When the Well Ran Dry: Prophet Muhammad's Miracle at Hudaybiya

The miracle of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at Al-Hudaybiya is a well-known story, demonstrating the Prophet's extraordinary connection with God and his ability to perform miraculous acts. The incident occurred during the Treaty of Hudaybiya, a pivotal moment in the Prophet's journey and the history of Islam.

As the Prophet ﷺ and his companions approached Hudaybiya, they faced a severe water shortage. The available water source, a small well, was barely sufficient for the large group of people, and it quickly became depleted. The companions grew increasingly thirsty and anxious. They complained to Allah's Messenger ﷺ; of thirst.

 

 

 

Sensing their distress, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ retrieved an arrow from his quiver and instructed his companions to place it in the well. With unwavering faith and trust in their Prophet, they followed his command.

Remarkably, as soon as the arrow touched the well, a miraculous transformation occurred. The well sprang forth with an abundance of fresh, pure water, quenching the thirst of the entire group. The water flowed generously, filling their containers and providing ample sustenance for their journey.

This miraculous event served as a powerful reminder of the Prophet's unwavering divine support of his message.

 

Bukhari 2731 

 

"..The Prophet (ﷺ) changed his way till he dismounted at the farthest end of Al-Hudaibiya at a pit (i.e. well) containing a little water which the people used in small amounts, and in a short while the people used up all its water and complained to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ); of thirst. The Prophet (ﷺ) took an arrow out of his arrow-case and ordered them to put the arrow in that pit. By Allah, the water started and continued sprouting out till all the people quenched their thirst and returned with satisfaction. .."

نَزَلَ- ﷺ - بِأَقْصَى الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ، عَلَى ثَمَدٍ قَلِيلِ الْمَاءِ يَتَبَرَّضُهُ النَّاسُ تَبَرُّضًا، فَلَمْ يُلَبِّثْهُ النَّاسُ حَتَّى نَزَحُوهُ، وَشُكِيَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْعَطَشُ، فَانْتَزَعَ سَهْمًا مِنْ كِنَانَتِهِ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوهُ فِيهِ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَالَ يَجِيشُ لَهُمْ بِالرِّيِّ حَتَّى صَدَرُوا عَنْهُ

Gaza and Ashkelon: Lessons from Hadith and History

Ahmed bin Al-Nadr Al-Askari told us, Sa'id bin Hafs Al-Nufaili told us, Musa bin A'in bin Shihab narrated from Fudhail bin Khalifa, who narrated from Mujahid, who narrated from Ibn Abbas. He said: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, *

 

'The beginning of this matter is 'Prophethood and mercy', then it will be followed by 'Caliphate and mercy', then it will be followed by 'Kingdom and mercy', then it will be followed by 'Emirate and mercy'. Then, people will confront it just as camels confront each other. You must strive in jihad, and the best of your jihad is steadfastness. The best of your steadfastness is at Ashkelon.' 

 And it is an authentic hadith, as Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his authentic compilation.

 

روى الطبراني في معجمه الكبير قال: حدثنا أحمد بن النضر العسكري ثنا سعيد بن حفص النفيلي ثنا موسى بن أعين عن بن شهاب عن فِطرِ بن خليفة عن مجاهد عن ابن عباس قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: 

 أول هذا الأمر نبوة ورحمة ثم يكون خلافة ورحمة ثم يكون ملكاً ورحمة ثم يكون إمارة ورحمة ثم يتكادمون عليه تكادم الحمر فعليكم بالجهاد وإن أفضل جهادكم الرباط وإن أفضل رباطكم عسقلان. 

 وهو حديث صحيح كما قال الألباني رحمه الله في السلسلة الصحيحة.

والله أعلم.

Gaza and Ashkelon are two Canaanite towns. Unearthed excavations indicate that they were inhabited since the Neolithic era.
The first mention of Ashkelon in history dates back to a Pharaonic text from the nineteenth century BC.
As for Gaza: it is also an ancient city, and its name changed with the changes of the nations that came over it. The Canaanites called it “Hazati,” the Egyptian Pharaohs called it “Ghazatu” and “Gadatu,” the Hebrews “Azza,” and the Assyrians “Azzati.” As for the Arabs, they called it “Red Yemen,” “Gaza,” or “Hashem’s Gaza.”

The cities of Gaza and Ashkelon are located in the south of Palestine. Gaza is located southwest of Ashkelon. From the Islamic conquest until the Crusader invasion, Gaza was affiliated with Ashkelon. It was known as “Gaza-Ashkelon.” Between Ashkelon and Gaza there are four farsakhs (about 21 km), and between Gaza and Jaffa 80 km, and between Jaffa and Ashkelon. 56 km. Gaza and Ashkelon are separated from Jerusalem by the town of Beit Jibreen, which is less than two kilometers away from Gaza, and between Beit Jibreen and Ashkelon is 32 km.

 

 

See: “Scientific life in Gaza and Ashkelon from the beginning of the Abbasid era until the Crusader invasion” (pp. 2-5) Dr. Zuhair Abdullah Saeed Abu Rahma.

It is clear from the above that Gaza is very close to Ashkelon, and that Gaza was part of it from the Islamic conquest until the Crusader invasion. For this reason, the scholars mentioned that Imam al-Shafi’i, may God have mercy on him, was born in Gaza, and it was said that in Ashkelon.

Al-Nawawi, may God have mercy on him, said in “Al-Majmoo’” (1/8). :

“The well-known opinion held by the majority is that al-Shāfiʿī was born in Gaza, and it is said that he was born in Ashkelon. Both cities are among the holy lands in which God has blessed. They are both about two stages away from Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis)." . End quote.

