Hadith: This Bedouin took out my sword while I was sleeping and when I woke up, I found the unsheathed sword in his hand and he challenged me saying: Who will save you from me? I said thrice: Allah

عن جابر رضي الله عنه : أنه غزا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قِبَل نَجْد، فلما قَفل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قفل معهم، فأدركتهم القَائِلَةُ في وَادٍ كثير العِضَاه، فنزل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وتفرق الناس يَسْتَظِلُّونَ بالشجر، ونَزل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تحت سَمُرَة فعلق بها سيفه وَنِمْنَا نومةً، فإذا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يدْعونا وإذا عنده أعرابي، فقال: «إن هذا اخْتَرَطَ عليَّ سَيفِي وأنا نائم فاستيقظت وهو في يده صَلتًا، قال: من يَمْنَعُكَ مِنِّي؟ قلت: الله -ثلاثا-» ولم يُعاقِبْهُ وجلس، متفق عليه. وفي رواية قال جابر: كنَّا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بذَاتِ الرِّقَاعِ، فإذا أَتَيْنَا على شجرة ظَلِيلَةٍ تَرَكْنَاهَا لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فجاء رجُل من المشركين وسيف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم معَلَّقٌ بالشجرة فَاخْتَرطَهُ، فقال: تَخَافُنِي؟ قال: «لا»، فقال: فمن يَمْنَعُكَ مِنِّي ؟ قال: «الله». وفي رواية أبي بكر الإسماعيلي في «صحيحه»، قال: من يَمْنَعُكَ مِنِّي؟ قال: «الله»، قال: فسقط السيف مِن يَدهِ، فأخذ رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - السيف، فقال: « من يَمْنَعُكَ مِنِّي ؟»، فقال: كُنْ خَيرَ آخِذٍ، فقال: «تَشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وَأَنِّي رسول الله؟» قال: لا، ولكني أُعَاهِدُكَ أن لا أُقَاتِلَكَ، ولا أكُون مع قوم يُقَاتِلُونَكَ، فَخَلَّى سَبيلَهُ، فأتى أصحابه، فقال: جئتُكُمْ من عندِ خير الناسِ.
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه]

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he proceeded in the Prophet's company towards Najd to participate in a battle. When the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned, he too returned with him. Midday came upon them while they were in a valley having many thorny trees. The Prophet and the people dismounted and dispersed to rest in the shade of the trees. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rested under a tree and hung his sword on it. We all took a nap and suddenly we heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) calling us. (We woke up) to see a Bedouin with him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This Bedouin took out my sword while I was sleeping and when I woke up, I found the unsheathed sword in his hand and he challenged me saying: 'Who will save you from me?' I said thrice: 'Allah.'" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not punish him but sat down. In another narration: The sword fell from the disbeliever's hand, whereupon the Prophet took it and said: "And who can protect you if I want to kill you?" The man replied: "Return evil with good." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Would you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah?" He replied in the negative, but pledged not to fight the Prophet again or join people who fight him. So, the Prophet released him, and he came back to his companions and said: "I have just been with the most excellent among people."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]

Explanation

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) relates in this Hadīth that he joined the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in a battle, known among biographers as Dhāt Ar-Riqā‘. On their way back, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped at a place abounding with thorny trees, as the people dispersed, looking for shady places to protect them from the heat. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stayed under a shady tree called Samrah. He hung his sword upon it and slept, and everybody did sleep as well. A Bedouin belonging the people the Prophet fought in this battle sneaked into their place, unnoticed. He took the Prophet's sword stealthily, causing him to wake up. Wielding the sword, the Bedouin felt strong against the Prophet and so he began to challenge him, saying: "Who can protect you if I want to kill you?" To this, the Prophet replied: 'Allah', saying it thrice. He said it with certitude and trust in Allah and firm belief in His promise. The sword fell from the disbeliever's hand, whereupon the Prophet took it and said: "And who can protect you if I want to kill you?" The man replied: "Return evil with good." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Would you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah?" He replied in the negative, but pledged not to fight the Prophet again or join people who fight him. So, the Prophet released him, and he came back to his companions and said: "I have just been with the most excellent among people." What this disbeliever said is true. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the noblest in manners among all people, and sufficient as praise of him is the verse that reads: (And indeed, you are of a great moral character.) [Sūrat al-Qalam: 4)