The Miracles of Muhamma
The Islamic sources record numerous extraordinary events associated with Muhammad ﷺ during his prophetic mission. The strongest evidence for these events is found in the Qur'an and the authentic Hadith, particularly Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. The reports include extraordinary signs witnessed by groups of Companions, such as the splitting of the moon, water flowing from between his fingers, food becoming sufficient for unexpectedly large numbers of people, the healing of serious injuries, and inanimate objects responding in extraordinary ways.
The Qur'an itself occupies a unique position among these signs because Muslims regard it as the continuing miracle given to Muhammad ﷺ. The physical miracles described in the Hadith, however, were generally temporary events witnessed by people during his lifetime. They therefore need to be examined through the historical reports in which they have been transmitted.
The following accounts are restricted to miracles supported by authentic evidence. Where an incident occurred on more than one occasion, the reports are treated together rather than presenting the same miracle repeatedly.
The Splitting of the Moon
One of the most extraordinary miracles associated with Muhammad ﷺ is the splitting of the moon. The event is reported in authentic Hadith from several Companions, including Anas ibn Mālik and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنهما. The reports place the event during Muhammad's ﷺ lifetime in Makkah.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that the people of Makkah asked Muhammad ﷺ to show them a miracle and that he showed them the splitting of the moon.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“The people of Makkah asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ to show them a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3637
Another authentic report from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه states that the splitting occurred during Muhammad's ﷺ lifetime and records Muhammad's ﷺ instruction to those present to bear witness to what they had seen.
ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه reported:
“The moon was split into two parts during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Bear witness.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3636
A further narration from Anas رضي الله عنه provides additional detail, stating that the people saw the two portions of the moon with Mount Ḥirāʾ between them.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“The people of Makkah asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ to show them a miracle, so he showed them the moon split in two halves.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3868
The Qur'an also contains a passage traditionally understood by the classical Muslim exegetical tradition as referring to this event:
Allah says:
“The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split. Yet whenever they see a sign, they turn away and say, ‘Persistent magic.’”
Qur'an 54:1–2
The classical interpretation of these verses is that the splitting of the moon was a physical sign shown to the people of Makkah before the Hijrah. The Hadith reports are consistent with this interpretation: they describe the moon as being split and record that people present saw the event.
The event is therefore established in the Islamic sources through both the Qur'an and multiple authentic Hadith reports attributed to Companions who witnessed it.
Water Flowing from Between His Fingers
Several authentic reports describe water flowing from between the fingers of Muhammad ﷺ when the Companions were in need of water. This miracle occurred on more than one occasion, and the reports preserve different numbers of people who benefited from the water.
One of the clearest accounts was transmitted by Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه. The Companions needed water for ablution, but there was insufficient water available. A vessel containing water was brought to Muhammad ﷺ, who placed his hand into it. Anas رضي الله عنه witnessed water flowing from beneath his fingers until everyone present had performed ablution.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“I saw the water springing out from underneath his fingers till all of them performed the ablution.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 169
Another authentic account concerns the expedition to al-Ḥudaybiyyah. The Companions became extremely thirsty and had only a small quantity of water available. Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما witnessed Muhammad ﷺ place his hand into the vessel, after which the water began flowing between his fingers like springs.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“He placed his hand in that pot and the water started flowing among his fingers like springs. We all drank and performed ablution.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3576
When Jābir رضي الله عنه was asked how many people were present, he stated that they numbered approximately 1,500. He added that even a much larger number would have been sufficient according to the abundance of the water.
The authentic reports therefore establish that water flowed from between Muhammad's ﷺ fingers on more than one occasion. The different reports describe separate occasions rather than requiring the accounts to be treated as one event.
The Multiplication and Blessing of Food at the Battle of the Trench
During the Battle of the Trench, the Companions experienced severe hunger. Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما later recalled the difficult conditions and the small amount of food available.
Jābir رضي الله عنه prepared a small amount of food for Muhammad ﷺ. He had a young goat and some barley. The food was initially intended for only a small number of people, but Muhammad ﷺ invited the people of the trench to eat.
