Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted on 17/08/2023
Just outside the Mubaarak room of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam in Masjidun Nabawi, was an area where the Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum would sit and acquire knowledge from Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. These Sahaabah are known as the Ashaab-us-Suffah. There were approximately 300-350 Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum who were a part of the Ashaab-us-Suffah, and this area has remained in the Masjid until today. This was the first Madrassah in Islam. There was no admission form to be filled out and no syllabus that was followed. The duty of these Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum was to remain in the company of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, listen to him and memorize his words, watch him and practice on his actions.
These Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum dedicated their lives to doing just this, to the extent that there was no arrangement in place for their food. Sometimes, a Sahaabi would hang some dates in Masjid-un-Nabawi and the As-haabus Suffah would eat from there. But when there was nothing found, they would go hungry.
Hardship Endured by Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu
Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu says that there were times when days would pass in hunger, and he would become so weak that he would fall at the entrance of the Masjid. In those days, if a person collapsed like this, he was thought to be experiencing an epileptic fit. They would treat this condition by placing a foot, on the neck of the person having the fit. So when the Sahaba entered the Masjid and found Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu in this state, they put their feet on his neck. Later, Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu said, “I take a Qasm in the Name of Allah Ta’ala that I never suffered from epilepsy. It was only due to hunger that I would fall unconscious at the entrance to Masjid-un-Nabawi.”
Due to these adversities that Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu underwent, Allah Ta’ala blessed him so greatly. Hadrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu accepted Islam after the battle of Khaybar took place, which was in the 7th year of Hijri. He stayed in the company of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam for approximately 3 and half years. Despite this short amount of time, Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrated 5374 Ahaadith from Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Approximately half of the compilation of Hadith comes from Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu.
Request of Hadrat Abu Faraaz Rabee’ah bin Aslami Radiallahu Anhu
Another Sahaabi from the Ashaab-us-Suffah was Hadrat Abu Faraaz Rabee’ah bin Aslami Radiallahu Anhu. He was not only a student, but also a Khaadim to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. He said to Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, “I am at your service O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam! Any request you may have, just instruct me and I will fulfil it.” He enjoyed a two-fold benefit in this. Firstly, he was making Khidmat of the master Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, and secondly, as a result of that, he spent more time in the company of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam so he had more opportunity to observe Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Later, all this would be recorded in the Kitaabs of Hadith. There were times when he would request to spend the night with Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam in Khidmat and Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam would grant him permission.
One night he stayed with Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. When Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam woke up for Tahajjud, Abu Faraaz quickly brought the water for Wudhu. Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked him what Dua he would like to be made for him. Such a great opportunity Allah Ta’ala afforded Rabee’ah bin Aslami Radiallahu Anhu. At this opportune time, one would expect thoughts of desires of Dunya to come to mind but Rabee’ah bin Aslami replied, “I want your companionship in Jannah.” Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam pressed him further and asked, “Is that all that you want? You want nothing else?” Rabee’ah bin Aslami Radiallahu Anhu was sincere in his request and replied, “I only want this.” Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “Help me, by making excessive Sajdah for yourself.” Meaning that, in order to be with Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in Jannah, he should exert himself in good in this world to reach those stages in the Aakhirah. The great lesson we learn from this Hadith is that, together with making Dua for our wants and needs, we must make an effort to achieve it.
The Correlation between Dua and Effort
A person desires to perform Hajj. He makes Dua to Allah Ta’ala to grant him the opportunity, but he is preparing to undertake a trip to Australia. His Dua is in one direction, but his effort is in another direction. Many a times people request the Duas of their Sheikh for their reformation, but the moment they leave his company, their efforts are in another direction to that of the Sheikh’s Duas. How do we reconcile between the two? There has to be correlation between one’s Dua and one’s effort.
Look at the dear Uncle of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, Abu Taalib. If it was just a matter of Dua, then he would have accepted Islam through Dua. At the end of his life, Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam pleaded with him to recite the Kalimah. What was the response of Abu Taalib? He said, “Without doubt I know you are the Rasul of Allah. I know that what you are saying is true. I know that the Tauheed you speak of is Haqq. But if I accept Imaan, the girls of the Quraish will say, ‘Abu Taalib left the Deen of his forefathers due to his fear of Jahannam,’!”
Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam became overwhelmed with grief at this. Allah Ta’ala revealed the verse, “You can’t give Hidayat to whomever you wish; Allah Ta’ala gives Hidayat to whomsoever He wishes.”
If it was just on account of Dua, then it would have taken only one Dua of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, and Abu Jahl would have been a Muslim; Abu Lahab would have been a Muslim.
A Sahabi from Persia, Hadrat Salmaan Farsi Radiallahu Anhu, hears about the final Messenger coming to Madinah. He leaves his place of residence and sets off. He endures so many hardships, to the extent that he is sold as a slave and finals works in Madinah Munawwarah for a Jew. The moment he hears that Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam has arrived, some narrations say he was up in a tree, he climbed down and immediately went to meet Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. He made effort in that direction and his Dua was accepted, and he took Shahaadah by Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam.
The Incident of Yusuf Alaihis Salaam
It is mentioned, “Jannah is not acquired through just hope.” We make Dua for the highest ranks in Jannah, yet we don’t make any effort to get there. Despite knowing our efforts are weak and our Ibaadah is imperfect, we still persevere with hope of attaining Jannah.
