Examples connected with water
First example:
Bukhari, Muslim, and other authentic books of
Traditionrelate from Anas that: "There were 300 of us with God's Messenger
atZawra. He told us to perform
wudu'
(ablution) for the afternoon prayer, but
we could not find enough water. He ordered
us to bring a little wa-ter, which we did, and he
dipped his hands into it. I saw water run fromhis fingers like a fountain. All
300 people performed
wudu'
with that wa-ter and drank from it."
91
Anas relates this incident on behalf of 300 per-sons. Would
they have remained silent if he were lying?
Second example:
Reliable books of Tradition, particularly
Sahih al-Bukhari
and
Sahih al-Muslim
, report Jabir ibn 'Abdullah al-Ansari
as say-ing: "We (1,500 people) got thirsty during the expedition of
Hudaybiya.God's Messenger performed
wudu'
from a leather water-bag (
qirba
) andthen dipped his hand into it. I saw water flow from his
fingers like afountain. All 1,500 people drank from it and filled their
water-bags."Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd later asked Jabir how many people had
been there,and the latter replied: "The water would have been enough for
even100,000 people, but there were only 1,500 of us."
92
Since this miracle was witnessed by 1,500 people, the number
of its re-porters should be regarded as 1,500, because people tend to resist
and re-fuse lies. As for the Companions, who sacrificed their souls and
posses-sions, fathers and mothers, tribes and homeland for the sake of truth
andveracity, could they have remained silent if confronted with a lie,
espe-cially after hearing the Prophet's warning: "Whoever tells a lie
concern-ing me on purpose should prepare for his seat in the Fire."? Their
silenceindicates acceptance.
Third example:
According to the authentic books of Tradition, aboveall
al-Bukhari
and
al-Muslim
, Jabir relates: "During the campaign of Buwat,
God's Messenger ordered ablution. We replied that there was nowater. The
Messenger told us to try and find just a little. We fetched asmall amount of
water. He placed his hand over it and recited a prayer,which I could not hear,
and then asked for the largest water trough in thecaravan. They
brought it to me, and I placed it before God's Messenger.He placed his hands in
it, with his fingers apart, while I poured that littlewater onto his hands. I
saw water run abundantly from his fingers andfill the trough. I called those
who needed water. After they drank and
91.Nasa'i, 1:60; Bukhari, 4:233; Muslim, No. 2279; Tirmidhi,
No. 3635.92.Muslim, no. 1856; Bukhari, 4:234; Bayhaqi, 4:110.
43
took water for
wudu'
, I told the Prophet that everybody had come. He lif-ted his
hands, leaving the trough still full to the brim."
93
This miracle has the certainty of
tawatur
in meaning, because Jabir, atthat time the Prophet's
servant and thus having first place in the incid-ent, relates it in the name of
all witnesses. Ibn Mas'ud, who also
reportedit, says: "I saw the water flow like a fountain from the Prophet'sfingers."
94
Consider these three examples together and see what an
irrefutableand definite miracle this is. Joined together, they prove that water
flow-ing from the Prophet's fingers is explicit
tawatur
. This miracle is so greatthat even Moses' miracle of
causing water to run from different points of a rock cannot be considered
its equivalent. Water gushing from a rock ispossible, and examples can be found
among ordinary events, but there isno parallel for water flowing abundantly
from flesh and bone.
Fourth example:
Imam Malik narrates in his
Muwatta'
from Mu'adhibn Jabal that: "During the expedition
of Tabuk, we came across a foun-tain that was hardly flowing—the jet was about
as thick as a thin string.God's Messenger told us to collect a small amount of
its water. Some brought a little in their palms, with which God's Messenger washed hisface
and hands. Then we put it back in the fountain. Suddenly the streamsupplying
the fountain's water cleared, and water began to flow so pro-fusely that there
was enough for the whole army."Imam Ibn Ishaq, one of the narrators,
reports: "The fountain's wellrushed underground with a noise like thunder.
God's Messenger toldMu'adh that he might live long enough to see this place
change into gar-dens." And so it happened.
95
Fifth example:
Bukhari (from Bara') and (from Salama ibn al-Akwa'), aswell
as other accurate books (from other narrators), relate: "Four hun-dred of
us came across a well during the expedition of Hudaybiya. Therewas hardly
enough water for people. We drew all the water out of thewell. God's Messenger
came and sat beside the well and asked for a bucketful of water,
which we fetched. He put some of his saliva into
the bucket, prayed, and then poured this water back into the
well. Suddenlythe water began to gush and rose to the well's brim. The
whole army andtheir animals drank from it until they were satisfied, and
then filled theirwater bags."
96
93.Muslim, no. 3006-14.94.Bukhari, 4:235, also related by
Tirmidhi and Nasa'i.95.Muwatta', Safar, 2; Ibn Hanbal, 5:228; also related by
Bukhari and Muslim.
