The Chapter on Dhikr

Encouragement to remember Allah often, secretly and openly, and to presevere in it; what is reported about someone who does not remember Allah often

1. Abu Huryara reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Allah Almighty says, 'I am in My slave's opinion of Me and I am with Him when He remembers Me. When he remembers Me in himself, I mention him in Myself. If he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in a better assembly than them.' If he comes near Me by a handspan, I come near him a cubit. If he comes near Me by a cubit, I come near a fathom. When he comes to walking, I come to him running."
(Muslim and al-Bukhari, Ahmad has at the end of it, Qatada said, "Allah is quicker to forgive.")

2. 'Abdullah ibn Busr reported a man said, "Messenger of Allah, the laws of Islam are too much for me. Tell me something I can cling to." He said, "Your tongue should remain moist with the remembrance of Allah." (at-Tirmidhi)

3. Abu'd-Darda' reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Shall I inform you of the best of your actions and the purest of your property and the highest of your degrees and what is better for you than spending gold and silver and better for you than encountering the enemy and striking their necks and their striking your necks?" They said, "Yes, indeed!" He said, "Remembrance of Allah Almighty." MuÔadh ibn Jabal said, "There is nothing which saves from the punishment of Allah more than remembrance of Allah." (Ahmad, Ibn Abi'd-Dunya, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

4. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do a lot of remembrance of Allah until they say, 'He is mad.'" (Ahmad, Abu Ya'la and Ibn Hibban)

5. Abu Musa reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "If one man has some dirhams in his possession which he divides and another remembers Allah, the one who remembers Allah is better." One variant has, "There is no sadaqa better than remembrance of Allah." (at-Tabarani)
6. Umm Anas reported that she said, "Messenger of Allah, command me." He said, "Avoid acts of disobedience: that is the best jihad. Do a lot of invoking Allah. You do not bring Allah anything he loves more than a lot of remembrance." (at-Tabarani. In one variant, "Remember Allah a lot. It is the action which Allah loves most to reveive." At-Tabarani notes that Umm Anas is not the mother of Anas ibn Malik.)

Encouraging attending gatherings of dhikr and meeting together to remember Allah

7. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Allah Almighty has angels who travel the highways and by-ways seeking out the people of dhikr. When they find people remembering Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, they call out to one another, 'Come to what you hunger for!' and they enfold them with their wings stretching up to the lowest heaven. Their Lord - who knows them better - asks them, 'What are My slaves saying?' They say, 'They are glorifying You, proclaiming Your greatness, praising You and magnifying You.' He says, 'Have they seen Me?' They say, 'No, by Allah, they have not seen You.' He says, 'How would it be if they were to see Me?' [extra 'He said's deleted] They say, 'If they were to see You, they would worship You even more intensely and magnify You even more intensely and glorify You even more intensely.' He says, 'What are they asking Me for?'They say, 'They are asking You for the Garden.' He says, 'Have they seen it?' They say, 'No, by Allah, they have not seen it.'" He says, 'How would it be if they were to see it?' They say, 'If they were to see it, they would yearn for it even more strongly and seek it even more assiduously and would have an even greater desire for it.' He says, 'What are they seeking refuge from?' 'They are seeking refuge from the Fire.' He says, 'Have they seen it?' He says, 'How would it be if they were to see it?' They say, 'If they were to see it, they would flee from it even harder and have an even greater fear of it.' He says, 'I testify to you that I have forgiven them.' One of angels says, 'Among them is so-and-so who is not one of them. He came to get something he needed.' He says, 'They are sitting and the one sitting with them will not be wretched.'" (al-Bukhari)

8. ÔAbdullah ibn 'Umar reported: "I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, what is the booty of the assemblies of dhikr?' He replied, 'The booty of the asemblies of dhikr is the Garden.'" (Ahmad)

9. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "When you come upon the meadows of the Garden, graze in them." He was asked, "What are the meadows of the Garden?" "Circles of dhikr." he replied. (at-Tirmidhi)

