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Allah Ta’ala has granted every Nabi Mu’jizas (miracles) according to their environment and the understanding of their nations, in order that they may witness and accept the truth of them being Prophets of Allah. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in his physical life on earth performed numerous miracles and it is impossible to discuss all of them. Many volumes can be written on them yet it would still not be sufficient to document all of his miracles. Insha Allah we will discuss a few of them below so that we may strengthen our Imaan and increase our love for Nabi-e-Kareem (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Shaqqul Qamar (Splitting of the Moon) is a distinct and decisive mu’jiza of the leader of the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). It has been narrated that the Kuffaar of Makkah once impelled Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) to perform a miracle as proof of his Prophethood, and on their demand, he split the moon in two. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) narrates that the moon was split in two; one piece was seen on top of the mountain, and the other below. After demonstrating this miracle to the Kuffaar, he said to them, “Be witness to this! Be witness to this!” [Bukhari Shareef, Vol. 2] Nevertheless the arrogant Kuffaar did not bring Imaan upon Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) even after witnessing this great mu’jiza but rather chose to say, “Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has performed magic for us, and this kind of magic and illusions occur all the time.”
This incident is further proved by the Holy Qur’an wherein Allah Ta’ala states, “The hour came near and the moon was split. And if they see any sign, they turn their faces and say this is magic perpetual.” [Surah 54, Verses 1-2]
Sayyidah Bibi Asmaa bint Umais (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) narrates, “In Sahbaa, on their return from the Battle of Khaibar, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) rested his head on Hazrat Ali’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) lap after performing his Asr Salaah and fell asleep. Hazrat Ali’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) lap had the blessed opportunity of having Rasoolullah’s (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) blessed head rest on it until the sun had set, after which Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) knew that his Asr Salaah had become qaza and he made the following Dua, “Ya Allah, Indeed Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was obeying You and Your Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Make the sun re-appear so that he may perform his Asr Salaah in its correct time.” Sayyidah Asmaa bint Umais (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) further states, “I saw with my own eyes that the sun re-appeared, with the peaks of mountains and ground becoming bright with its rays.” [Zarqaani, Vol. 5; Shifa Shareef, Vol. 1]
In this incident Hazrat Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) watched the sun set, knowing that he is going to make his Salaah qaza but he did not want to disturb the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). He sacrificed his Salaah for the love and respect of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) for he knew that even Ibaadat is through the blessing of the Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). We therefore learn from this incident that after bringing Imaan, to respect Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is the greatest Fard of all Fard acts. [Bahaare Shariat]
In another Hadith, it is mentioned that in the Cave of Thoor Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) entered first and then tore his clothes and covered all the holes in the cave. One hole was still open, so he covered it with his toe. He then requested Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) to enter. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) entered and rested on his lap. There was a snake in the cave which desired to see the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). It rubbed its head against the feet of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), but he did not move his foot, thinking that it would disturb the rest of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Eventually the snake bit him on his toe. When Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) tears, due to pain, fell on the blessed face of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), he awoke and Siddiq-e-Akbar (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) explained to him what had happened. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) applied his blessed saliva on the wound and this provided comfort to Hazrat Abu Bakr (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and removed the pain and the venom. [Zarqaani, Vol.1; Bahaare Shariat]
Hazrat Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states, “While I was once accompanying Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as he walked in Makkah, every tree and stone we had passed began to say, “Assalaamu Alaika Ya Rasoolullah” to him, which I was able to hear.” [Tirmidhi Sahreef, Vol. 2]
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) narrates that once while they were travelling with Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), a Bedouin came to him and was invited to accept Islam by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). When the Bedouin asked if there was anyone who could bear testimony to his Prophethood, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Yes, that tree at the end of that field shall bear witness concerning my Prophethood.” Thus after freeing itself from the earth, the tree came to him upon being called and loudly testified to the Prophethood of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) three times. It then returned to its place after the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) gestured it to do so. [Zarqaani, Vol. 5]
Hazrat Allama Sharfuddeen Busairi (Rahmatullah Alaih) in his Qaseedah Burdah Shareef, refers to the above incident in the following stanza:
Jaa’ath li Da’wathihil Ashjaaru Saajidathan, Thamshi Ilaihi ‘Ala Saaqin Bala Qadami
Trees came travelling without legs on their trunks, To perform Sajdah before Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) by his calling
Once, when the sword of Hazrat Ukasha bin Muhsin (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) broke in the Battle of Badr, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) gave him a branch and said, “Fight with this.” As soon as the stick was held by Hazrat Ukasha (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), it turned into a magnificent sword, with which he fought his entire life thereafter, until he eventually became Shaheed during the Khilaafat of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). [Madaarijun Nubuwah, Vol. 2]
