The Nineteenth Letter
His miracles
Miracles related to inanimate objects as rocks and mountains
ELEVENTH SIGN: Here, we will cite only eight of countless examples of miracles concerning such inanimate objects as rocks and mountains.
FIRST EXAMPLE: Qadi ‘Iyad reports, in his Shifa’ al-Sharif and through an exalted chain of narrators from such great Tradition authorities as Bukhari, that Ibn Mas‘ud, the Prophet’s servant, says: “We could hear food glorifying God while eating with God’s Messenger.”150
SECOND EXAMPLE: Accurate books of Tradition report from Abu Dharr and Anas that Anas said: “We were with God’s Messenger. He put some pebbles in his hand, and they began to glorify God. Then he placed them in Abu Bakr’s hand, and they continued their glorification.”151 Abu Dharr reports that God’s Messenger then put the pebbles in the hands of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, successively, and they continued their glorification. Both Anas and Abu Dharr add that God’s Messenger finally put the pebbles in their hands, after which the pebbles stopped their glorification.152
THIRD EXAMPLE: ‘Ali, Jabir, and ‘A’isha narrate that rocks and mountains would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God,” to God’s Messenger. ‘Ali says: “Whenever we walked in Mecca’s suburbs during the early part of his Prophethood, the trees and rocks we passed would say: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God.’”153
Jabir relates: “When God’s Messenger came across a rock or a tree, they would say in submission to him: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God.”154 According to Jabir ibn Samura, God’s Messenger once said: “I recognize a rock that used to greet me.”155 According to some, he was referring to the Ka‘ba’s Black Stone. ‘A’isha narrated: “God’s Messenger said: ‘After Gabriel brought me the Message, every time I passed a rock or a tree it would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God.”’156
FOURTH EXAMPLE: ‘Abbas relates that God’s Messenger covered ‘Abbas and his four sons (‘Abdullah, ‘Ubaydullah, Fadl, and Qusam) with a piece of cloth and prayed: “O my Lord, this is my father’s brother and these are his sons. Veil them from the Fire as I have veiled them with my robe.” The house’s roof, door, and walls joined this prayer at once, saying: “Amen, Amen.”157
FIFTH EXAMPLE: Imam Bukhari primarily, and such other Traditionists as Ibn Hibban, Abu Dawud, and Tirmidhi, report from Anas, Abu Hurayra, ‘Uthman, and Sa‘id ibn Zayd (two of those to whom Paradise was promised): “God’s Messenger, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman climbed Mount Uhud. The mountain, either in awe or because of joy, trembled. God’s Messenger ordered it: ‘Be still, O Uhud, for on you there is a Prophet, a truthful one, and two martyrs.”158 In this way, God’s Messenger predicted the martyrdom of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman.
A supplement to this Tradition reports that God’s Messenger, pursued by unbelievers during his emigration to Medina, climbed Sabir mountain. The mountain said: “Please leave me, O Messenger of God, for I fear God will punish me if they strike you while you are on me.” Upon this, Mount Thawr called to him: “Come to me, O Messenger of God!” This is why people of intuition feel fear on Sabir and safety on Thawr.159 This example indicates that these great mountains are God’s servants who glorify Him and perform their duties. In addition, they know and love the Prophet.
SIXTH EXAMPLE: ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: “While delivering a sermon on the pulpit, God’s Messenger recited: They measure not God with His true measure. Earth altogether shall be His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens shall be rolled up in His Right Hand (39:67), and added: ‘God, the All-Compelling, glorifies Himself and says: “I am the All-Compelling, I am the All-Compelling, I am the All-Great and Transcendent.”’ As he said this, the pulpit trembled so much that we feared God’s Messenger would fall down.”160
SEVENTH EXAMPLE: Ibn ‘Abbas (“the scholar of the Ummah” and “the interpreter of the Qur’an”) and Ibn Mas‘ud (the Prophet’s servant and a great Companion scholar) report that the Ka‘ba contained 360 idols fixed to the stone with lead. On the day of Mecca’s conquest, God’s Messenger pointed at them one by one with a curved stick, reciting: Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish (17:81). Whichever idol he pointed at fell down. If he pointed to the idol’s face, it fell backwards; if he pointed to the idol’s back, it fell on its face. Thus they all fell down.161
EIGHTH EXAMPLE: This is the famous story of the monk Bahira. Before his Prophethood was proclaimed, God’s Messenger traveled to Damascus with trading caravans belonging to his uncle Abu Talib and some other Qurayshi traders. They halted near the monastery where Bahira, a well-known recluse, was staying. He came out unexpectedly. When he saw Muhammad the Trustworthy among the caravan, he said: “He is the lord of the worlds and will be a Prophet.” The Qurayshis asked: “How do you know this?” The holy monk answered: “I saw a piece of cloud over the caravan as you were coming. When you sat down, it moved toward his side and shadowed him. I also noticed that rocks and trees seemed to prostrate before him. They do this only for Prophets.”162
There are about 80 similar instances. Joined together, these eight examples form so strong an unbreakable chain. Considered as a whole, such miracles concerning inanimate objects bearing witness to Muhammad’s Prophethood have the certainty of tawatur in meaning. Each instance derives additional strength from the others, just as a thin pillar is fortified by being joined to thick columns. Likewise, people on their own are weak. But when they join an army, each one has enough power to challenge 1,000 people.
