Mina

Long long ago, about 4000 years ago, there lived the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam (Abaraham). He was gracious, tender-hearted and pure in faith. His family lived in a beautiful valley, which is now known as Makkah.

One night, the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam dreamt that he was sacrificing his son, Ismail alaihissalam. This was an order from his Lord.

Ismail alaihissalam was still a child, but the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam told him about the dream.

Ismail alaihissalam was a brave boy. He was ready to obey the command of Allah, who had created him.

So without hesitating, he said to his father, “Do what you are commanded, father. God willing, you willing, you will find me one of the steadfast.”

Ibrahim alaihissalam took his son away to sacrifice him. As he was reached a place, which is now known as Mina – a valley near Makkah – Satan appeared and tried to stop him from doing his Lord’s bidding.

The Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam picked up a few small stones and threw them at Satan. Little Ismail alaihissalam and his mother did likewise.

The Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam gently placed his son on the ground and blindfolded himself with a handkerchief so that he could not see his beloved son while carrying out the Lord’s command.

As Ibrahim alaihissalam took a knife to sacrifice Ismail alaihissalam, Allah sent the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) down with a ram. “Sacrifice this ram. Do not sacrifice Ismail,” said Jibril to Ibrahim alaihissalam.

Allah was so pleased with the readiness of Ibrahim alaihissalam to sacrifice his beloved son, that He commanded the believers to observe this as Id-Adha or the Feast of sacrifice. Every year Muslims sacrifice an animal in remembrance of the Prophet Ibrahim’s trust in Allah.

The story reminds believers of the readiness of the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam to give up his beloved son. Likewise, believers should be ready to part with their precious belongings, and their wealth, and even give up their lives, if the cause of Islam so requires.

Thus the Quran says: “Truly, my prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death all belong to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (Surah al-Anam, 6:162)

Find out more: To know more about the message and meaning of Allah’s words, look up the following parts of Quran which tell the story of Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam: Surah as Saffat 37:102-111

One day a court soothsayer told Firawn that that year a boy would be born among the tribe of the Children of Israel who would destroy him and his kingdom.

Enraged, Firawn ordered all newborn boys of the tribe to be killed. The Children of Israel, already enslaved by Firawn, suffered the torment of seeing their newborn sons killed, while only their daughters were spared.

During these horrible times of pious woman, called Yukabid, of the Children of Israel, gave birth to a beautiful boy who was named Musa or Moses alaihissalam. She was told by Allah that this was a very special child who would one day become a great prophet.

Allah inspired her to put him in a box, which she was to cast into the river Nile, with the promise that her baby would be safe. She obeyed Allah’s order, and as the waves carried the box away, his sisterkept a watch on it, until it stopped at a bank near the royal palace.

There it was picked up by a member of Firawn’s household and brought to the queen. The queen was a loving, kind-hearted woman. When she saw the baby, her heart was touched and she exclaimed: “What a lovely child! Whoever sees him cannot but love him.” Despite the king’s objection, the queen decided to keep the baby in the palace and rear him as her own child.

The Prophet Musa alaihissalam brought up with, loving care by the Queen, received the best education.

But because Musa alaihissalam accidentally killed someone,Firawn intended to slay him. Therefore, Musa alaihissalam quietly left the city and journeyed to Madyan, where he met the Prophet Shuayb alaihissalam and married his daughter.

After spending some years in the beautiful valley of Madyan, Musa alahissalam returned with his family to Egypt.

They travelled slowly towards Mount Sinai, passing through awesome landscape of desert and rock.

One cold winter evening, as it grew darker and a cool breeze began to blow, they seemed to have lost their way. Musa alaihissalam looked around and notice a fire quite far away on the side of a mountain. He said: “Wait here! Look, I can see a fire in the distance. Perhaps I can find out where we are, or at least get a burning brand to warm ourselves with!”

As Musa alaihissalam reached the source of the light, Allah spoke to him and gave him wisdom and miracles.

Allah told him that He had chosen him as His messenger and commanded him to go with these signs and give His message to Firawn who had made himself a tyrant in the land.

