ISLAM

The Tree Weeping

‘Abdullāh b. ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما reports that the Prophet ﷺ used to deliver his sermons while standing beside the trunk of a date-palm tree. Upon the request of an Anṣāri woman, the Prophet ﷺ permitted that a small pulpit of three steps be constructed for him so that he would be more visible and project his voice farther into the growing audience. When the Prophet ﷺ ascended the new pulpit on the following Friday, loud sounds of weeping emerged from this tree-trunk. The Prophet ﷺ descended and proceeded over to it, and began rubbing his hand over it just as someone did to quiet a child. Anas b. Mālik رضي الله عنه adds, “And the mosque shook from its whimpers.” Sahl b. Sa‘d رضي الله عنه adds, “Many people started weeping from hearing its crying and moaning.” Ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنهما adds, “He ﷺ went and hugged it until it quieted, then said [to us], ‘Had I not embraced it, it would have continued like this until the Day of Resurrection.’” Jabir رضي الله عنه adds, “It was weeping over the Revelation that it would hear [recited] close by.”

There were only five Companions who reported this incident first hand, though nearly twenty in total were present, according to the leading Hadith authorities. Ibn Ḥajar summarizes this investigation by saying, “The hadith(s) of the tree weeping and moon splitting have each been transmitted by an enormous number, one that offers sure knowledge for Hadith experts who examine their chains of transmission, not those untrained in that, and Allah knows best.”^[1] Similarly, al-Munāwi reports this hadith on the tree whimpering through many authentic chains which collectively entail it being a mutawātir event, then states that it has been narrated from nearly twenty Companions.^[2] Their corroboration led al-Bayhaqi (d. 1066) to say that tracing the narration of this incident to verify whether it happened or not, after an entire generation conveyed it to an entire generation without any discrepancy in principle, is unnecessary.^[3]

Imam ash-Shāfi‘i (d. 820) said, “God never granted any prophet what He granted Muhammad.” ‘Amr b. Sawād disagreed, saying, “Jesus was given the ability to revive the dead…” He replied, “Muhammad was granted the whimpering of the tree-trunk, till it could be heard, and this is greater than that.” Ibn Kathīr cites this exchange and then explains; “He said it was greater because a tree-trunk is not subject to becoming alive [as humans are], and yet it became sensitive and emotional when he left it for the pulpit. It whimpered and moaned like a pregnant camel does until Allah’s Messenger ﷺ stepped down and embraced it.”^[4] This should never be understood as slighting the previous signs of God or His messengers, as that is tantamount to disbelief in Islam.

Increasing the Water Supply

Imam an-Nawawi (d. 1277) says, “These hadith(s) on water gushing from among his fingers and increasing for him, and the food supply increasing as well, are all clear miracles performed by Allah’s Messenger ﷺ on many occasions and in different conditions and have collectively reached mutawātir status.”^[5] Hadith scholars have compiled volumes on just these incidents, of which are the following:

Ibn Mas‘ūd رضي الله عنه said, “We used to consider miracles as Allah’s Blessings, but you people consider them to be threatening.” We were once with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a journey, and our water ran short. He said, “Bring me the remaining water.” The people presented him a vessel containing water, which he then placed his hands inside of and said, “Come get the blessed purification water, and all blessings are from Allah.” I saw the water flowing from between the fingers of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. Indeed, we used to also hear the food glorifying Allah as it was being eaten [by him].”^[6]

Jābir b. ‘Abdillāh رضي الله عنه narrated that the people became very thirsty on the Day of Ḥudaybiya. There was a small pot containing some water in front of the Prophet ﷺ, and he found the people rushing towards him as he finished performing his ritual ablution using it. He ﷺ asked them, “What has happened?” They said, “We neither have water for ablution nor drinking.” So he ﷺ placed his palm into that pot, and water began flowing upwards from between his fingers like springs. He said, “All those seeking ablution, come forward; the blessing is from Allah.” Jābir said, “We all drank and performed ablution [from that pot], and I did not care how much I drank because I knew it was blessed.” One narrator asked Jābir, “How many were you?” He said, “Even if we had been one hundred thousand, it would have been sufficient for us, but we were fifteen hundred.”^[7] Anas b. Malik رضي الله عنه personally narrated several other nearly identical incidents^[8] of water pouring forth from between the Prophet’s ﷺ blessed fingers.

