The Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

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There are nearly one thousand miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which prove his messengership. These miracles were witnessed and they have been narrated till this day by many people who are so trustworthy that it is impossible for them to lie.

The Noble Messenger (PBUH) declared His prophethood, and presented to humanity a decree as the Glorious Qur’an and manifest miracles which number, according to the scholars, one thousand. The occurrence of those miracles in their entirety is as certain as the fact that he (PBUH) declared himself prophet. In fact, as is shown by the words of the most obstinate unbelievers quoted in various places of the Wise Our’an, even they could not deny the occurrence of his miracles, but only called them -hasha wa kalla!-(Allah forbid) sorcery, in order to satisfy themselves, or to deceive their followers. The miracles of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have the certainty of confirmation by consensus of Ulama (scholars of Islam) to the hundredth degree. The Miracle is the confirmation by the CREATOR of the universe of his declaration of Prophethood; it has the effect of the words, ‘you have indeed spoken the truth!’ Suppose that you said in the assembly of a ruler, while being observed by Him, ‘The true ruler has appointed me to such and such position.’ At a time when you were asked to prove your claim, the word ‘Yes’ uttered by the ruler would sufficiently support you. Or, if the ruler changed his usual practice and attitude at your request, this would confirm your claim even more soundly and more definitely than would the word ‘Yes.’ In the same way, Allah’s Most Noble Messenger claimed: ‘I am the envoy of the Creator of this universe. My proof is that He will change His unbroken order at my request and my prayer. Now look at my fingers: He makes them run like a fountain with five spigots. Look at the moon: by a gesture of my finger, He splits it in two. Look at that tree: to affirm me, and to bear witness to me, it moves and comes near to me. Look at this food: although it is barely enough for two or three men, it satisfies two or three hundred. ‘Further he shows hundreds of similar miracles. However, the evidences of the veracity of this high being and the proofs of his prophethood are not restricted to his miracles. All his deeds and acts, his words and behaviour, his moral conduct and manners, his character and appearance prove to the attentive observers his truthfulness and seriousness. Indeed, many people such as Abdullah b. Salam, the famous scholar of the Children of Israel, came to belief merely by seeing him, and said, ‘No lie can hide in this face, nor can any fraud be found in it!’ Although many of the researchers have concluded that the proofs of the prophethood of Muhammad and his miracles number about one thousand, there are thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of proofs of his prophethood. And hundreds of thousands of truth-seeking men (muhaqqiqiin) with varying opinions have affirmed his prophethood in an equal number of ways. The Wise Our’an alone demonstrates thousands of the proofs of his prophethood, in addition to its own forty aspects of miraculousness. Since prophethood is as a phenomenon of humanity, and hundreds of thousands of individuals who claimed prophethood and performed miracles have lived and passed away; then, the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) is of a certainty superior to that of the prophethood of all the others. For whatever evidences, qualities and attributes became the means of the prophethood and messengership of all the messengers such as Prophet Isa (Peace be upon him) and Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him), they are all owned in a more perfect and comprehensive fashion by Muhammad (PBUH). And since the causes and means of prophetic authority exist more perfectly in the person of Muhammad (PBUH), this authority is to be found in him with more certainty than all the other prophets. (The Letters, 19th Letter, Second Sign)

Here are some examples of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad’s miracles (PBUH):

The Qur’an Miracle

Each prophet performed miracles on the most popular and most common issues of their eras.
For example, at the era of Prophet Isa (Jesus) (Peace be upon him), the medical science was in demand. That’s why; Prophet Isa’s greatest miracle was bringing the dead back to life as well as healing the blind and the leper.

In the era of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) four things were in demand in the Arabian Peninsula:
1. Eloquence (balaghat) and fluency (fasahat): art of fluent, forcible, elegant and persuasive speaking in an appropriate way to the addressee.
2. Poetry and elocution
3. Soothsaying and informing of the unseen
4. Acquainting of the past and the universal events.
The Holy Qur’an that is the greatest miracle of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) challenged the poems, elocutionists and soothsayers by giving information about the past and future events and anything related to the universe with its unique and inimitable eloquence and elocution. None of them could compete with even just one surah of the Qur’an and none could imitate even just one sentence. So they had to submit to and approve the Qur’an’s superiority with great respect and admiration.

