When I was a little kid I was truly amazed by the idea that Superman is so powerful, and he uses this power in the favor of goodness to make the world a better place!
Growing up was very disappointing, knowing that Superman is just an imaginary character and that no such thing really exists; but rather, evilness wins most of the time.
I grew a bit older each day to discover that I had an even better hero in my life, stronger and more ethical than Superman. He sacrificed everything he had, putting his life on the line just to make the world a better place. He spread justice, manners and lightened this dark and harsh life with his tenderness and warmth.
He is Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)!
Prophet Muhammad’s physical strength
Before I tell you how strong he was compared to the people living with him, I want you to imagine how strong Arabs were in the first place:
They used to tie a rope around their waists connected to a horse, hold onto a tree with their hands, and make the horse run away to see whether they would fall down or not. This is how strong they were. They were rock solid.
And yet Prophet Muhammad was the strongest among them all!
- The famous wrestler of the Arab world, Rukaana (who was never defeated by anyone before), once encountered Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who invited him to Islam, He replied, “O Muhammad, if you defeat me in wrestling, I shall accept it (Islam he meant)”, to which Prophet Muhammad agreed; and subsequently beat him on the first and second occasions.
The bewildered Rukaana replied, “Muhammad! Oath on Allah! You possess a unique glory, as no one in the Arab world has been able to put me down, but you’ve been able to beat me twice.”
Some scholars state that Rukaana immediately accepted Islam, while others say that it was on the Conquest of Makkah. (Zarqaani, Vol. 4, Pg. 291)
The ‘Challenge’ of Yazeed bin Rukaana
Yazeed was the son of the very Rukaana mentioned in the above Hadith.
He approached the Prophet with 300 sheep and challenged him to a wrestling contest. The Prophet asked what He would receive as a reward if He defeated him. Yazeed answered, “100 sheep”. Thus, Prophet Muhammad agreed and, after shaking hands, Prophet Muhammad immediately put him down to the ground.
Yazeed then gave the promised prize money and challenged the Prophet for a second time with the same amount of prize money as the first. Prophet Muhammad put him down again. The defeat made Yazeed more eager for another rematch. Only to be defeated for the third time.
While Yazeed was handing over his last 100 sheep to the messenger of Allah, he said, “O Muhammad, all of the Arabia is a witness that no one has been able to defeat me, yet you have thrice. I now have the belief that you are the Prophet of Allah”. He then said the shahadah (witnessing that there is no other God but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger) and embraced Islam. Prophet Muhammad became pleased with this and gave back his 300 sheep. (Zarqaani, Vol. 4, Pg. 292)
His superpowers
- He could see behind his back:
“The Messenger of Allah turned to face us when he stood up to pray, before he said the Takbir and said: ‘Make your rows straight and come close to one another, for I can see you behind my back.”‘
- He was in a continuous communication with heavens and angles!
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “I see what you do not see and I hear what you do not hear; heaven has squeaked, and it has right to do so. By Him, in Whose Hand my soul is, there is not a space of four fingers in which there is not an angel who is prostrating his forehead before Allah, the Exalted. By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little, weep much, and you would not enjoy women in beds, but would go out to the open space beseeching Allah.”
- His eyes sleep and his heart doesn’t!
Aisha (Prophet Muhammad’s wife) says, “I asked, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Do you sleep before praying the Witr (the last prayer of the night)?’ He replied, ‘O ‘Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.” (Sahih Bukhari)
A man with all this power could have used it to force his enemies to follow him. But guess what, he didn’t!
He tried logical thinking, rational reasoning and emotional connections to convince others with the sweetness of faith he has tasted.
He was the most merciful among all the humans.
If you doubt what I am saying, maybe you want to check it out yourself in his sayings, teachings, actions, and what was narrated about him.
Don’t hear about him, read it, and decide for yourself.
