Author: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid (May Allah protect him)
This incident has been widely quoted in classical texts, accompanied by poetry attributed to Umm Ma‘bad and others who described the event.
While the incident is often used to highlight the miraculous nature of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) life, it should not be presented as an established fact due to the lack of reliable evidence.
Allah knows best!
The Story:
The famous story of Umm Ma‘bad relates to the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) migration from Makkah to Madinah. The narration describes how the Prophet (ﷺ) caused milk to flow from the udder of a barren goat at Umm Ma‘bad’s tent. Despite the prevailing drought and the goat being devoid of milk, the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed, touched the udder, and milk flowed in abundance, quenching the thirst of all present.This incident has been widely quoted in classical texts, accompanied by poetry attributed to Umm Ma‘bad and others who described the event.
Authenticity of the Narration
- Sources of the Narration:
The story is reported in several works, such as:
- Musnad al-Baghawi.
- Dalail al-Nubuwwah by Al-Bayhaqi.
- Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim.
- Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d.
- Other biographical compilations.
- Scholarly Critique:
- Imam Al-Hakim graded the narration as authentic (sahih), but Imam Al-Dhahabi strongly criticized this evaluation, stating that the chain does not meet the conditions of authenticity.
- Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Ibn Hajar, and Ibn Taymiyyah classified this narration as weak (da‘if) and unreliable.
- Key Issues with the Chains of Transmission:
- Primary Chain:
The chain involves narrators such as Hizam, his father Hisham, and his grandfather Habish ibn Khalid al-Khuza‘i.
- Hizam: A narrator considered unknown (majhul) in the science of hadith.
- Habish ibn Khalid: Only one narration is attributed to him in hadith literature. He was not present during the reported event, and it is unclear from whom he heard the story, making the chain disconnected (mursal).
- Second Chain:
Reported via Har ibn Sabah from Abu Ma‘bad, Umm Ma‘bad’s husband.
- Har ibn Sabah: Although reliable (thiqah), his direct hearing from Abu Ma‘bad is not proven, making the narration disconnected (mursal) once again.
- Lower Narrators: This chain also includes narrators like Muhammad ibn Bishr Sukri, described as weak and unreliable by scholars such as Al-Azdi and Ibn Adi.
- Primary Chain:
- Assessment of Alternative Chains:
- Abu Nu‘aym includes another chain via Sulayt Abu Sulayman Ansari, a companion. However, the narrators from his lineage, including his son Sulayman and grandson Muhammad, are unknown and untrustworthy.
- Hafiz Ibn Hajar mentions in Lisan al-Mizan:
"Sulayman and his son Muhammad are unknown. The story of Umm Ma‘bad through this chain is weak and not preserved."
Additional Observations:
- Inconsistencies in Details:
- The narration contains linguistic and contextual oddities in the dialogue, poetry, and description, which raise doubts about its authenticity.
- Claims of a drought and scarcity during the migration year lack historical evidence.
- Absence in Reliable Sources:
- Authentic hadith collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim do not mention this incident.
- A related narration in Sahih al-Bukhari describes Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) obtaining milk from a shepherd, but there is no mention of any miraculous event.
Conclusion:
The story of Umm Ma‘bad and the miraculous milk flow is widely circulated but lacks authenticity. Renowned scholars such as Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Imam Al-Dhahabi, and Ibn Taymiyyah have declared its chains of transmission weak, disconnected, or fabricated.While the incident is often used to highlight the miraculous nature of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) life, it should not be presented as an established fact due to the lack of reliable evidence.
Allah knows best!