The Legality of Celebrating the Birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.) III

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is extracted from “The Legality of Celebrating the Birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.)”, by Shaykh Nur ad-Din Abu ‘Ubadah ‘Ali ibn Juma’ah. 

The event of the tree prostrating to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) occurred a number of times.  It is related from Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) that a man from Bani ‘Aamir, who was known for medicine and healing, came to the Prophet (s.a.w.); he said, “O Muhammad, you say things; do you need me to heal you?” 

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) called him and asked, “Would you like me to show you a sign?” 

The man had, beside him, a palm tree and another tree.  The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) then called a cluster of dates from it, and it began to approach.  It was prostrating and then standing, prostrating and then raising its head until it was before the Prophet (s.a.w.).  The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) then said, “Return back to your place.”  It then returned. 

The man then said, “I swear, by Allah, I will never deny anything that you say after this.”  This hadits was declared swahih by Imam Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Fayswal at-Tamimi ibn Hibban (r.a.). 

The tree expressed its love for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) by prostrating before him and presenting his salam.  Likewise, a plant also expressed its intense love for the Prophet (s.a.w.) through its testification.  It is related from Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (r.a.), who said, “We were with the Prophet (s.a.w.) on a journey when a Bedouin approached.  When he came close, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said to him, ‘Where are you going?’ 

The Bedouin replied, ‘To my family’ 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said to him, ‘Would you like to go towards good?’ 

He said, ‘And what is that?’ 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, ‘That you bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He is Alone with no partner and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.’ 

The Bedouin then said, ‘Do you have a witness to that which you say?’ 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, ‘This plant.’  The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) called it.  It was on the bank of the valley, and it approached, drawing a line along the earth until it was before him.  It then bore witness three times and then returned to its place.  The Bedouin returned to his people and said, ‘If my people follow me then I will bring them to you, otherwise I will return and be with you.’”  This was recorded by Imam ibn Hibban (r.a.), Imam Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman ad-Darimi (r.a.), Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani (r.a.), Imam Abu Ya’la Ahmad ibn ‘Ali al-Mawswili (r.a.), and Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi (r.a.).