The Ascension (Miraj) Miracle

As the greatest miracle of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that he performed for the dwellers of the earth is his splitting the moon into two, his greatest miracle performed for the dwellers of the heaven is “Ascension”.
According to the common points of the narrations reported in Bukhari and Muslim, the Ascension miracle occurred in this way:
One night, while the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was in Hijr (Hatim), the name of an area just next to Kaaba, in some narrations while he was sleeping and in some others while he was in a situation between sleeping and being awake, Jabrail (peace be upon him) came, split his chest and after washing it with zam-zam water he filled it with faith and wisdom and closed back. He helped the Prophet Muhammad mount on the ride called Buraq that could cover an incredibly vast distance with one leap. They travelled over than 1200 km in less no time and reached the Bait-ul Maqdis (Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem) where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) performed two rakahs salah leading the previous prophets. Then, Jabrail brought two cups; milk in one and wine in the other. Upon Prophet’s choosing the milk cup, Jabrail said: “You chose the fitrah (what is natural to creation)”.
After that, our blessed Prophet (PBUH) commenced the next stage of his miraculous Night Journey with the accompany of Jabrail (peace be upon him). Jabrail took him from Bait-ul Maqdis and ascended to the heaven.
In each heaven they ascended, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) met the prophets in order of Adam, Isa, Yusuf, Idris, Harun (Aaron) and Musa (peace be upon all of them). Finally he met the Prophet Ibrahim in the seventh heaven where the Bait-ul Mamur is located in. When they reached Sidrat-ul Muntaha (lote-tree of the utmost boundary) where no human has ever been before, he heard the creaks of the writer angels’ pens. Then the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) left Jabrail and passed beyond the Sidrat-ul Muntaha alone, as the first and only creature stepping into that mysterious realm. There he (PBUH) stood in the presence of Allah (SWT) and talked to Him (SWT). Human words are not enough to describe the wonder of that realm and the human intellect isn’t capable enough to comprehend how it happened. There, Allah (SWT) bestowed 50 prayers a day upon the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Ummah. As he was descending after this incomparable holy meeting, he met the Prophet Musa and told him about the prayers. Musa (peace be upon him) said that it would be very hard for the Prophet Muhammad’s ummah and advised him to ask Allah (SWT) to ease it. So, our blessed Prophet applied to the presence of Almighty Allah (SWT) until He (SWT) increased the prayers to 5 times a day. (Bukhari: Salah, 1; Tawhid 37; Anbiya 5; Bad’ul-halk 7; Manakib 24/ Muslim: Iman 259,262-263; Fadaail 164)
According to a narration Allah (SWT) also revealed the last verses of Surat-ul Baqara in the Ascend (Miraj) and gave the glad tidings of the ones’ who don’t associate partners with Allah (SWT) being forgiven. (Musnad 1, 422; Muslim: Iman, 279)

Splitting the Moon

Narrated Ibn Masud: During the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle the moon was split into two parts; one part remained over the mountain, and the other part went beyond the mountain. On that, Allah’s Apostle said, “Witness this miracle.” (Bukhari; 60; 387)

“The hour drew night and the moon was rent in twain. And if they behold a portent they turn away and say: Prolonged illusion. They denied (the Truth) and followed their own lusts. Yet everything will come to a decision.” (Surah al Qamar, 54)

As stated in the previous verse, one of the greatest miracles of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was splitting the moon. This amazing miracle, which couldn’t be denied even by the unbelievers occurred in the following way:

The miracle of the splitting of the moon occurred before the migration to Medina upon the demands of the polytheists with the permission of Allah (SWT) and it was shown by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as narrated by many companions like Anas b. Malik, Imam Ali, Huzayfa b. Yaman, Abdullah b. Mas’ud, Abdullah b. Abbas, Abdullah b. Umar, Abdullah b. Amr b. As, Jubayr b. Mut’im (May Allah be pleased with all of them).

Among Quraish polytheists, Walid b. Mughira, Abu Jahl. As b. Wail, As b. Hisham, Aswad b. Abdi Yaghus, Aswad b. Muttalib, Zama b. Aswad, Nadr b. Harith and others said to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

“If you truly are a Prophet that has been appointed by Allah, then split the moon in half. Let it be in such a way that one half will appear over the Mount Abu Qubais and the other half will be seen over Mount Quayqian.”

The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked:

“If I do it, will you become Muslims?”

The polytheists answered: “Yes, we will.”

