There Is a 'Companion' of the Prophet Muhammad Still Alive—Who Is It?
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - It turns out there is still a ‘Sahabi’ of the Prophet who is believed to be alive today. Not a human, but an old tree known as the Sahabi Tree in the Safawi desert region, near the town of Al-Mafraq in Jordan.
This tree is often referred to as a ‘Prophet’s companion’ because it is believed to have sheltered Prophet Muhammad when he was a child. At that time, the Prophet Muhammad was part of a commercial caravan journey to the Levant (Syam) with his uncle, Abu Talib.
During the journey, the Quraysh caravan halted to rest beneath the tree, which stood alone in the middle of a barren desert. It was there that an event occurred which later became part of a popular story in Islamic history.
According to several narratives cited by the Royal Jordanian site, a Christian priest named Bahira who lived in the area saw the caravan from afar. He reportedly was surprised to see a cloud shading one member of the caravan. When the caravan stopped and rested under that tree, Bahira approached them.
Bahira then observed a small child in the caravan, namely Muhammad. After talking with Abu Talib and noticing several signs, Bahira is believed to have concluded that the child would become a prophet. He warned Abu Talib to protect Muhammad well on their journey.
Over time, the tree where the caravan sheltered became known as the Sahabi Tree and bears the Latin name Atlantic Pistachio. The term ‘Sahabi’ itself refers to the Prophet’s companion, so the tree is often considered a living witness to the early journey of Prophet Muhammad before prophethood.
What makes the tree more intriguing is its location. The tree stands alone in the middle of a dry, barren desert, with no other trees nearby. On this basis, many people regard its existence as something unique.
In modern times, the rediscovery of this tree was undertaken by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. According to the Royal Archives site, after returning from his studies at the University of Cambridge, Ghazi was tasked by his uncle, King Hussein, to work at the Royal Archives of Jordan. There he studied various royal historical archives.
In the course of these searches, he found an old document about a tree in the Safawi region, Zarqa Governorate, which had apparently been overlooked during the inventory of sacred sites during the reign of King Abdullah I. This is the tree believed to have sheltered the 25th Prophet.
Today, the Sahabi Tree has become one of Jordan’s religious tourism destinations. Many pilgrims and visitors from various countries come to see the tree which is believed to be over 1,400 years old and a witness to the Prophet Muhammad’s life journey.
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