Nuruddin Zangi: The Plot to Steal the Prophet’s Body

In the annals of Islamic history, few stories are as dramatic and faith-affirming as the account of Sultan Nuruddin Zangi and the divine warning he received to protect the final resting place of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This is the incredible story of a miraculous dream, a swift response, and the foiling of a sinister plot in the holy city of Madinah.

A Mysterious Dream and Sultan Nuruddin Zangi’s Distress

The year was 557 Hijri (approximately 1162 CE). One night, the just and pious ruler fell asleep after performing his late-night Tahajjud prayers and making long, heartfelt supplications.

In the stillness of the night, he had a vivid dream. The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), appeared to him. Pointing towards two men with blue eyes, the Prophet said, “Nuruddin, save me from these two.”

The Sultan awoke with a jolt, his heart pounding in terror. Bewildered and deeply disturbed, he paced his room as a storm of questions flooded his mind:

• The Prophet of Allah rests in his blessed grave. What conspiracy could anyone possibly attempt against him now?
• What is the nature of their plot? Do they mean to harm him even after his passing?
• Why were two specific men shown to me?
• Satan cannot take the form of the Prophet, so was my dream a true divine warning?

Overwhelmed with anxiety, the Sultan performed ablution (wudu), bathed, and prayed two rak’ats of prayer. He then turned to Allah, weeping and praying for guidance.

A Recurring Vision and Unshakeable Conviction

Unable to consult anyone at such an hour about such a grave matter, he tried to go back to sleep. As soon as he began to doze off, the dream recurred with the same urgent plea: “Nuruddin, save me from these two.”

This time, the Sultan shot up from his bed, exclaiming “Allah, Allah!” His fear intensified. He rushed to perform his ablutions again, prayed, and supplicated with even greater desperation. The night felt heavy, as if a great calamity was about to befall the world. After this happened for a third time, all doubt was erased. After this, Sultan Nuruddin Zangi leaped from his bed, now certain that a great danger was threatening the Prophet’s sacred tomb.

Sultan Nuruddin Zangi’s Swift Journey to Madinah

After the Fajr prayer, the Sultan summoned his wise prime minister, Jamaluddin al-Musali. Upon hearing the account, Jamaluddin exclaimed, “Your Majesty, why are you still waiting here? My advice is to set out for Madinah at once!”

Sultan Nuruddin Zangi delayed no further. He assembled a force of sixteen thousand swift cavalrymen and gathered immense wealth for the journey. Traveling day and night, his caravan reached the holy city of Madinah in just 16 days. After entering the city and praying, he ordered his troops to secure the perimeter with a strict command: “Anyone may enter Madinah, but no one is permitted to leave.” He then announced his wish to host a grand feast for every single resident of Madinah.

The Search for the Conspirators

The Sultan organized a massive banquet. As people came to eat, he personally observed each guest, searching for the two men from his dream. The feast continued for days, and his men brought in people from all corners of the city. After nearly fifteen days, his officials reported that every resident had attended.

This report plunged Sultan Nuruddin Zangi into a sea of anxiety. If everyone had come, where were the men from his dream? He announced again, with great conviction, “I am certain not everyone has come. Search again!” Seeing the Sultan’s insistence, a man from the crowd spoke up about two pious men living in seclusion who never accepted invitations.

Unmasking the Pious Façade

A flash of insight lit up the Sultan’s face. He took his guards and went directly to the dwelling of these two men. The moment he saw them, his blood ran cold. It was them.

His eyes turned red with fury as he demanded, “Who are you? Why did you not accept the Sultan’s invitation?” Concealing their identity, the men claimed to be pious pilgrims. The townspeople also spoke in their defense, praising their charity and devotion. Sultan Nuruddin Zangi listened but stared intently at the two men, absolutely certain they were the culprits.

The Shocking Discovery of the Tunnel

“Tell me the truth!” he bellowed. When they repeated their story, the Sultan ordered his guards to detain them and began a meticulous search of their room. He found money and books, but no immediate proof. His eyes scanned every corner until they fell upon a prayer mat.

“Lift up that prayer mat,” he commanded. Beneath it was a straw mat, and under that, a large stone slab. At the Sultan’s command, his men heaved the slab aside. It revealed the mouth of a dark tunnel, leading directly toward the Prophet’s sacred tomb. The sight struck Sultan Nuruddin Zangi like a bolt of lightning.

Sultan Nuruddin Zangi’s Justice and Lasting Protection

Faced with the evidence, the two men confessed. They were agents sent with vast sums of money on a three-year mission to steal the Prophet’s body. They explained they were about to break through when a terrifying, earthquake-like event scared them into stopping.

The confession laid the entire plot bare. To make an example of them, the Sultan ordered his men to build a massive wooden stage. Before a crowd of hundreds of thousands, he described the vile conspiracy and executed the criminals. To ensure the tomb’s permanent security, he then funded a monumental project. He commanded workers to dig a deep trench around the sacred chamber and fill it with molten lead, creating an impenetrable underground wall.

Having completed this great service, Sultan Nuruddin Zangi offered his profound thanks to Allah. Upon his death, his followers honored his final will, burying him in close proximity to the sacred tomb of the Prophet he had so miraculously saved.