Letters ( revised ) | THE NINETEENTH LETTER | 152
(111-259)
it proves the flowing of water from his fingers like ‘true consensus.’ Indeed, even Moses’ making water flow from twelve different places in a rock cannot be equated with the water flowing from Muhammad’s ten fingers, for water may gush out of rock – examples are commonplace – but there is no equivalent of, no parallel for, water flowing in abundance, like from the Spring of Kawthar, from flesh and bone.

F o u r t h   E x a m p l e : Foremost  Imam  Malik  in his esteemed  book, Muwatta’, relates from the renowned Companion Mu‘adh b. Jabal: “During the Tabuk expedition we came across a spring flowing as meagrely as a piece of fine string. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) ordered: ‘Collect a little of the  water!’  They  collected  some  in  the  palms  of  their  hands.  God’s  Messenger (UWBP) washed his hands and face in it, and we returned it to the spring. Suddenly the outlet of the spring opened up and water gushed forth; it was sufficient for the whole army.”

Another narrator, even, Imam Ibn Ishaq, stated: “The water gushed forth from the spring  under  the  earth  making  a  roar  like  thunder.  God’s  Noble  Messenger  told Mu‘adh:  ‘If  you  live  long  enough,  you  will  see  that  this  miraculous  water  will transform this place into gardens.’[119] And so it did.”

F i f t h   E x a m p l e : Foremost Bukhari relates from al-Bara’, and Muslim from Salama b. Akwa‘, and other authentic books of Hadith from other narrators, unanimously relate: “During the Hudaybiyya expedition we came across a well. We numbered four hundred while the water in the well was barely sufficient for fifty. We drew the water and left nothing. Then God’s Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) came and sat at the head of the well. He asked for a bucket of water and we fetched one. He put some of his blessed spittle into the bucket and prayed, then poured  the water into the well. Suddenly the well gushed  and frothed  with water, filling to the top. The whole army drank their fill and watered their animals. They also replenished their water-bags.”[120]

S i x t h  E x a m p l e : Again, foremost brilliant authorities of the science of Hadith like Muslim and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, and the authentic books of Hadith, relate from a sound narration from the famous Abu Qatada: “During the celebrated Battle of Mu’ta we were going for help when the leaders were martyred. I had a water-bag with me.

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[119] Muwatta’, Safar, 2; Musnad, ii, 308, 323; v, 228, 237; Ibn Hibban, Sahih, viii, 167; Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, ii, 64; v, 236.

[120] Bukhari, Manaqib, 25; Maghazi, 35; Musnad, iv, 290, 301; Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, iv, 110.

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Letters ( revised )