Narrations about the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, speaking with animals

9-12-2010 | IslamWeb

Question:

I want to ask about people who make Hadeeths from themselves in order to attract people's attention as big orators. A so-called scholar was narrating a Hadeeth in which the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was talking with a lion and a deer. Please guide me if such kinds of narrations do exist.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible to fabricate Ahaadeeth and attribute them to the Prophet because lying about him is lying about Allaah The Almighty and Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {“Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allaah will not succeed.”} [Quran, 10:69]  There are also narrations in the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) that clarify a severe threat as to those who lie about the Prophet who said: “Whoever deliberately tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hellfire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Besides, the Prophet said: “Whoever narrates a Hadeeth from me which is seen as a lie, then he is one of the liars.” [Muslim]

This is in general. As regards the Hadeeth that states that the Prophet spoke with a deer, then it was reported by At-Tabaraani in Al-Mu’jam and by Abu Nu’aym in Dalaa’il An-Nubuwwah. Besides, Shaykh Al-Albaani said in (his book) Silsilat Al-Ahaadeeth Adh-Dha’eefah that it is very Dha’eef [weak]. Therefore, a Muslim should not narrate this Hadeeth except to clarify that it is a Dha’eef Hadeeth.

On the other hand, we have not come across a Hadeeth that states that the Prophet talked to a lion. What is well-known in this regard is that Safeenah, the freed slave of the Prophet spoke with a lion, and it is an authentic story that was reported by Al-Haakim who classified it as Saheeh (sound), and Ath-Thahabi agreed with him about its classification as Saheeh.

However, there are authentic Ahaadeeth that indicate that the Prophet spoke with animals, trees, and stones and so forth, and all these are among his miracles.

Allaah Knows best.