The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) Touch is Miraculous

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

ophet (s.a.w.) radiated powerfully from his hand, so that when he placed it on the sick and the injured, they were cured,: when he touched food, it increased manifold; when he placed it on someone’s chest, he removed doubts and disbelief; when he gave his companions dry, wooden sticks, they turned into swords; when he threw gravel or dust at the face of the enemy, it separated into guided missiles striking their targets in the eyes. 

When Sayyidina Qatadah ibn an-Nu’man (r.a.) was wounded in the eye by an arrow on the day of Uhud, his eyeball was dislodged and hung on his cheek.  His companions wanted to cut it off, but decided to consult the Prophet (s.a.w.) first.  He said, “No!”, then ordered Sayyidina Qatadah (r.a.) brought to him, pushed his eyeball back into place with his hand, blowing some of his spittle on it then said, “O Allah, give him beauty!”  It became Sayyidina Qatadah’s (r.a.) best eye and when the other eye suffered from infection, that one never did.  This is found in Swahih Muslim, in Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi’s (r.a.) Dala’il, and Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hakim an-Nishaburi’s (r.a.) Mustadrak. 

Sayyidina Abyad ibn Hammal (r.a.) suffered from an illness that ate at his face.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) passed his hand over his face and it disappeared without leaving a trace.  This was recorded by Imam Abu Nu’aym Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Aswbahani (r.a.), Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), and Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa’d (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Shurahbil al-Ju’fi (r.a.) said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), with a swelling on my palm and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah!  This swelling has tormented me, and it prevents me form holding my sword or the reins of my mount!’  He blew on my palm, then put his palm on the swelling and went on grinding it until it disappeared.” This was recorded by Imam al-Bukhari (r.a.), Imam ath-Thabarani (r.a.), and Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.). 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Atik (r.a.) went to Khaybar to kill the infamous Jew, Abu Rafi’ Salam bin Abi al-Huqayq, in the latter’s house.  As he was leaving the house, he fell and broke his ankle.  He bandaged it, and hobbled to his companions, then they rode back together to Madina.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Stretch your leg!”  He passed his hand over the broken bones, and they mended there and then.  This is recorded in Swahih al-Bukhari. 

Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn al-Hakam (r.a.) jumped his horse over a ditch during an expedition with the Prophet (s.a.w.).  The horse failed to cross the trench, and Sayyidina ‘Ali’s (r.a.) leg was crushed between the horse and the side of the trench.  He went to the Prophet (s.a.w.), who said, “In the Name of Allah!”, and passed his hand over it, curing it.  Imam Abu ‘Umar Yusuf ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (r.a.) recorded this in his Majma’ az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id. 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah (r.a.) went to the Prophet (s.a.w.) saying, “O Messenger of Allah, I suffer from a molar tooth that pains me greatly!” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) put his hand on his cheek, saying, “O Allah, Remove from him the pain he suffers and the distress, by the prayer of Your Blessed Prophet, whose rank is high with You!”  He repeated this prayer seven times.  Sayyidina ibn Rawahah (r.a.) left the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) presence completely cured.  Imam Abu al-Fadhl ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuthi (q.s.) recorded this in his al-Khaswa’isw al-Kubra’. 

Sayyidatina Asma’ (r.a.), daughter of Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.), complained one day that her head and face were swollen.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) put his hand on her head then her face, above her veil, repeating three times, “In the Name of Allah!  Remove from her the pain she suffers and the distress, by the prayer of Your Blessed Prophet, whose rank is high with You!”  The swelling subsided.  Here, the Prophet (s.a.w.) was doing tawaswswul through his own Blessed self.  Imam as-Suyuthi (q.s.) recorded this in his al-Khaswa’isw al-Kubra. 

Sayyidina ‘Amr ibn Hurayts (r.a.) said, “My mother took me to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.); he passed his hand over my head, and prayed for me to remain provisioned.”  Imam ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (r.a.) recorded this in his Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina ‘Amr ibn Tsa’labah (r.a.) said, “I met the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) at Sala and became a Muslim.  He passed his hand over my head.”  Sayyidina ibn Tsa’labah (r.a.) lived to be a hundred years old but the place that the Prophet (s.a.w.) had touched never turned grey.  Imam ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (r.a.) recorded this in his Majma’ az-Zawa’id.  This was also recorded by Imam Abu Muhammad al-Ḥusayn ibn Mas’ud al-Baghawi (r.a.), and Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.). 

Sayyidina as-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (r.a.) was asked by his servant, Hadhrat ‘Atha’ (r.a.), why his beard and part of his head were not white.  The latter said, “Shall I tell you, my son?” 

