Question: The Qur'an demands that we love the Prophet's Family, and the Prophet greatly encouraged this. The Shi'as' love for them may serve as an excuse, for people of love may be likened to people of intoxication. So why cannot the Shi'a, especially the Rafidites, benefit from their love? Why did the Prophet condemn them for their excessive love?

Answer: There are two kinds of love. The first is loving somebody as a means to attain true love, which is love for the Prophet's Family in the name of God and his Messenger. Such love increases one's love of the Prophet and becomes a means to love God Almighty. Therefore it is lawful, its excess is harmless and not considered a transgression, and it does not call for reproach and enmity toward others.

The second takes the means as its real object. Such people "forget" the Prophet and devote their love to 'Ali (the Rafidites) due to his heroic acts and perfections, and to Hasan and Husayn on account of their extraordinary virtues, regardless of whether they recognize God and His Prophet. This love is not a means to love God and His Messenger. Moreover, its excess leads to reproach and enmity toward others. The Rafidites' excessive love for 'Ali caused them to reject the caliphates of Abu Bakr and 'Umar, deny their perfections, and eventually to deviate from the Straight Path. Such excessive and negative love causes spiritual ruin.

"When Persian and Roman girls serve you, you will be exposed to internal conflicts and civil war, and the wicked will come to power, preying on the good."[13] This came true after years.

"'Ali will conquer Khaybar."[14] As a miracle of the Prophet and beyond all expectation, the following day 'Ali reached the gate of Khaybar's fortress, used it as a shield, and finally conquered Khaybar. When he threw the gate aside after the conquest, eight (another version says 40) strong men could not lift it.[15]

"The Hour will not come before two parties (of Muslims) fight (each other), although they make the same claims,"[16] predicting the Battle of Siffin between 'Ali and Mu'awiya.

"'Ammar will be killed by a rebellious group."[17] When 'Ammar was killed at Siffin, 'Ali mentioned this as evidence that Mu'awiya and his followers were rebels. However, Mu'awiya and 'Amr ibn al‑'As interpreted it as: "The rebels are his murderers, not all of us."

"Disorder will not appear (among my community) as long as 'Umar is alive."[18]

When Sahl ibn 'Amr was taken prisoner before his conversion to Islam, 'Umar told the Messenger: "Let me pull out his teeth, for his eloquent speech incites the Qurayshi unbelievers to fight us." The Messenger replied: "'Umar, maybe he will assume a position pleasing to you."[19] When the Prophet died, Sahl delivered an eloquent sermon in Makka to steady and console the grief‑stricken Companions. Remarkably, this sermon was almost the same in meaning and wording as that delivered, at the same time and for the same purpose, by Abu Bakr in Madina.

"I wonder (Suraqa), how it will be with you when you wear the two bracelets of Chosroes (the Persian king)."[20] Chosroes was defeated during the reign of 'Umar, who put the bracelets on Suraqa and said: "Praise be to God, Who took these off Chosroes and put them on Suraqa."[21] The Prophet also declared: "Once (the rule of) Chosroes (meaning the Sassanid dynasty) is gone, there will be no other Chosroes,"[22] (thus predicting the end of the Sassanid rule in Iran.)

When the envoy of Chosroes (the Sassanid king during the Prophet's time) reached Madina, the Prophet told him: "Chosroes has been killed by his son Shirviya Parwiz."[23] After confirming this, the envoy (reported to be Firouz) accepted Islam.

When God's Messenger was about to set out for the conquest of Makka, a secret letter sent by Khatib ibn Abi Balta'a was already on its way to the Quraysh. He sent 'Ali and Miqdad, telling them: "The letter‑carrier is in such‑and‑such a place. Go and bring it." They did as he asked. When the Messenger asked Khatib why he had sent the letter, Khatib gave an excuse and was pardoned.[24]

God's Messenger prayed: "May he ('Utba ibn Abi Lahab) be devoured by one of the dogs of God."[25] Later on, this man was devoured by a lion while traveling to Yemen.

