F o u r t h   E x a m p l e : Usama b. Zayd, one the brave commanders  and servants of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), reports in an authentic  narration:  “We  were  together  with  God’s  Messenger  on  an  expedition. There was no secluded, private place in which to answer the call of nature. He asked: ‘Can you see any trees or rocks?’ I replied: ‘Yes, I can.’ He ordered: ‘Speak to them and tell them to join together for the relief of God’s Messenger; also tell the rocks to gather together as a wall.’ I went and said as he commanded. I swear that the trees joined  together  and  the  rocks  formed  a  wall.  God’s  Messenger  (UWBP)  after relieving himself, again commanded: ‘Tell them to separate!’ I swear by the Glorious One in the grasp of whose power I am that the trees and rocks separated, and returned to their places.”[135]

These two incidents, which were reported by Jabir and Usama, were also reported by Ya‘la b. Murra, Ghaylan b. Salama al-Thaqafi, and Ibn Mas‘ud, but as referring to the Battle of Hunayn.[136]

F i f t h  E x a m p l e : Reported by Imam b. Fawrak, known for his excellence in interpretation as the foremost scholar of his time and the second Shafi‘i: “While travelling on horseback one night during the Ta’if expedition, sleep overcame God’s Noble Messenger (UWBP). While in that state a lote-tree loomed up before him. To make way for him and not to hurt his horse, the tree split in two, and the Noble Messenger (UWBP) passed between the two parts of the tree on the horse.” The tree has remained with two trunks, in that honoured position, up to our time.[137]

S i x t h  E x a m p l e : Ya‘la b. Murra relates in an authentic narration: “During an expedition,  a tree – called either talha or samura – came, passed around God’s Noble Messenger (UWBP) as if circumambulating, and went back to its place. God’s Messenger (UWBP) said: ‘The tree requested of God that it should salute me.’”[138]

[134] Darimi, Muqaddima, 4; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 299; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 616; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 51.

[135] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 300; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 617-9; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 51; al-‘Asqalani, al-Matalib al-‘Aliya, iv, 8-10, no: 3830.

[136] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 301; al-Hindi, Kanz al-‘Ummal, xii, 403.

[137] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 301; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 619; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 57.

[138] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 301; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 619; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 53; al-Haythami, Majma’ al Zawa’id, ix, 6-7; Musnad, iv, 170, 172; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 617.