Khalaf transmitted it from Abān b. Bashīr, from a shaykh of Basra, from Nāfiʿ, who reported the incident. (1)

This report is exceedingly unusual, both in its chain of transmission and in its wording.

Al-Bayhaqī then said: “Abū Saʿīd al-Mālinī informed us; Abū Aḥmad ibn ʿAdī informed us; al-ʿAbbās ibn Muḥammad ibn al-ʿAbbās narrated to us; Aḥmad ibn Saʿīd ibn Abī Maryam narrated to us; Abū Ḥafṣ al-Riyāḥī narrated to us; ʿĀmir ibn Abī ʿĀmir al-Khazzāz narrated to us, from his father, from al-Ḥasan ibn Saʿd—the freedman of Abū Bakr—who said:

‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Milk the she-goat for me.” To my knowledge there was no goat in that place, yet I went and found a goat whose udder was swollen. I milked her, kept her safe, and left instructions concerning her. When we became occupied with the journey, I discovered that the goat had disappeared. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, the goat is missing.” He replied, “She has a Lord who is caring for her.”’ (2)

This too is an extremely odd ḥadīth in both chain and content, and its isnād contains narrators whose status is unknown. The story of the gazelle will appear later, in the section on miracles connected with animals.

His ﷺ multiplication of butter for Umm Sulaym

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū Yaʿlā reported: Shaybān narrated to us; Muḥammad ibn Ziyād al-Burajmī narrated to us, from Abū Ẓilāl, from Anas, from his mother, who said:

‘She owned a ewe and collected its butterfat in a leather jar (3) until she filled it. When it was full, she sent it with Rabība, saying, “Rabība, take this jar of butter to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so that he may use it as relish.” Rabība set out and reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah, this is a jar of butter Umm Sulaym has sent to you.” He said, “Empty her jar for her.” They emptied the jar and handed it back to her.

She went home while Umm Sulaym was out, and she hung the jar on a peg. Umm Sulaym came in and saw the jar full again and dripping with butter. She said, “Rabība! Did I not tell you to take it to the Messenger of Allah?” She replied, “I did. If you do not believe me, go and ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

Umm Sulaym went, taking Rabība with her, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I sent her to you with a jar that contained butter.” He said, “Yes, she brought it.” She said, “By Him who sent you with the truth and the true religion, it is now full and dripping with butter!” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “O Umm Sulaym, do you marvel that Allah has fed you just as you fed His Prophet? Eat from it and give to others.”

She added: ‘I went back home and ladled out such-and-such an amount into a wooden bowl (4) of ours, and I left in the jar enough to provide us with relish for a month or two.’ (5)