Miracles concerning the testimony of animals and their submission:

 

1.     The testimony of a wolf to the Prophecy of the Prophet (peace be upon him):

 

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said: “A wolf attacked a sheep and took hold of it. The shepherd chased it and freed the sheep from it. The wolf crouched on the ground saying: ‘Are you not afraid of Allah? Why have you deprived me of sustenance Allah has sent to me?’ The shepherd said: “How strange! A wolf crouching at its tail talking to me like a human being!’ The wolf said: ‘Shall I tell you something more curious? Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Yathrib (Medina) is telling people the news of olden times!’ The shepherd then came driving his sheep till he entered Medina and kept them in one of its corners and then came to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and told him. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) ordered that people be called upon to perform a congregational prayer. He then came out and said to the shepherd: ‘Tell them.’ When he did, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: ‘He has told the truth. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, The Hour will not take place till beasts talk to people, and the end of the whip talks to its owner and so does the shoelace of his sandal, and his hip tells him of what his family has done in his absence.’”[134]

 

Al-Hafiz Ibn ‘Adiy narrated on the authority of Ibn Abi Dawud that the descendants of the shepherd were in the city of Merv and they were nicknamed “the children of the one addressed by the wolf”.[135] Al-Baihaqi regarded this as evidence to the popularity of the story and the strong authentication of the hadith.[136]

 

2.     The complaint of a camel to him against its owner

 

‘Abdullah Ibn Ja’far said: “Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) let me ride behind him one day…. He then entered a garden belonging to an Ansari man. Behold, there was a camel! When it saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) it was filled with compassion and its eyes shed tears. The Prophet (peace be upon him) approached it and passed his hand on its bones behind the ears and it kept quiet. He asked: ‘Who is the owner of this camel? Whose is this camel?’ A young Ansari came forward and said: ‘It is mine, O Allah’s Messenger!’ The Prophet said: ‘Why do you not fear Allah in dealing with this beast, which Allah has given you? It has complained to me that you keep it hungry and use it mercilessly.’”[137]

 

3.     The response of a camel that got stubborn:

 

Anas Ibn Malik said: “An Ansari family had a camel they used in watering. It got stubborn and would not allow them to ride it. They went to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and said: ‘We have a camel that we used in watering and it has become stubborn and would not allow us to ride it. Our plants and date palms have become thirsty.’  Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said to his Companions: ‘Get up.’ They got up and he entered the garden—and the camel was in a corner. The Prophet (peace be upon him) walked towards it. The Ansari people said:  ‘O Allah’s Prophet! It has become like a rabid dog and we are afraid that it might attack you.’ He said: ‘It will not harm me.’ When the camel looked at Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), it went towards him and knelt down prostrate in front of him. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) took hold of its forelock and it was never so submissive till he returned it to its work. His Companions said; ‘This is a beast that has no reason. How is it that it falls prostrate to you? We have reason, so it is more convenient for us to fall prostrate to you.’ He said: ‘It is not fit for a human being to fall prostrate to another human being. If it were fit for a human being to fall prostrate to another human being, I would order the woman to fall prostrate to her husband because of his right on her.’”[138]

 

Regarding what this event and similar ones imply, Abu Nu’aim said that either the Prophet (peace be upon him) was gifted with knowledge of the language of these beasts, in which case it is a miraculous sign similar to that of Solomon (peace be upon him) concerning his knowledge of the language of birds, or that he learned that through Divine Revelation. Whether this or that, it was a wonder and a miraculous Sign.[139]

 

4.     The courteous behavior of the beast towards the Prophet (peace be upon him):

 

‘Aisha said: “The family of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) had a wild animal. When Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) went out it would play, get vigorous, and run forward and backward. When it learned that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) had come in, it would rest motionless, as long as Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was at home lest it should harm him.”[140]

 

5.     The appearance of the effect of blessing the mare of Abu Talhah:

 

Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Once there was a feeling of fright in Medina, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) got on a horse belonging to Abu Talhah that was slow. When he returned he said: ‘I have found this horse of yours very fast.’ Thereafter it was never surpassed (in speed).”[141]

 

6.     The appearance of the effect of blessing the camel of Jabir:

 Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with hem both) said: “I was with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a Ghazwa (Military Expedition) and my camel was slow and exhausted. The Prophet (peace be upon him) came up to me and said: “O Jabir!" I replied: “Yes?” He said: “What is the matter with you?” I replied: “My camel is slow and tired, so I am left behind.” So, he got down and poked the camel with his crooked-ended stick and then ordered me to ride. I rode the camel and it became so fast that I had to restrain it from going ahead of Allah's Messenger (peace upon him).”[142]