Find out more: To know more about the message and meaning of Allah’s words, look up the following parts of the Quran which tell the story of the Prophet Musa alaihissalam – Surah Ta Ha 20:38-40, Surah al Qasas 28:7-35

As a child, Sulayman alaihissalam showed wisdom and intelligence. At a very young age he surprised his father with his ideas about the rule of law.

It was when two angry men came to see Dawud alaihissalam. One of them said, “I had a beautiful field full of crops. This man’s sheep entered it and destroyed all my plants.”

Dawud alaihissalam said that the owner of the field was in the right and that he should take the sheep to make up for his loss.But Sulayman alaihissalm, who was a boy at that time, gave a better solution to the problem. “I would like to suggest,” said Sulayman alaihissalam “that the sheep be given to the owner of the field, who will use the their milk and wool.”

“After a while when the crops are fully grown, the sheep will be returned to their owner.” In this way Sulayman alaihissalam showed the difference between what was owned and what could be earned from it.

When Sulayman alaihissalam grew up, he was blessed with prophethood and became the king too. Allah gave him special knowledge.

He was able to understand the language of the birds.

By Allah’s special favour he could control the winds.

He was also in control of the jinn. He used to employ them in any way he likes.

One day Sulayman alaihissalam was passing through a valley along with his mighty army. In the valley there lived a large number of ants.

Seeing the huge army coming , one of the ants shouted a warning to its fellow ants: “Get into your homes before Sulayman and his army tread on you by mistake!”

Sulayman alaihissalam heard what the ant said and smiled. Because of Allah’s great boon to him, he was able to understand languages that others could not.

He was suddenly startled by the realization of how merciful Allah had been to him. He turned to his Lord in praise and prayed: “Oh my Lord! Make me grateful to You for Your favours, which You have given me and my parents, inspire me to do what is right to please You. And through Your grace, admit me among Your righteous servants.” (Surah an Naml 27:19)

Written by Saniyasnain Khan

Find out more: To know more about the message and meaning of Allah’s words, look up the following parts of the Quran which tell the story of the Prophet Sulayman alaihissalam:

• Surah an-Naml 27:15-19

The Prophet Yunus alaihissalam did as Allah said and went to these people. He gave them His message and warned them to turn away from their wickedness. The Prophet Yunus alaihissalam preached to them for a long time, but they paid no heed to his words. When he realized that they intended to continue on the wrong path, he warned them about how bad their actions were and that in the end they might be made to suffer. Angry and despairing, the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam left these people.

The Prophet Yunus alaihissalam moved out of the city and headed towards the seaport where there ships tied up, waiting to sail. One, the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam found, was due to sail to a far off land. He boarded the ship.

As soon as it was at sea, the sky grew dark, and there was a terrible storm. The fierce wind began to whip the water up into huge waves which crashed against the hull of the ship.

As the storm grew worse, the waves became like towering walls of water which came crashing down on the ship’s deck. The sailors worked with all their strength to try to keep the ship on course.

They even threw some of the cargo overboard, to make the ship easier to control. But the ship’s strong timber seemed as thin as matchwood in the teeth of the storm. Soon, they knew, it would break up and they would all drown.

Thinking their ill-luck was due to some slave having run away from his master, they drew lots to find the run-away and hurl him overboard. The name of the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam was picked out in the draw. So he was forced to jump from the ship.

As he struggled in the water, gasping for breath, a great whale appeared out of the depths of the sea and swallowed him up. (The fish that swallowed the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam may have been a sperm whale. Such whales are known to visit the eastern Mediterranean Sea. With their large throats, they can swallow the body of a man whole).

Suddenly the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam found himself in the dark, damp insides of the huge fish. He had not drowned. He was still alive! Now the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam realized that he had left the people of Nineveh too early without completing the task assigned by Allah. As a rule, once it became clear that a nation had rejected Allah’s message, the Prophet who had been the bearer of that message was commanded by Allah to leave – but only if he had done his very best to reform his hearers. Then Allah punished the erring people as a mark of His wrath. But the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam had not waited for Allah’s order. He had simply gone away, leaving the people of Nineveh to their doom.