10. 'Amr ibn ÔAbasa said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say about the right hand of the All-Merciful, 'Both His hands are right hands. There are men who are not Prophets or martyrs the whiteness of whose faces overpowers the sight of those who look. The Prophets and martyrs envy their seat and proximity to Allah Almighty.' He was asked, 'Messenger of Allah, who are they?' He replied, 'A mixture of isolated people from the tribes who meet to remember Allah and select the best words as someone who eats dates selects the best ones.'" (at-Tabarani)

-Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani
from at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib

Inner Wakefulness

This place is a dream
only a sleeper considers it real
then death comes like dawn
and you wake up laughing
at what you thought
was your grief

A man goes to sleep in the town
where he has always lived
and he dreams
he's living in another town
in the dream he doesn't remember
the town he's sleeping in his bed in
he believes the reality
of the dream town
the world is that kind of sleep

Humankind is being led
along an evolving course,
through this migration
of intelligences
and though we seem
to be sleeping
there is an inner wakefulness,
that directs the dream
and that will eventually
startle us back
to the truth of
who we are

-from The Essential Rumi

A Discourse on Sexual Desire

Know that man has been made subject to sexual desire for two beneficial reasons. The first of these is that by knowing its delight he is able to draw an analogy which suggests to him what the delight of the Afterlife must be like. For the delight of the sexual act, were it to last, would be the greatest pleasure of the body, just as the pain of a burn is the body’s greatest agony. Encouragement and deterrence [al-targhib wa’l-tarhib], which drive people towards their saving happiness, can only be brought about by means palpable pain and pleasure, since what cannot be perceived through experience will never be greatly desired. The second reason is that it allows the human race to continue and the world [‘alam] to abide. Such are its benefits.

However, sexual desire also contains evil which may destroy both religion and the world if it is not controlled and subjugated, and restored to a state of equilibrium. It has been said that His word (Exalted is He!), O our Lord! Burden us not with more that we can bear! [II:286] refers, when correctly interpreted, to powerful lust. And Ibn ‘Abbas understood His word (Exalted is He!), wa-min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab [CXIII:3] to refer to ‘the erection of the male member’.


It is told that Moses (upon whom be peace) was once sitting in company when Satan came up to him wearing a cloak in which he assumed many colours [yatalawwanu fihi alwan]. When he drew near to him he took this off and set it aside. Then he said, ‘Peace be upon you Moses!’ Moses ask him who he was and he replied, ‘I am Satan’. ‘God slay you!’ Moses said. ‘What brings you here?’ And he answered, ‘I have come to greet you in view of your great rank in the sight of God’. ‘What was it that I saw you wearing?’ he asked, and he replied, ‘A cloak with which I snatch away the hearts of the descendants of Adam’. ‘What is it then,’ Moses asked, ‘that a man does which enables you to prevail over them?’ And he replied, ‘He becomes pleased with himself, and considers that he has many good deeds to his credit, and forgets his sins. Now, I would warn you against three things! Never be alone with a woman who is not lawful for you, for never does a man do so without having me, not my companions, as his companion, so that I tempt them both with one another. Never make a vow to God without fulfilling it. And never prepare something to give as charity and then fail to give it, for never does a man do so without having me, not my companions, as his companion, so that I prevent him from giving it [at a later time]’. Then he went away, crying, ‘Woe is me! Moses has learnt something against which to warn the descendants of Adam!’

Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib once said, ‘Satan never despaired of destroying any previous prophet by means of women. In my opinion they are to be feared more than anything else. I do not enter a single house in Medina – apart from my own and that of my daughter, which I take a bath in on Fridays and then leave’ (Abu Nu'aym).

Someone once said, ‘The devil says to women: “You are half my army! You are my arrow with which I do not miss! You are my confidante! You are my messenger with whom I achieve my wants!” Thus half his army is desire, the other half being anger.’

