The Deer and Her Children

One Account, One Miracle

The Deer and Her Children

Arshad Aslam Attari Madani

As evening drew in, Grandfather sat on his armchair sipping tea. Sohaib approached him, “Grandfather! It’s Sunday evening and you promised to take us to the park.” Khubayb and Umm Habibah also entered the room.

“We want to go to the park too,” they announced.

“Ok! Ok! We will go. But first tell me this: what will you do at the park?” Grandfather asked.

“We will play on the swings, eat some snacks, and have fun,” Khubayb and Umm Habibah answered.

Grandfather looked towards Sohaib and asked, “Sohaib! What will you do at the park?”

“I will do all of that, but I will do one more thing too.” Everyone looked at Sohaib curiously and asked, “What will you do?” Sohaib happily replied, “I will look at the animals because there are animals at the park now.”

“Wow! I thought there were only swings in the park. When did the animals come?” asked Umm Habibah.

“Owais told me. He saw them yesterday with his grandfather,” answered Sohaib.

“Tell me, Sohaib! What kinds of animals are there?”

“There is a monkey, lion, tiger, parrot, pigeon, ostrich, crocodile, and a deer and her young children.”

“Grandfather! I want to take a selfie with the lion and tiger,” shouted Khubayb.

“I will take pictures of the deer and her children.” said Umm Habibah.

“Yes! Grandfather cried, “the brave children will take pictures of the lion and tiger, and the noble children will take pictures of the deer.”

Umm Habibah said, “Grandfather! We know about lions and tigers, but we know nothing about deer. Tell us something about them.”

Grandfather explained:

1.   Deer live in forests.

2.   They live in groups and travel together.

3.   Deer are very noble animals. They do not pester or hurt anyone.

4.   They eat grass and leaves.

5.   Deer are halal. Just as we eat the meat of goats and cows, we can eat deer meat too.

“Tell us more, Grandfather!” pleaded Umm Habibah.

“I do not remember anything else. Yes! I remember a miracle of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم where the deer spoke to him.” The children became happy at this and listened attentively.

Thus, Grandfather began to narrate the account:

A man captured a deer. The deer tried hard to free itself but to no avail. Seeing the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , it cried out, “O Messenger of Allah!” Our beloved Prophet heard the deer and saw it trapped. The deer said, “Please come to me.” So, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم approached the deer and asked, “What do you need?” The deer answered, “Free me. My two children are hungry. I will feed them and return.” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Will you come back?” “If I do not come back, Allah will punish me,” the deer answered. So, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم freed the deer and she went to her children.

“We know our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم could understand animals and talk to them. But did the animals know he was a Prophet of Allah?” asked Khubayb.

“Son! Not only animals, but everything in this world knows that he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the Prophet of Allah.” Grandfather replied.

Sohaib asked, “Did the deer return?”

Grandfather explained:

Yes! The deer returned shortly afterwards, and the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم tied her up again. The man who had captured the deer watched these events unfold in utter surprise. “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم !” he asked, “do you have a request?” To which our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Release this deer.” So, the man freed the deer, and as the deer ran away, she proclaimed, “None is worthy of worship except Allah Almighty, and you are the Messenger of Allah.”^[1]

After relating this miracle, Grandfather asked, “Don’t you want to go to the park? Get ready quickly.”