The report in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī preserves the circumstances surrounding the event. Jābir had seen the severe hunger of Muhammad ﷺ and returned home to prepare food. When Muhammad ﷺ learned of it, he called the people of the trench and instructed them to come.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“When the people of the trench were digging, I saw the Prophet ﷺ hungry. I went to my wife and said, ‘Do you have anything?’ She said, ‘I have some barley and a small animal.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4101
Jābir رضي الله عنه then prepared the food, but Muhammad ﷺ instructed him not to remove the cooking pot from the fire or bake the bread until he arrived. Muhammad ﷺ came with the people of the trench, and the small quantity of food was served to them.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ came with the people of the trench, and they ate until they were satisfied, while our pot was still boiling and our dough was still being baked.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4101
The account describes an unexpectedly large number of people eating from a small quantity of food until they were satisfied, while the original food continued to be prepared. The event occurred during the severe conditions of the Battle of the Trench and was witnessed by the Companions who participated in the meal.
The Healing of ʿAlī at Khaybar
During the campaign of Khaybar, Muhammad ﷺ announced that he would give the military banner to a man through whom Allah would grant victory.
The Companions spent the night wondering who would receive the banner. The following morning Muhammad ﷺ asked for ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه, but the Companions informed him that ʿAlī was suffering from an eye ailment.
Muhammad ﷺ ordered that ʿAlī be brought to him. He then applied his saliva to ʿAlī's eyes and supplicated for him. The report states that ʿAlī recovered so completely that it was as though he had suffered no eye problem.
Sahl ibn Saʿd رضي الله عنه reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ spat in his eyes and invoked good upon him, and he became as if he had no ailment.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4210
The same event is also recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Muhammad ﷺ subsequently gave ʿAlī the banner, and the campaign proceeded.
The report therefore contains two distinct extraordinary elements. The first was the healing of ʿAlī's eye ailment after Muhammad ﷺ applied his saliva and supplicated for him. The second was Muhammad's ﷺ statement that Allah would grant victory through the man to whom he gave the banner, followed by the giving of the banner to ʿAlī رضي الله عنه.
The Palm-Tree Trunk That Cried
One of the most unusual miracles preserved in authentic Hadith concerns a palm-tree trunk in the mosque of Madinah.
Before a pulpit was constructed, Muhammad ﷺ would stand beside a palm-tree trunk while delivering his sermons. When a pulpit was later constructed and Muhammad ﷺ began preaching from it, the Companions heard the former place of his preaching producing a sound of distress.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported that the trunk cried after Muhammad ﷺ moved away from it.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“We heard that tree crying like a pregnant she-camel.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3584
Another authentic narration describes Muhammad ﷺ going to the trunk and embracing it until its crying stopped.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ came down and went to it and embraced it, and it began to moan like a child who is being quietened.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3585
The sound was heard by those present in the mosque. The authentic Hadith therefore presents the crying of the palm-tree trunk as an extraordinary event witnessed by the Companions.
Rain Falling After Muhammad's ﷺ Supplication
The authentic Hadith records an extraordinary incident involving rain in Madinah. During a period of drought, a man asked Muhammad ﷺ during the Friday sermon to supplicate Allah for rain.
At that time there was no visible cloud in the sky. Muhammad ﷺ raised his hands and supplicated. Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه, who witnessed the event, reported that clouds gathered rapidly and rain began falling.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“There was not a trace of cloud in the sky. As soon as he lowered his hands, clouds gathered like mountains.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 933
The rain continued for days. When the people subsequently asked Muhammad ﷺ to supplicate for the rain to stop because of the damage it was causing, he supplicated that the rain fall around Madinah rather than upon the city.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“Whenever he pointed with his hand to a direction of the clouds, they dispersed, and Madinah became clear.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 933
Another authentic version records the same event and describes the rain remaining around Madinah while the sky over the city became clear.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“O Allah, let the rain fall around us and not upon us.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1019
The Hadith therefore records both the sudden appearance of rain following Muhammad's ﷺ supplication and the subsequent clearing of the rain from Madinah following his second supplication.
The Healing of Salamah ibn al-Akwaʿ
An authentic report preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī describes another healing associated with Muhammad ﷺ during the Battle of Khaybar.
Salamah ibn al-Akwaʿ رضي الله عنه had suffered a wound to his leg. Many years later, Yazīd ibn Abī ʿUbayd reported that he saw the mark of the wound and asked Salamah about it. Salamah explained that he had been wounded on the day of Khaybar and had then gone to Muhammad ﷺ.
