Chapter 11 Eleventh Sign: Examples of miracles concerning inan-imate objects such as rocks and mountains

 Here, we will cite only eight of countless examples of miracles concern-ing such inanimate objects as rocks and mountains.

 First example:

 Qadi ‘Iyad reports, in his

 Shifa’ al-Sharif 

 and through anexalted chain of narrators from such great Tradition authorities asBukhari, that Ibn Mas‘ud, the Prophet’s servant, says: “We could hearfood glorifying God while eating with God’s Messenger.”

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Second example

:

 Accurate books of Tradition report from Abu Dharrand Anas that Anas said: “We were with God’s Messenger. He put somepebbles in his hand, and they began to glorify God. Then he placed themin Abu Bakr’s hand, and they continued their glorification.”

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AbuDharr 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 thepebbles in their hands, after which the pebbles stopped theirglorification.

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Third example:

 ‘Ali, Jabir, and ‘A’isha narrate that rocks and moun-tains would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God,” to God’sMessenger. ‘Ali says: “Whenever we walked in Makka’s suburbs duringthe early part of his Prophethood, the trees and rocks we passed wouldsay: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God.’”

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 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 Messengerof God.”

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According to Jabir ibn Samura, God’s Messenger once said: “I

114.Bukhari, 4:235, Tirmidhi, no. 3712.115.Shifa’, 1:306; Bayhaqi, Dala’il, 6:66.116.Shifa’, 1:306; Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 5:179; related by Tabarani and Bazzar.117.Tirmidhi, no. 3630; Hakim, 2:607; Abu Nu‘aym, 2:389.118.Shifa’, 1:307, related by Bayhaqi.

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recognize a rock that used to greet me.”

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According to some, he was re-ferring to the Ka‘ba’s Black Stone. ‘A’isha narrated: “God’s Messengersaid: ‘After Gabriel brought me the Message, every time I passed a rockor a tree it would say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God.”’

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 Fourth example:

 ‘Abbas relates that God’s Messenger covered ‘Abbasand his four sons (‘Abdullah, ‘Ubaydullah, Fadl, and Qusam) with apiece of cloth and prayed: “O my Lord, this is my father’s brother andthese are his sons. Veil them from the Fire as I have veiled them with myrobe.” The house’s roof, door, and walls joined this prayer at once, say-ing: “Amen, Amen.”

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 Fifth example:

 Imam Bukhari primarily, and such other Traditionistsas Ibn Hibban, Abu Dawud, and Tirmidhi, report from Anas, AbuHurayra, ‘Uthman, and Sa‘id ibn Zayd (two of those to whom Paradisewas promised): “God’s Messenger, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmanclimbed Mount Uhud. The mountain, either in awe or because of joy,trembled. God’s Messenger ordered it: ‘Be still, O Uhud, for on you thereis a Prophet, a truthful one, and two martyrs.”

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In this way, God’s Mes-senger predicted the martyrdom of ‘Umar and ‘Uthman.A supplement to this Tradition reports that God’s Messenger, pursued by unbelievers during his migration to Madina, climbed Sabir mountain.The mountain said: “Please leave me, O Messenger of God, for I fear Godwill 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 iswhy people of intuition feel fear on Sabir and safety on Thawr.

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Thisexample indicates that these great mountains are God’s servants whoglorify Him and perform their duties. In addition, they know and lovethe Prophet.

Sixth example:

 ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: “While delivering a sermonon the pulpit, God’s Messenger recited:

 They measure not God with Histrue 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-Compel-ling, I am the All-Compelling, I am the Great and Exalted.”’ As he said

119.Muslim, no. 2277; Tirmidhi, no. 3703; Ibn Hanbal, 5:89.120.Shifa’, 1:37; Bayhaqi, 2:135.121.Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 9:269; Bayhaqi, 6:71; Ibn Maja, 2:209.122.Abu Dawud, no. 4651; Tirmidhi, no. 3781; also related by Bukhari, Muslim,Hakim, and Ibn Maja.123.Shifa’, 1:308; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, 1:630.

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this, the pulpit trembled so much that we feared God’s Messenger wouldfall down.”

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Seventh example:

 Ibn ‘Abbas (“the scholar of the Ummah” and “the in-terpreter of the Qur’an”) and Ibn Mas‘ud (the Prophet’s servant and agreat Companion scholar) report that the Ka‘ba contained 360 idols fixedto the stone with lead. On the day of Makka’s conquest, God’s Messen-ger pointed at them one by one with a curved stick, reciting:

 Truth hascome, and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is ever certain to vanish

(17:81). Whichever idol he pointed at fell down. If he pointed to the idol’sface, it fell backwards; if he pointed to the idol’s back, it fell on its face.Thus they all fell down.

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Eighth example

:

 This is the famous story of the monk Bahira. Beforehis Prophethood was proclaimed, God’s Messenger traveled to Damas-cus with trading caravans belonging to his uncle Abu Talib and someother Qurayshi traders. They halted near the monastery where Bahira, awell-known recluse, was staying. He came out unexpectedly. When hesaw Muhammad the Trustworthy among the caravan, he said: “He is thelord of the worlds and will be a Prophet.” The Qurayshis asked: “Howdo you know this?” The holy monk answered: “I saw a piece of cloudover the caravan as you were coming. When you sat down, it moved to-ward his side and shadowed him. I also noticed that rocks and treesseemed to prostrate before him. They do this only for Prophets.”

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There are about similar instances. Joined together, these eight ex-amples form so strong an unbreakable chain. Considered as a whole,such miracles concerning inanimate objects bearing witness toMuhammad’s Prophethood have the certainty of 

 tawatur

 in meaning.Each instance derives additional strength from the others, just as a thinpillar is fortified by being joined to thick columns. Likewise, people ontheir own are weak. But when they join an army, each one has enoughpower to challenge 1,000 people.

124.Muslim, 4:2147; Hakim, 2:252; also related by Nasa’i and Ibn Hanbal.125.Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 6:176, related by Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi.126.Tirmidhi, no. 3699; Hakim, 2:615; Ibn Hisham, 1:115; Shifa’, 1:83