When the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam realized his mistake, he cried from the depth of darkness: “There is no god but You. Glory be to You! I have done wrong.” Allah heard his prayers. The Quran says that if he had not said he was sorry and glorified Allah in his prayers, he would have stayed in the belly of the fish till the Day of Judgement.

The fish by the command of Allah, swam close to the land and brought the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam safely on to the beach, where he found himself under a tree called Yaqtin (gourd-tree). It shaded him from the heat of the sun while he recovered from his ordeal. It also gave him a delicious  fruit full of juice to quench his thirst.

The Prophet Yunus alaihissalam then returned to his people and preached to them again. All of them, over one hundred thousand, responded to his call.

The lesson in the story of the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam is twofold. Firstly, the great duty to deliver the message of Allah to other now falls on every Muslim. If we ignore this duty and become desperate (as the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam was at first), we will be found guilty of not carrying out the task set for us by Allah.

Secondly, the courage which was shown by the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam as he nearly drowned is a great example and shows us that we should never despair of the mercy of Allah. If we are on the right path and say we are sorry for our failings, Allah will help us miraculously as He did when the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam was saved from the raging sea by the giant fish.

Written by Saniyasnain Khan

Find out more: To know more about the message and meaning of Allah’s words, look up the following parts of the Quran which tell the story of the Prophet Yunus alaihissalam:

• Surah al-Anbiya (21:87-88)
• Surah as-Saffat (37:139-148)

Then came the dry land and the oceans. By just saying the words, Allah made them all. Allah made the earth in two days. On it He placed very big mountains.

In two days He formed the sky into seven heavens. The lowest heaven He hung with brilliant stards and sent bright comets, flying between them.

Allah made the earth circle around the sun so that there would be night and day and many different seasons too.

Allah filled the vast universe with thousands of stars and many planets all spinning swiftly, but never touching each other.

Allah made lovely flowers – roses and pansies, bluebells and lupins, hollyhocks and daisies. Where did the flowers come from? Allah made them all.

He made all things large and tiny. Little insects, black ants that crawl around on the ground. And the busy bees that fly from flower to flower to collect sweet honey.

Allah made juicy fruits – mangoes, oranges and cherries, crunchy apples, sweet grapes and soft bananas. Where did the fruits come from? Allah made them all.

Allah made animals. Some live in the forests. Large elephants, fat hippos, cunning foxes, fierce tigers, striped zebras, and tall giraffes. Fluffy rabbits, strong horses, grazing cows and sheep – Allah made them all.

Beautiful birds flying in the sky – spreading their wings and closing them. Green parrots, white ducks, colourful chickens, flying sparrows, dancing peacocks, singing quails, diving kingfishers, warbling larks, and many, many more. Where did they all come from? Allah made them all.

Allah made the large oceans and the big seas which cover the earth with water and form into deep lakes and long rivers. Allah made the sea monsters and all the fishes big and small – large blue whales like mountains, and cruel tiger sharks with big jaws.

Allah made the crabs and lobsters and shrimps, huge eels and octopuses, swordfish and jelly fish, and all the many ocean plants and animals.

Allah gave us the rain and sunshine, cool breezes and clouds passing by.

Thank you, Allah, for making such a wonderful world.

1. Allah the merciful shows mercy upon the merciful people. So have mercy upon those on the earth, so that the one in the heaven has mercy on you (Abu Dawud)

2. A believer (Mu’min) is the one who is sociable (with them), and there is no good in the one who is not sociable (with others) nor in the one who is not met sociably (by others). And the best amongst the people is the one who benefits the people the most. (Dar Qutni)

3. All created beings are Allah’s dependents, and the most beloved creation to Allah is the one who is good to his dependants. (Bayhaqi)

4. Fear Allah wherever you may be; follow up a bad deed with a good one, it will erase it; and treat people with good character. (Tirmidhi)

5. And a (true) believer is he whom people trust with regards to their lives and possessions. (Tirmidhi)

6. A believer is not he who maligns, curses, or is obscene or vulgar (Tirmidhi)

7. The best of deeds after belief in Allah is to show affection to the people. (Tabrani)

8. Amongst the believers who have complete faith (Iman) is the one who has the best character. And the best amongst you is the one who is best in conduct towards his wife (Ahmed)

9. Listen carefully! Treat women kindly. (Tirmidhi

10. Whoever has faith in Allah and the last dayshould be hospitable to his guest; whoever has faith in Allah and the last day should not trouble his neighbour; and whoever has faith in Allah and the last day should speak what is good or remain silent. (Bukhari)

11. The most virtuous charity is that you satisfy a hungry stomach. (Bayhaqi)

12. He who does not keep his trusts has no faith (is not a true believer), and he who does not keep his agreements has no religion (is not a true Muslim). (Bayhaqi).