The desire for women, which the greatest of all desires, is susceptible to excess, defect, and equilibrium. Excess obtains when the intellect is overcome, so that a man’s concern is so distracted towards the enjoyment of women and slavegirls that he is unable to tread the path of the Afterlife; or it may overcome a man’s religion, so that he is drawn into obscene activities. This may become so extreme in some cases that two foul habits are acquired. Firstly, he may partake of something which makes him desire to have intercourse more often, just as some people take certain drugs which strengthen the stomach and allow them to eat more of the things which they desire. This resembles nothing so much as a man tormented by savage beasts and snakes which sleep from time to time, but which he finds methods of awakening and arousing, and then has to make his peace with. For the desires for food and intercourse are in reality pains, which a man would rather be free of so as to gain another form of delight. Should you object that it has been narrated in a gharib (A hadith which contains unusual lexis, or which is related by only one chain of authorities. (Jurjani)) Tradition that the Emissary of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘I complained to Gabriel that I would like more strength when having intercourse with my wives, and he instructed me to eat harisa,’ (Tabarani, Tabarsi) then you should know that he had (may God bless him and grant him peace) nine wives, and that he was obliged to satisfy them all, and that no-one was permitted to marry them after his death, or even if he divorced them: his request for strength was therefore for this, and not for enjoyment.

The second thing is that in the case of some misguided people this desire may end in amorous passion [‘ishq], which constitutes utter ignorance of the intended purpose of sexual congress, and a descent to a level lower than that of the animals. For such people are not content merely to gratify their lust, which is the unsightliest of all desires and the one of which a man should most be embarrassed, but instead believe that their lust can only be satisfied by one person. An animal finds it enough to satisfy its lust anywhere it can, whereas these people will only be satisfied by one person in particular, which thing heaps abasement upon abasement, and enslavement upon enslavement, until their intellects are subordinated to the service of their cravings, even though the intellect has been created to be obeyed, not to obey desires and devise means of gratifying them. Amorous passion is nothing but a wellspring of excessive sexual desire, and is the disease of an empty and unconcerned heart. One should be one’s guard against its preliminaries by abstaining from repeated glances and thoughts. Otherwise, it will take firm hold of one and be difficult to shake off. In this it resembles the passion which certain people harbour for wealth, status, land and children, or even for playing with birds, lutes, backgammon, or chess, all of which may posses them to such a degree that their religious and worldly lives are adulterated and they are unable ever to abstain from them. To break the power of amorous passion in its early stages is like pulling at the reins of a riding-beast when it heads for a gate it would like to enter: to rein it back is a very easy thing, whereas to treat such a passion after it has taken hold of one is like letting the beast go in, and then catching it by its tail and pulling it from behind: a much more difficult task. One should therefore take precautions at the onset of these things, for later they can only be treated with an effort so intense as almost to lead to death.

Excess in the matter of sexual desire, then, causes the intellect to be overcome to this degree, which is very much to be condemned. Insufficient sexual desire, however, leads to an indifference to women, or to giving them insufficient pleasure, which is also to be condemned. Sexual desire is praiseworthy thing when it stands in a state of equilibrium, obedient to the intellect and the Law in all its movements. Whenever it becomes excessive, it should be broken with hunger and marriage. The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘O young men! You should marry, and whosoever cannot should fast, for fasting is a form of castration.’ (Bukhari)

-Hujjatul Islam, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Breaking The Two Desires (Kitab Kasr al-Shahwatayn); Book XXIII of The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din)

Invoking blessings on the Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him)

the above transliteration is :-

Allahumma salli ' wa sallim was baarik ala Sayyidina Muhammadil
nil-fatihi lima Ughliqa wal khatimi lima sabaqa wan-naa-siril-haqqi
bil-haqqi wal-hadi ila Sirati-kal-mustaqima sal-lal-lahu 'alayhi
wa 'ala alihi wa-ashaabihi haqqa qadrihi wa-miq-da rihil-'azim.

the above translation is:-

O God bless our Master Muhammad (pbuh) who opened what had been closed, and who is the Seal of what had gone before, he who makes the Truth Victorious by the Truth, the guide to thy straight path, and bless his household as is the due of his immense position and grandeur.

I am sure you have heard the fact that there is no such thing as invoking too much salawat on the Prophet and that we should stay clear of anyone who makes such a claim. We will only mention here some evidence on this topic by way of a reminder.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet said: "If people sit in an gathering in which they do not remember Allah nor invoke a blessing on the Prophet, it will be a cause of grief for them on the Day of Judgment." (Narrated by Tirmidhi, who graded it hasan.)

