Monday, February 22, 2010

Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad

Christians often ask what miracles the prophet Muhammad performed; many of them even make the claim that the Quran and the hadiths record no miracles done by the prophet. However so, it seems that I am reading a different Quran and hadith then, because you would have to be blind, or a big liar to claim that there are no recorded miracles of the prophet found in Islamic sources.

I wont label these Christians who make this claim as liars, no, after all most of these Christians do not do the research themselves, rather it’s their own Christian scholars who deceive them with their lies against Islam, such as Answering-Islam, prophet of doom, faith freedom etc. It is these sites and Christian scholars out there who make some of the biggest lies against Islam, deceiving their Christian people into having wrong ideas about Islam, so when you have normal Christians coming up to you with arguments, you must know that this person is simply arguing from what he saw and heard from Christian polemic against Islam.

For instance, most of you are most likely familiar with Christians always coming up with quotes from Tabari, Ibn Ishaq, and some other works. They often quote these works and think they are making big arguments, yet they always seem to quote specific quotes from these books, and when you ask for a context, they can never provide it, the reason being is because they are ALL quoting from that goon Craig Winn’s book.

So this argument put forth by Christians, that the prophet Muhammad performed no miracles according to Islamic sources is another example of Christians getting bad information from Christian apologists.

For this article, I shall show some miracles the prophet Muhammad performed, ending this sad lie that there are no miracles recorded in Islamic sources. Now whether Christians will agree with the sources I quote is IRRELEVENT, I am not asking any Christian to believe in these miracles, what I am doing is showing you that there are miracles recorded in Islamic sources, so therefore you should stop saying there aren’t any, and you should stop asking Muslims to show you miracles performed by the prophet Muhammad with the pre-conceived notion that he did none. As the saying goes, you cant have your cake and eat it, you cant claim the prophet performed no miracles, and then when I show you the miracles you say ‘oh well those sources are forged and lies’. You can’t have it both ways, you say the prophet Muhammad performed no miracles according to Islam, I shall show you that this claim is FALSE.

Now if a Christian said yes there are miracles recorded in Islamic sources, but I don’t believe them, then that’s a different case, and is a fair argument. But in this article I am addressing the Christians who make the claim that the Islamic sources contain NO miracles of the prophet Muhammad, often asking Muslims to show them a miracle performed by the prophet.

With all that said, we can now show some of the miracles the prophet Muhammad performed:

 Sahih Bukhari Volume 2, Book 13, Number 55:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Once in the lifetime of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) the people were afflicted with drought (famine). While the Prophet was delivering the Khutba on a Friday, a Bedouin stood up and said, "O, Allah's Apostle! Our possessions are being destroyed and the children are hungry; Please invoke Allah (for rain)". So the Prophet raised his hands. At that time there was not a trace of cloud in the sky. By Him in Whose Hands my soul is as soon as he lowered his hands, clouds gathered like mountains, and before he got down from the pulpit, I saw the rain falling on the beard of the Prophet. It rained that day, the next day, the third day, the fourth day till the next Friday. The same Bedouin or another man stood up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! The houses have collapsed, our possessions and livestock have been drowned; Please invoke Allah (to protect us)". So the Prophet I raised both his hands and said, "O Allah! Round about us and not on us". So, in whatever direction he pointed with his hands, the clouds dispersed and cleared away, and Medina's (sky) became clear as a hole in between the clouds. The valley of Qanat remained flooded, for one month, none came from outside but talked about the abundant rain.

From ‘Ibn Kathirs The Life of the Prophet Muhammad, Al-sira Al-Nabawiyya, volume 2’ :


HOW THE PROPHET (SAAS) REPLACED QATADA’S EYE:

Al-Bayhaqi stated, in the Dalail (The Signs), “Abu Sad al-Malini informed us quoting Abu Ahmed b. Adi, quoting Abu Yala, quoting Yahya al-Himmant, quoting Abd al-Aziz b. Sulayman b. al-Ghasil, from Asim b. Umar b. Qatada, from his father, from his grandfather Qatada b. al-Numan, that his eye was wounded at Badr and that its pupil came down on his cheekbone. They were about to slice it off, but asked the Messenger of God (SAAS) who said they should not do this. He then said a prayer for him, covering his cheek with his palm. And later you could not tell which of his eyes had been struck!”