Before a Mimbar was built in Masjidun Nabawi, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to rest against a date tree trunk and give Khutbas, until an Ansariyah woman made one for the Masjid. When he ascended it to begin giving the sermon, a crying sound was suddenly heard from the trunk. The entire congregation in the Masjid was able to hear the lamenting of this tree trunk, due to the sorrow it felt from being separated from Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Nabi-e-Kareem (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) descended from the Mimbar and embraced the crying pillar in an attempt to console it, and it began to sob as how a child does when being consoled. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) then asked the pillar, “If you wish I can send you back to the place where you originally came from so that you can become a green and fruitful tree, or if you wish you can become a tree in one of the Gardens of Jannah from which the Friends of Allah may eat fruit.” The pillar answered in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “Ya Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), I wish to be a tree in Jannah from which the Friends of Allah can eat from, and gain an everlasting existence from it.” The Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied, “I have accepted your wish”, and then addressing the people present, he said, “O people! Look at this pillar that has discarded a life in an abode set for ruin (dunya) and has gained an existence in an eternal abode (Jannah).” [Bukhari Shareef, Vol. 1; Shifa Shareef, Vol. 1]
Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) then buried the trunk near the Mimbar and we should note that the tree trunk was promised Jannah but was being placed at the feet of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). We therefore learn from this that if anyone wishes to attain Jannah, then he should become a slave at the feet of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
Furthermore, with regard to it being buried, Allama Zarqaani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states the following, “Even though this pillar was a withered and dry piece of wood, it attained the excellence and rank of a human mu’min. Why? Because it cried in the love of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), and to cry in his love is a unique quality of a mu’min.” [Shifa Shareef, Vol. 1; Zarqaani, Vol. 5] Subhaanallah! This is the status of our Beloved Aaqa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) that if he wishes even a dry and worthless piece of a tree receives the status of a mu’min.
Once, an Ansari’s camel became stubborn, with none able to control it as it began to attack people. People informed Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and said that the camel is attacking and biting people like a rabid dog. He replied, “I have no fear of it”, and proceeded in its direction. Upon seeing Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) coming towards him, the camel proceeded to bow its head in Sajdah, and Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) thereafter stroked its head with his blessed hand, causing it to become completely quiet and subservient. He then held the camel and gave it to its owner saying, “Every creation of Allah Ta’ala believes that I am the Messenger of Allah except Kuffaar jinn and humans.” After seeing the camel making Sajdah to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), the blessed Sahaabah replied, “Ya Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), when animals make Sajdah to you, then we humans are more entitled to do so.” To this he replied, “If I was to make Sajdah permissible to any human, I would have ordered that wives perform Sajdah to their husbands.” [Mishkaat Shareef, Vol. 2]
Referring to such miracles of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), A’la Hazrat Imam Ahle Sunnat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states in one of his Naaths:
Apne Maula Ki Hai Bas Shaane Azeem, Jaanwar Bhi Kare Jin Ki Tha’zeem
Sange Karthe Hai Adab Se Tasleem Per Sajde Me Gira Karthe Hai
My Master (Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) possesses a unique glory that animals also respect him, stones greet him with respect and trees fall into prostration before him.
During the Battle of Uhud, an arrow struck the eye of Hazrat Qathaada bin Nu’maan (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), causing his eyeball to dangle by his cheek. He proceeded straight to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), who said, “If you wish, I can put back your eye in its socket and heal it, or you could make Sabr and receive its reward in Jannah.” Hazrat Qathaada (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) replied, “Ya Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), I request you to fix my eye and also make Dua for me to attain Jannah.” The Mercy unto Creation accepted both requests of his beloved Companion. He held the hanging eye and placed it back into its socket. After removing his blessed hand, the eye was correctly positioned in its socket and was brighter and more beautiful than the other. Hazrat Qathaada (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states that he could see further and clearer with this healed eye than with his other normal eye. Subhaanallah! [Al Kalaamul Mubeen]
From this incident we learn that the blessed Companions knew the status of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and they did not hesitate to ask him for their needs. Yet we have ignorant people today that say that it is Shirk to ask Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) for anything. Astaghfirullah!
It has been reported that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) once invited a particular person towards Islam, who said, “I shall bring Imaan upon you if my dead daughter comes back to life.” The Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was then shown the grave of this man’s daughter. He called out to her by her name and she, coming out of her grave, answered him by saying, “O Master, I am present in your service.” When Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) asked if she wished to return to the world, she replied, “No. Ya Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Allah Ta’ala Is more Merciful to me than my parents, and the Aakhirah is better than the Dunya.” [Zarqaani, Vol. 5]
There is no end in discussing the miracles of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The few that are presented here are just a drop in the vast ocean which one would never be able to encompass. May Allah Ta’ala in His Infinite Mercy grant us true love for Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), and may He grant us the belief and love that was possessed by the Blessed Sahaabah and even by the animals and lifeless objects, Ameen.