حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَی حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ حَدَّثَنَا سِمَاکُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ عَنْ عِکْرِمَةَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا أَتَوْا امْرَأَةً کَاهِنَةً فَقَالُوا لَهَا أَخْبِرِينَا أَشْبَهَنَا أَثَرًا بِصَاحِبِ الْمَقَامِ فَقَالَتْ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ جَرَرْتُمْ کِسَائً عَلَی هَذِهِ السِّهْلَةِ ثُمَّ مَشَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهَا أَنْبَأْتُکُمْ قَالَ فَجَرُّوا کِسَائً ثُمَّ مَشَی النَّاسُ عَلَيْهَا فَأَبْصَرَتْ أَثَرَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ هَذَا أَقْرَبُکُمْ إِلَيْهِ شَبَهًا ثُمَّ مَکَثُوا بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً أَوْ مَا شَائَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
ابن ماجہ · Hadith 2350
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that the Quraish went to a Sorceress and they said to her: "Tell us whose footprints most resemble those of the owner of Al- Maqam (the station of Ibrahim)." She said: "If you spread a piece of cloth over this soft earth and walk Over it, I will tell you." So they spread out a piece of cloth and the people walked over it. She saw the footprints of the Messenger of Allah and said: "This one most closely resembles him among you." After that twenty years passed, or as long as Allah willed, then Allah sent Muhammad (i.e., missioned him as the Prophet).
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020