The First Sign: When Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) Knew His Prophethood

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh ‘Utsman Nuri Tufbas wrote, in “The Prophet Muhammad Muswthafa the Elect (s.a.w.)”, that Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi (r.a.) was known for his boldness in asking the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) about things others would not dare.  One day he inquired, “What was the first sign you saw, Messenger of Allah, concerning your Prophethood?” 

The Blessed Prophet (s.a.w.), the guide to happiness in both worlds, answered, “Since you ask, Abu Hurayrah, I shall explain.  I was once out in the desert; I must have been about ten.  I was suddenly alarmed by a voice coming from above my head. 

‘Is that him?’ one man was asking another. 

‘Yes. That sure is him,’ the other answered. 

They then appeared right in front of me.  Their faces resembled nobody I had ever seen before; so were their clothes.  Approaching me, each of them then held me by the arm, but I could not feel their touch. 

‘Lay him on the ground’, one of them said to the other. 

Together they laid me down. I did not feel any force, nor was there uneasiness of any kind.  ‘Come on, open his chest,’ one said.  But again, neither could I see, nor feel any pain.  ‘Remove malice and jealousy from there’, he said.  He then removed something like a blood clot, throwing it away. 

‘Now insert mercy and compassion’, one said.  I saw them place something like silver, the same size of that which they had removed. 

Then one of them held my big toe, jiggled it a little, and said, ‘You can now leave in peace!’ 

As I got up to leave, I could feel mercy and compassion deep inside.  Thereafter I could only feel respect for my elders and love for my juniors.’”