It was the 14th night, when it was full moon. The Messenger of Allah stood supplicating to Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) inspired him to sign towards the moon with his finger. When Almighty Allah (SWT) let the moon split in half, one half standing over Mount Abu Qubais and the other half over Mount Quayqian, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shouted at Muslims:

“O Abu Salama b. Abdulasad! Arqam b. Abi’l Arqam! Bear witness!

And to the polytheists, he said, “Bear witness! So and so!

However, the polytheists said “This is one of the spells of Abu Kabsha’s Son.” “The son of Abu Kabsha cast a spell on you!” They said “Muhammad cast a spell on us!” Some of them also said:

“If Muhammad had cast a spell on us then, He couldn’t have cast a spell on everyone! Let us ask the wayfarers who came from the surrounding areas if they saw what we saw.”

They asked the travelers, who replied:

“Yes! We also did see the moon in that state! We saw the moon as split! They informed that the moon was split. However, the polytheists, who couldn’t deny the miracle occurred right in front of their eyes, rejected to be Muslims and to believe by saying: “This is a prevalent magic!”, they said “Abu Talib’s orphan affected the sky with his spell!” Since they couldn’t deny the miracle and since they couldn’t embrace Islam, they had to name it as “spell”.

( Muslim, 8/132 , Ahmad Ibn-i Hanbal, Musnad, 1/447, Ibni Kathir, Tafseer: 4/262, Tirmidhî, 5/398 , Kâdı İyaz, Shifa: 1/238 )

Informing about the future

According to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (PBUH) said to Fatima (RA): “You will be the first of my family to join me [after my death].”Six months later, what he said took place.

(Bukhari, Manaqib, 25; Muslim, Fada’il al-Sahaba,101; Ibn Maja, Jana’iz, 64; Musnad, vi, 240, 282, 283; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 340)

He (PBUH) also told Abu Dharr: “You will be expelled from here [Medina], will live alone, and will die alone.” All this came true twenty years later.

(al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 345; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 343; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 700; al-‘Asqalani, al-Matalib al-‘Aliya, iv, 116 no: 4109; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, v, 8-9; al-‘Asqalani, al-Isaba, iv, 64)

According to an authentic narration, he said: “Istanbul will be conquered, and blessed are the ruler and the troops that will conquer it.” He thus gave tidings that Istanbul would be conquered by Muslim hands, and that Mehmed the Conqueror would attain a high spiritual rank. His prediction again proved to be true.

(al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 422; Bukhari, Ta’rikh al-Saghir, no: 139; Musnad, iv, 335; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vi, 218)

Food multiplication

We will give a few examples from among the Prophet’s (PBUH) miracles that relate to his effecting increase in food and that are definite

Anas b. Malik (RA) reported:

My mother Umm Sulaim prepared hais and placed it in an earthen vessel and said: Anas, take it to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) and say: My mother has sent that to you and she offers greetings to you, and says that it is a humble gift for you on our behalf, Messenger of Allah. So I went along with it to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) and said: My mother offers you salutations, and says that it is a humble gift for you on our behalf. He said: Place it here, and then said: Go and invite on my behalf so and so and anyone whom you meet, and he even named some persons. He (Anas) said: I invited whom he had named and whom I met. I (one of the narrators) said: I said to Anas: How many (persons) were there? He (Anas) said: They were about three hundred persons. Then Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) (said to me): Anas, bring that earthen vessel. They (the guests) then began to enter until the courtyard and the apartment were fully packed. Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said: Make a circle of ten (guests), and every person should eat from that nearest to him. They began to eat, until they ate to their fill. A group went out (after eating the food), and another group came in until all of them had eaten. He (the Holy Prophet) said to me: Anas, lift it (the earthen vessel), so I lifted it, but I could not assess whether it had more (food) when I placed it (before Allah’s Messenger) or when I lifted it (after the people had been served out of it). (Muslim; Nikah; 3335)

