ABOUT MIRACLES OF PROPHET MOOSA (PEACE BE UPON HIM)
The greatest of the miracles given to Prophet Moosa (Peace be upon him) are the nine signs that Allah refers to in His saying:
“And indeed We gave to Moosa nine clear signs.” (Soorah Al-Isra’ 17:101) The majority of the scholars are of the view that the signs were: his staff that turned to a snake whenever he shook it; his hand that shined and illuminated like the moon whenever he put it under his armpit and then removed it; the years of famine; the sea that split into two for the Children of Isra’eel to escape to safety and drowning of Fir‘awn and his followers; his invocation against the people of Fir‘awn when they belied him that they should be visited with the flood; the locusts; the lice; the frogs; and the blood.
Among other signs that Allah gave to Prophet Moosa (Peace be upon him) were shading of the Children of Isra’eel by the cloud while they were in the wilderness; coming of manna and quails from the heaven. He also prayed for water for them and Allah gave them water that came out of a rock that had three springs. Moosa would strike it with his staff, and from each spring thereof would gush out. Each of those from among the Children of Isra’eel who worshipped the calf was made to die; Allah then resurrected them. There is also the story of the cow and other wonderful signs with which Prophet Moosa (Peace be upon him) was blessed.
The great scholar Ibn Zamlakani said: As for Moosa’s staff that became a snake, Muhammad was given a sign that was more astounding. Pebbles have glorified Allah in his hands, though they are inanimate things. The Hadith regarding this is authentic and famous. There are also reports that these pebbles glorified Allah in the hands of Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman. It is in reference to this that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was reported to have said, “This is the Caliphate of Prophethood.”
There is also a report that Abu Muslim Al-Khawlani had a rosary which he used for glorifying Allah. One day, he was asleep while the rosary was in his hand. It then turned and started rolling in his arm, glorifying Allah! Abu Muslim turned and saw the rosary glorifying Allah while circling around his arm and saying, “Glory be to You, the Grower of plants, the Everlasting Lord!” He then called on his wife, Umm Muslim, to come and see one of the strangest things he had ever seen. She came, while the rosary was still making the glorification of Allah. But when she sat down beside her husband, it kept silent.
Clearer than all the above and more authentic is the Hadith recorded by Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood who said: “We used to hear the food glorifying Allah, while it was being eaten.”
Muslim also recorded on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed, I know a rock in Makkah that used to salute me before I was commissioned (as a Prophet). I can still recognize it now.” Some people said it is Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (the Black Stone that is in Ka‘bah).
Ali narrated: “I went out with the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and whenever he passed by a tree or a rock, it would salute him.” We have also mentioned earlier that the first time Angel Gabriel conveyed revelation to him, he would not pass by any tree or stone without them greeting him, saying, “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!” A tree answered his call and came to him; and there were other two trees that carried out his needs and then returned to their roots. The Ahadeeth about these two events are authentic.
However, actions of these trees and rocks do not necessarily mean that they were given souls (like that of living things). For, they may have been propelled by an unseen propeller. But his statement, “Surrender to me by the will of Allah!” indicates that the trees had a feeling of being addressed, especially with their doing what he ordered them to do. The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) also commanded a bunch of dates to come down from the tree and it did, hopping on the ground until it stood in front of him. He then addressed it, “Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?” The bunch testified to that three times and then went back to its place on the tree. This is the most comparable example. However, there is some oddity in this narration.
The narration recorded by Imam Ahmad and classified as authentic by At-Tirmidi is the one narrated by Ibn Abbas that a Bedouin man came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and asked him, “How can I know that you are the Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, “Tell me: if I called this bunch of dates and it responded, will you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?” The man answered in the affirmative. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) then called the bunch to come dome down from the tree and it fell on the ground, hopping until it stood in front of the Messenger of Allah. He then commanded it, “Go back!” And it went back to its place. The Bedouin man then said, “I testify that you are, indeed, the Messenger of Allah.”
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: A man (from the clan of Amir) came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) while he was at a place where there were bunches and trees and said to him, “What is this that your companions are saying?” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him, “Shall I show you a sign?” The man said, “Yes.” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) then called a branch of that tree and it comes down hopping toward him until it stood right in front of him. It then started prostrating and raising his head. The Prophet then ordered it to go back to it place and its complied. The Amiri man returned to his people and said to them, “O you members of Amir Ibn Sa‘sa‘ah clan. By Allah! I will never belie him again in whatever he says!”
Abdullah Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) invited a man to Islam and the man asked him, “Do you have any proof to support what you are saying?” The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) answered, “This tree.” He then called the tree that was on the edge of the valley and it started coming unto him hopping on the ground until it stood in front of him. He then asked it to testify to his being the Messenger of Allah which it promptly did three times. It then went back to its root. The Bedouin man returned to his people. But before he went he told the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), “If they follow me, I would bring them to you; but if they did not, then I will come back to you and stay in your company.”