The author of Fath al-`allam said: "This hadith proves that it is incumbent on one to remember Allah and invoke blessings on the Prophet while sitting in an gathering, for whether we take the words "cause of grief" to mean torment of fire or any other punishment, obviously a punishment is incurred only when an obligatory act is neglected or a forbidden act is committed, and here it is both the remembrance of Allah and the invoking of blessings on His Prophet that are apparently incumbent."

Dua For Relief Of Debt

Once a Sahaba (radhiallahu anhu) came to the Beloved Rasool (peace & blessings be upon him) and complained that the world has turned its back on him (referring to poverty). Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (peace & blessings be upon him) said to him, “Do you not know that Tasbeeh which is also the Tasbeeh of the Angles of sustenance? It is due to this Tasbeeh that Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) gives sustenance. The needs of this Duniya will come to you in abundance. Recite this Tasbeeh 100 times daily at the rise of early morning (just after Sobho-Saadiq). This is the sacred Tasbeeh of the Angels,

سبحان الله و بحمده سبحان الله العظيم و بحمده استغفر الله

Seven days passed and the Sahaba(radhiallahu anhu) returned to the Holy Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) and said: “Ya Rasoolullah (peace & blessings be upon him)! The Duniya (wealth) is coming to me so abundantly that I do not know how to carry it or where to put it. I am absolutely amazed and astonished as to what to do with it.”

-Fath al-Bari narrated by umm al-mu'minin Sayyidah A'iesha (radhiallahu anha)

The Name Of Allah

Let's say the name of Allah all the time.
Let's see what my Lord does.
Let's travel the Way always.
Let's see what my Lord does.

Just when you least expect it,
suddenly the veil is lifted.
The remedy arrives in time.
Let's see what my Lord does.

What did Yunus do?
What did he do?
He found a straight Path,
held the hand of a guide.
Let's see what my Lord does.

-Yunus Emre

Forgive Me

Giving thanks for abundance
is sweeter than the abundance itself:
Should one who is absorbed with the Generous One
be distracted by the gift?
Thankfulness is the soul of beneficence;
abundance is but the husk,
for thankfulness brings you to the place where the Beloved lives.
Abundance yields heedlessness;
thankfulness brings alertness:
hunt for bounty with the net of gratitude.

Rumi
Mathnawi III, 2895-2897

Could Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Read?

This lecture is in three parts: Part 1A, Part 1B and Part 2
A lecture delivered by Shaykh M I H Pirzada at the Leeds Makkah Masjid (UK)
on Sunday 17 December 2006.

In Parts 1A and 1B, Shaykh Pirzada addresses the issue concerning the noble Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) not reciting at the first divine revelation and he answers
the criticisms that the Prophet (peace be upon him) could not read.

In Part 2, Shaykh Pirzada highlights the importance of education and the pursuit of scientific
knowledge as seen through the first Qur’anic revelation.

The lecture is translated into English by Bakhtyar H. Pirzada al-Azhari.

11 Principles Of The Naqshbandi Sufi Order

The following eleven principles show the exercise aims of the Tariqat Naqshbandiya. The first eight were formulated by Khwaja Abd-al-Khaliq al-Ghujdawani and the last three were added by Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband.

01-Yad Kard
Remembrance or making mention, both oral and mental, be always repeating the Zikr imparted to you so that you may attain the beatific vision. Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband said, “The aim in Zikr is that the heart be always aware of Al-Haqq[The Truth, a Beautiful Name of Allah], for its practice banished inattention.”

02-Baz Gasht
Restraint: The person saying the Zikr when engaging in the heart repetition of the blessed phrase [shahada] should intersperse it with such phrases as “my God you are my Goal and your satisfaction is my aim”, to help keep one’s thoughts from straying. Other masters say that it means ‘return’ or ‘repent’ i.e. return to Al-Haqq by way of contrition [inkisar].

03-Nigah Dasht
Watchfulness: Over wandering, passing thoughts when repeating the blessed phrase.

04-Yad Dasht
Recollection: concentration upon the Divine Presence in a condition of Dhawq [zoq], foretaste, intuitive anticipation or perceptiveness not using external aids.

