Hadith: The duty of having trust in Allah and Allah's care about His prophets and allies

عن أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه قال: نَظَرت إِلى أقدام المشركين ونحن في الغار وهم على رؤُوسِنا، فقلت: يا رسول الله، لَو أنَّ أحَدَهم نظر تحت قدَمَيه لأَبصَرَنا، فقال: «مَا ظَنُّكَ يَا أَبَا بَكرٍ بِاثنَينِ الله ثَالِثُهُمَا».
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه]

Abu Bakr As-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When we were in the cave, I saw the feet of the polytheists as I raised my head and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, if one of them looked below his feet, he would see us.' He said: 'O Abu Bakr, what do you think of two persons the third of whom is Allah?'"
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]

Explanation

This story took place at the time when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was immigrating from Makkah to Madīnah. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started calling people to Islam publicly and people started to follow him, the polytheists not only feared him, but also stood against his mission, annoyed him, and hurt him by words and actions. Therefore, Allah permitted him to immigrate from Makkah to Madīnah. In this journey, he was accompanied by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the guide to show them the way, and the servant. Hearing about his immigration, the polytheists offered a reward of two hundred camels for the one who could bring him back, and one hundred camels for the one who could bring Abu Bakr back. People, thus, started searching for the two men in the mountains, valleys, caves and everywhere until they reached Thawr Cave were the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr had been hiding for three nights. They stayed in the cave hoping that the polytheists would stop pursuing them. At that time, Abu Bakr,(may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, if one of them looked below his feet, he would see us in the cave because we are below them." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "What do you think of two persons the third of whom is Allah?" The Qur'an reported that he further said: {Do not grieve; Allah is with us} [Sūrat At-Tawbah: 40]. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said both statements. When he said: "What do you think of two persons the third of whom is Allah," he meant by asking whether anyone can harm them in any way? The reply came in the negative that none can harm them. This is because none can withhold what Allah gives and none can give what Allah withholds; none can humiliate whom Allah honors and none can honor whom Allah humiliates. This fact was stated in the Qur’an, which reads: {O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humiliate whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are Capable over all things.} [Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān: 26]