including Yazid1 and Walid, and Mu‘awiya’s assuming leadership of the Muslims. He advised justice and gentleness, and said: “When ruling, act with forebearance.”2 He predicted that the ‘Abbasid dynasty would emerge after the Umayyads to remain in power for a long time, and said: “The ‘Abbasids will come forth with black banners and rule for much longer than they [the Umayyads] rule.”3 All these predictions proved to be true.
According to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) also said: “Woe to the Arabs for the evil that has drawn near,”4 suggesting the dreadful disorders to be caused by Jenghiz and Hulagu, and their destruction of the ‘Abbasid state. All this proved to be true.
According to an authentic narration, when Sa‘d b. Abi Waqqas was gravely ill, the Prophet (UWBP) said to him: “It may be that you will be spared so that some may benefit by you, and others harmed by you,”5 thus predicting that he would be a great commander winning many victories, and many peoples would benefit from him entering the fold of Islam, while others would be destroyed by him. His words proved to be true; Sa‘d led the Muslim armies, wiped out the Persian Empire, and caused many peoples to reach guidance, the path of Islam.
Also according to an authentic narration, when the Negus, the Abyssinian ruler, who had accepted faith earlier, died in the seventh year of the Hijra, God’s Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) informed his Companions about it; he even performed funeral prayers for him.6 One week later came the news confirming the death of the Negus on the very same day as the Prophet (UWBP) had said.
According to an authentic narration, when the Noble Prophet (UWBP) was with his closest four Companions on the top of Mount Uhud (or Hira), the mountain began to tremble. He said, “Steady! For on you are a prophet, a veracious one [siddiq], and a martyr,”7 and foretold the martyrdom of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali. It too proved true.
See, al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami’ al-Saghir, no: 2579; al-Albani, Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahiha, no: 1749; al-‘Asqalan, al-Matalib al-‘Aliya, no: 4528.
al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, v, 186; Ibn Hajar, al-Matalib al-‘Aliya (Tahqiq: ‘Abd al-Rahman al-A’zami), no: 4085.
Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’ i, 338; Musnad, iii, 216-218; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 326.
. Bukhari, Fitan, 4, 28; Muslim, Fitan, 1; Abu Da’ud, Fitan, 1; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 23; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 9; Musnad, ii, 390, 399; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, i, 108; iv, 439, 483.
Bukhari, Jana’iz, 36; Manaqib al-Ansar, 49; Fara’id, 6; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 209; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 699; Abu Nu’aym, Hilyat al-Awliya, i, 94.
Bukhari, Jana’iz, 57; Manaqib al-Ansar, 38; Muslim, Fara’id, 14; Abu Da’ud, Jihad, 133; Buyu’, 9; Tirmidhi, Jana’iz, 69; Nasa’i, Jana’iz, 66, 67; Ibn Maja, Sadaqat, 9, 13.
Bukhari, Fada’il al-Sahaba, 5, 7; Abu Da’ud, Sunna, 8; Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 17, 18; Musnad, iii, 112; v, 331; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 450, 451 (two martyrs are mentioned here).