As for the groaning of the palm trunk which the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recline on when he gave sermons, it is caused by his leaving it. When a pulpit was built for him, he ascended it and started giving sermons, abandoning the palm trunk he used to recline on before. The trunk then started groaning and crying until the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) got down from the pulpit and patted it and pacified it. He then asked it to choose between being turned into a fresh branch and being planted in Paradise, thereby becoming a fruitful tree from which sincere servants of Allah will eat. It chose to become a planted tree in Paradise. It then became quiet. This Hadith is famous. It is successively narrated from a great number of the Companions; and the event took place in the presence of a large number of people.
Our Shaikh said, “These are inanimate things and plants that had groaned and talked. This is qualified enough to be cited as equivalent of Prophet Moosa’s staff that turned into a snake.”
We shall make mention of this when we speak about miracles of Prophet ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him).
Amr Ibn Sawwad narrated that Ash-Shafi‘i asked him, “What is it that Allah gave any Prophet that He did not give to Muhammad?” He answered, “He gave ‘Eesa resurrection of the dead.” Ash-Shafi‘i said, “He gave Muhammad the trunk on which he used to recline on while making sermon until a pulpit was erected for him. When it was erected for him and he left the trunk, it was heard groaning in grief. This is greater than restoring life back to the dead.” The chain of this narration to Ash-Shafi‘i is credible.
He said, “This is greater than that” because a tree trunk is not a living thing yet it was made to have feelings and sentiment when the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) abandoned it for the pulpit. So, it groaned in sorrow for missing the Prophet’s companionship until he descended from the pulpit and comforted it.
As for the fact that Allah spoke with Prophet Moosa (Peace be upon him), we have mentioned earlier how He spoke with Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) during the night of Isra’ in addition to having the honor of glancing at Allah’s noble Countenance. And this is greater. This is supported by the statement, “And he was called: O Muhammad! I have completed what I have made obligatory upon My slaves and I have lightened the burden for them.” The context of the rest of the story also serves as guidance to that.
As for the Prophet’s glancing at his Lord, it has been a famous controversial topic among the earlier and later generations of scholars.
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) was reported to have affirmed the glance but believed that it was with the heart and not with the eyes. There are also Ahadeeth in Al-Bukhari and Muslim in which ‘A’ishah denied that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) saw his Lord.
Muslim recorded on the authority of Abu Dharr: I asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him): Did you see your Lord? He said: “He is a Light; how could I see Him?”
Ibn Hamid said: Allah addressed Moosa, “And I endued you with love from Me.” (Soorah Ta Ha 20:39) And He said to Muhammad, “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Soorah Aal ‘Imran 3:31)
As for the hand which Allah has made a proof for Moosa against Fir‘awn after mentioning that the staff that turned to a snake as indicated in His noble statement, “Put your hand in your bosom, it will come forth white without a disease; and draw your hand close to your side to be free from fear (which you suffered from the snake, and also your hand will return to its original state).
These are two Burhans (signs, miracles, evidences, proofs, etc.) from your Lord to Fir’awn (Pharaoh) and his chiefs.” (Soorah Al-Qasas 28:32) And in His statement, “Another Sign. That We may show you (some) of Our Greater Signs.” (Soorah Ta Ha 20:22-23)
He had given Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) the splitting of the moon – by his pointing at it – into two parts: one, behind the mountain of Hira and the other in front of it. This has been mentioned earlier in the successively narrated Ahadeeth in this regard. This is in addition to Allah’s statement, “The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder (the people of Makkah requested Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to show them a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon). And if they see a Sign, they turn away, and say: “This is continuous magic.” (Soorah Al-Qamar 54:1-2) And this, incontestably, is greater miracle, more obvious and more impactful.
In his long Hadith on his repentance, Ka‘b Ibn Malik said, “And whenever the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was happy, his face became brightened and illuminated like a split moon.”
Ibn Hamid said, “If it is said that the Moosa was given an illuminating hand, we will say that Muhammad was given what was greater than this. He was given a light that shone on his right and left sides wherever he sat down at and whenever he left a place.
We have mentioned in the Seerah while discussing Tufail Ad-Dawsi’s embrace of Islam that he asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to give him a sign that would help make his people embrace Islam. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed for him and he went back to his people. When he arrived at the mountain trail close to the dwellings of his people, a light emanated from in front of him like a lamp. He supplicated, “O Allah! Not in this place for they will think it is a punishment!” The light then shifted to the edge of his whip, and it appeared to them like a lamp. So Allah guided them to Islam through Tufail as a result of the Prophet’s blessing and the supplication he made thus: “O Allah! Guide the clan of Daws and bring them!” It is on account of this that Tufail was called, “the light man!”
Thabit related on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik that Abbad Ibn Bishr and Usaid Ibn Hudair came out from the house of the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) in a very dark night and the staff of one of them let out an illumination like that of a lamp in the light of which they both walked. When they parted ways, the staff of each of them had illumination.
