'Duah': Invocations to Allah- V

Allah says in the Quran: “Invoke your Lord in humility and secretly; Indeed, He does not like transgressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto those who do good.” (Al-Arraf 7: 56 & 57)

[In light of these Quranic verses, Huzur (atba) spoke about the importance of making peace, and keeping peace, and to invoke Allah in secret, and the best way to invoke Allah in secret is when you wake up at night for the Tahajjud prayer, where you meet Allah in secret, whereby no one knows about it and you invoke Him. A person may not invoke Allah only at night, but also during the day in his Zikr. Allah may not accept a duah right away, or the next day or in a week, etc. After many years also He can grant that duah and fulfill it. 

Do not do like the woman who despite being in prayer but each time someone came at her neighbour’s place, she used to count the number of people by placing pebbles and then she used to count the number of people who came through the number of pebbles which there were. In the end, it is these very pebbles which formed a barrier between her and Heaven and finally she fell into hell. On the other hand, there is the example of the prostitute upon whom Allah has mercy because of a good deed she did. On day, she saw one of the creatures of Allah, a thirsty dog. She put herself to great trouble only to quench the thirst of the dog. She went to seek water for it and removed her shoe and used it as a recipient to hold water so that she could give it to the dog and quench its thirst. In the end, Allah admitted her to Paradise for her good deed.

You should never create disorder on earth after you have secretly invoked Allah. You should not nullify your invocations and prayers by doing evil upon the earth. And you should not dare to say that despite multiple prayers that you have done, but Allah is not fulfilling those invocations. You should never doubt the ability of Allah to fulfill those duahs. On the contrary, a believer should always trust in Allah and be confident that Allah will listen and grant him his prayers. 

Likewise, sometimes there are those kinds of people who ask the prophet, the Khalifatullah to do duahs for them, but they do not even trust Allah to fulfill those duahs; they put doubt in the fulfillment of these duahs. So Allah does not fulfill those kinds of duahs because these people have put doubt in these duahs [and His capacity to fulfill them].  They do not trust Allah to grant them these duahs. And then, they counter-attack by playing the blame game. They try to heap criticisms on the prophet by saying that the latter has made duahs, but nothing happened! You need to have Taqwa (the fear of Allah) and hope too. You should trust in the fact that Allah will accept those duahs. Allah does not like transgressors. 

You should not have bad thoughts on others. For example, there was someone in a desert who had some fruit for provisions. When he was tired and had the intention to rest, then he thought, if he were to enter deep sleep, and if someone came, the latter could steal his fruits. So he urinated on those fruits so that others may have disgust. Finally, when he got up, no one came up, and he had to carry those same fruits upon which he urinated. He himself had disgust with his own pee, but as there was no other provision, after a long and tiring journey, he had no choice to eat his own fruit upon which he urinated. So, the lesson is that You should not have the wrong intention or the wrong idea on someone, and you do not do such actions where at the end of the day you fall prey to your own traps or deeds!]

I thus continue by the grace of Allah the same series of sermons on the subject of duahs and today I will present some duahs which our beloved prophet (pbuh) made and we should also seek to benefit from those duahs also. I will begin by mentioning those duahs through some Hadiths.

The first Hadith is from Tirmidhi, Kitab-ul-Manaqib wherein Hazrat Abbas (ra) narrates that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said to him: “On the night of Monday, come to me, you and your offspring, so that I may supplicate for them with a supplication that Allah will benefit you and your children by.’ So he went, and we went with at night, so he (pbuh) covered us in a Kisah (shawl/ veil), then said: ‘O Allah, forgive Al-‘Abbas and his offspring, for what is open and what is secret, with a forgiveness that does not leave any sins. O Allah! Take care of him concerning the affair of his offspring.’”

From the Sunan Ibn Majah, it was narrated that Hazrat Ali (ra) said: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent me to Yemen. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you are sending me to judge between them while I am a young man, and I do not know how to judge.’

When I analyze what Hazrat Ali (ra) said to the Holy Prophet (pbuh), what humility he had! And deep down he wanted the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to place his hand on him and pray. He knew very well the big decisions he had to take.

Then Hazrat Ali (ra) said that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) struck him on the chest with his hand and said: “Allahumma Ahdi Qalba huwa thabit Lisaanahu.” [O Allah, guide his heart and make his tongue steadfast.] 

