Is anybody left?” He was told, “Two persons did not show up since they are very pious, rich and generous to others. They decline to receive anything from others.” Sultan insisted to bring them there. As soon as they arrived in front of the Sultan, he recognized them as they were the same persons seen in his dream.

He asked them,

“Where do you come from?”

They said,

“We are Moroccans, we came for Hajj and wished to stay here as neighbors of the Prophet (SAS)”.

Sultan asked,

“Where do you live?”

It was a house close to the window in the southern wall of the Prophet’s Mosque. Sultan went there and removed a carpet spread on a floor. He saw a tunnel leading to the Sacred Chamber where the Prophet (SAS) is buried.

Sultan asked those two persons to speak the truth. They said,

“We are Christian and have been sent here to remove the body of the Prophet (SAS). We dig this tunnel every night and carry the bags filled with earth to Baqee during the night. When we reached near the grave of the Prophet a storm and lightening struck here. A big earthquake was also felt. Now you have arrived and you have caught us red handed.”

The Sultan cried for a while and thanked Allah (SWT) for choosing him for this service. Sultan ordered to cut the heads of those two criminals.

Sultan also ordered to dig a deep trench around the Sacred Chamber. He filled this trench with molten lead. In this way nobody will ever be able to reach the graves through underground tunnels.

Sultan also made a platform outside the Sacred Chamber for round the clock stay of the custodial staff  there. Many visitors of Madina take it as site for Ashab-us-Suffah.

This platform for custodial staff was outside the Prophet’s Mosque, while site for the Ashab-us-Suffah was inside the Mosque.

The correct site of Ashab-us-Suffah is as follows:

It you walk northward (away from Qibla) from Aisha Column, the fifth pillar is the site of Ashab-us-Suffah.

Tabri the famous historian, has mentioned it in his book Riyad Nadrah as follows:

A few persons came to Madina from Halb city in Syria. They brought a great deal of wealth and expensive gifts for the Governor of Madina of that time. They wished to enter the Sacred Chamber to remove the bodies of Abu Baker (RU) and Omar (RU).

The governor of Madina consented to their wishes due to financial attractions and his religious thinking.  He instructed the chief custodian of the Prophet’s Mosque,

“Open the door of the Mosque for the persons as and when they come during the night. Furthermore, let them do what they want to do.”

The custodian said,

“Someone knocked Bab Salam after Salat-ul-Isha. I opened the door and found about forty persons with digging and cutting tools in their hands. I let them in as the Governor ordered me so. I was scared and sat in a corner of the Mosque. These people rushed towards the Sacred Chamber. They had not yet reached near the mimber of the Mosque, something unusual happened. The ground below their feet split and swallowed all of them with their tools.” The custodian added, “The Governor was anxiously waiting for them. After long waiting he called me and asked me about these people. I told him what I saw. He did not believe me and called me a mad man. I invited him to see this site with his own eyes. The Governor saw this split in earth and said to me, ‘Leave the matter as it is. Don’t mention it to anybody. I shall cut your head off if you talked about it’”.

Note that the enemies of Allah (SWT) make plans and Allah (SWT) also makes plans. However Allah is the Best Planner.

 Al-Anfal # 30                                                            

They were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the Best of those who plot.

Indeed Allah (SWT) fulfilled his promise to Prophet Mohammed (SAS) as mentioned in Surah Al-Maida # 67.     

Allah will protect you from mankind.

As mentioned earlier, all plans of people were foiled and additional miracles of the Prophet (SAS) were demonstrated during the above conspiracies.