It is narrated either on the authority of Abu Huraira or that of Abu Sa’id Khudri. The narrator A’mash has narrated this hadith with a little bit of doubt (about the name of the very first narrator who was in direct contact with the Holy Prophet. He was either Abu Huraira or Abu Sa’id Khudri. Both are equally reliable transmitters of the traditions). He (the narrator) said: During the time of tabuk expedition, the (provisions) ran short and the men (of the army) suffered starvation; they said: Messenger of Allah, would you permit us to slay our camels? We would eat them and use their fat. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do as you please. He (the narrator) said: Then ‘Umar came there and said: Messenger of Allah, if you do that (if you give your consent and the men begin to slay their camels), the riding animals would become short. But (I would suggest you to) summon them along with the provisions left with them then invoke Allah’s blessings on them (different items of the provisions). It is hoped Allah shall bless them. The Messenger of Allah replied in the affirmative. (the narrator) said: He called for a leather mat to be used as a table cloth and spread it out. Then he called people along with the remaining portions of their provisions. He (the narrator) said: Someone was coming with handful of mote, another was coming with a handful of dates, and still another

was coming with a portion of bread, till small quantities of these things were collected on the table cloth. He (the narrator said): Then the messenger of Allah (SWT) invoked blessing (on them) and said: Fill your utensils with these provisions. He (the narrator) said: They filled their vessel to the brim with them, and no one amongst the army (which comprised of 30,000 persons) was left even with a single empty vessel. He (the narrator) said: They ate to their fill, and there was still a surplus. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) remarked: I bear testimony that there is no god but Allah and I am the messenger of Allah. The man who meets his Lord without harbouring any doubt about these two (truths) would never be kept away from Paradise. (Muslim; Iman; 42)

Water runs from his fingers like fountain

Narrated Salim: Jabir said “On the day of Al-Hudaibiya, the people felt thirsty and Allah’s Apostle had a utensil containing water. He performed ablution from it and then the people came towards him. Allah’s Apostle said, ‘What is wrong with you?’ The people said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! We haven’t got any water to perform ablution with or to drink, except what you have in your utensil.’ So the Prophet put his hand in the utensil and the water started spouting out between his fingers like springs. So we drank and performed ablution.” I said to Jabir, “What was your number on that day?” He replied, “Even if we had been one hundred thousand, that water would have been sufficient for us. Anyhow, we were 1500.’ (Bukhari; Book 59; 473)

Water multiplication

Mu’adh b. Jabal reported that he went along with Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) in the expedition of tabuk and he (the Holy Prophet) combined the prayers. He offered the noon and afternoon prayers together and the sunset and night prayers together and on the other day he deferred the prayers; he then came out and offered the noon and afternoon prayers together. He then went in and (later on) came out and then after that offered the sunset and night prayers together and then said: God willing, you would reach by tomorrow the fountain of tabuk and you should not come to that until it is dawn, and he who amongst you happens to go there should not touch its water until I come. We came to that and two persons (amongst) us reached that fountain ahead of us. It was a thin flow of water like the shoelace. Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) asked them whether they had touched the water. They said: Yes. Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) scolded them, and he said to them what he had to say by the will of God. The people then took water of the fountain in their palms until it became somewhat significant and Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) washed his hands and his face too in it, and then, took it again in that (fountain) and there gushed forth abundant water from that fountain, until all the people drank to their fill. He then said: Mu’adh, it is hoped that if you live long you would see its water irrigating well the gardens. (Muslim; Book 30; Hadith 5662)

Trees listen to his orders

Burayda reports:

“When we were with the Noble Messenger (PBUH) on an expedition, a Bedouin came and asked for a sign, that is, a miracle. The Messenger (PBUH) said: ‘Tell that tree that Allah’s Messenger summons it!’ Then he pointed to a tree; it swayed to right and left, heaved itself out of the ground with its roots, and came to the Messenger (PBUH), saying: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!’ The Bedouin said: ‘Now let it go back to its place!’ He commanded, and it went. Then the Bedouin said: ‘Allow me to prostrate before you.’ The Messenger (PBUH) replied: ‘No one is permitted to do that.’ The Bedouin said: ‘Then I will kiss your hands and feet,’ and he permitted him.”

(Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 299; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 49)

Reported by Imam b. Fawrak, known for his excellence in interpretation as the foremost scholar of his time and the second Shafi‘i:

“While travelling on horseback one night during the Ta’if expedition, sleep overcame Allah’s Noble Messenger (PBUH). While in that state a lote-tree loomed up before him. To make way for him and not to hurt his horse, the tree split in two, and the Noble Messenger (PBUH) passed between the two parts of the tree on the horse.” The tree has remained with two trunks, in that honoured position, up to our time. (Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 301; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 619; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 57)

Crying of the stem of the Date-palm tree

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:

The Prophet used to stand by a tree or a date-palm on Friday. Then an Ansari woman or man said. “O Allah’s Apostle! Shall we make a pulpit for you?” He replied, “If you wish.” So they made a pulpit for him and when it was Friday, he proceeded towards the pulpit (for delivering the sermon). The date-palm cried like a child! The Prophet descended (the pulpit) and embraced it while it continued moaning like a child being quietened. The Prophet said, “It was crying for (missing) what it used to hear of religious knowledge given near to it.” (Bukhari; Book 56, Hadith 784)

Mountains and rocks say “Peace be upon you! Oh! Messenger of Allah”

In Imam Ali’s chain of narration, it says:

“Whenever we went around in the environs of Mecca in the early of days of his prophethood, the trees and rocks we encountered would declare: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!’”

(Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 6; Darimi, Muqaddima, 4; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, viii, 260; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 607; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 628)

While in his chain of transmission, Jabir says: “Whenever the Noble Messenger (PBUH) came across rocks and trees, they would prostrate before him, that is, demonstrating obedience to him, they would declare: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!’”

(Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 307; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 71)

Staff’s and baton’s turning into swords

While fighting the idolaters during the great Battle of Badr, itself a source of wonders, ‘Ukkasha b. Muhassin al-Asadi had his sword broken. Allah’s Noble Messenger (PBUH) gave him a stout staff in place of it, saying: “Fight with this!” Suddenly, with Allah’s leave, the staff became a long white sword, and he fought with it. He carried the sword on his person for the rest of his life until he fell as a martyr during the Battle of al-Yamama

(Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 333; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 671; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 156; Ibn Hisham, Sirat al-Nabi, i, 637; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad (Tahqiq: Arnavudi), iii, 186)

A handful of earth entered the eyes of an army

“And when you (O Messenger) threw (dust at them at the start of the battle), it was not you who threw but Allah threw.”(Anfal, 8:17) As established by the researches of all Qur’anic commentators and the reports of the scholars of Hadith, this verse refers to the following incident that occurred during the Battle of Badr:

Allah’s Noble Messenger (PBUH) took up a handful of earth and small stones and threw them at the army of the unbelievers, saying: “May your faces be deformed!”, and just as these words entered the ears of all of them despite being a single phrase, so too the handful of earth entered all their eyes. They all became preoccupied with their eyes, and although on the attack, the army suddenly turned tail and fled. (al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vi, 84)

Curing the old and ill people

In the Battle of Uhud, Qatada b. Nu‘man was hit in the eye by an arrow; it was struck out of his head, so that it was sitting on the side of his face. God’s Messenger (PBUH) took the eye in his blessed, healing hand and placed it in its socket; it was healed as though nothing had happened to it and became the better of his two eyes. This event became very widely known. A grandson of Qatada, even, once described himself to ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz as, “I am the grandson of one who, when Allah’s Most Noble Messenger (PBUH) placed his eye back in its socket after it had been struck out, it was suddenly healed and became his best eye.”

(Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 322; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vi, 113; al-Hindi, Kanz al-‘Ummal, xii, 377; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad (Tahqiq: Arnavudi), iii, 186-7; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 295)

Peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad thousands and thousands of times, to the number of good deals of his community, to whom was revealed the All-Wise Criterion of Truth and Falsehood, from One Most Merciful, Most Commpassionate, from the Sublime Throne; whose Prophethood was foretold by the Torah and Bible, and told by wondrous signs, the voices of jinn, saints of man, and soothsayers; at whose indication the moon split; our master Muhammed! Peace and blessings be upon him thousands and thousands of times, to the number of the breaths of his community; at whose beckoning came the tree, on whose prayer rain swiftly fell, and whom the cloud shaded from the heat; who satisfied a hundred men with his food; from between whose fingers three times flowed water like the Spring of Kauthar; and to whom Allah made speak the lizard, the gazelle, the wolf, the torso, the arm, the camel, the mountain, the rock, and the clod; the one who made the Ascension and whose eye did not waver; our master and intercessor, Muhammed! Peace and blessings be upon him thousands and thousands of times, to the number of the letters of the Qur’an formed in the words represented with the permission of the Most Merciful in the mirrors of the airwaves at the reciting of all the words of the Qur’an by all reciters from when it was first revealed to the end of time. And grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us, O Allah, for each of those blessings. Amin.