These reports may indicate that water was emerging from the actual fingers of the Prophet ﷺ, or that it sprang through the gaps between them. The majority of Hadith interpreters—including al-Bughawi and as-Suyūṭi—chose the first view, and consequently deemed this feat particularly exceptional. Ibn ‘Abdil-Barr (d. 1071) explains, “What the Prophet ﷺ was granted in this inimitable miracle is clearer than the signs of the other prophets, and even the most notable of them, such as what Moses had been granted when he struck the stone with his staff, causing twelve springs to erupt from it. That is because some stones can be found with springs erupting from them, while water emerging from between the fingers of a human being has never been witnessed from anyone but our Prophet, salutations and peace be upon him.”^[9] Of course, this does not disparage the profound sign of Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, just as stones erupting with 12 springs for the Israelites do not disparage God’s sign in erupting springs for mankind at the most unexpected places.

Increasing the Food Supply

Salama b. al-Akwa‘ رضي الله عنه narrates: We once set out on an expedition with Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and faced great hardship, and decided to slaughter some of our riding animals [for food]. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered us to pool our food rations, so we spread a sheet and leather where everyone’s rations were collected. I stretched myself to assess how much that was, and it was [only] the area a small goat could sit on. We were fourteen hundred people; we ate to our satisfaction and then filled our bags with provisions. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, “Is there any water for performing ablution?” A man came forward with a small container that held very little water, which the Prophet ﷺ emptied into a wider basin. From that amount they all thoroughly performed their ablution. Eight individuals later came and said, “Is there any water left to perform ablution?” Allah’s Messenger ﷺ replied, “The ablution water has finished.”^[10] As Imam an-Nawawi points out elsewhere, “When a Companion narrates something this incredible, and cites as evidence personally attending it himself along with the other Companions, who hear his narration and claim or hear about it, and do not denounce him, that further confirms it and necessitates [sure] knowledge about the truth of his words.”^[11]

Jābir b. ‘Abdillāh رضي الله عنه reports that his father, ‘Abdullāh b. ‘Amr b. Ḥarām, died while leaving behind a sizable debt. He said, “So I sought the Prophet’s ﷺ help with his creditors so that they would decrease his debt.” He ﷺ requested this [from them], but they refused, so the Prophet ﷺ said to me, ‘Go divide your dates according to their kinds; set the ‘Ajwa dates on one side and the ‘Idhq Ibn Zayd on another side, then notify me.’ I did so, then notified the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He came, sat down, then said, ‘Measure for the people (creditors).’ I measured out their amounts until I had repaid them all that they were owed and my dates remained as if nothing had decreased from them.” When ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه was informed of this miraculous surplus, he said, “Once the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked in [your garden], I knew it would be blessed.”^[12]

‘Abdur-Rahmān b. Abi Bakr رضي الله عنهما reports: “We were 130 people with the Prophet ﷺ, and he said to us, ‘Does any one of you have food with them?’ One man had about a sâ‘^[13] of food, and so that was mixed. Then a tall pagan man with disheveled hair came by driving some sheep. The Prophet said to him, ‘Selling or gifting?’ He said, ‘No, selling.’ He purchased a sheep from him, and it was cooked, and the Prophet ﷺ ordered that the liver be roasted [as well]. By Allah, there was not a single person from the 130 except that the Prophet ﷺ cut for him a piece of its liver; those who were present were given, and those absent were stowed for. It was made into two dishes which they all ate from, and we had our fill, and [yet] the two dishes remained and we loaded them onto a camel.”^[14]

Jābir b. ‘Abdillāh رضي الله عنه reports: We were digging on the Day of the Trench when a huge solid boulder hindered us. They came to the Prophet ﷺ and complained to him about this boulder, and he said, “I am coming.” He then stood, stones tied to his stomach, as we had not tasted food in three days, and took the sledgehammer and struck the boulder until it became a dust mound. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, would you permit me to [go to] my home?” I [went and] said to my wife, “I saw on the Prophet ﷺ something that one cannot bear (i.e., the stones he had fastened from hunger). Do you have anything?” She said, “I have some wheat and a small goat.” I slaughtered the small goat, ground the wheat, then placed the meat in the clay pot. Before I left, my wife said, “Do not humiliate me in front of the Prophet ﷺ and those with him.” I went to the Prophet ﷺ and whispered to him, “I have a little food, so you come, O Messenger of Allah, along with a man or two.” He said, “How much is it?” I informed him, so he said, “That is plenty and good!” Then, he ﷺ said, “O People of the Trench! [Stand, all of you], Jābir has prepared a banquet for you. Let us go.” The Muhājirīn and Anṣār stood, and the Prophet ﷺ said to me, “Tell her not to pull the pot, nor the bread from the oven, until I come.” When I entered upon my wife and informed her of the army behind me, she said, “What is with you?!” I said, “I did what you said!” She said, “Did he ask you?” I said, “Yes.” The dough was brought out to the Prophet ﷺ, and he spat in it and prayed for blessings, then reached for the pot and did the same. Then, he would tear the bread and place it inside the pot and serve ample bread and meat to each Companion. They were one thousand people and, by Allah, each of them ate until they stopped [of their own accord] and left, and our pot was still full and our bread was still plenty. In the end, he ﷺ said to us, “Eat from this, or gift it, for the people [of Madinah] have been struck with hunger.”^[15]