Muhammad ﷺ blew upon the wound three times. Salamah رضي الله عنه stated that he experienced no further pain from the injury.
Yazīd ibn Abī ʿUbayd reported:
“I saw the mark of a wound on Salamah's leg. He said, ‘I was struck on the Day of Khaybar.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4206
The narration continues with Salamah رضي الله عنه describing how he went to Muhammad ﷺ, who blew upon the wound three times, after which Salamah stated that he did not suffer from it thereafter.
Salamah ibn al-Akwaʿ رضي الله عنه reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ blew on it three times, and I have not complained of it until now.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4206
The Increase of Food During the Expedition to Tabūk
During the expedition to Tabūk in 9 AH, the Muslim army faced severe shortages of provisions. The journey from Madinah into northern Arabia was long and difficult, and the scarcity of food became so serious that some of the Companions asked Muhammad ﷺ for permission to slaughter their riding camels for food.
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه suggested instead that Muhammad ﷺ ask the army to gather whatever provisions remained among them and then supplicate to Allah for blessing upon the food. Muhammad ﷺ accepted the suggestion.
The Companions brought what little food remained. Some possessed only a handful of grain, while others brought small quantities of dates or pieces of bread. Muhammad ﷺ asked that the provisions be gathered together upon a leather mat and then supplicated to Allah for blessing.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked for the remaining provisions to be brought. He then supplicated for blessing upon them.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 27
Muhammad ﷺ then instructed the members of the army to bring their food containers and fill them from the provisions that had been gathered.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported:
“He said, ‘Take provisions into your vessels.’ They took provisions into their vessels until there was no vessel in the army that they had not filled, and they ate until they were satisfied, and some food was still left.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 27
The amount initially collected had consisted only of the small quantities remaining with individual members of the army. After Muhammad's ﷺ supplication, the soldiers ate until satisfied, filled their containers with provisions, and food nevertheless remained.
The Increase of Dates and the Payment of Jābir's Debt
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما inherited a substantial debt after the death of his father, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr ibn Ḥarām رضي الله عنه, who had been killed at the Battle of Uḥud. His father had left debts owed to creditors, while the principal property available for repayment consisted of date palms.
When the dates were harvested, Jābir feared that the crop would not be sufficient to discharge what was owed. He sought Muhammad's ﷺ assistance. Muhammad ﷺ asked Jābir to arrange the different varieties of dates separately and then came to the orchard.
Muhammad ﷺ walked among the piles of dates and supplicated for blessing. He then sat beside them while Jābir began paying the creditors.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked around the largest heap three times and then sat upon it and said, ‘Call your creditors.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2127
The creditors were paid from the dates until the debt inherited from Jābir's father had been discharged. Jābir reported that despite the amount distributed, the dates remained as though nothing had been taken from them.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“He continued measuring for them until Allah paid all the debt that my father owed. I would have been pleased if Allah had settled my father's debt even if I had not returned to my sisters with a single date. Yet all the heaps remained as they were.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2781
The event provided sufficient dates to discharge the debt while leaving the family's harvest substantially intact.
The Stone That Greeted Muhammad ﷺ
Muhammad ﷺ reported that before receiving his prophetic mission, he knew a particular stone in Makkah that would greet him.
The report was transmitted by Jābir ibn Samurah رضي الله عنه and is preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.
Jābir ibn Samurah رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“I know a stone in Makkah which used to greet me before I was sent as a Prophet. I know it even now.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2277
The report places the phenomenon before the beginning of Muhammad's ﷺ public prophetic mission. Muhammad ﷺ later identified the stone as one that he still knew.
The Trees That Responded to Muhammad ﷺ
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim preserves an account from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما concerning two trees that moved at Muhammad's ﷺ command.
During a journey, Muhammad ﷺ went in search of a concealed place where he could relieve himself. Jābir accompanied him and observed that there was no suitable cover except two trees situated apart from one another.
Muhammad ﷺ approached one of the trees, took hold of one of its branches and commanded it to follow him by Allah's permission. Jābir described the tree moving with him. Muhammad ﷺ then approached the second tree and gave it a similar command.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of a branch of the tree and said, ‘Follow me by the permission of Allah,’ and it followed him.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 3012
Muhammad ﷺ brought the two trees together and commanded them to join so that they provided a screen.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“He said, ‘Join together over me by the permission of Allah,’ and they joined together.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 3012
After Muhammad ﷺ had finished, Jābir saw the trees separate and return to their original locations.
Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh رضي الله عنهما reported:
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ coming toward me, and the two trees separated, each one standing upon its trunk.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 3012
The report describes the movement of both trees, their joining together at Muhammad's ﷺ command, and their subsequent return to their original positions.
The Mountain of Uḥud Shaking Beneath Muhammad ﷺ and His Companions
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ once ascended Mount Uḥud accompanied by Abū Bakr, ʿUmar and ʿUthmān رضي الله عنهم. While they were upon the mountain, Uḥud began to shake.
Muhammad ﷺ struck the mountain with his foot and commanded it to become still.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ ascended Uḥud with Abū Bakr, ʿUmar and ʿUthmān, and it shook beneath them. The Prophet ﷺ struck it with his foot and said, ‘Be firm, Uḥud, for upon you are none but a Prophet, a truthful one and two martyrs.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3675
Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه was described as al-Ṣiddīq, “the truthful one,” while ʿUmar and ʿUthmān رضي الله عنهما were identified as two future martyrs. Both ʿUmar and ʿUthmān were subsequently killed during their respective caliphates.
The report therefore records both the shaking of Uḥud and Muhammad's ﷺ statement concerning the future deaths of ʿUmar and ʿUthmān رضي الله عنهما.
The Mountain of Ḥirāʾ Shaking Beneath Muhammad ﷺ and His Companions
A closely related authentic report concerns Mount Ḥirāʾ. Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ was upon Ḥirāʾ together with a number of his leading Companions when the mountain moved.
Muhammad ﷺ addressed the mountain and commanded it to remain still.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was upon Mount Ḥirāʾ, and with him were Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr. The rock moved, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Be still. Upon you there is none but a Prophet, a truthful one or a martyr.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2417
Several of the men present would later die as martyrs. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه was assassinated in Madinah, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān رضي الله عنه was killed during the siege of his home, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه was assassinated in Kūfah, and Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr رضي الله عنهما died during the conflicts of the First Fitnah.
The Lights That Guided Two Companions
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported an extraordinary event involving two Companions who had been with Muhammad ﷺ during a very dark night.
After leaving Muhammad ﷺ, the two men encountered a light that illuminated the way before them. When they later separated from one another, each was accompanied by a light until he reached his destination.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported:
“Two men from the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ left him on a dark night, and there were two lights like lamps before them, illuminating the way ahead of them. When they separated, each one of them was accompanied by one of the lights until he reached his family.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3805
The two Companions are identified in the transmission as Usayd ibn Ḥuḍayr and ʿAbbād ibn Bishr رضي الله عنهما.
The Army Hearing the Voice of ʿUmar While He Was in Madinah
During the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه, an extraordinary event was reported in which his voice was heard by a Muslim army at a considerable distance from Madinah. While delivering a sermon, ʿUmar suddenly called out to the commander of the army, warning him about the mountain.
The commander, Sāriyah ibn Zunaym رضي الله عنه, later reported that the army heard ʿUmar's warning at the critical moment and responded accordingly.
This event occurred after the death of Muhammad ﷺ and is therefore not a miracle of Muhammad ﷺ himself. It belongs to the category of karāmāt, extraordinary events associated with righteous believers, rather than the prophetic miracles of Muhammad ﷺ.
The Qur'an as the Continuing Miracle
Among the miracles associated with Muhammad ﷺ, the Qur'an occupies a distinct position. Unlike physical signs witnessed during particular moments of his lifetime, the Qur'an was publicly recited throughout his prophetic mission and transmitted to subsequent generations.
The Qur'an repeatedly presents itself as revelation from Allah and challenges those who reject its divine origin to produce something comparable to it.
Allah says:
“Or do they say, ‘He has fabricated it’? Say, ‘Then produce ten fabricated chapters like it and call upon whoever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful.’”
Qur'an 11:13
The challenge is expressed elsewhere in relation to a single sūrah.
Allah says:
“And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then produce a sūrah like it and call your witnesses besides Allah, if you are truthful.”
Qur'an 2:23
The Qur'an also states that human beings and jinn would be unable collectively to produce its equivalent.
