Suraqa ibn Malik
Surāqa ibn Mālik ibn Juʿshum al-Kinānī was a member of the Kinana tribe who converted to Islam.
Life
Pursuit of Muhammad and Abu Bakr
Suraqah ibn Malik ibn Ju‘shum was a skilled horseman and tracker from the tribe of Banu Mudlij. During the Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq from Makkah to Madinah, Quraysh announced a large reward for anyone who could capture or kill the Prophet ﷺ.Motivated by this reward, Suraqah set out to pursue them. Each time he drew near, his horse’s legs sank into the sand, causing it to stumble and halt. Despite several attempts, he was unable to advance. These repeated occurrences convinced Suraqah that divine protection surrounded the Prophet ﷺ.
Realizing his mistake and fearing harm, Suraqah called out for safety and forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ granted him protection and showed mercy. During this encounter, the Prophet ﷺ foretold that Suraqah would one day wear the bracelets of Kisra, the emperor of Persia.
Years later, during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, Persia was conquered by the Muslims. Kisra’s treasures were brought to Madinah, and ‘Umar fulfilled the Prophet’s prophecy by placing the bracelets of Kisra on Suraqah.
On the way back, whenever he met somebody looking for the prophet, he would say: "I have looked for him here in vain.". This caused whoever was looking for Muhammad and Abu Bakr to return.
This incident is cited in Islamic tradition as an example of:
Allah’s protection of His Messenger ﷺ
The Prophet’s mercy toward his enemies
The fulfillment of prophetic foretelling
Firm faith in Allah’s promise despite hardship