13. One who breaks ties of kinship will not enter paradise. (Bukhari)

14. Treat people according to their individual statuses. (Muslim)

15. Feed hungry, visit the sick and free the slaves. (Bukhari)

16. The worst of people are those whom the people desert or leave in order to save themselves from their obscenity. (Bukhari)

17. Fulfil the trust of the one who entrusts you, and do not betray the one who betrays you. (Abu Dawud)

18. Verily Allah has prescribed excellence in all things. Thus when you kill (in capital punishment) kill well, when you slaughter an animal, then perform the slaughtering well, and let any of you sharpen his knife and let him put the animal at ease. (Muslim)

19. Every religion has a distinctive quality, and the distinctive quality of Islam is modesty. (Ibn Majah)

20. There should be no harming nor reciprocating (returning) harm. (Ibn Majah)

21. He who is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah. (Tirmidhi)

22. Whoever is deprived of gentleness is deprived of all good. (Muslim)

23. No parent has given a child a better gift than good manners. (Tirmidhi)

24. To seek knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim. (Ibn Majah)

25. From the excellence of a person’s Islam is that he leaves that what does not concern him. (Tirmidhi)

26. A strong person is not he who drops his opponents in a wrestling bout. Verily a strong person is he who controls himself in anger. (Bukhari)

27. The most hated person in the sight of Allah is a quarrelsome person. (Muslim)

28. The best door of good deeds is charity. (Tabrani)

29. A fortunate person is he who learns a lesson by seeing others. (Ibn Majah)

30. Save yourselves from suspicion since suspicion is the worst of lies. (Bukhari)

31. The best amongst you is he from whom good is expected and security is assured from his evil, and the worst amongst you is he from whom good is not expected and security is not assured from his evil. (Tirmidhi)

32. Stay away from oppression as oppression will appear as darkness n the day of Judgement. (Muslim)

33. Cleanliness is half of faith (Islam). (Muslim)

34. Verily a believer is rewarded for removing obstacles from the street. (Targheeb wat tarheeb)

35. Listen carefully! Should I not show the noblest characteristics of this world and the hereafter? You should join ties with the one severs them; give to the one who deprives you and forgive the one who is unjust towards you. (Tabrani)

36. The best of companions in front of Allah are those who treat their friends the best and the best of neighbours in front of Allah are those that treat their neighbours the best. (Tirmidhi)

37. The major sins are worshipping others besides Allah, disobeying parents, and killing an innocent human being and the immersing oath. (Bukhari)

38. Whoever kills a person with whom there is a covenant will not smell the fragrance of paradise. (Bukhari)

39. Love for the people what you love for yourself. (Tabrani)

40. The one who doesn’t show mercy on the people, Allah will not show mercy to him. (Tirmidhi)

May Allah (God) give us the ability to bring alive these wonderful teachings, morals and values of the Prophet of Mercy Muhammed (peace be upon him) to make our world a better and peaceful world to live in.

Ismail alaihissalam grew up a strong and loving youth.

The Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam and Ismail alaihissalam were ordered by Allah to build the House of God – Kabah in Makkah.

They took stones from the nearby hills and started to work.

For this sacred land, Ibrahim alaihissalam prayed, “My Lord, make this land secure, and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.”

As the Prophets Ibrahim alaihissalam and Ismail alaihissalam laid the very first stones on which the Kabah would stand, they prayed, “Our Lord, accept this from us! You are the All-hearing, the All-seeing.”

They further prayed, “Our Lord, make us bow to You, and make our offspring a nation which bows to You and show us our ways of worship.”