05-Hosh Dar Dam
Awareness while breathing: the technique of breath control. Khawaja Bahauddin Naqshband said, “The external basis of this tariqa is the breath.” One must not exhale or inhale in forgetfulness.

06-Safar Dar Watan
Journeying in one’s homeland: This is an interior journey, the movement from blameworthy to praiseworthy qualities. Others refer to it as the vision or revelation of the hidden side of shahada.

07-Nazar Bar Qadam
Watching one’s steps: Let the salik [pilgrim] ever be watchful during his journey whatever the type of country through which he is passing that he does not let his gaze be distracted from the goal of his journey.

08-Khalwat Dar Anjuman
Soltitude in a crowd: The journey of the salik though outwardly is in the world, inwardly it is with God. Leaders of the Tariqa have said, “In this tariqa association is in the crowd [assembly] and disassociation in the khalwa”. A common weekly practice was to perform Zikr in the assembly.

09-Wuquf-e-Zamani
Temporal pause: Keeping account of how one is spending his time, whether rightly and if so give thanks or wrongly and if so asking for forgiveness, according to the ranking of the deeds, for “verily the good deeds of the righteous are the equities of those who are near [to God]”.

10-Wufuf-e-Adadi
Numerical pause: Checking that the ‘heart Zikr’ [said in the heart, silently] has been repeated the requisite number of times, taking into account one’s wandering. Bahauddin Naqshband considered numerical awareness the first stage of esoteric knowledge.

11-Wuquf-e-Qalbi
Heart pause: Forming a mental picture of one’s heart with the name of Allah. Engraved thereon, to emphasize that the heart has no consciousness or goal other than Allah. This is the meaning of “Naqshband”.

Chechen Zikr

The Honorable & Exalted Status Of Rasool Allah (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him)

The Excellence of His Glorious Names
Hazrat Jabir bin Mut’am radhi-allahu-anhu relates that I heard the Holy Prophet say, ‘I have many names. One of them is Muhammad and another is Ahmad. I am known as Haasshir, for (on the Day of Judgment) the entire human race will be gathered together under my banner. I am also called Aqib and Aqib is the one after whom there is no other prophet.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The First to Be Granted Prophethood
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Sahaba asked, ‘O Holy Prophet! When were you granted prophethood?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘I was granted prophethood before the creation of Adam.’
(Tirmizi)

Hazrat Jabir radhi-allahu-anhu once asked, ‘O Holy Prophet! What was the very first thing that Allah created?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Jabir, the very first thing that Allah created before anything else was the noor (light) of your prophet from His (divine) noor.’
(Mawahib-e-Ladunniyah related by Hazrat Abdurrazzaq)

The Imam of All Prophets
Hazrat Ubay bin Kaab radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘On the day of Judgment, I will be the Imam (leader) of all the prophets and the one who will speak on their behalf with Allah. It will be because of me that other prophets will be given permission to intercede. I do not boast about this.’
(Tirmizi)

The Last Prophet
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘My position amongst the rest of the prophets can be compared to a palace which has been beautifully built but the space of one brick has been left empty. People looked around the palace and marveled at its splendor and immaculate construction except for that empty space of one brick. I filled that empty space and hence completed the construction of that palace. In the same way, the advent of prophets was completed by my advent into this world.’ In another hadeeth, it is related that the Holy Prophet said, ‘I am like the brick that was missing in the “Palace of Prophet hood” and I am the last prophet.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

His Unique Characteristics
Hazrat Aisha radhi-allahu-anha relates that the Holy Porphet forbade his Ummah from fasting continuously (without breaking the fast each day at sunset) by his mercy and kindness. The Sahaba said to him, ‘You fast in this way (but forbid us from doing so)’. The Holy Prophet replied, ‘I am not like you. My Lord provides me with food and drink.’
(Bukhari)

A Mercy and Blessing for All Creations
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet was once asked to curse the disbelievers (who were persecuting and torturing the Muslims severely) but the Holy Prophet replied, ‘I have not been sent to curse; I was sent as a mercy and blessing.
(Muslim)