Anas b. Mālik رضي الله عنه reports: Abu Talḥa said to Um Sulaym, “I have heard the voice of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ reflecting weakness, and I could recognize hunger in it. Do you have anything?” She said, “Yes.” She pulled out several wheat loaves, wrapped them in her veil, then tucked them under my arm and wrapped me with the remaining part of the veil. She sent me to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and, upon reaching the mosque, I found people with him. I stood beside them, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “Did Abu Talḥa send you?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “With food?” I said, “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said to the people, “Let us go.” They took off, and I took off in front of them until I reached Abu Talḥa and informed him. Abu Talḥa said, “O Um Sulaym, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has come, accompanied by the people, and we have nothing to feed them.” She said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” Upon arrival, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “O Um Sulaym, what do you have?” She presented that same bread, which the Prophet ﷺ took and shredded, and then Um Sulaym emptied her jar of shortening (butter) over it as a condiment. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then supplicated over it for however long he wished before saying, “Permit for ten [to enter].” They were permitted entrance and ate to their fill before leaving. Then he said, “Permit for ten.” They too were permitted entrance and ate to their fill before leaving. Then he said, “Permit for ten.” Everyone ate in this fashion, until they all had their fill, and they were seventy or eighty men in total.^[16]

Answered Prayers

Al-Qāḍi ‘Iyāḍ (d. 1149) says, “The Prophet’s ﷺ supplications being answered for those he prayed for and against is mutawātir in principle, known by necessity.”^[17] He meant that God responded to the prayers of the Prophet ﷺ on so many occasions, and this was corroborated by testimony from so many directions, that doubting it would be utterly irrational. An outnumbered and unequipped Muslim army was granted victory by God at the Battle of Badr, milk was drawn from the udders of a non-lactating goat, and rain poured from a cloudless sky—all by virtue of the Prophet ﷺ raising his palms to the heavens, and those who spent the shortest time with him witnessed these events, and were driven to conviction by them.

Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that as the Prophet ﷺ was once delivering a Friday sermon, a man rose up and said, “O Messenger of Allah, the horses and sheep have perished; will you not invoke Allah to bless us with rain?” The Prophet ﷺ proceeded to lift his two hands and supplicated at a time when the sky was as clear as glass. Suddenly wind blew, driving together the clouds and causing heavy rain. We exited [the mosque] wading through the flowing water till we reached our homes. It kept raining until the following Friday, when the same man—or another man—stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the houses have [almost] collapsed; please ask Allah to withhold the rain!” On that, the Prophet ﷺ smiled and said, “O Allah, [let it rain] around us and not upon us.” I looked to the clouds and found them separating into a crown-like formation around Madinah.^[18]

Abu Hurayra رضي الله عنه narrates that he once came to the Prophet ﷺ with tears in his eyes, which caused him to ask, “What makes you cry, O Abu Hurayrah?” He said, “I have not stopped inviting my mother to Islam, but she continues to reject it.” Today, I invited her again and heard from her painful words about you. Pray that Allah opens the heart of Abu Hurayra’s mother to Islam.” The Prophet ﷺ obliged and said, “O Allah, guide the mother of Abu Hurayra.” Abu Hurayra narrates: I left hopeful from the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ and returned home to find the door partially open and could hear water splashing inside. When my mother heard my footsteps, she said, “Stay where you are, O Abu Hurayra.” After putting on her clothes, she instructed me to enter. When I entered, she said, “I testify that none is worthy of worship but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” I returned to the Prophet ﷺ while weeping with joy, just as an hour earlier I had gone weeping in sadness, and said, “Great news, O Messenger of Allah! Allah has answered your prayer and guided the mother of Abu Hurayra to Islam.” He praised Allah and thanked Him, and then I said, “O Messenger of Allah, pray that Allah make my mother and I beloved to His believing slaves, and make them beloved to us.” He ﷺ obliged, and there has not been a believing slave who hears of me, or sees me, except that he loves me.^[19]

