its rumbling (1) whenever it prostrated beneath the Throne.’
He then said, ‘This report is transmitted only by al-Ḥabali (2), who is an unknown narrator. (3)
Section: The signs that appeared on the night of his birth, peace and blessings be upon him
We have already noted in the chapter on the voices of the jinn (4) the events that took place that night: many idols toppled face-down from their pedestals; the vision granted to the Negus, king of Abyssinia; the light that accompanied him, illuminating the palaces of Syria at the moment of his birth; his emergence kneeling with his head raised toward the sky; the earthen pot that split away from his noble face; the light witnessed in the house where he was born; the nearness of the stars, and other marvels besides.
Al-Suhaylī (5) relates, citing the Tafsīr of the ḥāfiẓ Baqī ibn Makhlad, that Iblīs uttered four piercing shrieks (6): when he was cursed; when he was cast down; when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born; and when Sūrat al-Fātiḥah was revealed.
Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq (7) reports that Hishām ibn ʿUrwah used to narrate from his father, from ʿĀʾishah, who said:
A Jewish man had settled in Mecca for trade. On the night the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born he addressed a gathering of Quraysh, saying, ‘People of Quraysh, has a child been born among you tonight?’
They replied, ‘By Allah, we know of none.’
He said, ‘Allāhu akbar! If you have missed it, no matter. Listen and remember what I tell you: tonight the prophet of this final community has been born. Between his shoulders is a mark with several clustered hairs that look like a horse’s mane. He will not nurse for two nights, for a demon from the jinn will put his finger in the child’s mouth and prevent him from suckling.’ (8)
The men dispersed from the gathering, astonished at his words. When each returned home, he told his family, and they said, ‘Indeed, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib has had a son tonight, and they have named him Muḥammad.’
The men met again and said, ‘Did you hear the Jew’s account? Have you been informed of the birth of this boy?’ They hurried off to the Jew and informed him of the news.