Why was the Prophet (pbuh) wounded at Uhud if the supplication of jawshan is very effective?

- It is narrated in a book including the supplication of jawshan that Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (pbuh) while he was on the way to the Battle of Uhud and said, "Take off your armor and read jawshan; it is stronger and more effective than this armor." I read jawshan and it is a very good supplication. However, the following questions come to my mind regarding the issue:

- The Battle of Uhud ended with a defeat for the Muslims. It is said that "one of the teeth of the Prophet was broken and probably his helmet pricked his face, that he fell into a hole and that one of the Companions protected him from arrows by jumping on him." In that case, why did jawshan not protect the Prophet though Jibril said it was more effective than his armor?

- If a part of the Prophet’s helmet pricked his face, it means he did not take off his helmet. Is it not contrary to Jibril’s advice about taking off his armor? Will you clarify the issue?

Dear Brother / Sister,

- It is stated that taking off the armor related to jawshan was on the way to Uhud. We understand it from “Majmuatul-Ahzab” (3/231-232, M. Ibn Arabi volume) by Gümüşhanevi.

However, we do not know the time of going up to Uhud. 

- If that incident occurred on a day other than the Battle of Uhud, there is no problem -in terms of the questions above.

- If it occurred on the way to the Battle of Uhud, it is necessary to consider Jibril’s advice  “Take off your armor and read this (jawshan)” as a sign of the greatness of the effect of jawshan rather than taking off the armor really.

It is known that the Prophet (pbuh) had his armor on during the Battle of Uhud. Accordingly, the meaning of Jibril’s advice is as follows: “If you wish, you can even take off your armor; you can take refuge in Allah by reading the supplication of jawshan only.”

It is not appropriate to understand Jibril’s advice as the supplication of jawshan’s protecting the Prophet fully like an armor. What needs to be understood is the emphasis on the great effect of that supplication. Otherwise, it will mean cancelling out the laws that Allah created based on causes. However, it is necessary for the Prophet (pbuh) to act like everybody in terms of causes since he is a guide to all people.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi expresses it as follows:

“The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a human being in all his actions, conduct, and behavior. He submitted to and complied with the Divine laws and commands manifested in creation. He too suffered from the cold, experienced pain, and so on..."

"His deeds and attributes were not all made out of the ordinary so that he could be the leader of his community through his actions, its guide through his conduct, and instruct it through all his behaviour. If he had been out of the ordinary in all his conduct, he could not himself have been the leader in every respect, the total guide of everyone, the ‘Mercy to All the Worlds’ through all his attributes.” (see Sözler, p. 185)

- It means that it is necessary to view the issues that are reported to be told by Jibril in this context. In other words, it is necessary to consider the effect of jawshan and its acting as an armor as an added value to the powerful effect of that supplication in the eye of Allah.

Otherwise, it is not appropriate to think that no harm will come to anyone who reads that supplication because material causes, including armor, cannot always protect man.

Even if the effect of supplications, which are spiritual armor, is more than material armor, there must be a certain limit to it because divine predestination is dominant in all issue; and if it decrees, all causes will have to keep silent.

- We should repeat that we regard it more appropriate to consider the statement meaning “Take off your armor and read jawshan”, no matter when it was uttered, as a metaphorical expression to show the strength of the effect of the supplication of jawshan rather than an obligatory order to be fulfilled.

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