Miracles Concerning Water

As we have partially mentioned about the miracles of abundance which was performed in crowded communities, even they were narrated by a single companion and -unless disproved- that narration of a miracle is considered to have come from that community. Since these miracles performed in communities that were made up of the companions of the prophet (PBUH), it is not possible for them to have come into agreement about lying. For this reason, there is no need to doubt about the authenticity of these riwayahs.

Like other miracle riwayahs we have reported, miracles concerning water were narrated by various companions of the prophet (PBUH). Scholars of Tabi’in whose numbers reach up to thousands took over the hadiths that had been narrated by companions and they narrated them to those that came after them. Thus, they reached the present time from mouth to mouth and hand to hand throughout ages. When the hadiths that reached especially the age after the era of bliss, genius scholars like Bukhari and Muslim collected and recorded the authentic ones and reported those hadiths to the future generations in the best way. May God be pleased with them!

Now let us narrate miracles concerning water:

The Flowing of Water from the Prophet’s Hand like a Fountain - 1

This is a miracle which exists in authentic hadith resources such as Bukhari, Muslim and narrated by Hazrat Anas. Hz. Anas narrates:

“Along with the apostle of Allah, we were in a place called Zawra with about three hundred companions. He ordered us to make wudu for the afternoom (asr) prayer but we could not find any water. He ordered us to find a little water; we found and brought it to Him. He dipped his blessed hands into this water. I saw that water was flowing from his fingers like a fountain. Then, three hundred people who were there came and made wudu and used that water for their needs. (1)

Hz. Anas narrates this miracle by representing three hundred people there. Is it possible that three hundred people do not approve this narration? If they did not approve, is it possible that they did not disapprove it?

The Flowing of Water from his Hand like a Fountain - 2

Another miracle is narrated by Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah:

The people were left without water on the Day of Hudaybiya. A group of people came to the Apostle of Allah PBUH) while he was making wudu from the pitcher. The Apostle of Allah asked them:

“What happened to you?”

They answered: “We are ruined O Apostle of Allah! We are ruined O Apostle of Allah!”

The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“You will not be ruined when I am among you!”

“O Apostle of Allah! We have no water left for making wudu or drinking other than the pitcher you have!”

Upon this, the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) put his hand over the pitcher and said;

“Here you are, In the name of God”. Water was flowing from his fingers like bubbling from a well-spring! Muslims both drank water from it and made wudu.

Jabir b. Abdullah was asked:

“At that time, how many people were present there?

Jabir:

“We were a thousand and five hundred! (2)

The people who narrated this miracle are also a thousand and five hundred in the spiritual sense, because there is an inclination in human nature to call something “lie” if it is a lie. So, the companions of the prophet (PBUH), who sacrificed their lives, property, father, mother and tribes for Islam, for the sake of truth and trueness, would definitely say that they did not approve this riwayah. And as there is a threat of this hadith;

“Those who tell a lie about me shall prepare his place in Hell fire” (3),

it is not possible for them to remain silent when lies are told. So by remaining silent, it means that they are approving this miracle.

The Flowing of Water from his Hand like a Fountain - 3

This is a miracle which was occurred in Buwat Expedition. This is narrated in authentic hadith sources like Bukhari and Muslim. Hazrat Jabir narrates.

“The Apostle of Allah ordered His companions, “Tell them to make wudu”. However the companions informed Him that there was no any water. The Apostle of Allah (PBUH) said to them “Find me a little water”. We brought him a little water. Then he put his hand over that little water and recited something. I had no idea about what he recited. Then, he said: “Bring me the big water reservoir of the caravan.”  They brought it to me and I put it in front of the Apostle of Allah. He put his hand into that and opened his fingers. I was pouring that little water onto his blessed hand. I saw that too much water flew from his fingers and the water reservoir was full. I called those who needed water. All of them came, made wudu and drank from it. And I said to him “There is no one left.” The Apostle of Allah raised his hand; that water reservoir remained full.” (4)

Here, this clear miracle of the Prophet Muhammad (PUBH) is mutawatir manawi. That is, it can be said that this miracle has reached the present day with a chain of riwayah about which there is no room for doubt because, as Hazrat Jabir had a duty while this miracle occurred, the first right of narration belongs to him. He was narrating and declaring this on behalf of all other companions because the person who was serving was Hazrat Jabir; thus narrating this riwayah is his right. Ibn Mas’ud said, about the same miracle, “I saw that water was flowing from the fingers of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) like a fountain.”(5) So is it possible for them not to have witnessed it when a community of major companions such as Hazrat Anas, Hazrat Jabir and Ibn Mas’ud said “I witnessed”?

