Translation: Miracles in the Hadith: “Have you not seen how lightning passes and returns in the blink of an eye?”

Scientific Miracles in Describing Lightning
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Have you not seen how lightning passes and returns in the blink of an eye?” (Narrated by Muslim).

The Scientific Phenomenon
Charge Accumulation: Inside thunderclouds, massive electrical charges accumulate. The lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged, while the ground beneath it acquires a positive charge. When the difference between the two charges grows sufficiently large, the electrical discharge process begins.

The Stepped Leader: Lightning does not start with a single direct strike. Instead, it begins with what is called the Stepped Leader, an almost invisible path that descends from the cloud toward the ground in quick, intermittent steps.

Upward Streamers: Simultaneously, positive charges rise from the ground, known as Upward Streamers.

The Return Stroke: When the two paths meet, the main strike occurs, known as the Return Stroke. This is the brilliant flash we actually see. At this moment, a powerful electric current surges from the ground toward the cloud at immense speed, giving the impression that the lightning “ascended” from the earth.

⚡ Summary of the Phenomenon:

Lightning is a reciprocal process between the cloud and the ground.

It starts from the cloud, but the intense flash comes from the ground.

Aspects of the Miracle and Scientific Analysis
This noble Hadith is one of the most exquisite forms of scientific miracles, as the Prophet ﷺ described a physical fact that humanity only understood in the modern era through the use of high-speed cameras.

The Dual Path (Passing and Returning): Modern science has proven that what we see as a “single flash” is actually a round-trip journey for electrical charges. It starts with the “Stepped Leader” descending from the cloud to the ground (Passing), followed by the “Return Stroke” surging from the ground to the cloud (Returning).

The Speed of “The Blink of an Eye”: The word “returns” in the Hadith is the most accurate description of the Return Stroke, the stage where we physically witness the bright light. This process occurs at a staggering speed—reaching tens of thousands of kilometers per second—making the entire journey (forth and back) happen in less time than it takes for a human to blink.

Identifying the Source of the Flash: The Hadith links the “return” movement with the act of seeing (vision), which aligns perfectly with science. The intense glow we perceive is the “upward strike” from the ground to the sky—the “Return.”

Conclusion: This precise description of the lightning mechanism (passing then returning) within a fleeting moment is a miraculous scientific precursor. No one could have known these details 1,400 years ago, testifying that these words are a revelation from the Creator, who is All-Knowing of the secrets of His universe.

📚 Supporting Scientific Sources
NOAA – Stages of Lightning: weather.gov/safety/lightning-science

NASA – Lightning Basics: science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/living-ocean/lightning/

Context of the Miracle within the Hadith
This miracle was mentioned in a portion of the following Prophetic Hadith:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Hell will be brought forth on that Day, having seventy thousand reins, with seventy thousand angels pulling each rein. Then the Bridge (As-Sirat) will be laid across Hell… and the people will cross the Bridge according to their deeds: some will pass like lightning, some like the wind, some like fast horses and riders…”

The specific required passage:
They asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what is ‘passing like lightning’?”
Muhammad bin Abdullah ﷺ replied: “Have you not seen how lightning passes and returns in the blink of an eye?”

This is exactly what modern science confirms, as mentioned in this authentic Prophetic Hadith.

From the Book:
The Forty Hadiths on Miracles
Dr. Mohammed Bourbab