…even though the creature from which it had been severed is not a species that speaks at all. In this respect the miracle is more impressive than the incident of the birds whom Allah restored to life for Abraham ﷺ.
I add: When life, perception, and reason were infused into the stone that used to greet the Prophet ﷺ with the salutation of peace—as recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1)—that constituted an even greater marvel than reviving an animal, for an animal is at least a locus in which life has already existed, whereas the stone had never possessed life in any form before that moment. The same applies to the stones and clods of earth that offered him greetings, to the trees and their branches that testified to his messengership, and to the palm-trunk that yearned for him—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.
Our teacher—may Allah have mercy on him—said: Ibn Abī Dunyā compiled an entire book on people who came back to life after death and listed many examples. It is authentically related from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: “We entered upon a man from the Anṣār who was sick but still conscious; we remained until he died (2). We spread his cloak over him and scented him with incense, while his aged mother sat by his head. One of us turned to her and said, ‘Good woman, seek your reward with Allah for this calamity.’ She asked, ‘What do you mean? Has my son died?’ We replied, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘Is what you are telling me really true?’ We said, ‘Yes.’ She thereupon raised her hands toward Allah and prayed, ‘O Allah, You know that I accepted Islam and emigrated to Your Messenger hoping that You would assist me in every hardship and every ease—so do not make me bear this misfortune today.’” Anas continued: “The man uncovered his face, sat up, and we did not leave until we had eaten with him (3).” This story has already been cited under the proofs of prophethood and in connection with the miracle of the flood related in the account of al-ʿAlāʾ ibn al-Ḥaḍramī.
The wording our teacher quoted renders part of the report by meaning. Abū Bakr Ibn Abī Dunyā and the ḥāfiẓ Abū Bakr al-Bayhaqī (4) transmitted it through several chains from Ṣāliḥ ibn Bashīr al-Murrī—one of Basra’s ascetics and worshipers, though his narration is somewhat soft—from Thābit, from Anas.
In al-Bayhaqī’s version the mother is described as an elderly blind woman. Al-Bayhaqī (5) also narrated it through the chain of ʿĪsā ibn Yūnus, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAwn, from Anas, with a fuller wording which states that the incident occurred in the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. All the transmitters in this chain are trustworthy, but there is a break between ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAwn and Anas. Allah knows best.