Allah says:
“Say, ‘If mankind and the jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce its like, even if they assisted one another.’”
Qur'an 17:88
This conception of the Qur'an as Muhammad's ﷺ enduring sign is also expressed explicitly in authentic Hadith. Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ distinguished the revelation given to him from the signs given to earlier prophets.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“There was no prophet among the prophets except that he was given signs because of which people believed in him. What I have been given is revelation which Allah revealed to me, and I hope that I will have the greatest number of followers on the Day of Resurrection.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4981
The Qur'an further declares that Allah Himself will preserve the revealed Reminder.
Allah says:
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will surely preserve it.”
Qur'an 15:9
The miraculous character of the Qur'an, known in Islamic theology as iʿjāz al-Qurʾān, subsequently became a major field of Muslim scholarship. Classical scholars examined its language, composition, rhetorical structure, meanings, legislative teachings and the repeated Qur'anic challenge to those who denied its divine origin.
Unlike the physical miracles that occurred at particular moments during Muhammad's ﷺ lifetime, the Qur'an remains the revelation through which his prophetic claim continues to be encountered in its Arabic form.
The Increase of Food for One Hundred and Thirty Companions
An authentic report preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī describes an occasion when Muhammad ﷺ and approximately one hundred and thirty of his Companions were together with only a very small amount of food available.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported that Muhammad ﷺ asked whether anyone had food. One man had approximately one ṣāʿ of wheat flour, which was being prepared as dough. Shortly afterward, a man arrived with sheep, and Muhammad ﷺ purchased one of the sheep.
The sheep was slaughtered, and Muhammad ﷺ instructed that its liver and other internal organs be prepared for the Companions. Despite the large number present, every one of the approximately one hundred and thirty men received a portion.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported:
“We were one hundred and thirty persons sitting with the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Does any one of you have food?’ It happened that one man had about a ṣāʿ of wheat which was made into dough. Then a tall man came driving some sheep. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Will you sell us a sheep, or give it to us as a gift?’ He said, ‘I will sell it.’ So the Prophet ﷺ bought a sheep, which was slaughtered, and the Prophet ﷺ ordered that its liver and other organs be roasted. By Allah, every one of those one hundred and thirty men received a share of it.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5382
Muhammad ﷺ then had the meat placed in two large trays. The entire gathering ate until satisfied, yet food remained afterward.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ then put its meat in two large trays, and we all ate until we were satisfied, yet some of it remained in the two trays, which I carried upon the camel.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5382
The report is particularly striking because it records both the number of people present and the amount of food available. Approximately one hundred and thirty people were present, the available provisions were initially very limited, and a single sheep was then prepared. Every person received a portion of the meat, the entire gathering ate to satisfaction, and food nevertheless remained afterward.
The report is transmitted by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما, who was himself present among the gathering. It is preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
The Food That Multiplied in the House of Abū Bakr
Another authentic report describes an extraordinary increase in food at the house of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه. The incident occurred when Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه returned home after Muhammad ﷺ had taken some of the poor Companions from al-Ṣuffah with him.
The household had prepared food for a limited number of people. Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه initially became angry when he discovered that his guests had not eaten while waiting for him. After he eventually ate from the meal, he found that the quantity of food had increased rather than diminished.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported:
“By Allah, whenever any one of us took anything from the food, it increased from underneath, until we all ate our fill, and there was more food than before it had been served.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 602
Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه then observed that the food had increased substantially.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported:
“He looked at it and found it as it had been before serving, or even more. He said to his wife, ‘O sister of Banū Firās, what is this?’ She said, ‘O delight of my eyes, it is now three times as much as it was before.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 602
Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه subsequently took the remaining food to Muhammad ﷺ. The food was then distributed among another large group of Companions.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported:
“He took the rest of it to the Prophet ﷺ. That meal remained with the Prophet ﷺ. There was a treaty between us and some people, and when the period of the treaty ended, the Prophet ﷺ divided us into twelve groups, each headed by a man, and all of them ate from that meal.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 602
The report therefore describes an increase in the quantity of food at Abū Bakr's home, followed by its being sufficient for a further large gathering of Companions.
The Stone That Greeted Muhammad ﷺ Before His Prophethood
Muhammad ﷺ described an extraordinary occurrence that took place before the beginning of his prophetic mission. He stated that a particular stone in Makkah used to greet him before he was sent as a Prophet.