The Greatest Amongst Prophets
Hazrat Ibn-e-Abbas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that some Sahaba were sitting together when the Holy Prophet approached them and listened to them talking amongst themselves. One Sahabi said, ‘Allah appointed Prophet Ibraheem as his Khaleel (very close and dear friend).’ Another said, ‘Allah spoke (directly) to Prophet Moosa.’ A third Sahabi said, ‘Prophet Eesa is ‘Kalimatullah’ (Allah’s word) and ‘Ruhullah’ (Allah’s spirit).’ A fourth Sahabi said, ‘Prophet Adam is ‘Safiullah’ (Allah’s chosen one).’
The Holy Prophet went upto them and said, ‘I heard your conversation. You are surprised that Ibraheem is ‘Khaleelullah’ yet he is worthy of that rank and that Mossa is ‘Najeeulla’ (‘Kaleemullah’), he is worthy of that rank and that Eesa is ‘Ruhullah’ and ‘Kalimatullah’, he is worthy of those ranks and that Adam is ‘Safiullah’, he too is worthy of those ranks and that Adam is ‘Safiullah’, he too is worthy of that rank. Listen carefully! I am ‘Habeebullah’ (Allah’s beloved) but I do not say this to boast.
On the Day of Judgment, ‘Liva-ul-Hamd’ (Holy Prophet’s special flag) will be in my hand alone. Adam and entire human race will be beneath it. I do not boast about this. I will be the first one to intercede with Allah on behalf of sinners on the Day of Judgment and I will be the first one whose shaffa’ah (intercession) will be accepted. I do not boast about this. I will be the first one to turn the key of Paradise. The poor amongst the Muslims will be with me at that time. Allah will open the door of paradise for my sake and will allow me to enter it. I do not boast about this. In Allah’s view, I am the most honorable amongst all those who have passed and all those who are to come. I do not boast about this.’
(Tirmizi)

His Life after His Physical Departure from This World
Hazrat Abud Darda radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘Recite a lot of salat and salam (durood) upon me on Friday because this is witnessed by angels who are present upon this day (for this purpose). The salat and salam of everyone who recites it is presented before me until they stop reciting salat and salam.’ Hazrat Abu Darda says, I asked, ‘(OHoly Prophet!) Will the salat and salaam be presented before you even after your death?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘(Yes, because) Allah has forbidden the earth from decomposing the bodies of prophets. Hence, Allah’s prophets are alive and they are given ‘rizq’ (nourishment in their graves).’
(Ibn Majah)

Life and Death
Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri radhi-allahu-anhu narrates that one day, the Holy Prophet sat upon the minbar in the mosque and said, ‘Indeed, Allah has given a servant of His a choice between taking as much as he wishes from the treasures and pleasures of this world or accepting the rewards and the blessings that his Lord has kept for him. That person chose the rewards and blessings that Allah has kept for him.’ On hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq radhi-allahu-anhu wept and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! We would sacrifice our parents for you! (i.e. you are more dear to us than even our parents).”
Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri radhi-allahu-anhu says, ‘We were very surprised by this statement of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s. People started to say, ‘Look at this old man. The Holy Prophet was talking about a person who was given a choice between the pleasures of this world and the rewards of the Hereafter and that person chose the rewards of the Hereafter and Hazrat Abu Bakr says, “O Holy Prophet! We would sacrifice our parents for you!”’ In fact, that person (who was given this choice) was the Holy Prophet himself and Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq radhi-allahu-anhu was the most learned amongst us (and hence, only he realized this).’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Owner of the Treasures of the Universe
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holp Prophet said, ‘I have been sent with the gift of ‘jawaami-ul-kalim’ (speech which is concise in words but vast in meaning). I have been helped by the fact that fear of me has been put into the hearts of disbelievers. I was asleep once and I saw that the keys of all the treasures of the earth were presented to me and placed in my hand.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Distributor of Allah’s Bounties
Hazrat Jabir Radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘Keep your names the same as my name but do not keep anyone’s ‘kuniyyah’ (title) the same as my ‘kuniyyah’ because only I have been appointed as ‘Qasim’ (distributor). I distribute Allah’s favors and gifts amongst you.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Foretelling of Events
Hazrat Huzaifa radhi-allahu-anhu relates, ‘One day the Holy Prophet stood before us (Sahaba) and told us about every single event that was going to occur until the day of judgment. He who remembered these facts remembered them and he who forgot them forgot them. These friends of mine (Sahaba) know this. Whenever any of these events occur (about which the Holy Prophet had informed us) which I had forgotten, then on seeing it taking place, I immediately rmemember it in the same way as a person recognizes some one immediately, whom he has not seen for a long time, upon seeing him again.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)