According to one account, this became the better eye.

An account came down to us from the Commander of the Believers, Umar b. Abd al- Aziz that when he was told this account by Asim b. Umar b. Qatada, he also recited:

“I am the son of him on whose cheek his eye descended,
which was replaced so well by the hand of the Chosen-One.”

Upon hearing this, Umar b. Abd al-Aziz, God bless him, quoted very appropriately the verse of Umayya b. Abd al-Salt of Ibn Dhu Yazin,

“These fine qualities are not like two bowls with milk
merely whitening the water that soon becomes urine.” (Pg 298)



Section: Concerning the Splitting of the Moon in the time of the Prophet (SAAS)


God did provide the Messenger of God (SAAS) with a sign to prove the veracity of the guidance and religion of truth he brought, and that was at the time of his pointing (to the moon).

God Almighty spoke the following in his noble book, “The hour has drawn near and the moon has split asunder. And if they see a sign they turn away, saying, ‘Just more trickery!’ They call it deceit and follow their fancies, while all things are pre-determined.” (surat al-Qamar, LIV, v.1-3)

Muslims are agreed that this did occur in the time of the Messenger of God (SAAS), traditions with complete lines of transmissions, through numerous paths, provide decisive proof for those who examine it and comprehend it.

…….That is related from Anas b. Malik, Jubayr b. Mutim, Hudhayfa, Abd Allah b. Abbas, Abd Allah b. Umar, and Abd Allah b. Masud, God be pleased with all.

Regarding the hadith of Anas, Imam Ahmad stated, “Abd al-Raziq related to us that Mamar related to him, from Qatada, from Anas b. Malik, who said, ‘ The people of Mecca asked the prophet (SAAS) for a sign, And so the moon over Mecca was split twice. And he spoke the words, “ The house has drawn near and the moon has split asunder”” (surat al-Qamar, LIV, v-1)

And Muslim related this, from Muhammad b. Rafi from from Abd al-Razzaq.

This is one of the texts known as the mursalat al-sahaba. And it is plain that he received it from a large mass of the Companions, or from the Prophet (SAAS), or from everyone.

Both al-Bukhari and Muslim related this hadith on a path through Shayban. In his line of transmission al-Bukhari added Said b. Abu Urba. Muslim added Shuba to his. All three (sic) of them drew from Qatada, from Anas. The tradition states that the people of Mecca asked the Messenger of God (SAAS) to show them a sign, He showed them the moon in two parts, so that they could see Mt. Hira between them both.

……. The Hafiz Abu Nuaym stated, “Sulayman b. Ahmad related to us, quoting Bakr b. Suhayl, quoting Abd al-Ghani b. Said, quoting Musa b. Abd al-Rahman, from Ibn Jurayj, from Ata, from Ibn Abbas- also, it came from Muqatil, from al- Dahhak, from Ibn Abbas- with reference to God’s words, ‘The hour has drawn near and the moon has been split asunder’, as follows, ‘The polytheists gathered around the Messenger of God (SAAS); they included al-Walid b. al-Mughira, Abu Jahl b. Hisham, al-As b. Wail, al-As b. Hisham, al-Aswad b. Abd Yaghuth, al-Aswad b. Muttalib b. Asad b. Abd al-Uzza, Zama b. al-Aswad and al-Nadr b. al-Harith, along with many other such men.

“They said to the Prophet (SAAS), “If you are telling the truth, then split the moon for us into two parts, one half over Mt. Abu Qubays, the other over Mt. Quayquan. The Prophet (SAAS) asked them, “If I did so, would you believe?” “Yes, we would,” they replied. It was a night of full moon, and so he asked God the Almighty and Glorious to grant him what they requested. That evening the moon did have one half removed and placed over Mt. Abu Abu Qubays, the other being above Mt. Quayquan, while the Messenger of God (SAAS) called out, “O Abu Salama b. Abd al-Asad, and al-Aqram b. al-Aqram, be a witness (to this event).”

