The Fourth Incident:  The authorities  on Hadith and foremost  Bukhari report that it was rumoured one night that the enemy was attacking outside Medina. Brave horsemen  went  out  to  investigate.  On the  way  they saw  someone  coming.  They looked and saw that it was the Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He told  them  there  was  nothing.  He  had  mounted  Abu  Talha’s  famous  horse,  as his sacred courage impelled him to, and had gone before everyone else to investigate, then returned. He told Abu Talha: “Your horse is extremely swift and unfaltering.” Whereas previously it had been extremely slow. After that night, there was no horse to compete with it.[267] On another occasion, as related in an authentic narration, while on a journey at the time for prayer, the Noble Messenger (UWBP) told his horse to stop. It stopped, and until he had finished praying the horse did not make the slightest movement.[268]

The Fifth Incident: Safina, the servant of the Noble Prophet (Upon whom be blessings  and  peace),  was commanded  by him  to  go  to  the Governor  of Yemen, Mu‘adh b. Jabal. He set off and on the way encountered a lion. Safina said to it: “I am the servant of God’s Messenger!” Upon which the lion made a sound as if saying something,  and left without molesting  him. According to another narration,  Safina lost his way when returning, and met with a lion. Not only did the lion not molest him, it showed him the way.[269]

Also,  it  is  narrated  from  ‘Umar  that  he  said:  “A  beduin  came  to  the  NobleMessenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He was holding a lizard. He said: ‘If this reptile testifies to you, I shall believe in you; otherwise I will not.’ God’s Messenger (UWBP) asked the lizard, and it testified to his messengership most eloquently.”[270]

Also, the Mother of Believers, Umm Salama relates: “A gazelle spoke with the Noble Messenger (UWBP), and testified to his messengership.”[271]

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[267] Bukhari, Jihad, 46, 82; Adab, 39; Muslim, Fada’il, 48, no: 2307; Ibn Maja, Jihad, 9; Abu Da’ud, Adab, 87, no: 4988; Tirmidhi, Fada’il al-Jihad, nos: 1685-7.

[268] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 315; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 95.

[269] Tabrizi, Mishkat al-Masabih, iii, 199, no: 5949; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 606; al-‘Asqalani, al- Matalib al-‘Aliya, iv, 125 no: 4127; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, ix, 366-7; Abu Nu’aym, Hilyat al-Awliya, i, 368-9; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, vi, 147.

[270] al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, viii, 293-4; al-Hindi, Kanz al-‘Ummal, xii, 358; Ibn Kathir, al- Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, vi, 149-60; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 632; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 79.

[271] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 314; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 91; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, viii, 295.