Did The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) Possess A Shadow?
"When a Faber reaches the stage of inner mortality, then like the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) his shadow
disappears."Maulana Jalaaludeen Rumi(RA)
1. Hazrat Hakeem Tirmidi(RA) in his book "Nawaa Da Rul Usool" narrates a
tradition from Hazrat Zakwaan (RA).
"The shadow of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) could not be seen
in the brightness of the sun, nor in moonlight."
2. Seyedena Abdullah Ibn Mubarak and Haafiz Ibn Jouzi narrate from Hazrat
Abdullah Ibn Abbas(RA)
"The Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not possess a shadow,
neither in the brightness of the sun, nor in the brightness of a light, but His
brightness used to overpower the brightness of the sun and the brightness of a
light."
3. Imaam Nasafi in his Tafseer Madaarik Shareef narrates from Hazrat Usman Ibn
Uthman(RA)
Hazrat Usman said to the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) that
"Almighty Allah does not let your shadow fall on the ground, so that no man's
foot can be placed on it."
4. Hazrat Imam Suyutwi(RA) in his "Khasaai's Kubra" narrates from Ibn Saba
"Ibn Saba has stated that this is also a unique feature of the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) that his shadow should not touch the
ground, because he was Nur, and when he used to walk in the sunshine his shadow
could not be seen.
Some scholars have said that this phenomenon proves the tradition in which the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) once supplicated to the Almighty
Allah:
"O Allah make me Nur(light)"
The above traditions quite categorically prove that the belief that the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not have a shadow is not mere here say
but a fact proven from tradition. Indeed there will be some who will completely
refute the traditions, but we should remember that this belief is an accepted
fact in every generation of the scholars of Islam as we shall shortly see.
The Belief of the Preceding Great Scholars
1. Imaam Jalaludeen Suyutwi(RA)states:
"The Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) shadow should not fall on the
ground, neither could it be seen in the brightness of the sun for the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was nur, his light(nur) used to overpower
everything."
2. Imaam Zamaam Qaazi Ayaaz(RA)states:
"The statement which has been made about the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) not possesing a shadow, even in the brightness of the sun or in the
moonlight, the reason thereof being that he was nur(light).
3. Allama Shahabudeen Khafaaji(RA)states:
For reasons of respect and greatness of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) shadow should not touch the ground, although it is in the shadow of
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) that all mankind sleeps, what is
more startling than this. Indeed for this the Quranic injunction is sufficient
which states that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is a
perspicious light and indeed by not having a shadow it does not mean he is not
also bashr (a human being).
4. Imaam Allama Ahmed Qastalaani states:
"It has been stated that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not
posses a shadow in the brightness of the sun or in the moonlight as narrated by
Tirmidi stated by Ibn Zakwaan. Ibn Saba has stated that the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was nur(light) when he used to walk in the sunshine or
moonlight his shadow did not appear.
5. Allama Husain Ibn Muhamed Dayaar Bakri states:
"The Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) shadow should not appear on the
earth neither was it seen in the sunshine nor in the moonlight."
6. Imam Allama Ibn Hajar makki(RA) states:
"To substantiate that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was nur,
is that his shadow should not appear in the sunshine nor in the moonlight. For
indeed shadow emanates from that which is dense and the Almighty Allah created
him from all that is pure of density, he was created as pure nur(light) because
of which his shadow should not appear."
7. Allama Sulayman Jamal(RA) states
"The Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) shadow should not appear in
sunshine nor in the moonlight."
8. Imaam Rabbani Mujaddid Alif Saani(RA) states:
"The Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not posses a shadow. The
reason being that in the Aalme Shahaadat everything's shadow is much more
lighter than that material, and it is the greatness of the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) that nothing is lighter than him so how can he have a
shadow."
9. Allama Shaikh Mohamed Tahir states:
"Among the names of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) one is also
nur and its uniqueness is that his shadow should not appear when he used to walk
in the sunshine or moonlight."
Imamul Aarifeen Moulana Jalaaludeen Rumi(RA) states:
"When a fakir reaches the stage of inner mortality, then like the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) his shadow disappears."
We implore the people to re-read the words of the traditions and the words of
the great scholars of Islam. The only reason the weak ones in the community have
of disbelieving that the Prophet (SAW) had now shadow is that they say he was
merely a bashr(ordinary human being), the question we would like to ask them is
that did not the great scholars of Islam also know this, indeed they knew this,
and they still said that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not
have a shadow. After reading all this can we still say that to believe that the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) had a shadow is merely innovation of
a senseless society. We cannot of course force the people to believe, but at
least in the face of so many traditions and opinions of so many great scholars
we see that this belief is not based on whim and fancy. This belief has been
accepted from the generation of the companions and cannot be merely disregarded
because of a few individuals who have made disrespect to the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) their ambition, aim and object although claiming to be
"Muslims."
Argument of other sects
The point that is emphasised by the salafi`s wahabbi`s deobandi`s in disbelieving that the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not have shadow, is that he is "bashr"
(an ordinary human being). They have quoted their assumptions on the following
paragraph.
"They who say that only a dense object possesses a shadow and the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is from head to foot nur(light) they
forget that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was injured
physically in Taif and the Battle of Uhud. Can blood emanate from something
which is light. So it becomes apparent that a dense object can only injure a
dense object and not light."
(Monthly: Tajali Deoband No. 39)
Indeed we can see that this disbelief in miracles is synonymous with the
materialistic friends of the Western culture and society. In fact like the West
they have made their idol of worship the doctors and surgery. In fact if they
disregard the miracle of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) of not
having a shadow for indeed it is a miracle they will have to disregard the
miracles of all the prophets. If they say that light can only emanate from a
lamp, bulb, the sun, etc. How do they explain the light that used to emanate
from the hand of Hazrat Moosa(AS). How do they explain life emanating from an
organically dead object, as Isa(AS) used to bring the dead alive. If they
according to science say that iron can only melt under tremendous heat, how do
they explain iron melting in the hands of Daud(AS). If they according to science
say that whatever falls into fire must burn, how do they explain the miracles of
Ibraheem(AS). You should remember that all these miracles are mentioned in the
Quran. If they open the books of traditions they will see many miracles of the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
They will see that when he ordered the tree to uproot itself it did so, it
understood his command and recited he article of faith(Kalima). They will see
that a piece of "dead trunk" crying because of separation from the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam). How do these people the product of
western culture explain the beautiful smell that used to emanate from the
perspiration of the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) or that the flies
never sat on him. After inspecting all these different proofs and miracles why
is it so hard to believe that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) did
not have a shadow. We accept that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
possessed humanly attributes but these only became apparent on a few occasions,
like when he used to eat, rest with his wives, but he also possessed attributes
of nur like when he used to go on for months without eating, or changing two
pieces of stick into light for his companions so they could see clearly in the
dark, or on his journey for Meraaj when he could see the caravans in the desert
but they could not see him, or when he came in front of the Almighty Allah at
all these times he was completely nur(light). We are not like those so called
"Modern Muslims" who only accept the human aspect and disregard the "light
aspect" we accept both believing them to be an integral part of the nature of
the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
May the Almighty Allah Give Us the Strength to Follow the Straight and Correct
Path, Ameen.