…..The Hafiz Abu al-Qasim al- Tabarni said, “Ahmad b. al-Amr al-Razzaz related to us, quoting Muhammad b. Yahya al-Qital, quoting Muhammad b. Bakr quoting Ibn Jurayj quoting Amr b. Dinar, from Ikrima, from Ibn Abbas, who said, ‘ In the time of the Messenger of God (SAAS), the moon was eclipsed and people said, “The moon is bewitched!” And so the words were revealed, “The hour has drawn near and the moon has split asunder. And if they see a sign they turn away saying, “Just more trickery!”’”(surat al-Qamar, LIV, v. 1-3).

This has a fine chain of authorities; it states that the moon was eclipsed that night; perhaps its splitting occurred on the night of its eclipse and this is why what happened to it was hidden from most of the earths inhabitants. However, this was in fact witnessed in parts of the world. It is said that in some parts of India that became a point dating, and that a building was constructed that night which was dated by the night the moon was split. (Pg 76-79)

A Miraculous event:


Section: Concerning the isra, the night journey, of the Messenger of God (SAAS) from Mecca to Jerusalem, his ascent from there to heaven and the signs he saw there.

We will give here the gist of the words of Ibn Ishaq, God bless him. Having recounted the earlier sections, he went on, “Then the Messenger of God (SAAS) was taken by night from the masjid-al haram to the masjid al-aqsa, the latter being the holy temple of Aelia. By then Islam had spread in Mecca into Quraysh and all the Arab tribes.”

He continued, “Concerning the night journey of the Messenger of God (SAAS), I learned what follows from a hadith that came down from Ibn Musud, Abu Said, Aisha, Muawiya, Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib, God bless them all, and al-Hasan b. Abu al-Hasan, Ibn Hisham al-Zuhri, Qatada and other scholars. Individually that combines in this account.

“The night journey of the Messenger of God (SAAS) was filled with trials and tribulations and (instances) of God’s power and authority; it provides a lesson for men of intelligence, a guidance, a mercy and an affirmation for those with faith and belief. It was certainly an act of God.

“He carried him on his journey as and how He wished, to show him those of His signs He desired. He thus surveyed some of the Might of God, His will, power and authority by which he accomplishes His purposes.

Abd Allah b. Masud would say, as I have been informed, the Messenger of God (SAAS), was brought al-Buraq, that being the name of a mount on which previous prophets were carried; its stride was such that it could place its hooves as far as it could see. He was borne away on it.

His companion (Gabriel) then took him off to see signs between heaven and earth. Eventually he reached Jerusalem, where he found Abraham, Moses and Jesus, in a company of prophets assembled for him. He led them in prayer. “Then he was brought three vessels, containing milk, wine and water. He said that he drank the vessel of milk and was told by Gabriel, ‘You have been given guidance, and so has your nation.’”

…..Ibn Ishaq related, quoting Umm Hani as his source, that she said, “It was from nowhere but my home that the Messenger of God (SAAS) made his night journey. He slept that night after having made the final evening prayer. When it was just before dawn he woke up and when it was morning we prayed together and he said, ‘O Umm Hani, last evening I prayed with you in this valley, then I went to Jerusalem and prayed there. And now here I am having said the morning prayer with you, as you see.’

“He then arose to leave, but I took hold of the hem of his cloak and said, ‘O Messenger of God, do not make that statement to the people; they will surely disbelieve you and do you harm.’

“But he replied, ‘By God, I will certainly tell it to them!’ And he did tell them and they did disbelieve.”

Ibn Ishaq went on (and the Prophet (SAAS) told the sceptical, tr.) “And the proof of this is that I passed by the caravan of such-and-such a tribe in such-and-such a valley, and the sound of (al-buraq) startled them and so one of their camels ran away. I led them to it, being then on my way to al-Sham. Then I continued on until I reached Dajanan, where I passed a caravan of such-and-such tribe. I found the people asleep. They had a vessel with water in it that they had covered it with something. I took off the cover and drank the water and replaced its cover. And the proof of this is that their caravan is now making its way down from the pass at al-Tanim al-Bayda. Leading it is an ash-coloured camel on which are two sacks, one of which is black, the other black and white.