Hazrat Ali (ra) then said : “And after that I never doubted in passing judgement between two people.”

The miracles of Duahs

Hazrat Ali (ra) suffered from eye trouble. His eyes used to pain a lot and this was a childhood ailment. Three companions, Hazrat Sa’d Bin Abi Waqqas, Hazrat Salama Bin Aqwa, and Hazrat Sahl Bin Sa’d (ra) – May Allah be pleased with them – witnessed a great miracle on the eyes of Hazrat Ali (ra).

On the day of [the battle of] Khaibar, when Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) asked Hazrat Ali (ra) to take the flag, he was informed about his eye problem. Usually he used to feel discomfort because of his eyes but during those days [of the siege and battle], his eyes gave him much pain. Like mentioned in the Musnad of Ahmad Bin Hanbal, his eyes were so painful that Hazrat Salama Bin Aqwa (ra) had to take hold of his hands to enable him to walk. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) took his saliva and applied it to his eyes, and afterwards his eyes were cured as if they were never afflicted by any ailment. And this narration is found also in the Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Maghazi.

In Tirmidhi, Kitab-ul-Manaqib, Hazrat Umm Attiya narrates that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) sent an army in which there was Hazrat Ali (ra). She said: “While he was raising his hands, I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: ‘O Allah! Do not cause me to die until You allow me to see Ali.’”

So, Hazrat Ali (ra) lived after the death of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), and this was also a special miracle. There are also reports of the different types of miracles of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) where he made food increase with duahs, and many of his miracles are reported by authentic Hadiths. This is why a believer cannot have doubts about the duahs that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) did.

For example, for the battle of Ahzab, when the Muhajireen and the Ansars dug the trench, they were very hungry. According to Arab custom, the Ansars used to tie a pebble on their stomachs, but when a person came to lament with Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) [about his state of hunger], he found that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) had two pebbles attached to his belly; i.e. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was the most hungry among all of them. Seeing his condition, a companion went to his wife and told her that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was very hungry. Have you got anything in the house? So his wife said to him: Go outside, there is a lamb. Hazrat Jabir (ra) went outside and slaughtered the goat (in the name of Allah, in the Islamic way). His wife kneaded the flour and put the meat in the cooking pot.

Hazrat Jabir (ra) came out to call Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). His wife told him not to invite many people [because she thought that the food would not be enough food for everyone] and thus not to make her feel embarrassed [ashamed and humiliated] in front of the Messenger of Allah and everybody else. Hazrat Jabir (ra) came to Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and told him in a low tone: “My wife has prepared food, please come along with a few of your companions.”

But Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) all those present who were working and told them: “O people of the Trench, Jabir has arranged a feast for you, so all of you are welcome.” And addressing Hazrat Jabir (ra) he said, “Do not take the pot off the fire, nor bake the kneaded flour till I arrive.” Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came to Hazrat Jabir’s home along with all the people. Hazrat Jabir’s (ra) wife said, “It will be a matter of disgrace for you (because there is not enough food).” When Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came, she brought out the kneaded flour and Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took a little of his saliva and mix it into the flour, and invoked the blessing of Allah on it, and then he did the same for the cooking pot and invoked the blessing of Allah on it. Afterwards he gave instructions to cook the flour and serve the food without taking the cooking pot off the fire. There were about a thousand people. They all ate to their fill and went away, and still then, there remained meat and bread and Jabir, his wife and children got what remained of the food to eat [the cooking pot was still full as if no one ate from it].

[In the context of these miracles of duahs, and the way that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) took charge of the situation, Huzur (atba) said that the opponents of Islam made much criticism of him (pbuh), where firstly, when he received a personal invitation with permission to invite only a few companions because one goat [or lamb] would not be enough for all of them, so critics said that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), a prophet lied - Nawzubillah min Zaalik. And on top of that, he mixed his saliva into the food, whereby a person usually feels disgust to eat another person's leftover. They thus criticize the prophet (pbuh) like this, but these people do not know with what wisdom and intention that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) did this. He knew that with the duahs he would make, Allah would bless this food, and everyone could eat their fill. And he (pbuh) moreover wanted Jabir (ra) and his family to get this honour, where Allah would show His miracles through their invite [their food]. As a prophet, he knew what he was doing, and it was not his intention to humiliate Hazrat Jabir (ra) and his wife. Furthermore, there should verily have been barakat (blessings) in his saliva for the prophet - Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) - to have acted in this way, by mixing some of his saliva when he prayed on the food.