44
Sixth example:
Authentic Tradition books, such those of Muslim andIbn
Jarir al-Tabari particularly, relate through Abu Qatada: "We were go-ing
for help, as the commanders had been martyred in the Battle of Mu'ta. I
had a water bag with me. God's Messenger had told me: 'Keepyour water bag
carefully, for it will be of great use to us.' Soon after
that,thirst seized us. We were (300 according
to al-Tabari). God's Messengertold me: 'Bring your water bag.' I did
so. He took it and brought its brimto his lips. I do not know whether he
breathed into it or not. Then all of us drank from it and filled our water
bags. When I took it back, it wasstill as full as it had been
before."
97
Reflect on this miracle and say: "O God, bestow upon him
and hishousehold peace and blessings as many as there are drops of
water."
Seventh example:
Authentic books of Tradition,
in particular
Sahih al-Bukhari
and
Sahih al-Muslim
, report that 'Imran ibn Husayn said: "We ranout of
water during a military campaign. The Messenger told me and'Ali: 'There is a
woman in such-and-such a place making her way withher beast, which is laden
with water bags. Go and bring her.' 'Ali and Ifound the woman with her load
exactly as and where described, and brought her (to
the Prophet). The Prophet ordered: 'Pour some water in-to a
vessel.' We did so. After he prayed for abundance, we put the water back into its bag. Then the Messenger announced: 'Let everyone comeand
fill his bag.' All the people came and drank and filled their bags.Afterwards,
he said that something should be collected for the woman,and they filled her
skirt with what they collected."'Imran adds: "I imagined that the two
water bags were filling unceas-ingly. God's Messenger told the woman: 'You can
go now. We took noneof your water; rather, God gave us water (from His
treasure).'"
98
Eighth example:
Some Traditionists, primarily Ibn Khuzayma in his
Sahih
, report that 'Umar said: "We ran out of water during
the campaignof Tabuk. Some of us had to slaughter our camels and drink what
wasinside. Abu Bakr appealed to God's Messenger to pray for rain. Heraised his
hands to pray, and had hardly lowered them when cloudsgathered and a heavy rain
began to fall. After we filled our vessels, theclouds withdrew. This rain was
restricted to our area, for it did not go
96.Bukhari, 4:234; Bayhaqi, 4:110; also related by
Muslim.97.Muslim, no. 681; Abu Dawud, no. 437-41; Abu Nu'aym, 4:282.98.Muslim,
682; Bukhari, 4:233.
45
beyond where we were located."
Thus chance had nothing to do withthis incident; it was wholly a miracle of Prophet Muhammad.
Ninth example:
'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, the grandson of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amribn al-'As and whose narrations the four Imams trusted, relates that be-fore his Prophethood, God's Messenger traveled on a camel to Dhu al-Hijaz (near 'Arafat) with his uncle Abu Talib. When Abu Talib said he was thirsty.
God's Messenger dismounted and stamped the ground.Water welled out, and Abu Talib drank from it.
One discerning schol-ar states that although this is
considered as
irhasat
, because it happened before his Prophethood was proclaimed, it also can be regarded as awonder of his Prophethood, because this water flowed in the same loca-tion for 1,000 years thereafter.Similarly, different narrations (but not separate incidents) report mir-acles connected with water. The first seven examples are as definitely es-tablished in meaning as tawatur.
Although the last two are not narratedthrough as many strong chains of transmission, authentic sources,primarily Imam Bayhaqi and Hakim, report another miracle to supportand confirm the one mentioned in the eighth example:
'Umar narratedthat he appealed to God's Messenger to pray for rain, as the armyneeded water. God's Messenger raised his hands, clouds gathered atonce, and enough rain fell to meet the army's need.
After this, the cloudswent away.
It was as if the clouds were sent to deliver water, for
theycame, dispensed enough water, and then disappeared. Just as this
narration supports the eighth example, Ibn al-Jawziya,
toometiculous a researcher to reject many authentic Traditions as false,
says:"This event took place during the Battle of Badr and is mentioned in:
And He sent down on you water from
heaven to purify you thereby
… (8:11)." Sincethis verse refers to the event, its
truth cannot be doubted. Besides, it is afrequently repeated and unanimously
reported miracle that rain fell im-mediately after the Prophet raised his hands
to pray. There were times, itis reported through
tawatur
, that when he raised his hands in the pulpit,rain would
begin to fall before he lowered them.Muslim, no. 681; Abu Dawud, no. 437-41;
Abu Nu'aym, 4:282.
99.Majma' al-Zawa'id, 6:194, related by Bazzar, Bayhaqi, and
Tabarani.100.Shifa', 1:290, Bayhaqi, 2:15; also related by Ibn Sa'd and
Tabarani.101.Irhasat: The series of extraordinary incidents that happened
before ProphetMuhammad's birth, at his birth, and before he declared his
Prophethood. (Tr.)102.Abu Nu'aym, 2:523; also related by Hakim and Bayhaqi.
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(up to chapter 8)
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