Authored by: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid (Hafizahullah)
The story of Bahira, a monk who allegedly encountered the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) during his childhood, is one of the widely circulated religious tales. Versions of this story appear in various historical and biographical texts, with differences in details and additions. One version of this tale is also found in the renowned collection of Hadith, Jami' al-Tirmidhi, which has led some scholars to consider it credible enough to be linked with matters of faith. However, the narrative contains elements that conflict with reason and established facts, leading many prominent scholars to question its authenticity or reject parts of it outright.
When the Prophet (ﷺ) was 12 years and two months old, his uncle Abu Talib took him along on a trade journey to Syria. Upon reaching a place called Tayma, they encountered Bahira, a monk. Some narrations describe Bahira as a Jewish scholar, while others call him a Christian scholar. Allah knows best.
Bahira allegedly observed signs of prophethood in the young Muhammad (ﷺ) based on prophecies found in ancient scriptures. He questioned Abu Talib about the boy, who responded that Muhammad (ﷺ) was his nephew. Bahira advised Abu Talib to take Muhammad (ﷺ) back to Mecca, warning that the Jews would become hostile and attempt to harm him if he were taken to Syria. Consequently, Abu Talib reportedly turned back with Muhammad (ﷺ).
Hakim Abdul Rauf presents the story succinctly and seeks to defend its authenticity against objections, albeit with apparent bias.
Abu Talib’s caravan halted near a monastery in Bosra, where Bahira resided. Bahira, described as a devout Christian and a scholar of scriptures, noticed unusual signs, such as a cloud providing shade to Muhammad (ﷺ) and trees bowing in reverence. Bahira invited the caravan members to a feast, scrutinized Muhammad (ﷺ) during the meal, and questioned Abu Talib about his nephew. After examining the Seal of Prophethood, he advised Abu Talib to protect Muhammad (ﷺ) from the Jews. According to this version, Abu Talib returned to Mecca after conducting trade in Bosra.
The claim that the Jews posed a threat to Muhammad (ﷺ) in Syria is questionable. At the time, Syria was under Christian rule, and the Jews were marginalized. Any potential threat would logically have come from Christians, not Jews.
The narrative conflicts with the fact that the Prophet (ﷺ) made later journeys to Syria for trade on behalf of Khadijah (رضي الله عنها). If there had been a genuine threat, why was he not prevented from traveling to Syria again?
Some versions claim that Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and Bilal (رضي الله عنه) accompanied Muhammad (ﷺ) on this journey. However, this is historically inaccurate, as Bilal (رضي الله عنه) was not born at the time, and Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) was a young boy.
The story implies that Bahira recognized the Seal of Prophethood before anyone else. If true, this would mean Bahira was the first believer, which contradicts the established sequence of early converts like Khadijah (رضي الله عنها) and Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه).
Claims about trees and clouds bowing to Muhammad (ﷺ) are also problematic. If such miracles were visible to the entire caravan, why didn’t more people from the caravan become believers?
May Allah guide us to truth and protect us from falsehood.
Ameen.
The story of Bahira, a monk who allegedly encountered the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) during his childhood, is one of the widely circulated religious tales. Versions of this story appear in various historical and biographical texts, with differences in details and additions. One version of this tale is also found in the renowned collection of Hadith, Jami' al-Tirmidhi, which has led some scholars to consider it credible enough to be linked with matters of faith. However, the narrative contains elements that conflict with reason and established facts, leading many prominent scholars to question its authenticity or reject parts of it outright.
The Narrative
We begin by quoting the story as narrated in the historical work Asah al-Seer by Hakim Abdul Rauf Danapuri:When the Prophet (ﷺ) was 12 years and two months old, his uncle Abu Talib took him along on a trade journey to Syria. Upon reaching a place called Tayma, they encountered Bahira, a monk. Some narrations describe Bahira as a Jewish scholar, while others call him a Christian scholar. Allah knows best.
Bahira allegedly observed signs of prophethood in the young Muhammad (ﷺ) based on prophecies found in ancient scriptures. He questioned Abu Talib about the boy, who responded that Muhammad (ﷺ) was his nephew. Bahira advised Abu Talib to take Muhammad (ﷺ) back to Mecca, warning that the Jews would become hostile and attempt to harm him if he were taken to Syria. Consequently, Abu Talib reportedly turned back with Muhammad (ﷺ).
Hakim Abdul Rauf presents the story succinctly and seeks to defend its authenticity against objections, albeit with apparent bias.
Alternate Versions
Another account by historian Qari Ahmed in Tarikh Musliman-e-Alam offers further embellishments. According to him:Abu Talib’s caravan halted near a monastery in Bosra, where Bahira resided. Bahira, described as a devout Christian and a scholar of scriptures, noticed unusual signs, such as a cloud providing shade to Muhammad (ﷺ) and trees bowing in reverence. Bahira invited the caravan members to a feast, scrutinized Muhammad (ﷺ) during the meal, and questioned Abu Talib about his nephew. After examining the Seal of Prophethood, he advised Abu Talib to protect Muhammad (ﷺ) from the Jews. According to this version, Abu Talib returned to Mecca after conducting trade in Bosra.
Analysis of the Story
The narrations, while intriguing, are fraught with inconsistencies and contradictions. Scholars like Allama Shibli Nomani and Allama Syed Suleiman Nadwi have critically examined the tale, raising numerous questions:The claim that the Jews posed a threat to Muhammad (ﷺ) in Syria is questionable. At the time, Syria was under Christian rule, and the Jews were marginalized. Any potential threat would logically have come from Christians, not Jews.
The narrative conflicts with the fact that the Prophet (ﷺ) made later journeys to Syria for trade on behalf of Khadijah (رضي الله عنها). If there had been a genuine threat, why was he not prevented from traveling to Syria again?
Some versions claim that Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and Bilal (رضي الله عنه) accompanied Muhammad (ﷺ) on this journey. However, this is historically inaccurate, as Bilal (رضي الله عنه) was not born at the time, and Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) was a young boy.
The story implies that Bahira recognized the Seal of Prophethood before anyone else. If true, this would mean Bahira was the first believer, which contradicts the established sequence of early converts like Khadijah (رضي الله عنها) and Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه).
Claims about trees and clouds bowing to Muhammad (ﷺ) are also problematic. If such miracles were visible to the entire caravan, why didn’t more people from the caravan become believers?
Hadith Analysis
The version of the story in Jami' al-Tirmidhi is classified as Hasan Gharib (sound but uncommon) by Imam Tirmidhi. However, scholars like Hafiz Ibn Hajar and Imam Zahabi have critiqued its chain of narration due to the following:- Weak Narrators
- Abdul Rahman bin Ghazwan, a key narrator, is known for narrating fabricated and unreliable Hadiths. Imam Zahabi described the Bahira story as one of his most objectionable narrations.
- Yunus bin Abi Ishaq, another narrator, has been criticized for inconsistencies and errors in his narrations.
- Disconnection in the ChainThe final narrator, Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari (رضي الله عنه), was not present during the event and does not identify the source from whom he heard the story.
- Conflicting AccountsVariations in the story further undermine its credibility. Some versions state that Abu Talib returned to Mecca with Muhammad (ﷺ), while others claim that Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and Bilal (رضي الله عنه) escorted him back.
Conclusion
The tale of Bahira the Monk is riddled with historical inaccuracies and weak chains of narration. While it is found in various texts, its authenticity cannot be established due to unreliable narrators and contradictions. This narrative serves as a reminder of the importance of critically examining sources and adhering to authentic reports when studying the life of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).May Allah guide us to truth and protect us from falsehood.
Ameen.