Jābir ibn Samurah رضي الله عنه reported the statement of Muhammad ﷺ concerning this stone.
Jābir ibn Samurah رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“I recognise a stone in Makkah which used to pay me salutations before I was sent as a Prophet, and I recognise it even now.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2277
The report describes an inanimate object greeting Muhammad ﷺ before his prophethood. Muhammad ﷺ stated that he knew the stone and continued to recognise it after he had been sent as a Prophet.
The Speaking Cow and the Speaking Wolf
Among the extraordinary signs mentioned by Muhammad ﷺ are two incidents in which animals spoke to human beings. Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ described both incidents and affirmed his belief in them.
In the first account, a man was riding a cow and beating it. The cow turned towards him and spoke, declaring that it had not been created for that purpose but for ploughing.
In the second account, a wolf seized a sheep belonging to a shepherd. The shepherd pursued the wolf and recovered the sheep. The wolf then spoke to the shepherd and referred to a future time when wild animals would have no shepherd except itself.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, ‘I have not been created for this purpose; I have been created for ploughing.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘I believe this, and Abū Bakr and ʿUmar also believe it.’ And a wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, ‘Who will guard it on the day of the wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘I believe this, and Abū Bakr and ʿUmar also believe it.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2324
Muhammad ﷺ specifically affirmed both accounts even though Abū Bakr and ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما had not been present when the incidents occurred. The report therefore records Muhammad's ﷺ acceptance of the extraordinary speech of the two animals as truthful.
The Cow and Wolf Speaking as a Sign of the Prophetic Tradition
The same account is transmitted in another narration in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, where Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reports that Muhammad ﷺ described the speaking cow and the speaking wolf after performing the morning prayer.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported:
“While a man was driving a cow, he suddenly rode it and beat it. The cow said, ‘We have not been created for this; we have been created for ploughing.’ The people said, ‘Glorified be Allah! A cow speaks!’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘I believe this, and Abū Bakr and ʿUmar also believe it.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3471
The narration then relates the incident of the wolf and the sheep and Muhammad's ﷺ affirmation of its truth.
These reports are not presented as Muhammad ﷺ personally causing the animals to speak. Rather, they are extraordinary occurrences that Muhammad ﷺ confirmed and presented to his Companions as genuine signs.
The Food That Increased Threefold
The account of Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه contains a particularly clear description of the increase in food. The household meal did not merely prove sufficient for the guests who were initially present. After the people had eaten, the quantity was observed to have increased.
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr رضي الله عنهما reported:
“The food was now three times as much as it had been before.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 602
The meal was subsequently taken to Muhammad ﷺ, where it remained available for further people. The narration therefore records an increase that was observed by the household before the food was transported and distributed among additional groups.
The Night Journey to Jerusalem
Among the greatest physical miracles associated with Muhammad ﷺ was the Night Journey from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām in Makkah to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā in Jerusalem. The Qur'an explicitly records that Allah took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque.
Allah says:
“Glory be to Him Who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”
Qur'an 17:1
The authentic Hadith provides further details concerning the journey. Muhammad ﷺ described being brought al-Burāq, a remarkable riding creature, and travelling from Makkah to Jerusalem. After arriving at al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, he tethered al-Burāq at the place where the prophets had tethered their mounts.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Al-Burāq was brought to me. It was a white animal, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule. It placed its hoof at the distance of its sight. I mounted it and travelled until I reached Bayt al-Maqdis. I tethered it to the ring to which the prophets used to tether their mounts.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 162
The Night Journey was therefore not merely a vision or an allegorical experience in the primary Hadith accounts. The Qur'an describes Allah taking His servant by night, while the authentic Hadith describes Muhammad ﷺ travelling upon al-Burāq and reaching Jerusalem.