Huzur (atba) also mentioned that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used his very saliva also when he prayed for the eyes of Hazrat Ali (ra) and where Allah showed His miracle. Alhamdulillah.]

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated a duah which is found in Sahih Al Bukhari. He said: “Once the Prophet (pbuh) embraced me and said, “Allahumma Al-Lim hul Hikma” [O Allah! Bestow on him Wisdom]. Another companion reported that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said about Ibn Abbas (ra) that the prophet (pbuh) prayed for him to receive the knowledge of the Book (i.e. the Qur’an). This is also possible that “Hikma” means the [Holy] Book(i.e., the Qur’an) also. A companion has thought about wisdom while another has thought about the Book [of Allah], and verily, there is no doubt that Hazrat Ibn Abbas has received knowledge and wisdom of the Book in a sublime way.

A narration of Jarir (ra) found in Sahih Al Bukhari: “Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) did not screen himself from me since my embracing Islam, and whenever he saw me he would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He stroke me on the chest with his hand and said, “Allahumma thabit ho wajal ho Haadiyan Mahdiya” [O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man].

After this prayer of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), Jarir (ra) participated in fifty important missions as an accomplished rider/ horseman, and he went on from success to success in all those missions. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) sent him to two villages, Zil Kalah and Zuleim, and he accomplished very well his missions there as well.

In Tirmidhi, Hazrat Sa’d Bin Abi Waqqas (ra) narrated that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) prayed for him in this way: “Allahumma astajib li Sa’adin ila da’aka” [O Allah! Whenever [Hazrat] Sa’d [Bin Abi Waqqas (ra)] prays, respond to his call (answer his prayer)].

As a result of this duah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), it is reported that Hazrat Sa’d Bin Abi Waqqas (ra) became popular for the acceptance of his duahs and people were even afraid of his curses. And when he prayed, the people were sure it would be heard. In another Hadith, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) gave Hazrat Sa’d (ra) the good news that he would have a long life and this is reported in Sahih Al Bukhari - Kitabul Wasaya.

Now I cite another Hadith about Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (ra) whereby Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) prayed for him, and Allah gave the good news about the acceptation of this duah. After Hazrat Sa’d (ra) accepted Islam, he made the Hijrat (emigration) from Mecca to Medina. During the last pilgrimage [First & Last Hajj] of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), Hazrat Sa’d (ra) fell ill in Mecca, and his illness was so severe that he feared dying whilst in Mecca, and thus he thought that he would not receive the reward of his emigration [from Mecca to Medina]. When Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came to see him, Hazrat Sa’d (ra) asked the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to pray for him so that he may not die in this place where he made the Hijrat, that is, that he should not die in Mecca. His state of health was so critical that he even made the needed arrangements for his last will.

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) made this duah: “O Allah complete the emigration of my companions [that you are pleased with them]”. And he also gave the good news of the acceptation. He (pbuh) told Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (ra) : O Sa’d, Insha-Allah, Allah will give you a long life and many people will benefit from you and the people whom you curse shall suffer a lot. [The wordings of the Hadith is as thus: “If you are left behind after me, whatever good deeds you will do for Allah's sake, that will upgrade you and raise you high. May be you will have long life so that some people may benefit by you and others (the enemies) be harmed by you.”]

With the duah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (ra) was miraculously cured ; Among the ten companions who received the good news of Paradise, it is him [Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas] who died the last.

The subject of duah is becoming very interesting and encouraging, where hopefully our everyday life will unfold through those duahs. It is that same weapon of the believers which is more powerful than the other weapons which men fabricate to destroy humanity, to destroy humans like themselves.

So, for lack of time, the time has come to stop; I stop here for now and pray to Allah (swt) to continue giving me the Tawfiq to continue my future sermons on the same subject of “Duahs”, Insha-Allah.

May Allah bless you and instill in you the habit of invoking Him all the time, not only in times of misfortune but also in times of contentment also where you do not forget to thank Him. Insha-Allah, Ameen.

A dream message

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I tell you a very nice dream and message that my disciple Naib Amir Fazil Jamal Sahib from Delhi saw and received this week: He saw me and Hazrat Ummul Mumineen Sadr Sahiba Fazli Amena come to Mathra [Kerala , India]. He was there, along with his father, and together we were discussing plans on the subject of Tarbiyyat… for our members, and other important projects. 