His Knowledge of the Unseen
Hazrat Umar radhi-allahu-anhu relates, ‘The Holy Prophet stood before us (Sahaba) one day and told us about everything that had happened from the beginning of creation and everything that was going to occur right up to the time when the inhabitants of Paradise and inhabitants of Hell would occupy their respective places in these two abodes. He who remembered these facts remembered them and he who forgot them forgot them.’
(Bukhari)

His Challenge to People to Ask Him Anything
Hazrat Anas bin Malik radhi-allahu-anhu relates that one day after midday, the Holy Prophet came from his house and led us in the Zuhr prayer, the Holy Prophet stood on the minbar. He spoke about the Day of Judgment and said that many great events would take place before it. Then Holy Prophet said, “If anyone wishes to ask me about anything then do so. I swear by Allah! Whilst I am standing here, I shall answer every question you ask me!”
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu says that on hearing this everyone started crying (Through fear). The Holy Prophet was repeatedly saying, “Ask me!” Hazrat Anas says that a man stood up and said, “O Holy Prophet! Where will my abode be (in the Hereafter)?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Hell”. Then Hazrat Abdullah bin Huzafah radhi-allahu-anhu stood up and said, “O Holy Prophet! Who is my father?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Your father is Huzafah.”
Hazrat Anas says that the Holy Prophet again repeatedly said, “Ask me! Ask me(anything you want to)!” Seeing what was happening, Hazrat Umar radhi-allahu-anhu rose and sat very respectfully (as we do during ‘tashahhud’ in salah) in front of the Holy Prophet and said, “We are satisfied and contented that Allah is our Lord, that Islam is our ‘Deen’ (religion and way of life) and that Muhammad (sallallahu-alaihi-wasalam) is our prophet.” On hearing Hazrat Umar’s words, the Holy Prophet fell silent. Then he said, “I swera by Him (Allah) in whose control is my life! Just now during the (Zuhr) prayer, I was shown Paradise and Hell in front of this wall. I have never before witnessed good and evil as I have today.”
(Bukhari)

Praying for Rain in Madeenah Munawara
Hazrat Anas Radhi-allahu-anhu relates that once in the Holy Prophet’s time, the people were afflicted by severe drought and famine. Whilst the Holy Prophet was delivering the Friday sermon seated upon the minbar, a villager stood up and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! Our animals are perishing and our children are starving as a result of this famine. Please pray to Allah for us.’
The Holy Prophet raised hid hands for prayer. Hazrat Anas says that at that time we could not see a even a speck of cloud in the sky but I swear by Allah! The Holy Prophet had not yet even lowered his hands after his ‘dua’ (prayer) when grey clouds as large as mountains began to appear in the sky and it rained heavily. When the Holy Prophet descended from the minbar, I could see raindrops dripping from his beard. It continued to rain that day, the next day, the day after and every day until the following Friday. (When the Holy Prophet sat upon the minbar to deliver the Friday sermon the following week) the same villager or someone else stood up and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! Because of the abundance of rain, buildings are collapsing and animals are drowning (in the floods). Pray to Allah for us.’ The Holy Prophet raised his hands for ‘dua’ and prayed, ‘O Allah! Make it rain around us but not upon us.’ The Holy Prophet was pointing to the clouds and directing them with his hand. Whichever direction the Holy Prophet pointed in, the clouds broke away from there until the entire sky over Madeenah was absolutely clear (of clouds) and it now rained around Madeenah. Whenever anyone came to Madeenah from another city, they spoke of the abundance of rain.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Hazrat Abu Huraira’s Mother Accepts Islam
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhi-allahu-anhu says, ‘My mother was a disbeliever. I used to keep inviting her to accept Islam. Once, when I asked her to become a Muslim, she said very disrespectful words about the Holy Prophet. This saddened me greatly. Crying, I went to the Holy Prophet and said, ‘O Holy Prophet! Pray to Allah that He may guide my mother to accept Islam!’ The Holy Prophet prayed, “O Allah! Guide Abu Huraira’s mother (to accept Islam).’ Hazrat Abu Huraira says that hearing the Holy Prophet’s prayer, I returned home joyfully. When I arrived home I saw that the door was closed. Having heard my footsteps, my mother said, ‘Abu Huraira! Wait outside!’ I heard water splashing onto the ground. My mother had a bath and dressed. Opening the door hurriedly she said, ‘Abu Huraira! I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ( sallallahu-alaihi-wasalam) is His (noble) servant and true prophet.’ On hearing this, crying for joy, I immediately went to the Holy Prophet and gave him the good news of my mother’s acceptance of Islam. The Holy Prophet praised Allah and blessed me with his prayers.
(Muslim)