“Indeed!” Hadhrat ‘Atha’ (r.a.) replied. 

“I was playing with other boys,” he said, “When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) passed by, I walked up to him and greeted him.  He returned my salaam, then asked, ‘Who are you?’ 

I replied, ‘I am as-Sa’ib ibn Yazid, son of an-Nimr ibn Qasith’s sister.’ 

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) passed his hand over my head saying, ‘May Allah Bless you!’  By Allah!  It will never go white and will remain like this perpetually!” This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id.  It is also mentioned by Imam ibn Sa’d (r.a.), and Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Muhammad ibn Fudhalah azh-Zhafari (r.a.) said, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) came when I was two weeks old.  I was brought to him, he passed his hand over my head saying, ‘Call him by my name, but do not call him by my kunya!’  I was taken along to perform the Farewell Pilgrimage with him when I was ten years old.”  Sayyidina Muhammad ibn Fudhalah’s (r.a.) life was long, his hair turned white, but not where the hand of the Prophet (s.a.w.) had touched it.  The kunya is the respectful Arab way of calling their elders, Abu Fulan, father of so and so; in the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) case, it was Abu al-Qasim.  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id.  It is also mentioned by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (r.a.) and Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Malik ibn ‘Umayr (r.a.) was present at the conquest of Makkah, then at the campaigns of Hunayn, and Tha’if.  He was a poet.  He asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) about poetry, and was told, “For you to be filled with pus from your throat to your pubis is better than to be filled by poetry!” 

He said, “O Messenger of Allah, pass your hand over my head!”  He did, and Sayyidina Malik (r.a.) never said a verse after this.  He lived long, his head and beard turned white, except the place touched by the Prophet.  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina Bishr ibn ‘Aqrabah al-Juhani (r.a.) said, “‘Aqrabah went to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), who asked, ‘Who is this with you O ‘Aqrabah?’ 

‘My son, Bahir,’ he replied. 

He said, ‘Come nearer!’  I did and sat on his right.  He passed his hand over my head.  ‘What is your name?’ he asked. 

‘Bahir, O Messenger of Allah,’ I replied. 

He said, ‘No, your name is Bishr!’  My tongue was tied; the Prophet (s.a.w.) blew into my mouth, and it was undone.  All my hair turned white except where he had put his hand, this part remained black.”  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id.  It is also mentioned by Imam Tsiqat ad-Din Abu al-Qasim ‘Ali ibn al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Asakir (r.a.), and Qadhi Abu Ya’la Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn al-Farra (r.a.). 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also passed his hand over Sayyidina ‘Ubadah ibn Sa’d az-Zuraqi’s (r.a.) head, and prayed for him.  He lived to be eighty, but his hair remained black.  This is recounted by Shaykh az-Zubayr ibn Bakkar (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Abu Zayd ‘Amr ibn Akhthab al-Answari (r.a.) said, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) passed his hand over my head, saying, ‘O Allah, Make him fair looking and preserve the fairness!’”  He lived until he was well over a hundred years old without any grey hairs appearing in his beard.  His face remained smooth until he died.  This is found in Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and in Dala’il an-Nubuwwah. 

Sayyidina al-Wazi’ ibn ‘Amir (r.a.) took a son of his who had become insane to the Prophet (s.a.w.), who passed his hand over his face, and prayed for him.  Thereafter, none was more rational than he.  This was recorded by Imam Abu Nu’aym (r.a.), and Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Amr al-Bazzar (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (r.a.) said, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) visited me in Bani Salimah and found me semi-conscious.  He asked for water, made his wudhu’ then sprinkled some of the water over me and I came to.”  This is found in Swahih al-Bukhari. 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to pat children on the head, pray for them, joke with them, and sometimes wind a turban round their heads. 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn Bishr (r.a.) said, “My mother sent me to the Prophet (s.a.w.) with a bunch of grapes.  I ate some of them before reaching him.  He passed his hand over my head saying, ‘Traitor!’”  Later on, ibn Bishr (r.a.) used to show them a mark on his forelocks, saying, “This is where the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) put his hand when he said, ‘He will reach the century!’”  Both accounts are recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina Hanzhalah ibn Juzaym at-Tamimi (r.a.) was brought to the Prophet (s.a.w.) by his father.  The latter said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have sons with beards, this is the youngest, pray to Allah for him!” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) passed his hand over his head, then said, “May Allah Bless you!” 

