❖ Question:
Is there any Hadith that proves the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ had a shadow?
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
Yes, there are multiple authentic (ṣaḥīḥ) narrations that confirm the Prophet ﷺ had a shadow. On the contrary, there is no authentic evidence that negates it.
In Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd (8/126-127) and Musnad Aḥmad (6/131, 132, 261) — on the conditions of Imām Muslim — it is narrated from Shamaysah (رحمها الله):
“It was midday when I saw the shadow of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approaching.”
→
(Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd, Musnad Aḥmad)
Shamaysah was declared trustworthy (thiqah) by Imām Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn.
→ (Tārīkh ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd al-Dārimī: 418)
In Musnad Aḥmad (6/338), a longer narration is reported from her, part of which reads:
“When the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal arrived, he ﷺ came to her, and she saw his shadow…”
→ (Musnad Aḥmad 6/338 – with authentic chain)
In Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (2/51, ḥadīth 892), the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Until I saw both my shadow and yours…”
→ (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah 2/51, ḥadīth 892)
This narration was declared authentic by both Imām al-Ḥākim and Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī.
→ (al-Mustadrak ʿala al-Ṣaḥīḥayn 4/456)
There exists no authentic or even ḥasan-level narration proving that the Prophet ﷺ did not have a shadow.
Imām al-Suyūṭī (رحمه الله) mentioned a narration in Khaṣā’iṣ al-Kubrā suggesting that the Prophet ﷺ had no shadow, but this report is false (bāṭil) by the standards of hadith science.
◈ Multiple authentic narrations prove that the Prophet ﷺ had a shadow.
◈ There is no sound Hadith that negates his having a shadow.
◈ Therefore, the claim that the Prophet ﷺ had no shadow is baseless and unsupported by any authentic Islamic evidence.
(References: Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd, Musnad Aḥmad, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim, Tārīkh al-Dārimī, Khaṣā’iṣ al-Kubrā, Haft Rozah al-Iʿtiṣām – Lahore, 27 June 1997, al-Ḥadīth 40)
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Is there any Hadith that proves the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ had a shadow?
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
Yes, there are multiple authentic (ṣaḥīḥ) narrations that confirm the Prophet ﷺ had a shadow. On the contrary, there is no authentic evidence that negates it.
✿ Evidence from Authentic Hadith:
① Narration of Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها):
In Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd (8/126-127) and Musnad Aḥmad (6/131, 132, 261) — on the conditions of Imām Muslim — it is narrated from Shamaysah (رحمها الله):
“It was midday when I saw the shadow of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approaching.”
→
(Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd, Musnad Aḥmad) Shamaysah was declared trustworthy (thiqah) by Imām Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn.→
(Tārīkh ʿUthmān ibn Saʿīd al-Dārimī: 418)② Narration from Sayyidah Ṣafiyyah (رضي الله عنها):
In Musnad Aḥmad (6/338), a longer narration is reported from her, part of which reads:
“When the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal arrived, he ﷺ came to her, and she saw his shadow…”
→
(Musnad Aḥmad 6/338 – with authentic chain)③ Narration from Sayyidunā Yūnus (رضي الله عنه):
In Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (2/51, ḥadīth 892), the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Until I saw both my shadow and yours…”
→
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah 2/51, ḥadīth 892) This narration was declared authentic by both Imām al-Ḥākim and Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī.→
(al-Mustadrak ʿala al-Ṣaḥīḥayn 4/456)✿ Rejection of the Belief That the Prophet ﷺ Had No Shadow
There exists no authentic or even ḥasan-level narration proving that the Prophet ﷺ did not have a shadow.
Imām al-Suyūṭī (رحمه الله) mentioned a narration in Khaṣā’iṣ al-Kubrā suggesting that the Prophet ﷺ had no shadow, but this report is false (bāṭil) by the standards of hadith science.
Conclusion:
◈ Multiple authentic narrations prove that the Prophet ﷺ had a shadow.
◈ There is no sound Hadith that negates his having a shadow.
◈ Therefore, the claim that the Prophet ﷺ had no shadow is baseless and unsupported by any authentic Islamic evidence.
(References: Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd, Musnad Aḥmad, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim, Tārīkh al-Dārimī, Khaṣā’iṣ al-Kubrā, Haft Rozah al-Iʿtiṣām – Lahore, 27 June 1997, al-Ḥadīth 40)وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