“On hearing this, people hurried to the pass. The first camel, which was as he described to them, was insufficient proof for them, so they asked about the vessel and the camel, and those in the caravan did tell them just as the Prophet (SAAS) had recounted.”

Yunus b. bukayr related, from Asbat, from Ismail al-Suddi, that the sun had almost set before that caravan arrived and so he prayed to God, Almighty and Glorious is He, who slowed it down until they came, just as he had described it to them.

He stated, “And the sun was never slowed down for anyone except on that day for him, and also for Yusha (Joshua) b. Nun.

Al-Bayhaqi related this account. ( Pg 62-64)




So as we can see, the prophet Muhammad performed several miracles, and also went through a miraculous event when he was taken from Mecca to Jerusalem, where he saw all the other prophets and was taken into heaven.

So the claim that the prophet Muhammad had no miracles is a lie.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Nationalists blame Pakistan for bombing in India

 NEW DELHI – Hindu nationalist leaders demanded Sunday that new peace talks with rival Pakistan be canceled after a bomb blast in a crowded bakery in western India killed nine people and wounded 57.
The explosion Saturday, caused by a bomb left in an unattended bag, was the first major terrorist attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai massacre.
It ripped open the German Bakery in the city of Pune, 125 miles (200 kilometers) southeast of Mumbai. Thick patches of blood and severed limbs littered the popular hangout, which is close to a meditation retreat and a Jewish center officials say were previously scouted by a terrorist suspect now detained in the U.S.
"I came running to the bakery after hearing the explosion. I found people lying all over the place," said Abba More, who lives nearby.
Security forces were put on high alert Sunday at airports, train stations and markets across the country.
Hindu nationalist leaders blamed the attack on Pakistan and demanded the government call off next week's peace talks, the first between the nuclear-armed neighbors since the Mumbai siege.
"India's initiative to hold peace talks with Pakistan is misconceived and adventurous," said Arun Jaitley, a top leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
He said India shouldn't restart peace talks until Pakistan stops allowing terrorists to base themselves there and punishes those involved in the Mumbai attacks. "Terrorism and talks can't coexist," Jaitley said.
There was no immediate response from Pakistan's government to the claims.
Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said he would wait for the forensic experts' report before commenting on the opposition demand.
Meanwhile, the Indian army accused Pakistani soldiers of unprovoked firing at Indian positions along the cease-fire line dividing Kashmir, the Himalayan territory claimed by both countries.
Pakistani troops fired automatic guns and rockets for nearly two hours on Saturday night in the Punch sector, said Lt. Col. Biplab Nath, an Indian army spokesman. He said Indian troops returned fire.
"We will lodge a protest with the Pakistan army," he told The Associated Press.
There was no immediate comment from Pakistan's army. The two sides often exchange gunfire in breach of a 2003 cease-fire accord.
Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram visited the bakery and the wounded in hospitals on Sunday. He told reporters investigators were trying to determine what explosives were used and how the bomb was triggered.
One foreigner was among the dead, but his nationality was not immediately known, Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said, adding that the three victims identified so far were Indians.
Pillai also said four Iranians, two Sudanese, one Taiwanese, one German and two Nepalese were among the wounded.
The blast occurred at 7:30 p.m. Saturday after one or two people posing as customers left behind a backpack containing a bomb, officials said.
"It appears that an unattended package was noticed in the bakery by one of the waiters who apparently attempted to open the package when the blast took place," Pillai told reporters.
The bakery is about 200 yards (200 meters) from the Osho Ashram, a renowned meditation center that Pillai said had been surveyed by David Headley, who is facing charges in Chicago for allegedly scouting targets for the Mumbai attack.
Chidambaram said Headley had also observed the Chabad Jewish center near the bakery.
"This particular area has been on the radar (of terrorists) for quite some time," Chidambaram said. "Police were sensitized that Chabad House was a target, so was the Osho Ashram."
The bombing was the first major terrorist strike in India since 10 Pakistan-based gunmen rampaged through hotels and a train station in the financial hub of Mumbai for 60 hours in November 2008, killing 166 people.
Recently, ties between India and Pakistan appeared to be warming. Talks scheduled for Feb. 25 in New Delhi would be their first formal negotiations since the Mumbai attacks.