Several Examples of the Karamat of Great Islamic Figures
One of the most famous Karamat of Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is the Scream, «یا ساریة الجبل» “O Sariyah, the Mountain.” One day in Medina, while reciting the Friday sermon, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) called out two or three times: “O Sariyah, the Mountain!” He then continued with his sermon. All those present were amazed at how this seemingly irrelevant phrase escaped his blessed lips. He had a special relationship with Abdur Rahman ibn Awf. Hazrat Abdur Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him, “What was the purpose of your saying the phrase ‘O Sariyah, the Mountain’ in the middle of your sermon today?” He mentioned that there was an army engaged in jihad in Nahavand, Iraq, and the commander of that army was named “Sariyah.” He explained, “I saw that this army was fighting on the slopes of the mountain, while the enemy was approaching from the front and the rear, and they were unaware of it. Seeing this situation, I could not control myself and called out to Sariyah to go toward the mountain.”
After a few days, a messenger from Sariyah arrived and explained the situation, saying, “We were engaged in battle when we suddenly heard the call, ‘O Sariyah, the Mountain!’ Hearing this call, we took refuge in the mountains and were victorious.”
Many eminent scholars have mentioned this Karamat of Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in their books. Notably, the author of “Khulafai Rashidun,” Allama Abdul Shakoor Lakhnavi (may Allah have mercy on him), has recounted this story in the section on the Karamat of Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
Hazrat Usaid bin Hudair (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one night he was reciting Surah Al-Baqarah with his horse tied beside him. Suddenly, his horse began to move; when he fell silent, the horse calmed down. When he started reciting again, the horse again began to move, and when he quieted, the horse stopped. Afraid that his son Yahya would be caught under the horse’s legs, he got up and approached the horse. To his astonishment, he saw something resembling a canopy with objects like lamps above his head, rising so high into the air that he could no longer see it. The next morning, he went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I was reciting the Quran last night in the place where I dried my dates when my horse started to kick.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) responded: “O son of Hudhir! Recite.” He began to recite, and his horse began to kick again. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said again: “O son of Hudhir! Recite.” When he recommenced reciting, once more, his horse started to kick. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) again urged, “O son of Hudhir! Recite.” This time, he stopped reciting because Yahya was close to the horse, and he feared that he would be trampled. At that moment, he saw something like a canopy with objects resembling lamps that rose so high that he could no longer see it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Those were angels who were listening to your recitation, and if you had continued, they would have remained there until morning without being hidden from the people.”
There is no doubt that angels descended while he was reciting; even the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and those present witnessed this incident.
Ibad bin Bashir and Asid bin Hudair (may Allah be pleased with them) were among those who saw light on a dark night. It is stated in an authentic hadith that they left the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on a dark night, accompanied by a light that illuminated their path. When they separated from each other, that light also split into two.
The commentator of Sunan Abi Dawud writes: “This is proven in the authentic hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and this is one of the Karamat of the Awliya that the Ahl-Sunnah believe in.”