They also prayed for a Prophet to be born in their family, who would teach wisdom to the people and purify their faith. Their prayer was answered many years later, when the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu-alaihiwassalam was born to the people who came after them.

The Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam was ordered by Allah to clean the Kabah for those who came there to pray, and to call people to Hajj.

Allah spoke thus to the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalm: “Call all people to make the Pilgrimage. They shall come to you on foot and on the backs of swift camels; they shall come from every deep ravine.”

And so Allah made it a duty for all Muslims, male and female, to go on Hajj once in a lifetime, provided their means and health permitted.

Hajj is one the five pillars of Islam. Today, over 20 million people from around the world gather in Makkah to perform this sacred duty.

The moral of the story is that believers will promise Allah to follow the example set by the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam and his family, doing Allah’s bidding, whatever it may be, basing their lives on truth and, if necessary , giving up life’s conforts and pleasures. Allah will be their focus, a goal from which they will never be turned aside by the forces of evil.

Written by Saniyasnain Khan

Find out more: To know more about the message and meaning of Allah’s words, look up the following parts of the Quran which tell the story of the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam and Ismail alaihissalam:

• Surah al-Baqarah (2:125-127)
• Surah Al Imran (3:96-97)

The messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah does not judge according to your bodies and appearances, but He scans your hearts and looks into your deeds.” (Muslim)

All praise be to Allah, the Most High. Peace & Blessings be upon the Prophets of Allah, especially, upon our Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa aalihi wasallam).

“Al-Khidr”

“Your real friends are Allah, His Messenger, and the fellow
believers – the ones who establish Salah, pay Zakah and bow down humbly before Allah. ¤
Whoever makes Allah, His Messenger and the fellow believers his friends,
must know that Allah’s party will surely be victorious.”
[Maa'idah - 5:55-56]

Assalamu ‘alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

While a party is ever engaged in bloodshed, bringing troubles, inspiring evil and doubts, deceiving with false stories; there exists another party, unlike the first one, busy in repairing things, inspiring goodness, portraying truth, and unveiling reality. The first party is the party of devil consisting of its followers. The second party is the party of Allah consisting of Prophets, Angels, His pious slaves. Iblis (devil) wants to keep people in confusion and misery by keeping them away from knowing their Lord. Allah wants to reveal His bounties and everlasting happiness by guiding people towards Himself. Those in the party of Allah, they have different ranks based on their duties. Al-Khidr (‘alaihi salam) is one such an individual who is part of this second group and the topic of our discussion today.

Quran mentions a story of Prophet Musa (‘alaihi salam) and a man (one of the servants of Allah) in Surah al-Kahf (18:60-82). The man who is mentioned in the passage as ‘one of the slaves of Allah’ is generally known as al-Khidr (or al-Khizr). It will not be of our concern to discuss whether the man is a Prophet or not. All that interests us is a set of characteristics that describe al-Khidr. Both, Prophet Musa (‘alaihi salam) and al-Khidr (‘alaihi salam) are servants of Allah and they both have been doing what they were required to do.

Al-Khidr (‘alaihi salam) is described in the Quran as one of the servants of Allah who was bestowed with Allah’s Mercy and was given Knowledge from Allahu ta’ala.

“Then they found one of Our slaves, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.” [al-Kahf - 18:65]
Translit: ”Fawajada ‘abdan min ‘ibadina ataynahu rahmatan min ‘indina wa’allamnahu min ladunna ‘ilman ¤”

The knowledge of Allah’s Mercy and Omnipotency is such a knowledge that holds the capability of surprising even the exalted angles. This is such a knowledge that brings ‘hope’ even when there is absolutely no chance of any speck of hope. A person finds himself in a desert-like situation where there is no hope of any pasture and suddenly out-of-nowhere and without any apparent cause, rain drops unusually and turns the desert into a green land. A thing that was once a desert is now a green land. A fish that was once dead, gets life and finds its way into water; an impossible thing actually happens. All this is actually related to destiny.