Muhammad Ibn Hamzah Ibn Amr Al-Aslami narrated from his father who said, “We undertook a night journey in the company of the Messenger of Allah and it was very dark. My fingers became illuminated that the convoy made use of the light produced therefrom to find their way.”
As regards Prophet Moosa’s invocation of flood, it is, according to some interpretation, a deterrent death. Other signs such as draught and famine were inflicted so that they might return to following Moosa (Peace be upon him) and stop disobeying him. However, the signs increased them in nothing but greater transgression. Allah says:
“They said (to Moosa) “Whatever Ayat (proofs, evidences, Verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.” So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were Mujrimoon (criminals, polytheists, sinners). And when the punishment fell on them they said: “O Moosa(Moses)! Invoke your Lord for us because of His Promise to you. If you remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the Children of Isra’eel go with you.” But when We removed the punishment from them to a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word! So We took retribution from them. We drowned them in the sea, because they belied Our Ayat and were heedless about them.” (Soorah Al-A‘raf 7:132-136)
The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) invoked Allah against the Quraish when they persisted in their opposition of him. He invoked Allah to put them to trial with seven years of famine like the one interpreted by Prophet Yoosuf (Peace be upon him) And they were afflicted with famine so much so that they ate everything. The situation was so terrible that one of them would see nothing between the heaven and the Earth but cloud out of extreme hunger. Ibn Mas‘ood has cited this event as interpretation of Allah’s statement: “Then wait you for the Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke.” (Soorah Ad-Dukhan 44:10)
As for splitting of the sea for Moosa (Peace be upon him) as a result of Allah’s command for to strike it with his staff when their pursuers nearly caught up with them, the sea split into two, each part looking like a huge mountain. This is undoubtedly a great and an astounding miracle as well as an exceedingly overwhelming proof. However, Prophet Muhammad’s pointing to the full moon with his noble hand and its splitting into two as a result in response to the demand of the Quraish people who were witnesses to it is a greater sign and more convincing proof of his Prophethood and his position in Allah’s estimation. No greater physical miracle was ever reported from any other Prophet.
Ibn Hamid said: They say that Moosa (Peace be upon him) struck his staff against the sea and it split and that is a great miracle for him. Our response to this is that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was given a similar miracle. Ali said: When we went to Khaibar, we were at Yashkhab valley. We estimated it and found it to be fourteen feet deep. The people said, “O Messenger of Allah, there is enemy behind us and the valley in front of us” in similarity to what Allah informs us about the followers of Prophet Moosa: “And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Moosa said: “We are sure to be overtaken.” (Soorah Ash-Shu‘ara 26:61) The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) then said, “O Allah, You have given every Messenger a proof. Show me Your Grace!” He then mounted his ride and his Companions also did the same and the horses and camels crossed without their hooves being seen. And there was victory.
But this narration is without a chain of narrators and I have never come across it with either a sound, fairly sound or weak chain in any of the recognized books. And Allah (SWT) knows best.
As for Moosa’s being shaded with cloud in wilderness, it can be compared with the incidence of the cloud that the Baheera, the Christian monk saw about Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) being shaded by a cloud in the midst of his co-travelers while he was 12 years old. He accompanied his uncle Abu Talib to Sham on a trade trip. This miracle is more astounding, first, in the sense that it occurred before he started receiving any revelation for he was being exclusively shaded by the cloud on this occasion and this is more manifest that the cloud of the Children of Isra’eel and others. Secondly, the Children of Isra’eel were shaded by the cloud due to their need as a result of severe heat.
We have also earlier mentioned while discussing signs of Muhammad’s Prophethood that when he was asked to supplicate for the rain due to the extreme hunger, famine and drought they were suffering from, he raised his hands and said, “O Allah, give us water! O Allah, give us water! O Allah, give us water! O Allah, send down rain upon us! O Allah, send down rain upon us! O Allah, send down rain upon us!” Anas (the narrator of the Hadith) said: By Allah, we did not see any cloud or any patch of it, and there was neither any house or building standing between us and the (hillock) Sal‘. There appeared a cloud in the shape of a shield from behind it, and as it (came high) in the sky it spread and then there was a downpour of rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun throughout the week. And when the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked to supplicate that the rain should be stopped, he raised his hand and said: O Allah, let it (rain) fall in our suburbs and not on us, O Allah (send it down) on the hillocks and small mountains and the river-beds and at places where trees grow.” As soon as he gestured with his hands toward a side, the cloud moved toward that side and Al-Madinah became like the hollowness of a chaplet around which rain fell but itself was not affected by the rain.
As for sending down of manna and quails to the Children of Isra’eel, the Messenger of Allah(Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), had miraculously turned little food in abundance that sufficed a great number of people on many occasions as we have mentioned earlier while discussing signs of Prophethood. During the Battle of the Trench, he turned the meager food and a Sa‘ of barley that Jabir had into abundant food which more than a thousand hungry men ate to their fill. He also fed a large group of people from his handful – peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
By Ibn Katheer
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