{You are but a human being like us, so bring forth a sign if you are among the truthful} [Qur'an 26:154]. They said to him: 'If you are truthful, then bring forth for us a she-camel from this rock.' It was a rock upon which they used to milk their livestock during their year of drought. He prayed to Allah, and the rock split open, and from it emerged a pregnant she-camel (ashra'), which then gave birth to a calf.
Muhammad said: '(Ashra') means: pregnant and near to giving birth.'
﴿مَا أَنْتَ إِلَّا بَشْرٌ مِثْلُنَا فَأْتِ بِآيَةٍ إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقين﴾ قَالُوا لَهُ: إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا فَأَخْرِجْ لَنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الصَّخْرَةِ نَاقَةً، وَكَانَتْ صَخْرَةً يَحْلِبُونَ عَلَيْهَا اللَّبَنَ فِي سَنَتِهِمْ؛ فَدَعَا اللَّهَ فتصدعت الصَّخْرَة (ل ٢٤٥) فَخَرَجَتْ مِنْهَا نَاقَةٌ عَشْرَاءُ فَنَتَجَتْ فَصِيلًا.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: (عَشْرَاءُ) يَعْنِي: حَامِلا قريبَة الْولادَة.
