Prophetic Miracle: Lantern of Light

Beautiful Miracle of the Final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Lantern of Light

Sayyid Imran Akhtar Attari Madani

There are numerous and amazing stories of the Prophet’s supplications being accepted in grand fashion. Amongst these is the miraculous supplication he made for Ṭufayl b. ꜤAmr al-Dawsī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ and the guidance of the latter’s tribe after accepting Islam.

Ṭufayl b. ꜤAmr al-Dawsī, the leader of the Daws tribe, explains the fascinating incident that led to his acceptance of Islam as follows:

When I came to Mecca, the disbelievers of the Quraysh said regarding the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: “He has brought distance between us. His words are like magic in their effect, separating between brothers, husband, and wife. Be careful, lest you and your tribe fall into this same problem as us. Neither speak to him nor listen to his words.”

I then inserted cotton in my ears to stop myself hearing the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When I reached the KaꜤba, he was offering salah facing it. I stood near him, when Allah caused me to hear some of his words. They were beautiful to me. I thought to myself, “I am an intelligent person. I can distinguish well between good and bad. What should prevent me from listening to him?”

I mentioned to him I had inserted cotton in my ears and explained other matters in this regard. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم invited me to Islam and recited the Quran to me. I had never heard such beautiful words before. I became Muslim, mentioned I was the leader of a tribe, and said I would invite them to Islam. I asked the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to supplicate for me and grant me a sign to aid me. He supplicated: اَللّٰہُمَّ اجْعَلْ لَہُ اٰیَۃ - “O Allah! Establish for him a sign!”

When I reached the mountain of Kadāˈ, a light sprung forth from the midst of my forehead, like a lantern. I supplicated, “O Allah, move it elsewhere other than my forehead!” The light then appeared at the tip of my whip, like a hanging lantern. When I reached my tribespeople, I informed my father and wife of my acceptance of Islam, and they too became Muslim. Yet, the people of Daws refused.

I went to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and requested he supplicate against them. He said, اَللّٰہُمَ اہْدِ دَوْسا - “O Allah! Guide the Daws!” He then instructed me, “Return to your people and invite them to Islam gently.” I went back and did so. Eventually, I took 70 or 80 families that had embraced Islam to Medina, and then to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم at the Battle of Khaybar. The Messenger of Allah                صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم included these new Muslims with the mujāhidīn when dividing spoils of war.[1]

The appearance of light on the forehead and at the tip of Ṭufayl b. ꜤAmr al-Dawsī’s whip, was a result of the Prophet’s supplication, as was the Daws tribe becoming Muslim. These are also his miracles.

We learn several things from this incident:

* We should save ourselves from criticising and blaming the chosen servants of Allah, as this has always been the way of the evildoers.

* Sometimes, he who appears to be a well-wisher is other than that in reality. We should be alert and develop the ability to recognise an enemy in the guise of a well-wisher. The disbelievers of the Quraysh behaved well with Ṭufayl b. ꜤAmr al-Dawsī, but due to his intelligence, he saved himself from them and entered the safety of Islam.

* Rather than believing in baseless matters, one should continue to strive to reach the truth.

* Those who do not suffice with hearsay but instead apply their intellect; it is they who are successful. They save themselves from the trickery of others, especially when someone is incited against another.

* Good people think about the well-being of others alongside themselves.

* Gentleness is a very important matter in guiding people to the right path. When the person being guided is in a position of authority; rather than an authoritarian approach, wisdom should be applied.

* Even if one faces failure at the start of any task, with continual effort one eventually attains success.

* We should strive to reform ourselves and the people of the entire world.