Main Reference: Islamqa Fatwa 

.......

* The Isnad based on Imam Albani Assahiha:

Narrated to us by Aḥmad ibn al-Naḍr al-‘Askarī (d. 290 AH – trustworthy),
he said: Saʿīd ibn Ḥafṣ al-Nufaylī (d. 237 AH – truthful, but makes mistakes),
he said: Mūsā ibn Aʿyan (d. 175 AH – trustworthy),
from Abū Shihāb Mūsā ibn Nāfiʿ al-Khayyāṭ (d. 163 AH – trustworthy),
from Fiṭr ibn Khalīfah (d. 153 AH – truthful, but has mistakes),
from Mujāhid (d. 104 AH – trustworthy, an authority),
from Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both (d. 68 AH – Companion). 

"Aḥmad ibn al-Naḍr is trustworthy (thiqah); he died in the year 290 AH, as mentioned in Tārīkh Baghdād (6/413). Al-Nufaylī (Saʿīd ibn Ḥafṣ) died in the year 237 AH, as previously noted. This means that there are 53 years between their deaths, which raises concern that Ibn al-Naḍr may have heard this ḥadīth from Saʿīd ibn Ḥafṣ when the latter was elderly and experiencing memory issues.

For this reason, Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Yamānī (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on this ḥadīth: ‘Saʿīd ibn Ḥafṣ al-Nufaylī changed in his later years.’ See the footnote in Al-Fawāʾid al-Majmūʿah (p. 431)."

Loving the Prophet ﷺ: A Necessity for Salvation - Dr. Jawad Qureshi

 

Re: Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Last words, Jews and Christians !

Claim: Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) last words before he died: “O Lord, kill the Jews and Christians.”

The truth:

Some disbelievers try to attack Prophet Muhammad (p) all in an effort to ignite hate after hate.
They cite a hadith of Prophet Muhammad cursing people who take the graves of Prophets as places of worship and misrepresented it.
"May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of the prophets." Bukhari, Vol. 1, #427 
This is obviously out of concern for keeping Monotheism intact. This shows the value the Prophet had for pure Monotheism. He used some of his last words to remind people of the importance of pure Abrahamic Monotheism and help them keep away from shirk (a departure from pure Abrahamic Monotheism) – making places of worship over the graves of Prophets could be seen as leading to shirk. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) curse on the Jews and Christians who did this sin was not his last words (just some of his last words)*, it was not done out of hatred or rancor for them (and it was not directed at all of them), but instead he was relating to those around him his utter rejection of people worshiping prophet’s graves. (i.e. indirectly telling them not to worship his grave.)

Imam at-Teebi said: عرف أنه مرتحل ، وخاف من الناس أن يعظموا قبره كما فعل اليهود والنصارى ،
“It is as though the prophet peace be upon him knew that he will depart, so he feared for the people that they will venerate his grave like Jews and christians did (with other prophets) [Mirqaat al Mafateeh hadeeth no. 712] 
 

Mulla Ali Qari commented: ( اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجد ) : سبب لعنهم إما لأنهم كانوا يسجدون لقبور أنبيائهم تعظيما لهم ، وذلك هو الشرك الجلي ، وإما لأنهم كانوا يتخذون الصلاة لله تعالى في  مدافن الأنبياء ، والسجود على مقابرهم ، والتوجه إلى قبورهم حالة الصلاة ; نظرا منهم بذلك إلى عبادة الله والمبالغة في تعظيم الأنبياء ، وذلك هو الشرك الخفي لتضمنه ما يرجع إلى تعظيم مخلوق فيما لم يؤذن له ، فنهى النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - أمته عن ذلك لمشابهة ذلك الفعل سنة اليهود ، أو لتضمنه الشرك الخفي ، كذا قاله بعض الشراح من أئمتنا ،
They have taken the graves of their apostles as places of worship) The reason of their being cursed is because they made sajdah to the graves of the Ambiya in veneration, and this is clear shirk. They used to pray to Allah where Prophets were buried, They used to prostrate in the tombs and in the condition of Salaah they used to face the graves. According to them (They thought) they were worshiping Allah and  Exaggerating in veneration of Prophets this is hidden shirk It contains Prophet peace be upon him disallow his Ummah to do this as this is the practice of jews, It contains hidden shirk and this is also said by some of the commentators from our scholars [Mirqat, Sharh al Mishqaat, Volume No. 2, Page No. 202 hadith no 712]

The Jews (and Christians!) are taught about pure Monotheism and its importance in the Bible. First Commandment that all Jews accept:Ex 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me”.

The Prophet, amongst his last words, also reminded people to be spiritual and never forget the prayer: “The prayer, the prayer! And fear Allaah with regard to those whom your right hands possess.”

Christian scholars admit that the Gospel authors are not reliable and the Gospel of John puts words into Jesus’ mouth that he never actually said. Actually, Christians believe Jesus allowed the severe beating of female slaves as long as they got up in a couple of days and they believe he used and will use violence.

Allah knows best !
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* “The last words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)”, where he quoted the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: When the Prophet was healthy, he used to say, “No soul of a Prophet is taken until he has been shown his place in Paradise and then he is given the choice.” When death approached him while his head was on my thigh, he became unconscious and then recovered consciousness. He then looked at the ceiling of the house and said,  “O Allaah! (with) the highest companion." I said (to myself), “He is not going to choose (to stay with) us.” Then I understood what he meant when he said that to us when he was healthy. The last words he spoke were, "O Allaah! (with) the highest companions.”