Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … However, the following hadith, which is similar in subject, is authentic:

It is narrated from a Companion of the Messenger of Allah, radi Allahu anhu, who says: When the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, ordered the digging of the trench, a rock appeared before them which became an obstacle between them and the digging. The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, stood up, took the pickaxe, placed his blessed cloak to one side of the trench, and recited: “The Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice. None can change His words, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” Then he struck the rock, and a third of it broke off. Salman al-Farisi was standing and watching, and with the strike of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, a flash of lightning appeared. Then he struck a second time and recited {تَمَّتْ کَلِمَۃُ رَبِّکَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِکَلِمَاتِہِ وَہُوَ السَّمِیعُ الْعَلِیمُ۔}, and another third broke off, and again a flash of lightning appeared, which Salman saw. Then he struck a third time and recited: “The Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice. None can change His words, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” The remaining third broke off, and the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, came out, took his cloak, and sat down. Salman said, “O Messenger of Allah, I saw that whenever you struck, there was a flash of lightning with it.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said to him, “O Salman, did you see that?” He replied, “Yes, by the One Who sent you with the truth, O Messenger of Allah, I saw it.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, then said, “When I struck the first blow, the cities of Kisra (Chosroes) and what surrounds them, and many other cities, were raised up before me until I saw them with my own eyes.” Those Companions who were present said, “O Messenger of Allah, supplicate to Allah that He opens them for us, grants us their wealth as spoils, and destroys their lands by our hands.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, supplicated for that. “Then when I struck the second blow, the cities of Caesar and what surrounds them were raised up before me until I saw them with my own eyes.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, supplicate to Allah that He opens them for us, grants us their wealth as spoils, and destroys their lands by our hands.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, supplicated for that. “Then when I struck the third blow, the cities of Abyssinia and the villages around them were raised up before me until I saw them with my own eyes.” The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, then said, “Leave the Abyssinians as long as they leave you, and leave the Turks as long as they leave you.” (Sunan al-Nasa’i: 3125)

When the Noble Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, ordered the digging of the trench, at that time (i.e., during the digging) a large rock appeared, which made the digging difficult, and it became hard for the people to break it. The Noble Messenger, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, stood up with the tool used to break rocks, placed his blessed cloak at the edge of the trench, and recited the noble verse {تَمَّتْ کَلِمَۃُ رَبِّکَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِکَلِمَاتِہِ وَہُوَ السَّمِیعُ الْعَلِیمُ۔} … “The Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice. None can change His words.” Then he lifted the tool and struck, and the rock broke and fell apart. At that time, Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi was standing there, and with the strike of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, a flash like lightning appeared. Then, reciting the same noble verse a second time, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, struck with the tool, and again a flash like lightning appeared, and two-thirds of the rock separated. The third time, reciting the same noble verse, when he struck, the third piece also fell off, and the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, moved away from there, took his blessed cloak, and sat down. Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi, radi Allahu anhu, said, “O Messenger of Allah! I was watching that whenever you struck, a flash of lightning appeared with it.” The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “Did you see that, Salman?” Sayyiduna Salman replied, “By the One Who sent you with the true religion, I saw it.” Then the Noble Messenger, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “When I struck the first blow, the veils were lifted from before me, so much so that I saw with my own eyes the cities of Persia and the nearby settlements, and many cities.” Those who were present there said, “O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate to Allah that He grants us victory over those cities, bestows upon us their wealth and property, and destroys their lands by our hands.” The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, supplicated for that. Then he said, “When I struck the second blow, the cities of Caesar of Rome and the nearby areas were all presented before me, and I saw them with my own eyes.” The noble Companions, radi Allahu anhum, said, “O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate that Allah destroys those cities by our hands, grants us their spoils, and gives us victory over them.” The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, supplicated for that. Then he said, “When I struck the third blow, the cities of Abyssinia and the surrounding villages were presented before me, which I saw with my own eyes.” Then the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, also said, “Do not confront the Turks and Abyssinians as long as they do not confront you (i.e., do not attack them unless they attack you).” (Sunan al-Nasa’i: 3125)