The Prophet Daniel is not mentioned in the Qur’an or Hadith, only in the Bible. However there are many stories in the Islamic traditions about how his body was discovered in the reign of Umar ibn al-Khattab (r.a.), with jewels, scrolls, and a ring in which was engraved his picture, surrounded by two lions. Then, they gave him an Islamic burial and kept the new location of his burial hidden so that Jews do not find it.

There are many countries that claim to have the tomb of Daniaal, as it is pronounced in Arabic, including Iran, Turkey, and Egypt.

The reason the ring is said to have an engraving of Danial with two lions is that he was thrown into a den of lions by the Emperor Darius, but they never harmed him. After that Darius released him and issued a decree saying,

Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: ‘Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end; He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.’

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (The Book of Daniel, 26-29)

I have read in The Perfumed Garden, a world-famous 16th-century “sex manual” by Shaykh Nafzawi, a Tunisian jurist and judge on marital affairs, an interesting side note regarding the Prophet Daniaal. It said that if anyone calls out his name in front of a lion, it will not attack him, because lions gave the prophet a promise not to harm anyone who calls out his name. Then it concluded with the word mujarraba, which means “tried and tested”.

This brings us to another famous scholar from Tunis, but of the 14th century: Sidi Tohfa. Sidi Tohfa was born Anselm Tormeeda in Spain and became a well-known Christian priest and scholar. He moved to Bologne, a center for Christian learning at the time, and lived with an aged priest,

He was greatly respected by the people because of his knowledge and religiousness and asceticism, which distinguished him from the other Christian priests. Questions and requests for advice came from everywhere, from Kings and rulers, along with presents and gifts. They hoped that he would accept their presents and grant them his blessings. This priest taught me the principles of Christianity and its rulings. I became very close to him by serving and assisting him with his duties until I became one of his most trusted assistants, so that he trusted me with the keys of his domicile in the church and of the food and the drink stores. He kept for himself only the key of a small room were he used to sleep. I think, and Allah knows best, that he kept his treasure chest in there. I was a student and servant for a period of ten years, then he fell ill and failed to attend the meetings of his fellow priests.

During his absence the priests discussed some religious matters, until they came to what was said by the Almighty Allah through his prophet Jesus in the Gospel: “After him will come a Prophet called Paraclete”. They argued a great deal about this Prophet and as to who he was among the Prophets. Everyone gave his opinion according to his knowledge and understanding; and they ended without achieving any benefit in that issue. I went to my priest, and as usual he asked about what was discussed in the meeting that day. I mentioned to him the different opinions of priests about the name Paraclete, and how they finished the meeting without clarifying its meaning. He asked me: “What was your answer?” I gave my opinion which was taken from interpretation of a well known exegesis. He said that I was nearly correct like some priests, and the other priests were wrong. “But the truth is different from all of that. This is because the interpretation of that noble name is known only to a small number of well versed scholars. And we posses only a little knowledge.” I fell down and kissed his feet, saying: “Sir, you know that I traveled and came to you from a far distant country, I have served you now for more than ten years; and have attained knowledge beyond estimation, so please favour me and tell me the truth about this name.” The priest then wept and said: “My son, by God, you are very much dear to me for serving me and devoting yourself to my care. Know the truth about this name, and there is a great benefit, but there is also a great danger. And I fear that when you know this truth, and the Christians discover that, you will be killed immediately.” I said: “By God, by the Gospel and He who was sent with it, I shall never speak any word about what you will tell me, I shall keep it in my heart.” He said: “My son, when you came here from your country, I asked you if it is near to the Muslims, and whether they made raids against you and if you made raids against them. This was to test your hatred for Islam. Know, my son, that Paraclete is the name of their Prophet Muhammad, to whom was revealed the fourth book as mentioned by Daniel. His way is the clear way which is mentioned in the Gospel.” I said: “Then sir, what do you say about the religion of these Christians?” He said: “My son, if these Christians remained on the original religion of Jesus, then they would have been on God’s religion, because the religion of Jesus and all the other Prophets is the true religion of God. But they changed it and became unbelievers.” I asked him: “Then, sir, what is the salvation from this?” He said “Oh my son, embracing Islam.”

So Anslem Tormeeda took the next ship headed to the Islamic world and ended up in Tunis, where he declared his Islam in front of its Sultan who appointed him as a translator, where he became known as Abdullah bin Abdullah al-Tarjuman (The Translator). He wrote a famous book called Tohfat al-Areeb, or The Gift to the Intelligent for Refuting the Arguments of the People of the Cross, and ever since the people came to know him as Sidi Tohfa (Master ‘Gift’).

Now, back to the Prophet Daniel. I visited him tomb in Alexandria the last time I went, and also visited a group of Shadhili masters who are buried there: Abul Abbas al-Mursi, the successor to Abul Hasan al-Shadhili, and his two disciples Ibn Ata’Allah al-Sakanadri (author of the famous Aphorisms) and al-Busiri (author of the most famous poem in praise of the Prophet pbuh). Also there is Yaqut al-Arsh and Makeen al-Deen al-Asmar.

Makeen al-Deen al-Asmar was the head of the Qur’an reciters of Alexandria and a companion of al-Shadhili who reached such a high spiritual level that he would know what the great Pole of the time al-Shadhili was thinking when he was at his home. Al-Shadhili also said that Makeen was one of the seven Abdaal.

Makeen al-Deen said, “I prayed one time in the Mosque of the Prophet Daniel, and then the Prophet came out of his tomb and greeted me and said, ‘lead me in prayer’.

I said, ‘God forbid that I lead one of Allah’s prophets in prayer!’

He said, ‘No, I pray behind you because you are one of the followers of the Master of Creation, Muhammad, peace be upon him.’”

Then when Makeen al-Deen said the word “Muhammad”, the Prophet Daniel kissed him on the mouth “so that the word ‘Muhammad’ is not wasted in the air.”
SubhanAllah how one of Allah’s prophets teaches us the worth of our Messenger, peace be upon him, and what respect his name deserves, peace be upon him.