The Weeping Date-Palm Trunk: When Even a Piece of Wood Couldn’t Bear to Be Separated from Muhammad ﷺ
The night the Prophet ﷺ left his old wooden minbar, and the entire masjid heard a sound like a camel giving birth in pain
Medina, 7 AH.
It was Friday, and Masjid an-Nabawi was overflowing. People stood shoulder to shoulder, hearts beating in anticipation of the khutbah.
For years, the Prophet ﷺ had delivered the Friday sermon leaning against a simple, rough date-palm trunk. That unpolished pillar had become sacred. Every week it felt the warmth of his blessed shoulder pressing gently against it. It was the first to hear new verses of the Qur’an as they descended. It carried, without complaint, the weight of the greatest human being who ever walked the earth. To the Companions, that trunk was more than wood; it was a silent witness to revelation itself.
But the ummah had grown beyond measure. The masjid could no longer contain everyone. One of the Sahaba respectfully suggested,
“Ya RasulAllah, let us build you a proper minbar with steps so that everyone, even those at the back, can see you and hear you clearly.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled his gentle smile and accepted.
Craftsmen worked day and night. Soon a beautiful three-step minbar of tamarisk wood stood ready. The following Friday, the Prophet ﷺ ascended the new steps for the first time and began the khutbah from the top.
Then it happened.
A sound suddenly filled the masjid, deep, raw, and utterly heartbreaking. It was the cry of intense grief, like a camel that has lost her newborn calf, like a child screaming for its mother in the dark. The entire congregation froze in terror. Some thought the roof was collapsing. Others feared the Hour had come.
Then they saw the source.
The old date-palm trunk, abandoned in its corner, was trembling violently. From it came a sobbing, moaning sound that pierced every heart present. The Companions later testified:
“We heard the trunk weep until the whole masjid was filled with its crying.”
Strong men who had faced armies without flinching now had tears streaming down their faces. Even the lion of Islam, Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), could not hold back his sobs.
The Prophet ﷺ immediately stepped down from the new minbar. He walked straight to the crying trunk, placed his blessed hand upon it, and embraced it tenderly, the way a loving mother consoles her frightened child. He stroked it gently and whispered:
“Be quiet… be patient… be still.”
The sobbing slowly subsided.
Then, in front of the stunned congregation, he gave the trunk an astonishing choice:
“O trunk, if you wish, I will pray to Allah to return you to your original state so you may grow roots again, put forth branches, and bear fruit in this world once more.
Or, if you wish, I will pray to Allah to plant you in Jannah, where you will bear fruit that the righteous will eat forever.”
Silence fell. The trunk stopped trembling completely. Peace returned to it.
The Prophet ﷺ turned to his Companions and said with a soft smile:
“It has chosen to be planted in Paradise.”
Years later, when the same trunk was finally removed and buried beneath the minbar, the poet Hassan ibn Thabit (RA) wept and said:
“A piece of lifeless wood loved him more than we did.”
That miracle still echoes through time.
Whenever we feel distant from Allah, whenever our hearts grow dry and hard like dead wood, let us remember the date-palm trunk of Masjid an-Nabawi. A lifeless pillar could not bear even a moment of separation from Muhammad ﷺ. It wept with a grief that shook the masjid.
How, then, can a living heart that claims to love him remain content staying away from his sunnah, from the masjid, from the remembrance of Allah?
May Allah grant us even a single drop of that trunk’s love.
May our hearts tremble and weep the same way when we miss a single prayer, when we neglect a single sunnah, when we turn away from his beautiful way for even a moment.
Because if a piece of wood can weep out of love for Muhammad ﷺ,
what excuse will we present on the Day of Judgement?
Did this story break your heart the way it breaks mine every single time I tell it?
Which line made tears fall from your eyes? Tell me in the comments below.
And if these words touched your soul, please tap ❤️ so this miracle reaches every Muslim heart that needs to fall in love again.
JazakAllahu Khairan for reading until the very end.
About the Creator
Sadi
I am Sadi — a wanderer of words and emotions. Through writing, I seek truth in silent hearts and meaning in life’s chaos. My poems and stories breathe with mystery, reflection, and soul — inviting readers to feel, think, and question deeply
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insight
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
The Timeless Pyramids of Egypt: Stories from the Ancient World
Egypt is home to some of the most remarkable monuments ever built by humans: the pyramids. Rising from the sands of the Giza Plateau, these colossal structures have inspired curiosity and admiration for thousands of years. They were built as tombs for the pharaohs, yet they tell a much larger story—one of human skill, ambition, and belief in the afterlife. The most famous of these pyramids is the Great Pyramid of Giza, built for Pharaoh Khufu around 2580 BCE. Originally, it reached a height of about 146 meters (480 feet) and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for nearly 4,000 years. Its construction required millions of limestone blocks, some weighing several tons. Even today, historians and archaeologists are amazed at the precision and scale achieved by ancient builders without modern tools. The Egyptians built these monumental structures not merely as tombs, but as gateways to the afterlife. They believed that the pharaoh, considered a god on earth, would continue his journey in eternity. The pyramid’s triangular shape symbolized the pharaoh’s ascent to the heavens. Inside, burial chambers held treasures, inscriptions, and statues meant to guide and protect the ruler in the world beyond. How the pyramids were built remains a topic of debate. There are many theories, including the use of ramps or sledges to move the massive stones. Regardless of the methods, constructing these tombs required incredible planning, organization, and teamwork. Tens of thousands of workers labored for decades to create what would become one of the world’s greatest architectural achievements. The design of the pyramids also reflects the Egyptians’ advanced knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering. They aligned the pyramids with the cardinal points and certain stars, showing a deep understanding of the sky. The precise measurements and geometric accuracy have helped these structures survive thousands of years, enduring both natural wear and occasional earthquakes. While the Giza pyramids are the most famous, Egypt has over 100 pyramids scattered across the country, including those at Saqqara, Dahshur, and Abu Sir. Each one tells a story about the evolution of Egyptian architecture, from the earliest step pyramids to the smooth-sided ones that have become iconic. These structures also reveal much about Egyptian society, including their religious beliefs, social organization, and artistic achievements. The pyramids were not built in isolation. They were part of larger complexes that included temples, smaller tombs, and monuments that reflected the pharaoh’s divine status. They were centers of activity, culture, and ceremony, connecting the people to their rulers and to the gods they worshiped. Today, the pyramids continue to inspire awe. Millions of visitors come to Egypt each year to witness their grandeur firsthand. Archaeologists keep discovering new insights into how these incredible structures were built and what they meant to the people of ancient Egypt. Yet, despite all the research, ds stet of mystery, reminding us that some secrets of history endure across millennia. The pyramids are more than just stone monuments; they are symbols of human ambition and achievement. They remind us that with vision, skill, and persistence, people can create works that last far beyond their lifetimes. Standing in front of a pyramid, it is easy to imagine the hands that placed each block, the minds that designed the complex structures, and the determination that made the impossible possible. In the end, the Egyptian pyramids are timeless. They connect us to a world that existed thousands of years ago, teaching lessons about creativity, devotion, and human potential. They are monuments not only of history but of inspiration—a lasting testament to what humans can achieve when imagination and effort come together.
By Binan Mooon5 days ago in History
Comments (3)
mashallah ,mashallah...kia topics select kie hn apne...mashalah bht acha laga prh kr ....
I have never heard this story before. It was quite interesting.
This work is very symbolic. If I had written it, I would include it in my next short story collection for publication. Congratulations. ❤️