Now when the three examples given above are combined, it will be understood how strong and authentic this miracle is.

The miracle of Hazrat Moses (AS) flowing water like a fountain from twelve places of a stone (6) cannot reach up the level of the miracle shown by the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) flowing water from his ten fingers like a fountain because flowing of water from a stone is possible; its examples can be shown in the world. However, the example of flowing of water plentifully from meat and bone does not exist.

The Miracle shown at a Waterless Fountain

Along with many authentic hadith books, this miracle exists in Muwatta, which is the reliable hadith book of Imam Malik and reached us from the narration of a famous companion, Muadh Ibn Jabal.

Hazrat Muadh Ibn Jabal narrates:

 “We came across with a fountain during the Expedition of Tabuk; the water flowing was in the thickness of a rope. The Apostle of Allah ordered us to “get a little water from it”. That little water was poured into his palm. The Apostle of Allah washed his face and hands with that water. Then, we put that water into the fountain. Upon this, the outlet of the fountain opened at once and water poured plentifully and met the needs of the whole army.”

Besides, Imam Ibn Ishaq, who was a narrator, says: “The water poured with a sound like thunder coming from under the soil.” After this miracle, the Apostle of Allah said to Hazrat Muadh “This blessed water which is an effect of this miracle will let this place become a garden: if you live you will see” What he said came true. (7)

The Miracle of Gushing Water from the Waterless Well of Hudaybiya

This waterless well miracle was narrated by Hazrat Bara in Bukhari and Salama b. Akwa in Muslim.

According to the narration of Bara b. Azib; “There was a shortage of water in the well of Hudaybiya; there was not even a drop of water remaining in the well. The situation was informed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came to the side of the well and sat down. He (PBUH) wanted a pot filled with a little water. After he made wudu with the water they brought to him, he rinsed his mouth and prayed silently. He poured the water which he used for making wudu and rinsing his mouth into the well.  With the permission of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the well was left alone. Then, the well had water. Both the Muslims and their animals quaffed from that well. There were 1400 people who drunk from the water of that well. (8)

Salama b. Akwa says:

“We came to Hudaybiya under the command of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). There were a hundred soldiers in each one of the fourteen troops. There were also fifty sheep that needed to be watered but the well did not have enough water even for them. The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sat by the side of the well and prayed. When he poured the water which he used for rinsing his mouth into the well, the water of the well increased. We both watered animals and got water for ourselves.” (9)

When the Army was Left without Water in an Expedition…

Genius Imams like Muslim and Ibn Jarir Tabari along with many authentic hadith books narrated from Abu Qatada:        

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) moved on till the end of the night in an expedition. Then, he took a break and slept. When he got up the sun was shining on his back. He wanted the wudu water next to me. I gave it to him. He made wudu with it and told me: “Keep the remaining water from wudu, there will be something amazing about it”. We continued walking during the day; people were wretched under the hot weather because of thirst. We were seventy people. (According to the narration of Tabari, they were three hundred.) They informed about their situation to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The prophet Muhammad told to them: “You are not ruined as you have thought! Bring my wudu container!” It was given to him. He put his hand into it and started to pour it. The prophet Muhammad (PUBH) was pouring and I was giving water to the people there. Seventy-two people come; they drank and filled their pots. Then, I got it; there was the same amount of water as I gave it to him at first.” (10)

Increasing of the Water of a Woman in the Desert

Authentic hadith resources like Bukhari and Muslim were narrated from Hazrat Imran Ibn Husain:

 “In an expedition, we were left without water along with the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He said to me and Ali:  “A woman who has loaded two waterskins onto an animal is travelling in such and such place. Let her come here.” We went there with Ali: we founded the woman with a load of waterskins in the same place and took her. He ordered: “Pour a little water into a pot.” We poured. He prayed with blessing and then we put back the water into the waterskin of the animal. And then He said: “Let everybody come, and fill their pots.” All of the people in the caravan come and filled their pots and drank from it. I think those two waterskins were being filled up increasingly and continued to increase. And the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) ordered: “Get dates and other fruits and give them to the woman.” We loaded the skirt of the woman. And the Apostle of Allah said to the woman: “We did not get your water from you. Almighty Allah gave water to us from His treasure.” (11)

The Miracle of Prayer for Rain

It is a miracle of prayer for rain that exists in many authentic hadith resources, narrated by Hazrat Umar (RA). Hazrat Umar (RA) narrates:

 “We were left without water during the expedition of Tabuk. There were even people who slaughtered their camels and squeezed their internal organs for water. Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) requested from the Apostle of Allah to pray for the rain. The Apostle of Allah raised his hands; before lowering His hands, clouds gathered and it rained so much that we filled our pots completely. Then, the rain stopped. When we turned and looked there we saw that the rain did not reach beyond the borders of the army.” (12)

The Gushing of Water upon His kick on Ground

Imam Shuayb, the son of Amr bin As and the grandchild of Abdullah, who is one of the great scholars of the companions, narrates:                    

 “It was a time when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was on a journey with his uncle Abu Talib before the duty of prophethood was given to him. When his uncle felt thirsty, the Apostle of Allah kicked the ground at a place called Dhulhijaz near Arafa and water gushed from the ground. Abu Talib drank this water.” (13)

 * * *

Some scholars said that it was not a miracle but a kind of karamah since at the time of this event the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had not been given the duty of prophethood. Even though a thousand years passed, there is a fountain called Arafat today in the same place and His karamah still continues.

We end the riwayahs concerning water but it should be known that the miracles concerning water are not limited to what we have narrated in this section. People like Imam Suyuti narrated and wrote many of such miracles in detail with their sources along with the documents of companions.

The first seven narrations we reported are tawatur manawi. The two examples after them were not narrated by many narrators but it is necessary not to doubt them because especially the miracle of rain prayer narrated by Hazrat Umar took place in the Battle of Badr similarly [14] and it was reported in the Quran [15]; the miracle that took place in the Expedition of Tabuk narrated by Hazrat Umar should not be doubted. Besides, the miracles of rain by the Prophet happened many times. Those narrations can be regarded as miracles. For instance, it is narrated as tawatur that he opened his hands when he was on the pulpit and it started to rain before he put his hands down.[16]  

[1]Bukhari, Wudu: 32, 46, Manaqib: 25; Muslim, Fadail: 45, 6; Nasai, Taharah: 60; Abu Dawud, Muqaddima: 5; Tirmidhi, Manaqib: 6; Muwatta, Taharah: 32; Musnad, 3:132, 147, 170, 215, 289; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, 8:171; Tirmidhi (Ahmed Shakir), no. 3635.
[2]Bukhari, Manaqib: 25; Maghazi: 35; Tafsir: Surah Fath, 5; Ashriba: 31; Muslim, Imara: 72, 73; Musnad, 3:329; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, 8:110.
[3]Bukhari, Ilm: 39; Janaiz: 33; Anbiya: 50; Adab: 109; Muslim, Zuhd: 72; Abu Dawud, Ilm: 4; Tirmidhi, Fitan: 70, Ilm: 8, 13; Tafsir: 1; Manaqib: 19; Ibn Majah, Muqaddima: 4; Darimi, Muqaddima: 25, 46; Musnad, 1:70, 78.
[4]Muslim, Zuhd, 74, no. 3013; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, 8:159.
[5]Bukhari, Manaqib: 25; Tirmidhi, Manaqib: 6; Tirmidhi (tahqiq: Ahmad Shakir), 3637; Darimi, Muqaddima: 5.
[6]Baqara 2/60
[7]Muwatta, Safar, 2; Musnad, 2:308, 323, 5:228, 237; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, 8:167; Bayhaqi, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwah: 2:64, 5:236.
[8]Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, V. 4, p. 290, Bukhari, Sahih, V. 5, p. 62, 63; Abu Nuaym, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwah, V. 2, p. 409, 410.
[9]Ahmed b. Hanbal. Musnad. V. 4. p. 48. Muslim . Sahih. V. 3. p. 433.
[10]Muslim, Masajid, 311.
[11]Bukhari, Tayammum: 6, Manaqib: 25; Muslim, Masajid: 312; Musnad, 4:434-435; Bayhaqi, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwah: 4:216, 6:130.
[12]al-Haythami, al-Majmau’z-Zawaid, 6:194; al-Hindi, Kanzu’l-Ummal, 12:353; Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:190; Ali al-Kari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:600; Bayhaqi, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwah: 2:63; Suyuti, al-Hasaisu’l-Kubra, 2:105.
[13] Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1:290; al-Hafaji, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 3:29; Bayhaqi, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwah: 2:15-20; (See also Bukhari, Istithqa, 3; Musnad, 2:93).
[14]Ibnu’l-Jawzi, Zadu’l-Masir, 3:328.
[15]“ He caused rain to descend on you from heaven, to clean you therewith.” al-Anfal, 8/11.
[16]Bukhari, Istithqa, 3,6,10,12,13,21; Muslim, Istithqa, 8-10; Bayhaqi, Dalailu’n-Nubuwwah, 6:139-146.

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