His Knowledge of Events Occurring in Barzakh
Hazrat Inve Abbas radhi-allhu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet once passed by two graves. He said that the people in these two graves were being punished and that this was not due to any big sins. In fact, it was due to very small sins. One of them did not bother preventing drops of urine getting onto his body and clothes. The other used to spread malicious stories about people. The Holy Prophet then took a fresh branch of a tree, split into two pieces and stuck a piece of branch into each of the two graves. The Sahaba asked him, ‘O Holy Prophet! Why have you done this?’ The Holy Prophet replied, ‘Whilst these branches remain fresh, the punishment in these graves will be reduced.’
(Bukhari)

Splitting the Moon
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the people of Makkah asked the Holy Prophet to show them a ‘mu’jiza’ (a miracle – as proof of his prophethood). In response, the Holy Prophet split the moon into two parts until they could see Mount Hira between the two halves.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

The Flowing of Water from His Hands
Hazrat Jabir radhi-allahu-anhu relates that people were extremely thirsty on the day of the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyyah. The Holy Prophet had a water vessel in front of him from which he was performing ‘wudhu’. Everyone went to him and said, ‘We have not got any water at all to perform ‘wudhu’ or to drink. The only water we have (amongst us altogether) is that which is in your water-vessel.’ Hearing this, the Holy Prophet placed his blessed hand into that vessel and (miraculously) water began to gush forth from between his fingers like springs of water. Hazrat Jabir says that we all drank our fill and performed ‘wudhu’ from that water. Hazrat Jabir was asked how many people were present (that day) and he replied, ‘Even if we had numbered one hundred thousand that water would have been sufficient for us but there were only fifteen hundred of us that day.
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Benefits of Reciting Salat and Salam
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet said, ‘Whoever recites salat and salam (durood) upon me once, Allah grants that person ten blessings, forgives ten of his sins and elevates his status by ten dgrees.’
(Nissaee)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar radhi-allahu-anhu says, “Whoever recites salat and salam upon the Holy Prophet once, Allah and His Angels send their blessings upon that person seventy times.”
(Mishkat)

Reporting Events in Syria Whilst in Madeenah
Hazrat Anas radhi-allahu-anhu relates that the Holy Prophet informed us of ‘shahadah’ (martyrdom) of Hazrat Zaid, Hazrat Jafar and Hazrat Ibn-u-Ravaha radhi-allahu-anhum before this news reached us (in Madeenah) from the battlefield (in Syria). The Holy Prophet said, “Zaid held the banner of Islam first and was martyred fighting to the end. The Jafar held the banner and was also martyred fighting to the end. Then Ibn-u-Ravaha held it and he too was martyred.” Whilst the Holy Prophet was relating this, tears were streaming down his noble face. (The Holy Prophet continued) “then ‘Saif-um-min-Suyufillah’ (a sword from amongst Allah’s swords) Khalid bin Waleed held the banner of Islam and Allah granted Muslims victory over their enemy.”
(Bukhari)