The presence of Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) in many places at the same time

[Ghulam E Mustafa]

The presence of Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) in many places at the same time

 

As for the claim that Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) cannot make himself Haazir (Present) in many places simultaneously we ask you to carefully read the following :

 

Moulvi Ashraf 'Ali Thanwi writes, "Muhammad al-Hazrami Majzoob was a possessor of amazing qualities and miracles. Once, he performed Jummah and gave Khutbah in 30 cities at the same time. He could be present in many cities in the same night". (Jamalul Awliya, Page 188, Maktaba Islamia, Lahore)

 

So it is seen that Moulvi Ashraf 'Ali Thanwi makes reference to the above incident thereby accepting the fact that it is possible to be present in many place at the same time. Muhammad al-Hazrami was the servant of Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam). So one can imagine what is the status of the blessed soul of Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) if his servant could achieve all this.

 

Khwaja Azeezul Hassan has written a book by the name of Ashraful Sawaneh in three volumes on the occurrences of Ashraf Ali Thanawi's life which has been published by Khangah Imdadiya Thana Bhoon District Muzaffarnagar. He has copied a very peculiar incident of Thanawi Sahib in his book. He writes :

 

“After a long period of time a merchant narrated personally to me of his incident that, though as seen, Hadhrat (Ashraf Ali Thanawi) is sitting here yet who knows where he is at this very moment. Because, once despite Hadhrat being in Thana Bhoon I saw him in Alighar where there was an exhibition and was in heavy flames. I also had a shop in that exhibition. On the day when it was going to catch on fire, that very day against my usual habits there was a feeling of fear in my heart from the time of Asr. The effect of which was that despite it being a busy period for business I took all the fittings and merchandise of my shop before time and began packing them into boxes. After Maghrib when there was chaos and confusion of the fire breaking up, then as usual being alone and the boxes being rather heavy I became alarmed that Oh God ! How am I to take these boxes out from the shop. Meanwhile what I saw was suddenly Hadhrat appeared and going to each and every box and said me to quickly pick them up. Accordingly he lifted on one side and I on the other side. In a short while each and every box was placed outside. The other merchants lost heavily from this fire, but with God's blessings all my goods were saved.

 

On hearing this incident I (meaning the author of the book) asked him that you did not question Hadhrat as to how he is here ? At that moment I was not in my right frame of mind to ask, and was engrossed in my own problems." (Ashrafus Sawaneh, Volume 3, Page 71)

 

Concerning the questioning (of the dead person) in the grave, the third question that will be asked by the Angels of the grave is, "Ma kunta taqulu fi haqqi hazar rajul" (meaning : "What did you have to say about this person?" (i.e. the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam)). When this question is asked the veil is removed from the dead person's eyes so that he can see the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) who will be present (Haazir) in the grave. (Mishkaat Shareef, Bukhaari Kitaabul Janaaiz, Hadith 422)

 

From this Hadith we learn that the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) is seen by the dead in person and not in some sort of mental thought, because the word "rajul" that is used in the question, in Arabic grammar refers to a real person made of flesh and bones.

 

So it is established that every person that dies sees the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) in his grave in person. Now, at any given time thousands of people around the world are buried and all these people see the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) at the same time and are asked the same question.

 

This is ample proof that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) by the grace of Allah Ta'ala can present himself in many places at the same time. All the 'Ulama of Ahl as-Sunna agree with this, and the following comment regarding this issue is the fatwa of Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haitami (rahmat allahi alaih), which is written on the ninth page of the second volume of Fatawa al-kubra:

 

Question : "Does a person, when he commends his soul, see Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam)? It is said that, when he (Rasoolullah) is seen, he (the person) is asked what he (the person) would say about this person (ie. Rasoolullah). 'This person' is used for the person who is at his presence. Many people die at the same time. Since the words 'this person' are used for all of them (dead people), it is understood that he (Rasoollullah) is seen at many places at the same time. How can this happen?"

 

Answer: "It is true that Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) is seen by everybody who is about to die, and he (the dead person) is asked, 'What did you have to say about this person?' This shows the Supremacy of Allahu Ta'ala's Power. The word 'this' is used for pointing to the person who is at his presence (i.e. Rasoolullah). This word is the answer to the person who does not believe that Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) can be seen in various ways at various places at the same moment. In fact, this can be believed through intellect, also: adh-dhat ash-Sharif (honorable person) of his becomes like a mirror, and everybody sees the image of his own beauty or ugliness in this mirror. There takes place no change in the beauty of the mirror. The life in grave and that in the Hereafter do not resemble to worldly life. Each person has a single figure in the world. It has been witnessed many times that Awliya' have taken various figures in this world, also. It is famous that Kadeeb al-ban Hasan al-Musuli and others have been seen as such."

 

Imam Mullah 'Ali Qari states that, Imam Ghazaali (rahmat allahi 'alaih) has said,"When you go into a mosque then say Salaam to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) because the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) is present (Haazir) in mosques." (Naseemu Riaz Sharah Shifa in the end of third Vol)

 

Now, consider how many mosques there are throughout the world and the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) is present in all of them!

 

Qadhi 'Iyad (rahmat allahi 'alaih), the eminent scholar of the Ahl as-Sunnah, in his book Shifa, writes, "Whenever there is nobody present in the home and you enter the home recite, 'Assalaamu 'Alaika Ayyuhannabi Warahmatullah Wa Barakatahoo'". Meaning, "Peace be upon you 'Oh' Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) of Allah and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you." (Shifa Shareef)

 

Substantiating the above, the great Islamic scholar, Mulla 'Ali Qari (rahmat allahi 'alaih) in his Sharh Shifa writes, "The reason is that the Holy Prophet's (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) soul is HAAZIR (present) in every Muslim home".

 

Sayyid Ahmad al-Hamawi (rahmat allahi 'alaih), noted in his book, Nafakhaat al-qurb wa 'l-ittisaal bi-ithbaati 't-tasarrufi li awliyaa'i'llaahi ta'aalaa wa 'l-karaamati ba'd al-intiqaal that the Ruhaniyya (spirituality) of Awliya (saints) was more powerful than their Jismanniyah (physical existence), and they therefore could be seen in different places at the same moment. He quoted the following Hadith Shareef as a document for his words : "There are people who will enter Paradise through every gate. Each gate will call them to itself," upon which Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (radi allahu 'anhu) asked, "Will there be anyone to enter through all the eight gates, Oh Rasoolullah?" and Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) answered, "I hope you will be one of them."

 

One can appear in different places at the same moment when his soul aquires the power of having connection with his original position in 'aalam ul-amr. Since the soul's interest in the world decreases when a man dies, his soul becomes more powerful. It becomes easier for him to appear in different places at the same moment.

[Parbati]

In ISLAM two wrongs does not make a right

[Ghulam E Mustafa]

What do you mean ?

[The Power]