Q.1. A scholar said that when the Prophet was born, he did not need to be washed or to have his umbilical cord cut because it was already cut. Is this true? Is there a Hadith that suggests a particular sequence for cutting one’s nails?

Q.2. What does the Qur’an say about the Prophet Khidr? Is it true that he can appear at any time and place to relieve people’s distress? Is he an angel or a human being?

Q 3. When the Prophet Moses was in Madyan as a guest of the Prophet Shuaib, did either of them know that Moses would be one of the greatest prophets? Was Moses receiving any religious training while he was in Madyan?

Q.4. Is it true that there was some tension between Abu Bakr and Fatimah? It is said that Ali did not pledge his allegiance to Abu Bakr until after Fatimah had died. Is this true?

T. Baig, Riyadh

A.1. Such stories have no basis. They are invented by people who wish to give the Prophet a supernatural image. But he is an ordinary human being whom God has favored with carrying and delivering His message to mankind. Some people want to present an image of the Prophet that is too pure, but this is wrong because he was a normal human being in every sense, but God has perfected his character in order that he would be able to undertake his task properly. As for a special sequence of clipping nails, I am not aware of any authentic Hadith in this connection. All the Hadiths I have seen speak of the need to do so regularly, because it is hygienic and reduces the chances of carrying germs that cause disease.

A.2. The Qur’an does not mention Khidr by name. It is generally thought that he was the pious man the Prophet Moses met after a long journey in search for him, as mentioned in Surah 18, Al-Kahf. He did some strange actions that Moses could not refrain from protesting against, despite having given him solemn promises not to ask about anything he did until he supplied the information of his own accord. We do not know whether this man was truly named Khidr or he was someone else. Nor do we know whether Khidr was a prophet, because God makes it clear that he sent prophets and messengers about whom He has chosen not to tell us. As for the qualities you have mentioned, these are some of the inventions that people have coined without basis. Nothing of this is true.

A.3. We do not know anything more than what we have in the Qur’an and the Sunnah about the relation between Moses and Shuaib. Both were prophets and messengers of God.

At the time when Moses was with Shuaib, where he stayed for 8-10 years, he had not yet received his message. Did that stay involve religious training? Maybe only in as far as Moses was a believer who worshipped God alone. There might have been other instances of prophets sent to different communities at the same time, but we have no reliable information on this.

A.4. No there was no tension between Fatimah and Abu Bakr. There could never be. Both were aware of the position of the other. However, after the Prophet’s death Fatimah sent Abu Bakr a word requesting to have the property that belonged to the Prophet in Fadak and other areas. Abu Bakr told her that he heard the Prophet saying: “We prophets are never inherited. Whatever property we leave behind is disposed of as charity.” Neither Abu Bakr nor Fatimah would have gone against this Hadith. That would have been an act of disobedience and neither of them disobeyed the Prophet in any way. It is not true either that Ali delayed his pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr for any time after the latter assumed office as caliph.