Destiny is in the hands of Allah. Allah has complete authority and control over it. If a thing was once destined to be desert, Allah being Al-Qadeer (All-Powerful, Omnipotent) can change the destiny and bring out something that was once impossible to happen. The thing that we call Destiny is nothing but a Command issued by Allahu ta’ala. Allah has the Supreme Authority over everything and He is able to issue another Command (decree) in place of an existing Command (decree). Allah says:

“We do not abrogate an Ayah (Commandment, Direction, Decree) or cause it to be forgotten except that We substitute it with something better or similar; don’t you know that Allah has full power over everything? ¤ Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and that besides Allah, you have no protector or helper!” [Baqarah - 2:106-107]
Translit: ”Ma nansakh min ayatin aw nunsiha nati bikhayrin minha aw mithliha alam taAAlam anna Allaha AAala kulli shayin qadeerun ¤ Alam taAAlam anna Allaha lahu mulku alssamawati waalardi wama lakum min dooni Allahi min waliyyin wala naseerin ¤ ”

Just as there are religious commandments and instructions for human beings, Angels also get commands and instructions from Allah, however, such instructions are related to the implementation and execution of Destiny. If it has been decreed for a person to die at a particular time, the angle of death has to know this decree in advance in order to be able to take the soul of that person at the right moment. This means that a portion of the knowledge of Destiny is given to angels but angles have no authority to avert a decree and they certainly do not disobey.

Allah’s ability to avert/control something already destined (i.e. Him Being Omnipotent) and bring forth something better is actually the hope of Allah’s Mercy. Under the influence of the Freewill given to mankind and jinn, our future is repeatedly being revived based on our past deeds and intensions for the future. Our future situation, whether on earth or in the hereafter, will be based on our past deeds. Except, if Allah forgives us with His Mercy, then in this case our future situation may be different from what it was due to be. Allah says:

“Whatever affliction befalls you is the result of what your own hands have done even though for many of your misdeeds He grants forgiveness.” [Shura - 42:30]
Translit: ”Wama asabakum min museebatin fabima kasabat aydeekum wayaAAfoo AAan katheerin ¤”

“except the one who repents, becomes a true believer, and starts doing good deeds, for then Allah will change his evil deeds into good, and Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Furqaan - 25:70]
Translit: ”Illa man taba waamana wa’amila ‘amalan salihan faolaika yubaddilu Allahu sayyiatihim hasanatin wakana Allahu ghafooran raheeman ¤”

So long as man holds this power of Freewill during the span of his life, man has the opportunity to improve his future with his good actions. When a person does something good, Allah removes something evil from his future (account) and replaces it with something good.

“…Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.”[Hud - 11:114]
Translit: ”… inna alhasanati yuthhibna alssayyiati thalika thikra lilththakireena ¤”

If a person is currently facing some troubles, the person should bear it patiently and at the same time do something good (e.g. give chairty) while asking for Allah’s forgiveness and mercy; and hope that Allah will replace the current situation with something better. One minute ahead of time is still a future and things can change in seconds with the help of Allah. The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa aalihi wasallam) said:

“If one of you sees anything he dislikes, he should say:
O Allah, no one brings good things except Thee,
and no one averts evil things except Thee
and there is no might and power but in Allah.”
[narrated by Urwah Ibn Amir Al Qurashi (ra), Abu Dawud]

The future of every individual is in the Hands of Allah and each person should believe (hope) that whatever is there for him in the future it is the best for him since that has been decided by Allah with His Great Wisdom. Allah has placed such a power in the hands of man that when he raises them sincerely in supplication (Du’a), Allah may change the present situation and bring something that was impossible to happen. Unfortunately, a lot of us do not appreciate the significance of Du’a, while it is through supplication (Du’a) that Allah has made impossible things possible. The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa aalihi wasallam) said:

“Nothing but supplication averts the decree…”
[narrated by Salman al-Farisim (ra), Tirmidhi]

“Whenever a Muslim supplicates Allah,
Allah grants his supplication or averts some kind of evil from him
so long as he does not supplicate for something sinful
or something that would cut off the ties of kinship.
Thereupon someone said: Then we shall supplicate plenty.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Allah is more plentiful in responding.”
[narrated by Ubadah ibn as-Samit (ra), Tirmidhi]