TWELFTH SIGN: The following three examples, related to the eleventh sign, are very significant.
FIRST EXAMPLE: As established through all interpreters’ meticulous verification and all Traditionists’ reports, the verse: When you threw, it was not you that threw, but God threw (8:17), refers to the following incident: During the Battle of Badr, God’s Messenger took a handful of soil and pebbles and threw them at the unbelievers’ army, saying: “May your faces be deformed.” That handful of soil entered each unbeliever’s eyes, and “May your faces be deformed!” was heard by each one. They consequently became preoccupied with their eyes and had to retreat, although they had launched the attack.163
The Traditionists, most notably Imam Muslim, report that the same incident happened during the Battle of Hunayn. As a result, and by God’s Power and permission, each one was hit in the face by a handful of soil and had to flee the battlefield, being preoccupied with their eyes.164
As these extraordinary events are beyond human capacity and material causes, the Qur’an declares: When you threw, it was not you that threw, but God threw (8:17).
SECOND EXAMPLE: Reliable Traditionists, above all Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, report that after the Battle of Khyber a Jewess roasted a goat, poisoned it, and sent it to the Messenger. His Companions had just begun to eat it when God’s Messenger suddenly said: “Withdraw your hands! It tells me that it is poisoned.” Everyone stopped eating except Bishr ibn al-Bara’, who had taken a morsel of it and later died because of the poison. God’s Messenger sent for the Jewess (Zaynab). When asked why she had done it, she said: “I thought that if you were a Prophet it would not harm you, and that if you were a king it would save the people from you.”165
Consider the following point, which adds to the miraculousness of this extraordinary event: According to one report, some Companions also heard the goat speaking. The Jews had attempted to harm God’s Messenger and his close Companions at the same time. However, the Prophet’s warning proved true and their plot was unveiled and foiled. When the Prophet, whose Companions never heard an untrue statement from him, said: “This goat tells me that...,” everyone believed him with the same certainty as if they had heard the goat themselves.
THIRD EXAMPLE: The following relates three instances of another miracle resembling those of Moses’ shining, white hand and staff.
FIRST: Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal relates on Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri’s authority and verifies that God’s Messenger gave Qatada ibn Nu‘man a stick on a dark rainy night, saying: “This stick will light your surroundings as far as 7 meters. When you get home, you will see a black shadow that is Satan. Drive him away from your home.” Qatada left with the stick, which was emitting light like the Moses’ shining, white hand. When he arrived home, he found the person described and drove him away.166
SECOND: During the Battle of Badr, which was a source of wonders, Ukkasha ibn Mihsan al-Asad broke his sword while fighting the polytheists. God’s Messenger replaced his broken sword with a stick and told him to continue fighting. Suddenly, by God’s power and permission, the stick changed into a long white sword. He fought with it and kept it with him until he was martyred during the Battle of Yamama.167 This incident is indisputable, for Ukkasha was so proud of that sword that throughout his life it was widely known as “the aid.”
THIRD: Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, one of the most brilliant scholars of his time, relates and verifies that ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh, a cousin of God’s Messenger, broke his sword during the Battle of Uhud. The Messenger gave him a stick, which then became a sword in his hand. Ibn Jahsh fought with it, and that miracle remained a sword after the battle.168 Years later, as reported by Ibn Sayyid al-Nas in his biography of the Prophet, it was sold to Bughai Turki for 200 dirhams.169 These two swords are miracles like Moses’ staff, except that they remained swords thereafter, while Moses’ staff lost its miraculous aspect after his death.
Said Nursi
150 Bukhari, 4:235, Tirmidhi, no. 3712.
151 Shifa’, 1:306; Bayhaqi, Dala’il, 6:66.
152 Shifa’, 1:306; Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 5:179; related by Tabarani and Bazzar.
153 Tirmidhi, no. 3630; Hakim, 2:607; Abu Nu‘aym, 2:389.
154 Shifa’, 1:307, related by Bayhaqi.
155 Muslim, no. 2277; Tirmidhi, no. 3703; Ibn Hanbal, 5:89.
156 Shifa’, 1:37; Bayhaqi, 2:135.
157 Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 9:269; Bayhaqi, 6:71; Ibn Maja, 2:209.
158 Abu Dawud, no. 4651; Tirmidhi, no. 3781; also related by Bukhari, Muslim, Hakim, and Ibn Maja.
159 Shifa’, 1:308; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, 1:630.
160 Muslim, 4:2147; Hakim, 2:252; also related by Nasa’i and Ibn Hanbal.
161 Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 6:176, related by Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi.
162 Tirmidhi, no. 3699; Hakim, 2:615; Ibn Hisham, 1:115; Shifa’, 1:83.
163 Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 6:84; related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Hanbal, and Bayhaqi.
164 Muslim, no. 1775.
165 Abu Dawud, Muqaddima, 11; Bukhari, 2:121; Hakim, 3:219; Darimi, 1:35; Ibn Hanbal, 1:305; Bayhaqi, 6:256.
166 Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 2:166, related by Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Khuzayma, and Hakim.
167 Sira ibn Hisham, 1:637; Bayhaqi, 4:97; Ibn al-Jawzi, Zad al-Ma‘ad, 3:186.
168 Isti‘ab, 3:879; Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba, no. 4583; also related by Bayhaqi.
169 ‘Uyun al-Athar, 2:20; Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba, no. 4583.