‘Abdullāh b. ‘Abbās رضي الله عنهما narrates: I once placed water for the Prophet ﷺ upon him entering the lavatory, so that he could perform his ablution. He ﷺ asked, “Who placed this?” They informed him that I had placed it, so he said, “O Allah, grant him a deep understanding of the religion, and teach him to interpret [the Qur’an].”^[20] Shortly after the Prophet’s death, even the senior-most Companions recognized that this young man had developed a unique prowess when it came to understanding the Qur’an and elucidating its nuances. Fourteen centuries later, nearly every credible work on Qur’anic commentary from Sunni scholarship considers the explanations of Ibn ‘Abbās authoritative, is filled with examples of his exegetical forte, and testifies to him being Turjumān al-Qur’ān (the Master Interpreter of the Qur’an).

Anas b. Malik رضي الله عنه narrates: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once visited us at home while nobody was there but myself, my mother (Um Sulaym), and her sister (Um Ḥarām). My mother said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, this is your little servant (Anas); invoke Allah’s blessings upon him.” He ﷺ supplicated that I be afforded every good, and this is what he said to conclude his supplication: “O Allah, increase him in his wealth and progeny, and bless him in what you grant him.” By Allah, my wealth has certainly become abundant, and my children and grandchildren [together] certainly surpass a hundred today.^[21]

‘Abdullāh b. ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said, “O Allah, honor Islam through the dearest of these two men to you: through Abu Jahl or through ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “And the dearest of them turned out to be ‘Umar.”^[22] Indeed, no person from the Prophet’s Companions honored Islam by advancing its public presence like ‘Umar رضي الله عنه, as Ibn Mas‘ūd رضي الله عنه used to say, “We remained powerful since the moment ‘Umar embraced Islam.”^[23] Even after the Prophet’s death, it was the unique impact of ‘Umar in spreading the light of Islam that compelled the historian Michael Hart to showcase him in his book, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History.^[24]

Abu ‘Umra al-Anṣāri رضي الله عنه reports: During a battle alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the people once again suffered from great hunger, and ‘Umar رضي الله عنه said, “O Messenger of Allah, if you see [it proper], you can collect what remains of our rations.” We can gather them, then you can call upon Allah to bless them. For Allah the Blessed and Exalted will certainly deliver us with your supplication.” Some people brought a single handful, and nobody had more than a sâ‘ of dates. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gathered it all together, then stood and supplicated for as long as Allah willed. Then, he called the army to come forth with their containers and fill them, and there did not remain a single container in the whole army except that they filled it! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled until his molars could be seen, and said, “I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. No slave meets Allah with these two [statements] except that the Fire is veiled from him on the Day of Resurrection.”^[25]

Ibn Taymiya says, “It is known that when Allah accustoms someone to having their prayers answered, this only happens in conjunction with righteousness and religiosity.” When someone claims prophethood, they are either the most pious person—in the case that they are truthful—or the most wicked person—in the case that they are lying. But when Allah accustoms them to answering their supplications, then [it must be that] they are not wicked but instead pious. Even if the claim of prophethood was only accompanied by righteousness [from the claimant, without miracles], it would necessitate him being a genuine prophet, for such a person cannot be someone who deliberately lies, nor can he be some deluded person who assumes that he is a prophet.”^[26]

The Night Journey

Allah (Most High) says, “Glory be to the One Who took His servant [Muhammad] by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him of Our signs. Indeed, He Alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing” (Qur’an 17:1).

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was taken from Mecca to Jerusalem and back in a single night; a journey that would ordinarily take a full month for any traveller in the 7th century. When the pagans caught scent of this story being shared the following morning, they became jubilant with hopes of finally proving Muhammad was a madman. They rushed to gather everyone around him, and to their delight, people literally fell off their seats in laughter upon hearing this ‘ludicrous tale’ from the Prophet ﷺ. Saddened by their mockery and disbelief, he ﷺ proceeded to the Ka‘ba where he praised God and asked Him to be reshown Jerusalem. To the dismay of everyone present, the Prophet ﷺ then began describing that blessed city in inexplicable detail, as if he was walking through it at that very moment. People nervously turned to the Meccan traders who—unlike Muhammad—were known to frequent Jerusalem, only to find them admitting his accuracy. Many still denied him and stormed out in frustration.