The Benefits of the Hadith of the Crying Trunk
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The Shaykh : This hadith also provides evidence that it is recommended for the imam delivering the sermon to stand on something elevated. If a pulpit is available, that is what is sought; if not, then even a stone will do, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to deliver the sermon on this trunk before a pulpit was placed for him.
It also contains evidence of one of the signs of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), where the trunk cried out when it missed his feet (peace and blessings be upon him).
It also contains a reference, and evidence, that inanimate objects have sensation. Otherwise, this is a dead palm trunk, a trunk that does not grow, but it has sensation. If the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 4422, then it is not far-fetched that inanimate objects have sensation. And if the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) himself said, Sahih Muslim 2277, Glory be to Allah! A stone greets the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). This is among the signs of Allah: [Fussilat 41:21], for He is the Lord of all things, and His command, when He wills something, is to say to it, "Be," and it is.
It also indicates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perceives the sensation of even inanimate objects. The Messenger descended from the pulpit and placed his hand on it to quiet it until it was quiet. Glory be to Allah, it was as if a child cried out and his mother calmed him.
So if someone asks: How does the Messenger descend and quiet it when it is inanimate? We say: Because when it cried out and it became like the sound of a pregnant camel, meaning a camel in its final stage of pregnancy, he knew that it has sensation and that it would quiet down if he quieted it. Its parallel is what happened to Musa (peace be upon him). You know that the Children of Israel used to bathe naked, and Musa (peace be upon him) used to bathe in seclusion. They said, "Musa does not hide from us and bathe naked as we do except because he is afflicted with testicular enlargement." So they harmed him. Then Allah the Exalted wanted to show them that without Musa's choice. He was bathing and placed his garment on a stone, and the stone ran away with the garment. So Musa ran after it, calling out, "My garment, O stone! My garment, O stone!" And the stone, Glory be to Allah, ran swiftly until it reached the assembly of the Children of Israel. And at that point, what did Musa do? He was forced to be seen by them. When he caught up to it, he began to hit it. Musa hits the stone; how does he hit a stone when it is inanimate? Because it did the action of a living being with will; it ran away with the garment, so he wanted to discipline it by hitting it. Yes. Is it taken from that what we and others do when a child falls on the ground or is hit by a piece of wood or something, and we hit the ground to calm him? The child says yes, so we hit it to calm him. It appears there is no harm in it, but taking it from this hadith involves some anxiety. However, there is no blame as long as the child is calmed, for in it is good, if Allah wills. Yes.
The important point is that my intention is that the prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) have the most complete care for creation, to the extent that they even care for inanimate objects.
The questioner : In the previous hadith, and the first day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat on it... that is how it is with me.
The Shaykh : No, and on the first day he sat on it, the Messenger of Allah sent for so-and-so. Connect it.
It also contains evidence of one of the signs of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), where the trunk cried out when it missed his feet (peace and blessings be upon him).
It also contains a reference, and evidence, that inanimate objects have sensation. Otherwise, this is a dead palm trunk, a trunk that does not grow, but it has sensation. If the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Uhud, a mountain that loves us and is loved by us.
أحد جبل يحبنا ونحبهI recognise the stone in Mecca which used to pay me salutations
إني لأعرف حجرا بمكة كان يسلم عليAnd they will say to their skins, "Why have you testified against us?" They will say, "We were made to speak by Allah, who has made everything speak
وقالوا لجلودهم لم شهدتم قالوا أنطقنا الله الذي أنطق كل شيءIt also indicates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perceives the sensation of even inanimate objects. The Messenger descended from the pulpit and placed his hand on it to quiet it until it was quiet. Glory be to Allah, it was as if a child cried out and his mother calmed him.
So if someone asks: How does the Messenger descend and quiet it when it is inanimate? We say: Because when it cried out and it became like the sound of a pregnant camel, meaning a camel in its final stage of pregnancy, he knew that it has sensation and that it would quiet down if he quieted it. Its parallel is what happened to Musa (peace be upon him). You know that the Children of Israel used to bathe naked, and Musa (peace be upon him) used to bathe in seclusion. They said, "Musa does not hide from us and bathe naked as we do except because he is afflicted with testicular enlargement." So they harmed him. Then Allah the Exalted wanted to show them that without Musa's choice. He was bathing and placed his garment on a stone, and the stone ran away with the garment. So Musa ran after it, calling out, "My garment, O stone! My garment, O stone!" And the stone, Glory be to Allah, ran swiftly until it reached the assembly of the Children of Israel. And at that point, what did Musa do? He was forced to be seen by them. When he caught up to it, he began to hit it. Musa hits the stone; how does he hit a stone when it is inanimate? Because it did the action of a living being with will; it ran away with the garment, so he wanted to discipline it by hitting it. Yes. Is it taken from that what we and others do when a child falls on the ground or is hit by a piece of wood or something, and we hit the ground to calm him? The child says yes, so we hit it to calm him. It appears there is no harm in it, but taking it from this hadith involves some anxiety. However, there is no blame as long as the child is calmed, for in it is good, if Allah wills. Yes.
The important point is that my intention is that the prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) have the most complete care for creation, to the extent that they even care for inanimate objects.
The questioner : In the previous hadith, and the first day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat on it... that is how it is with me.
The Shaykh : No, and on the first day he sat on it, the Messenger of Allah sent for so-and-so. Connect it.