Thus, this miracle of plenty occurred in connection with four hundred men and ‘Umar in particular. They are behind the narrations, supporting them, and their silence confirms them. Do not ignore these narrations because they are related by a few individuals only, for if the incident had only been reported by a single individual, it still would have the certainty of ‘consensus in meaning.’

F o u r t e e n t h   E x a m p l e : All the accurate books of tradition, and foremost Bukhari and Muslim, narrate that when Jabir’s father died, he was heavily in debt. His creditors were Jews. Jabir offered the creditors all his father’s possessions but they did not accept them. The fruit produced  by his orchard  over many years would have been insufficient to defray the debt. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said: “Pick and gather in all the fruit in the orchard!” They did so, then the Noble Messenger (UWBP) walked around the crop and prayed. Then Jabir gave from the amount corresponding to his father’s debt. What was left was as much as the annual produce of the orchard. And according to another narration, it was equal to the amount he gave the creditors. The Jews were amazed and astounded at this.[111]

See, this clear miracle of plent y was not only reported by a few narrators like Jabir; many people connected  with it described  and narrated  it, thus giving  it the degree of ‘consensus in meaning.’

F i f t e e n t h  E x a m p l e : Exact scholars, and foremost Tirmidhi and Imam Bayhaqi, related through a sound chain of authorities from Abu Hurayra that Abu Hurayra said: “During one expedition – that of Tabuk according to another narration – the army went hungry. God’s Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) asked:  ‘Is  there  nothing?’  I said:  ‘I have  one  or  two  dates  in my saddle-bag.’  – According to another narration, it was fifteen. – He said: ‘Bring them here!’ I took them to him, and he plunged his hand into them and took a handful.

[110] al-Sa’ati, al-Fath al-Rabbani, xxii, 85; Musnad, v, 445; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 294; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 609; Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, v, 365.

[111] Bukhari, Wasaya, 36; Buyu’, 51; Sulh, 13; Istiqrad, 18; Nasa’i, Wasaya, 3, 4; Musnad, iii, 313, 365, 373, 391, 395, 398; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, viii, 167; al-Sa’ati, al-Fath al-Rabbani, xxii, 60; Qadi Iyad, al- Shifa’, i, 295.