When the brothers of Yusuf Alaihis Salaam came to him to purchase grain, they were, at that stage, unaware of his identity. They said to Yusuf Alaihis Salaam that they have come with such a valueless currency that its worth being returned to us, but they asked for a full measure of grain in spite of it. Likewise, our efforts are not of quality standards but we should still strive and hope in Allah Ta’ala.
Zuleikha locked every door of escape and tried to seduce Yusuf Alaihis Salaam. Despite his youth and desire, his fear of Allah Ta’ala turned him in the right direction. Knowing the doors were locked, he still ran to it-he made the effort and Allah Ta’ala saved him by miraculously opening the doors. What is within our ability, we have to do, and leave the rest in the Hands of Allah Ta’ala.
The Reformation of Khansahib
Maulana Muzaffar Hussein Sahib Khandelwi Rahmatullahi Alaih was travelling from Khandla to Delhi with some company. They reached a locality at Maghrib time. They headed towards the Masjid but found the Masjid unkempt and barren. Maulana and his companion started cleaning the Masjid. Thereafter, they called out the Adhaan. One person from the locality came for Salaah. They performed Salaah.
Before they set off again, he became concerned about there being Muslims in the locality but they do not attend the Masjid. Maulana went around the community questioning the locals. They responded that they have a leader who drinks, womanizes and is involved in all other vices. If just this one person has to reform, all matters will be rectified in the community. Maulana asked to meet the leader, who was known as Khansahib, so they directed him to Khansahib’s house.
On reaching there Khansahib welcomed him in. Maulana said, “I approach you with a lot of pain in my heart. You are the leader of this community. You do not perform Salaah, so no one performs Salaah. You are responsible for their neglect. Why not go to the Masjid and the people will follow you? You will receive the reward for all their Ibaadah.” Khansahib replied, “You are correct in what you say. But I have two problems. One is I find difficulty in making Salaah. But more than that, I find it harder to make Wudhu.” So Maulana told him to make Salaah without Wudhu – he should try and attend the Masjid and make Salaah even if it is without Wudhu. Then Maulana asked what the second problem was. Khansahib replied honestly, “I drink and I womanize. I can’t leave these two vices.” So Maulana responded that, irrespective of whether you gives up these evils or not, I want a commitment that you will attend the Masjid for Salaah. Maulana asked for a commitment from Khansahib and he agreed to do so.
Thereafter, Maulana went to the Masjid performed Salaah and started crying and making Dua profusely. His companion asked him to explain why he would tell Khansahib to make Salaah without Wudhu whereas the Fuqaha have explained that if a person makes Salaah without Wudhu intentionally, he loses his Imaan. Maulana explained that he came to the Masjid, put his head on the ground and made Dua that, “O Allah! I had no right to tell him to perform Salaah without Wudhu. I was required to encourage him to come to the Masjid and perform Salaah. Ya Allah! You put it in Khansahib’s heart to make Wudhu and come for Salaah.” The next morning, Khansahib woke up at Fajr remembering his promise to the Maulana. On his way to the Masjid, he thought to himself that the Maulana told him that he can perform Salaah without Wudhu, but it’s been such a long time since he made Salaah! Leave alone Wudhu, he felt he should take a Ghusl and then attend the Masjid. He then proceeded for Fajr and upon making the Salaah, Allah Ta’ala put hatred in his heart for drinking, womanizing and all the vices which he was involved in. He became punctual with his Salaah.
A Sahabi’s Dream of a tree making Dua in Sajdah
The second lesson we learn from the Hadith is the value of one Sajdah in the court of Allah Ta’ala. When a person puts his head down in Sajdah, it is the closest position to Allah Ta’ala. In the Fardh Salaah, a person reads سبحان ربي الأعلي, but in Nafl Salaah, a person can read any Dua from Quraan and Hadith in his Sajdah.
A Sahabi came to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and mentioned he had had a dream. Whenever a Sahabi came to Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioning he had a dream, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam used to say,
خَيْرًا تَلَقَّاهُ ، وَشَرًّا تَوَقَّاهُ ، وَخَيْرًا لَنَا وَشَرًّا عَلَى أَعْدَائِنَا
“Through this dream, let goodness come to us and may Allah Ta’ala protect us from the evil in it. Let it be good for us and a means of harm for the enemy.”
The Sahaabi then narrated his dream to Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, “I had a dream that I was reciting Quraan Sharif and I read an Ayah of Sajdah. In the dream, I made a Sajdah. In front of me was a tree. The tree moved away from me and went into Sajdah itself. In the Sajdah, the tree was making a Dua:
اللَّهمَّ اكتُبْ لي بها عندكَ أجْرًا، وضَعْ عنِّي بها وِزْرًا، واجْعَلْها لي عندكَ ذُخْرًا، وتَقَبَّلْها منِّي كما تَقَبَّلْتَها منْ عبدِكَ داودَ (سنن الترمذي)
“O Allah, through this Sajdah, forgive me, reward me, remove all burdens from me, and make this Sajdah a means of provision for me in the Aakhirah and accept it from me as you had accepted it from your servant Dawud Alaihis Salaam.
The following words are recorded in another narration:
سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
My face has made Sajdah to the Being who has created and formed it (the body), He granted the human being eyes and ears through His power, blessed is Allah the Best of Creators.”
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam thereafter started reading this Dua in Sajdah. These are the two great lessons we extract from the Hadith mentioned. In the Hadith, “excessive Sujood” is mentioned, which refers to increasing one’s Nafl Salaah. Through the Nafl Salaah, Allah Ta’ala will enter a person into Jannah. May Allah Ta’ala grant us all Taufeeq, Aameen!