[Huzur (atba) said that Tarbiyyat is very important. For example, one of the greatest Tarbiyyat is about the Salat where one should not pray quickly, like hens pecking corn. Namaz/ Salat should not become a burden on someone. Prayer should be done well, with focus and respect. One must not hurry in prayer. When someone prays alone, he should take advantage of these moments to do lots of duahs. This is the greatest Tarbiyyat, the education that we can give to our members.] 

Then Fazil Jamal Sahib received this message: ‘Wa Kaana Rabbika Khulafau’, which means: “They are your Lord's High Representatives.” Thus, Allah is making them know and understand that indeed those who came - and among whom there is the Caliph of Allah - they are the high representatives from Allah. Masha-Allah. Alhamdulillah.

Like you are seeing, every week our members [my disciples] from the various countries are receiving messages, revelations and inspirations… We do not say all this with arrogance or vanity [Fakkar] but it is with much humility that we are saying all this to show that how those who have held fast to the rope of Allah, the Divine Manifestation – those who have believed sincerely and are true and sincere in their faith [Iman] – how indeed Allah is bestowing upon them His messages.

Now this faith should remain ever sincere because in the past there are many people who were blessed with the divine messages and revelations; there are even those who received long texts which Allah inspired to them, but as you know, faith is such a thing which should be handled with care as it is very fragile. If it gets out of your control, if you do not know how to handle it, then you can lose it, lose it all. You can lose your Iman.


Miracle of Duahs in our times

[In the course of his sermon, Huzur (atba) also spoke about the revelations which he received from Allah, and he especially detailed on how these revelations can come, sometimes in the form of a bell sound or a voice speaking something etc. He related an anecdote, about a message he received and whereby Allah made him understand on the spot that he should share it in the Friday Sermon. He was in a place, and Allah informed him how some people – members of his own family – were backbiting him [saying lots of bad talks on him]. This affected him a lot. He said that some people may not believe in what he is saying, that Allah has the capacity to reveal to him what others are saying about him, and still this happened and Allah informed this to him so that he may know the real faces of these people.

Huzur (atba) also spoke about the realisation of prayers which happened after he prayed for a near family member. The latter asked him to pray for him/ her (the Khalifatullah did not gave precision whether it was a man or woman) as that person had a construction to do. The person kept within himself that he was in a tight financial state [zero] especially after the COVID-19 lockdown, but then Allah revealed to His Khalifa [Khalifatullah] about the financial state of that person, saying that such and such had “zero cent” [which is an expression meaning a very tight financial state]. And thus, the Khalifatullah (atba) prayed for the person that Allah may reinforce that “zero” and add many more zeros and numbers to it so that it becomes an important sum of money. Indeed, a miracle happened whereby someone approached that person in tight financial state and offered him an important sum of money so that he may continue with the construction. That was a great manifestation, a great miracle of duah of the Khalifatullah whereby Allah not only informed His servant about the financial state of his near relative, but also sent someone to help him. 

In that context, Huzur (atba) related that in the past as well, another member of his family – about the construction of a house – saw a great miracle whereby Huzur (atba) prayed that Allah enable him/ her to add another storey to his existing house. At that time, the person did not have enough means to make an additional storey and thought that it would be impossible for him to do so. But then unexpectedly, Allah sent someone, a complete stranger from another religious faith who came and gave him a great sum of money to enable him to do realize this construction project. Alhamdulillah.]

Therefore, may Allah keep all my disciples firmly on the Siratwal Mustaqeem (right path). And Allah enable you, your children, family members and all the members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam who are found in any country in the world to become true Muslims - SAHIH al Islam – and enable you all to remain firm on the Siratwal Mustaqeem (right path) and to remain ever attached to it – Hold fast to the rope of Allah, and you will also see the miracles of Allah, but you shall witness all these signs and miracles, take it all with humility, prostrate before Allah and thank Him… Do not become arrogant when Allah shows you all these signs. On the contrary, the more humble you become, the more you will curb, just like a fruit tree laden with fruits and which curbs in humility. The more you will curb with humility, the more reward you will obtain from the Heavens. Insha-Allah, Ameen, Ya Rabbul Aalameen.

---Friday Sermon of 07 August 2020~16 Dhul-Hijjah 1441 AH delivered by Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (atba) of Mauritius.