After the conquest of Makka, Bilal al‑Habashi stood on the Ka'ba's roof and called the people to prayer (adhan). Several Qurayshi leaders, namely, Abu Sufyan, 'Attab ibn Asid, and Harith ibn Hisham, were sitting together near the Ka'ba. 'Attab said: "My father is fortunate not to witness this moment." Harith asked contemptuously: "Could not Muhammad find someone other than this black crow to be the mu'azzin?" Abu Sufyan did not comment, saying: "I am afraid that he will come to know whatever I say, and so will say nothing. Even if no one informs him, the rocks of this Batha (i.e., Makka) will do so." Shortly thereafter, God's Messenger came to them and repeated their conversation word for word. At that very moment 'Attab and Harith embraced Islam.[26]

Now, those of you who do not recognize the Prophet! Consider that two stubborn Qurayshi leaders believed after witnessing only one miracle. Consider how far you have been ruined so that you are not convinced even after hearing hundreds of his miracles, like this one, that came through tawatur. But let's return to our subject.

The Muslims captured 'Abbas during the Battle of Badr. When asked for ransom, 'Abbas said he had no money. God's Messenger said: "You left that amount of money with your wife Umm Fadl in such‑and‑such a place (he gave the exact amount of money and named the place)."[27] 'Abbas confirmed this: "Only the two of us knew this," and then attained perfect belief.

Labid, a dangerous Jewish sorcerer, invented a strong and effective spell to harm the Prophet. Winding some hair around a comb, he bewitched it and threw it into a well. God's Messenger told some of his Companions, including 'Ali: "Go to such‑and‑such a well and remove the spell from it." They did so, and the Messenger's discomfort lessened as they unwound the hair.[28]

In the company of some important Companions, including Abu Hurayra and Hudayfa, the Prophet mentioned the fate one of them would meet because of his later apostasy: "One of you will be in the Fire with a tooth bigger than Mount Uhud." Abu Hurayra would later relate: "I was so afraid, as only two members of that group remained. One of them was me. Finally, the other man was killed in the Battle of Yamama as an apostate in the company of Musaylima."[29]

Before converting to Islam, 'Umayr and Safwan decided to kill the Prophet and collect a large reward. When 'Umayr came to Madina with this intention, God's Messenger summoned him, related the plot, and placed his hand on 'Umayr's chest. 'Umayr confessed and became a Muslim.[30]

Many more of his predictions are recorded with chains of transmission in authentic books of Tradition. Most of the ones related here have the certainty of tawatur in meaning, being related in al‑Jami' al‑Sahih by Imam al‑Bukhari and al‑Jami' al‑Sahih by Imam al‑Muslim (commonly known as Bukhari and Muslim or Sahih al‑Bukhari and Sahih al‑Muslim, respectively), which are accepted by meticulous researchers as the most authentic sources after the Qur'an, and in the Sunan al‑Tirmidhi, Sunan al‑Nasa'i, Sunan Abu Dawud, Musnad al‑Hakim, Musnad al‑Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and Dala'il al‑Bayhaqi.

Now then, you bewildered person, do not try to explain this away by calling Muhammad a wise man. His predictions, all of which have come (or will come) true, can be explained in only two ways. The first one is that he had such a keen sight and broad genius that he penetrated into all times and places and thereby learned of the past and the future. If someone had this quality, it would be no more than a wonder, a miraculous gift from the Creator of the universe, and one of the greatest miracles.

The second one is that he is an official instructed by a Being Who controls and observes everything, commands all times and places, and records everything in a great ledger. He then relates to His Messenger whatever and whenever He wills. Thus Muhammad instructs others as he is instructed by his Eternal Instructor.

• While appointing Khalid ibn al‑Walid to fight against Ukaydir, the chief of Dawmat al‑Jandal, the Prophet told him: "You will find him (Ukaydir) on a wild ox hunt," and that he would be captured without resistance.[31] Khalid found and captured Ukaydir in those exact circumstances.
• Some time after the Quraysh hung the leaf containing the articles of boycott against the Bani Hashim (the Prophet's clan) on the Ka'ba's wall, the Messenger told them: "Worms have eaten the leaf, except the parts bearing the names of God." They went and found it to be so.[32]
• "A pestilence will break out during Jerusalem's conquest." This city was conquered during 'Umar's caliphate, and a widespread pestilence broke out and killed about 70,000 people in 3 days.[33]
• God's Messenger predicted the establishment of Basra and Baghdad,[34] that treasures would pour into Baghdad from all over the world, and that the Arabs would fight the Turks and the people living around the Caspian Sea,[35] most of whom would later convert and rule the Arabs in their own lands. He said: "Non‑Arabs will predominate among you, consuming your booty and striking off your heads."[36]
• "Young, evil Qurayshis will ruin my community."[37] This foretold such wicked Umayyad leaders as Yazid and Walid. He also predicted that people in certain areas, such as Yamama, would apostasize,[38] and declared during the Battle of Khandaq: "After this, neither the Quraysh nor the Confederates will fight me, but I will fight them."[39]
• The Prophet foretold his death a few months before it happened, saying: "One of God's slaves has been given a choice and has chosen that which is with God."[40]
• "One of his (Zayd ibn Sawhan) limbs will precede him to Paradise."[41] This came true when Zayd lost a hand during a battle.