 

 


[134] The story is derived from the narration of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri and from the narration of Abu Hurairah. Imam Ahmad related it in al-Musnad, 2/306 and 3/83, and 88. Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 6/150 said: “This is an isnad that complies with the criterion of the authentic hadiths”; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 14/419; al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak, 4/514 and he said: “It is authentic according the criterion of Muslim, and the Shaikhan do not narrate it; ‘Abd Ibn Hamid in his Musand, 1/277; Ishaq Ibn Rahawah in his Musnad, 1/357; Mu’ammar Ibn Rashid in al-Jami’, 11/383; al-Asbahani in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 1/112-113; al-Baihaqi in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 6/41-42, and he said: “This is an authentic isnad.”

[135] Al-Kamil, Ibn ‘Adi, 2/150.

[136] Al-Baihaqi in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 6/44; Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 6/152. See: Al-Isabah, Ibn Hajar, concerning the name of the one addressed by the wolf.

[137] Abu Dawud, Book/ al-Jihad, Section/ what is enjoined regarding the treatment of animals and beasts; al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak, 2/109 and he said: “Its isnad is authentic”; al-Maqdisi in al-Mukhtarah, 9/158-160; Abu ‘Awanah in his Musnad, 1/168; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 8/13; Ibn Abu Shaibah in al-Musannaf, 6/ 322; Ahmad in al-Musnad, 1/204; Abu Ya’la in his Musnad, 12/159; al-Asbahani in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 1/159. Al-Dhahabi in Tarikh al-Islam said: “Muslim narrated of the hadith up to the saying “ha’sh nakhl” and the rest is narrated according to the criterion of Muslim, p. 348 from al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah. Al-Albani authenticated it also in Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud, 2/484.

[138] Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/158. Al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, 3/35 described it as of good isnad. Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah said: “This is a good isnad.” Al-Nasa’i narrated part of it. Al-Maqdisi narrated it in al-Ahadith al-Mukhtarah, 5/266 and deemed its isnad as good. In Majma’ al-Zawa’id, 9/4 it is aaid: “Ahmad and al-Bazzar narrated it, and its narrators are those of authentic hadiths with the exception of Hafs, the nephew of Anas, who is trustworthy and al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir mentioned many pieces of evidence in al-Bidayah waa al-Nihayah, 6/142 on ; al-Haithami in al-Majma’, 9/4 on. Al-Dhahabi mentioned something similar in Tarikh al-Islam, p. 348 from al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, and in it we read: “it did not fall prostrate to me but Allah subjected it for me.” See: Tahqiq al-Musnad, 20/65-66. 

[139] Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 2/499

[140] Ahmad in al-Musand, 6/112, 150; Ishaq Ibn Rahawayh in his Musnad, 3/617; Abu Ya’la in his Musnad, 7/418; al-Tahhawi in Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar, 4/195; al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, 6/3448. Al-Hathami in Mu’jam al-Zawa’id said: “It is narrated by Ahmad, Abu Ya’la, al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in al-Awsat, and the narrators of Ahmad are those of authentic hadiths.” Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 6/154 said about the isnad of Ahmad: according to the criterion for the authentic hadiths. Al-Dhahabi in Tarikh al-Islam says about the hadith that it is authentic, p. 349, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah. 

[141] Al-Bukhari, Book/ al-Jihad wa al-Siyar, Section/ the slow mare; Muslim, Book/ virtues, Section/ concerning the bravery of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his advance to war; al-Tirmidhi, Book/ al-Jihad, Section/ coming out on being scared; Ibn Majah, Book/ al-Jihad, Section/ coming out on general alarm; al-Nasa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 6/263; Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/261; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 14/284 and others. 

[142] Al-Bukhari, Book/ al-Buyu’, Section/ buying animals and donkeys; Muslim, Book/ al-Musaqat, Section/ selling a camel on condition that it is not ridden; al-Naasa’i, Book/ al-Buyu’, Section/ a transaction that includes an invalid condition; Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/385; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 14/450; Abu ‘Awanah in his Musnad, 3/248; al-Nasa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 4/44; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 5/337.