Thereafter, whenever a sick man with a swollen face or an animal with a swollen udder were brought to Sayyidina Hanzhalah (r.a.), he blew in his hands, saying, “In the Name of Allah!” then placed his hand on his own head where the Prophet's (s.a.w.) palm had touched it, saying, “Where the hand of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) was placed,” then rubbed the swelling and cured it.  This was recorded by Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.), and Imam ibn Sa’d (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Abu Mahdzurah Aws ibn Mi’yar al-Jumahi (r.a.) allowed his forelock to grow so long that when he sat down it reached the ground.  When they asked him, “Will you not cut it?” he replied, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) passed his hand over it.  I am not one to cut it until I die!”  Imam al-Baghawi (r.a.) recorded this. 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn Hilal al-Answari (r.a.) said, “My father took me to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), saying, ‘O Messenger of Allah, pray Allah for him!’  I have not forgotten; the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) placed his hand over my head until I felt its coolness, then he prayed for me and blessed me!”  Sayyidina ‘Abdullah (r.a.) lived long.  Both his head and his beard turned white, and he could hardly comb them because of his age, yet he still fasted by day and prayed all night.  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina Abu ‘Athiyyah ibn ‘Amr al-Bakri (r.a.) was taken by his parents to the Prophet (s.a.w.).  He was a young man at the time.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) passed his hand over his head.  When he was a hundred years old, his head and beard were still black.  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina al-‘Aa’idz ibn ‘Amr al-Muzni (r.a.) said, “An arrow struck my face, as I was fighting before the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), on the day of Hunayn.  Blood flowed over my face, beard, and chest.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) wiped off the blood from my face and chest down to my breast with his hand and prayed for me.”  When Sayyidina ‘Aa’idz (r.a.) died, those who had heard this from him looked at his chest and found the trace of the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) hand on it.  They likened it to the white blaze on a horse’s forehead.  This has been recorded by Imam al-Hakim (r.a.), and is also found in Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina ‘Aa’idz’s (r.a.) wife also said that he had once gone to the Prophet (s.a.w.) to ask him to pass his hand over his face and pray for him for barakah.  She added that the Prophet (s.a.w.) did and since then she saw her husband wake up from sleep fresh, as if he had rubbed his face with oil.  She also remarked that he needed no more than a few dates to sustain him.  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id. 

Sayyidina Abu al-‘Ala’ ibn ‘Umayr (r.a.) said, “I was visiting Qatadah ibn Milhan when he was ill.  A man passed by the far end of the house, and I saw him reflected in Qatadah’s face, for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) had passed his hand over his face.  Whenever I saw him, it was as if he had rubbed his face with oil.”  This has been recorded by Imam Ahmad (r.a.) and Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.). 

Sayyidina Usayd ibn Abu Unas (r.a.) was one of those whose life the Prophet (s.a.w.) had declared could be taken with impunity, after the conquest of Makkah, when he had accorded immunity to all the Makkans.  Sayyidina Usayd (r.a.) came to the Prophet (s.a.w.), asking whether he would accept Sayyidina Usayd (r.a.) should he come to him as a Muslim?  The Prophet (s.a.w.) having answered affirmatively, Sayyidina Usayd took his hand saying, “This is my hand in yours; I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah, and I testify that there is no God other than Allah!”  The Prophet (s.a.w.) immediately ordered a crier to announce that Sayyidina Usayd (r.a.) had accepted Islam, and was henceforth immune.  Then he passed his hand over his face, then placed it on his chest.  From then on, whenever Sayyidina Usayd (r.a.) entered a dark house, the light radiating from him illuminated it.  This was recorded by Shaykh Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Mada’ini (r.a.). 

Sayyidina ‘Utbah ibn Farqad (r.a.) had four wives who competed with each other, each seeking to smell better than her companions.  One of them said that Sayyidina ‘Utbah (r.a.) always smelled better than they, even though he never used perfume.  Furthermore, people always remarked on his fragrance, so much so that his wives asked him how this had come to be.  He replied, “I suffered from an ailment in the days of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).  I complained to him about it.  He told me to remove my clothes, which I did, sitting before him with my clothes covering my private parts.  He blew into his hand then placed it on my back and belly.  This fragrance has been there since.”  This is found in Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani’s (r.a.) al-Mu’jam as-Saghir. 

Two tribesmen brought their sons to the Prophet (s.a.w.), asking him to bless them by passing his hand over their faces, which he did.  The white mark where he had touched them remained on their faces until the end of their lives.  This has been recorded by Imam ibn Sa’d (r.a.), Imam Abu Nu’aym (r.a.), Imam al-Bukhari (r.a.), and Imam al-Baghawi (r.a.).