Subsection: The Euphrates Receding to Uncover a Mountain of Gold

Thus he emerges among three hundred and thirteen men, the number of the combatants of Badr and the number of the companions of Talut when they crossed the river with him.

Benefit: Never has this number assembled except that it was granted victory. And Allah knows best.

Accompanying them are the Abdal of al-Sham, the righteous leagues ('Asa'ib) of Iraq, and the distinguished nobles of Egypt, assembled without any prior appointment, gathering swiftly like the scattered clouds of autumn; monks by night, lions by day. The army of the ruler of al-Madinah will march against them, but they will fight them and defeat them, pursuing them until they drive them into al-Madinah and liberate it from their hands.

The author of al-Isha'ah said: "Their coming to al-Madinah twice or three times presents no difficulty despite the pledge of allegiance taking place on the night of Ashura, and the duration following the completion of Hajj rites until the night of Ashura being approximately twenty or twenty-five days, while the distance between the Two Holy Sanctuaries is ten travel stages or more at normal pace, along with the time spent searching for him on each occasion. For it is possible for mounted riders to cover it in five days, so its repetition is feasible within twenty-five days. Furthermore, all of them are righteous saints (awliya), so the earth may be miraculously folded up for them (tayy al-ard), or they may be among those blessed with miraculous long strides (ashab al-khutwah). And Allah knows best. End quote."

I say: We have witnessed ordinary individuals who traversed the distance of five stages in a single day, and we have witnessed one who traveled from the township of Nablus to al-Aqsa Mosque and returned on the very same day before the Asr prayer, in full public view of the people. Therefore, no