The Shadowless Prophet of Islam



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We are living in a world of uncertainty and misconceptions. Man is beginning to question the very roots of his beliefs- Allah Almighty and the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, to create doubt in the minds of the simple and un suspecting Muslims. Some so-called scholars, not so long ago began a shocking campaign against the flawless personality of Allah Almighty in the form of 'the possibility of telling a lie ' ; which plunged the Muslim world into utter disbelief and shock. This misguided man wrote: "Allah has power over everything. Thus if He so wishes , He can utter a lie" (Allah Forbid). It is true, when Allah Almighty wants to destroy a person, He first takes away his sanity. This religious heretic conveniently forgot the Quranic verse: "Curse of Allah be upon the liars". Will Allah Almighty indulge in an activity which He himself has condemned? Unfortuantely, instead of dismissing this lie with the contempt that it deserves, many Muslims became the followers and disciples of this lunatic.

Another misguided intellectual tried to heap insults on the luminous personality of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim by questioning the extent of his knowledge. The commentators of the Holy Qur'aan maintain that in terms of knowledge, the Messenger of Allah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim is the sun and all the other Prophets are the galaxy of stars rotating around him. The majority of scholars of Islam maintain that his knowledge constitutes of what was, what is and what will be. Remember, by trying to cloud the sun you can't dim its radiance.

Now another group has sprung up, who are trying to gain recognition by using scientific knowledge as the basis of Imaan (faith). Anything contrary to this is discarded from their principles of faith. In this world there are two types of blind-- those who are born blind; and those who have vision, but refuse to see the light. These clones of science certainly belong to the latter. It is to educate this group that the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim had said: "Where science ends, my Religion begins".

The Holy Qur'aan speaks of many miracles which are beyond the imagination of those who are tied to the cudgels of science, as they cannot be explained through scientific exposition. Some examples of these are:-

1. According to science, the quality of fire is to burn. Yet, when Hazrat Ibrahim Alaihis Salaam was hurled into it at the command of Namrood, not a single hair of this great Prophet of Allah was destroyed.

2. Science teaches us that the moon is thousands of miles away from the earth. Yet, the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim split this moon into two, the two halves came into the sleeves of the Messenger of Allah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim and within seconds went back to appear as a single entity.

3. Scientific data explains that iron can only melt under great heat, yet this same iron melted in the hands of Hazrat Dawud Alaihis Salaam.

4. Leprosy, blindness, etc. according to science are virtually incurable ilnesses, yet a mere touch of the blessed hand of Hazrat Isa Alaihis Salaam cured the victims of these. Even more incredible is the restoration of the eyesight of Hazrat Yaqub Alaihis Salaam by touching the shirt of Hazrat Yusuf Alaihis Salaam.

Can these people who are influenced by Western culture deny the veracity of these miracles? If these are possible, then why is it difficult to accept the miracle of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim not possessing a shadow ? Do they have any conclusive proof from a single Hadith to prove to the contrary ?

Here is proof from Ahadith-e-Nabawi and from the writings of great and authentic scholars of Islam which show beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Messenger of Allah Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim did not possess a shadow.

• Hadith 1 : Hazrat Hakeem Tirmizi in his book NAWAA DARUL USOOL narrates from Hazrat Zakwaan Radiyallahu Anhu , a close Companion of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, the following Hadith: "The shadow of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim could not be seen in the brightness of the sun, nor in moonlight".

• Hadith 2 : Allama Jauzi in his KITABUL WAFA narrates a hadith from Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas, the cousin of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim: "Allah's Rasul had no shadow, not while standing in the sun, but the brilliance of his Noor surpassed the rays of the sun; nor while sitting before a burning light, but his luminous Noor excelled the lustre of the light".

• Hadith 3 : Imam Nasafi in his TAFSEER MADAARIK narrates from Hazrat Uthman ibn Affan Radiyallahu Anhu, the son-in-law of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim. Hazrat Uthman said to the HolyProphet SallallahuAlaihi Wasallam: "Allah Almighty does not let your shadow fall on the ground, so that no foot of man can fall on it".

• Hadith 4 : Imam Jalaludeen Suyuti in his KHASAAISUL KUBRA narrates from Ibn Saba Radiyallahu Anhu: "This is also a unique feature of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim that his shadow did not touch the ground, because he was Noor, and when he used to walk in the sunshine his shadow could not be seen".

What the great scholars have to say about this subject

Having read the words of those who had lived with the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim and had closely watched his every action, we shall now turn to some great scholars of Islam, whose writings are considered most authentic in Islamic affairs. Pay heed to these to dispel any doubts that you may have regarding the subject. All these great scholars firmly believed that the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim did not possess a shadow.

Imam Qazi Ayaaz

1. Imam Qazi Ayaaz in his ASH-SHIFA states:"The Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim did not possess a shadow in the brightness of the sun or in the moonlight, because he was Noor (light)".
 

Imam Ahmad Qastalani

2. Imam Ahmed Qastalani states in AL-MAWAHIBUL LADUNYA: "The Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim did not possess a shadow in the brightness of the sun or moonlight is proven from the Ahadith of Tirmizi Sharief of Ibn Zakwaan and Ibn Saba".
 

Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi

3. Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi states in MADARIJIN NUBUWAH: "The Holy Prophet's Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim shadow did not appear in sunshine nor in moonlight".
 

Maulana Jalaluddeen Rumi

4. Maulana Jalaluddeen Rumi in his MATHNAWI SHARIEF states: "Let alone the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, even if an ordinary servant of the Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim reaches the stage of inner mortality (BAQA), then like the Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, his shadow too disappears".

May Allah Almighty give us the guidance and strength of Imaan to remain steadfast on the Straight Path. Aameen.

 

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Last modified: 08/29/06