When we look at the example of al-Khidr (‘alaihi salam), we learn that there are people always pursuing ways that lead to Allah’s Mercy. Such people have dedicated their whole lives for the well being of people. If we look at the examples of the Prophets (peace be upon them), we see that all Prophets of Allah were constantly engaged in the welfare of their people; constantly thinking on how people can know their Lord and get relieved from the trials of this world and from the punishment of hereafter. Sahabah were well trained in this to such an extent where they had excluded their own self and preferred Allah and fellow beings over themselves. Their way of thinking was that ‘if we relieve a person from some troubles, Allah will give us relief when we get into trouble’. Such a thinking is extremely important as well as necessary for those who are working for Allah and are counted among His party. Another thing to note is that whatever al-Khidr (‘alaihi salam) had done during the incident mentioned in Surah al-Kahf, he did that according to the order of Allahu ta’ala and with His Mercy, as he said:

“…(All this was done) as a mercy from your Lord. What I did was not done by my own will…” [Kahf - 18:82]
Translit: ”… rahmatan min rabbika wama fa’altuhu ‘an amree …”

Al-Khidr (‘alaihi salam) did what he was ordered to do. Prophet Musa (‘alaihi salam) was also doing what he was ordered to do. Angels are also doing what they are being ordered to do. Now it is our turn to do what we have been ordered to do by following our Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa aalihi wasallam). When we reach to such a degree of obedience where we do whatever we are asked to do without thinking about the logic/wisdom behind the commands, it is then when we are actually in the position to know what wisdom actually is. It is the verdict of the Quran, mentioned right at the start of it, that Allah guides to those who are al-Muttaqoon. So, first we should show sincere obedience, then we get to know the Wisdom. And definitely, Wisdom is the most precious thing that a man can have and we should all pursue it.

“Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Honor, He is free from what they ascribe to Him!
Peace be on the Messengers, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”
Al-Quran [37:180-182]

wa Assalamu ‘alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

Abdullah ibn Adam

He was so gracious, tender-hearted and pure in faith that Allah gave him wisdom when he was still a child.

Allah was so please with him that He made him His best friend.

Ibrahim’s desire to find the truth grew. One night, while looking at the sky, Ibrahim alaihissalam noticed one very bright star. “This is my Lord,” he said. But when it set, he said, “I do not love things which fade.”

Then Ibrahim alaihissalam noticed the moon shining brightly, as if it was made of pure silver. “This is my Lord,” he said happily. But when it set, “I do not love anything which sets.”

After the same thing happened with the sun, Ibrahim alaihissalam announced, “I will turn my face to Him who has created the heavens and the earth, and live a good life. I am no idol-worshipper.”

In the days of Ibrahim alaihissalam, people used to worship stones and statues, but even as a child he wondered why.

Ibrahim’s father, whose name was Azar, also believed in worshipping idols. When Ibrahim alaihissalam asked his father why he worshipped objects that did not speak, Azar became angry.

One day, when Azar and the other townspeople were away, Ibrahim alaihissalam took an axe and broke all the idols in the public temple except the biggest.

When people discovered this, they asked Ibrahim alaihissalam, “Who has done this?” “Ask the biggest idol,” replied Ibrahim alaihissalam calmly. “Why do you worship things that cannot even talk, move or understand?” Unable to understand the Prophet Ibrahim’s message, they were left speechless. They became furious, and tried to kill him.

They suggested that since this boy had insulted their gods, they should burn him alive. A huge heap of firewood was piled up and set alight. The people shouted and chanted aloud: “Death to Ibrahim! Burn him!” They thought that the burning of Ibrahim alaihissalam would cleanse their souls and protect them from harm.

As the bright red flames leaped up, Ibrahim alaihissalam felt no fear, as his faith in Allah was very strong and he knew that the people were wrong. As soon as the fire reached its peak, they picked up the Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam and threw him into the blazing fire. But Allah was with him. Allah commanded the fire, “O fire, be cool and peaceful for Ibrahim.”

A miracle took place, and the fire, instead of burning Ibrahim alaihissalam, became a cool, safe place for him. The onlookers could hardly believe their eyes! So awestruck were they that they could neither speak nor move!

The moral of the story is that faith in Allah is the only thing that can save a believer in this world and the world to come.