Safawi, Jordan
Coordinates: 32.065920, 37.147691
It is said that this is the tree under which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is believed to have sat and rested as a boy, when travelling with his uncle to Syria.
It was on this trip that the monk Bahira رضي الله عنه recognised the signs of imminent prophethood in the young boy ﷺ, and warned his uncle to protect him. Nearby, an old Roman road can also be seen.
Story of the Monk
The young Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, then either nine or twelve years old, met Bahira رضي الله عنه while travelling with a Meccan caravan, accompanying his uncle Hz. Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (رضي الله عنه).
When the caravan passed by his cell, the monk invited the merchants to a feast. They accepted the invitation, leaving the prophet ﷺ to guard the camel.
Bahira رضي الله عنه, however, insisted that everyone in the caravan should come to him. Then a miraculous occurrence indicated to the monk that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would become a prophet.
When he sat under a tree, its branches moved to shade him, the movement of a cloud kept shadowing Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regardless of the time of the day drew Bahira رضي الله عنه’s attention.
The monk revealed his visions of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ future to the boy’s uncle (Hz. Abu Talib رضي الله عنه), warning him to preserve the child from the Jews (in Ibn Sa’d’s version) or from the Byzantines (in al-Tabari’s version).
Both Ibn Sa’d and al-Tabari write that Bahira رضي الله عنه found the announcement of the coming of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the original, unadulterated gospels, which he possessed.
Two location is attributed to the Bahira رضي الله عنه the monk
There are two location regarding the meeting. One is this tree and another one is in Bosra in Syria where there is a monastery which is believed to be the dwelling place of the Monk. ONly Allah Knows best
One of the miracle of Allah
This tree is one of the miracles of Allah as it is the only tree standing in the area of 25+ square kilometers in the desert.
Discovery of the tree
Also knows as the “last living Sahabi (Companion)”, the tree was rediscovered by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad and the Jordanian authorities.
Several well-known scholars travelled to the area who later related to Prince Ghazi that he had had a dream in which the authenticity of the tree as being the one under which the Prophet ﷺ rested, was confirmed to him.
Know This
It’s not easy to reach the location, quite far away from the near town and the street is horrible 2km before the site, especially when it was raining.
There is no water near by so keep the water with you. It’s better to visit in day time.
Some said it’s the same tree which Prophet Mohammed صلى الله عليه وسلم sat in her shadow. Some studies said it’s only 520 years old only. And not on any ancient trade routes. So Allah knows best. Regardless of all the claims it is truly a blessed tree flourishing in the desert.