The Ascension Through the Heavens
The Night Journey was followed by the Ascension through the heavens. The authentic reports describe Muhammad ﷺ being taken from Jerusalem through the heavens, where he encountered earlier prophets and was shown extraordinary signs.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported the account in which Jibrīl عليه السلام accompanied Muhammad ﷺ during the Ascension.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Then I was taken up to the first heaven and Jibrīl asked for it to be opened. It was said, ‘Who is it?’ He said, ‘Jibrīl.’ It was said, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘He has been sent for.’ Then it was opened for us.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3207
Muhammad ﷺ then described ascending through the successive heavens and meeting several of the earlier prophets. He encountered Ādam عليه السلام in the first heaven, Yaḥyā عليه السلام and ʿĪsā عليه السلام in the second, Yūsuf عليه السلام in the third, Idrīs عليه السلام in the fourth, Hārūn عليه السلام in the fifth, Mūsā عليه السلام in the sixth and Ibrāhīm عليه السلام in the seventh.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Then I was taken up to the second heaven, and Jibrīl asked for it to be opened. It was said, ‘Who is it?’ He said, ‘Jibrīl.’ It was said, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘He has been sent for.’ Then it was opened for us, and there I saw ʿĪsā ibn Maryam and Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā, and they welcomed me and supplicated for me.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3207
The journey continued until Muhammad ﷺ reached the highest boundary that he was shown. He described seeing al-Bayt al-Maʿmūr and the lote tree of the utmost boundary.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven, and there I saw Ibrāhīm, who was reclining against al-Bayt al-Maʿmūr, into which seventy thousand angels enter every day, never to return to it again.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3207
The Ascension therefore forms part of the same extraordinary journey that began in Makkah and continued from Jerusalem through the heavens. The Qur'an establishes the Night Journey, while the authentic Hadith provides the detailed account of the heavenly ascent.
Muhammad ﷺ Seeing Paradise and Hell During Prayer
During prayer, Muhammad ﷺ was shown Paradise and Hell. The Companions were told that Muhammad ﷺ could see what was before him and behind him, and he later explained that he had been shown Paradise and Hell.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ addressed the Companions after leading them in prayer.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“I am your Imam, so do not precede me in bowing, prostration, standing or turning away, for I see you before me and behind me.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 426a
Muhammad ﷺ then stated that he had been shown Paradise and Hell.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, if you could see what I see, you would laugh little and weep much more. They said, ‘What did you see, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘I saw Paradise and Hell.’”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 426a
The report describes Muhammad ﷺ being shown realities normally hidden from human perception while he was leading the prayer.
Seeing Those Behind Him
The authentic Hadith contains repeated statements from Muhammad ﷺ that he could see the Companions behind him while leading them in prayer.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ instructed the Companions to complete their rows because he could see them even when they were behind him.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Complete the rows, for I can see you behind my back.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 434
Another authentic report gives further detail concerning his ability to see the movements of those behind him.
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Perform the bowing and prostration properly. By Allah, I see you behind me when you bow and prostrate.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 425a
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه likewise reported that Muhammad ﷺ explicitly stated that the movements of the worshippers behind him were visible to him.
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Do you find me seeing towards the Qiblah only? By Allah, your bowing and your prostrating are not hidden from my view. Verily, I see them behind my back.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 424
These reports are preserved through different Companions in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and describe an extraordinary perception granted to Muhammad ﷺ while he was leading the prayer.
The Angels Protecting Muhammad ﷺ
The Qur'an records that Allah protected Muhammad ﷺ from his enemies during the period when they plotted to kill him and when he and Abū Bakr رضي الله عنهما sought refuge in the cave during the Hijrah.
Allah says:
Allah says:
“If you do not help him, Allah has already helped him when those who disbelieved drove him out, while he was one of two in the cave. When he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.’ Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him and supported him with forces you did not see.”
Qur'an 9:40
The verse explicitly states that Allah supported Muhammad ﷺ with forces that the people could not see. The verse does not identify those unseen forces in detail, and therefore the account should not be expanded beyond what the Qur'an establishes.
The Protection of Muhammad ﷺ During the Hijrah
The Qur'an also records the extraordinary protection given to Muhammad ﷺ when his enemies pursued him during the Hijrah.
When the pursuers reached the cave, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه became concerned that they might be seen. Muhammad ﷺ reassured him that Allah was with them.
Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه reported:
“I said to the Prophet ﷺ while I was in the cave, ‘If one of them were to look beneath his feet, he would see us.’ He said, ‘O Abū Bakr, what do you think of two, Allah being their third?’”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3653
The report confirms the danger faced by Muhammad ﷺ and Abū Bakr رضي الله عنهما and Muhammad's ﷺ certainty that Allah would protect them.