These predictions related to the Unseen constitute only one of his kinds of miracles. We did not mention one of these kinds here, and summarized the other 4 kinds related to predictions in the Twenty‑fifth Word. Anyone with an uncorrupted mind and heart can consider just this one kind together with the other 4 in order to believe that Muhammad is God's Messenger and was instructed by the All‑Majestic One, the Creator of everything and the Knower of the Unseen.

[13] Haythami, 10:237; al-Jami' al-Saghir, 813; Shifa', 1:237; Ibn Hibban, 8:253.

[14] Bukhari, 5:171; Muslim, no. 2406; Ibn Hanbal, 5:333; Hakim, 3:109.

[15] Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa', 164; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya, 4:189, also related by Hakim, Ibn Ishaq, and Bayhaqi.

[16] Al-Jami' al-Saghir, 6:174; related by Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud.

[17] Muslim, 4:2236; Bukhari, 1:122; related from about Companions.

[18] Bayhaqi, 6:386; Muslim, 4:2218; also related by Bukhari.

[19] Hakim, 4:282; Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba, 2:93; Shifa', 1:344.

[20] Ibn Hajar, ibid., no. 3115; 'Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa', 1:703.

[21] Shifa', 1:344; also al-Isaba, no. 3115.

[22] Muslim, 4:2236; also related by Bukhari, Tirmidhi, and Tabarani.

[23] 'Ali al-Qari, ibid, 1:700; al-Jami' al-Saghir, 875; Abu Nu'aym, 2:348.

[24] Bukhari, 5:184; Muslim, No. 2494; Ibn Hanbal, 1:80.

[25] Shifa', 1:343; related by Hakim, Bayhaqi, and Ibn Ishaq.

[26] Ibn Hajar, al-Matalib al-'Aliya, 4366; Ibn Hisham, Sira, 2:413.

[27] Haythami, Majma' al-Zawa'id, 6:85; related by Ibn Hanbal, Hakim, and Bayhaqi.

[28] Bukhari, 4:148; Muslim, 4:1719; Ibn Maja, 3545; Ibn Hanbal, 4:367.

[29] Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8:289; related by Tabarani and, with a slight difference, by Muslim; Shifa', 1:342.

[30] Majma' al-Zawa'id, 8:286; Shifa', 1:342; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya, 3:313.

[31] Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, 2:119; Hakim, 4:519; Shifa', 1:344; Bayhaqi, 2:66.

[32] Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya, 3:96; Bayhaqi, 2:311; Shifa', 1:345; Ibn Hisham, 1:371.

[33] Bukhari, 7:168; Muslim, no. 2219; Ibn Hanbal, 4:195.

[34] Basra: al-Jami' al-Saghir, 6:268, related by Abu Dawud; Baghdad: al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, 10:102; also related by Abu Nu'aym and Khatib.

[35] Al-Shifa', 1:337, related by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Tirmidhi.

[36] Majma' al-Zawa'id, 7:310, related by Hakim, Tayalisi, and Ibn Hanbal.

[37] Bukhari, 9:60; Ibn Hanbal, 2:288; Hakim, Mustadrak, 4:479.

[38] Bukhari, 4:247; Muslim, 4:1781.

[39] Ibn Hanbal, 4:262, also related by Bukhari, Ibn Hibban, and Tabarani.

[40] Muslim, no. 2382; also related by Bukhari and Tirmidhi.

[41] Majma' al-Zawa'id, 9:398, related by Bayhaqi, Ibn Adiyy, and Abu Ya'la.