Part 1: There's Baraka in Awliya-Allahs' Graves.

1: THERE’S BARAKA IN THE AWLIYA-ALLAH GRAVES.

From the Layman’s Desk: Islamic Article No.17:  

      

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family and all his Companions.

Forewords: In the foregone pages of our Article (Parts 1 to 8), we noted how the Companions sought tabarruk during the lifetime of Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and from his relics even after his (Sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) passing away from this world.  We have also seen that calling upon someone who is absent, present, dead or alive is not Shirk.  The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) taught us to call for help.  According to Tafseer Ibn Katheer Surah an-Nisa [4] ayah 64 it is not shirk to call upon [du’a] the Messenger ﷺ whilst he is in his grave.   Imaam Muwaffaq ud-Deen Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdasi also included this is his al-Mughni, vol. 3, pp. 599-601, The Shaafi Master, Imaam Nawawi also included this narration in his book al-Adhkaar pp. 218-221, The Maaliki Master Qadi Iyaad also documented this is his classical text Ash-Shifaa’a and number of other Imaams from the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah have used this as an evidence as seeking a need.  The Quranic evidence and the hadiths there are so many but this is not our purpose to repeat them here.  On reading Parts 1 through 8 of our previous Article we have established that it is well-settled that Tabarruk is a noble and established practice in our Islamic tradition and in full agreement with the Qur’an and Sunnah — even if the deviant sects foolishly think that Tabarruk and Tawassul are shirk (polytheism) and in pursuance of which they brazenly keep on correcting, deleting, omitting, adding and adversely commenting on the books of the Righteous Islamic Scholars of the Ahle Sunna wal Jamaat!

Lets move on with our present subject:

It is true that Allah says: “We are closer to him, than his own jugular vein.” (Surah Al-Kaaf, Verse 16).  Therefore, nearness of Allah (swt) to His servants is true and has been termed as the “general closeness  of Allah to every believer”.  But does that imply that the servant is always close to Allah (swt)?   The fact is that the servant has to consistently work to attain that closeness by way of good deeds and obedience to Allah by meticulously following the Shari’ah.  The Holy Qur’an mentions that “He raises (yarfa’u) some of the believers above others”.  Those whom Allah has particularly graced are defined as “the Prophets, the Siddiqs, the Shuhada’, and the Righteous” –  in that order.  Some Prophets are exalted above others.  Therefore, there is a hierarchy of believers in general and hierarchies of Prophets and Awliya in particular. The siddiqeen are also called Awliya-Allah for they are the people who are completely intoxicated with the love of Allah. That is why they have a special relationship of closeness and proximity with Allah.  Therefore, when we talk about a Wali we don’t imply the “general closeness” (i.e. “Wilayat-e-Aam) but mean the special proximity or Wilayat-e-Khaas.  A Wali is someone who occupies a very close station to Allah and is protected by Allah from major sins and repetition of sins in general, and kept in a state of obedience. It is a very special rank and position of acceptance given by Allah to His beloved servants. Every breath of an Arif (one who has recognized his creator) is a martyr.  Therefore, besides the Prophets (as) and the Martyrs, the Siddiqeen, the Saliheen, the Awliya-Allah come  within the ambit of the Quranic verses 3:169 and 2:154 that inform us about the martyrs being alive and being provided the sustenance by Allah.  Although all the Awliya Allah are equal as far as Wilayah is concerned, they differ as far as status is concerned.  So we don’t agree with any contrary assertions.  The Holy Qur’an testifies to the existence Awliya-Allah time and again: “Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve” [Qur’an 10:62].

The friends of Allah have been described in detail in the Holy Qur'an. The quality of their Taqwa (reverence) and Iman (faith), their actions, their worship, their character, their steadfastness, and the position that they are given by Allah, can be understood from the descriptions found in the Holy Qur'an.  Awliya-Allah have been given various titles in the Holy Qur'an. Each title reflects a certain quality, which makes the wali beloved in the sight of Allah. As their qualities are so numerous and each one describes the manner in which they love Allah, likewise, Allah has conferred many titles upon them.  Allah has referred to the Awliya as the Muslim and Believers who remember Allah much and are Truthful and Obedient.  They are Pious, Devout, Doers of good, Patient, Humble before Allah, Repentant, and the ones who Seek Forgiveness.  There are other references too in the Holy Qur’an such as the Foremost, Those Brought Near, and they have been called the Special Servants of the Most Merciful.   Although this may be applied to believers in general, the distinctive quality of the Awliya Allah is their steadfastness and the level of application of the above attributes in their personalities.  In fact, their unswerving "Steadfastness” is nothing short of a miracle.

Again, there are more descriptions including: Some faces that Day shall be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord (75: 22-23). It may be noted that Sayyedina Umar (Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu) said: “I heard the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala Alayhi wa Sallam) saying "Among Allāh’s servants there are some who are neither prophets nor martyrs but on the Day of Judgement the prophets and the martyrs will envy their grades. The Companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, tell us, who are those people?’ He replied: ‘those are the people who love one another on Allāh’s count. They are neither related to one another nor do they have any property to exchange. I swear on Allāh that they will have faces of light, they will be on pulpits of light. They will not have any fear when others will be afraid, they will not have any grief when others will be aggrieved.’ Then he recited the verse: Beware! No doubt, there is no fear for the friends of Allāh nor shall they be sad and sorrowful. " ([Qur’ān (Yūnus, Jonah) 10:62.]Abū Dāwūd, Sunan, b. of ijārah (wages) 3:288.

Further, coming to the Proof of Awliya-Allah in the Holy Qur’an:

1.Sayyidina al-Khadir (although the name is not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an).  Some Islamic scholars consider him to be a Prophet while some, a Wali.  He possessed knowledge directly from the presence of Allah without intermediary:  “Then they found one from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves” (Qur’an 18:65).    Baghawi stated in his Tafsir of this verse: "He taught him the inward (batin) knowledge by inspiration ilham)." Sayyidina Musa (as) did not have this knowledge.  Musa (a.s.) said to him: Shall I follow you on condition that you should teach me right knowledge of what you have been taught? [Quran 18:66]

2.Then, the  Wali who was with Sayyidina Sulayman (as) brought him the throne of Bilqis quicker than the blink of an eye. He was characterized as "one who had knowledge of the Book," as Allah stated, "One with whom was knowledge of the Book said, 'I will bring it to you before your gaze returns to you…' (Q27:40)", and this is Asif bin Barkhiya (a non-prophet human), the scribe and relative of Prophet Sulayman (as), according to the Tafsir of Ibn ‘Abbas and the majority of commentators.

3.An entire Quranic Surah has been named after Sayyida Maryam.  She was a Siddiqa (see Q4:69 and Q5:75), which is one of the highest categories of Ihsan, and she was granted numerous miracles, such as being provided for without intermediaries or secondary causes (Q3:37), and giving birth without human impregnation (Q3:47 and Q19:20), and super-human strength (Q19:25):

Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty: To the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure." [Quran 3:37]

She said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me, and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is. [Quran 3:47]

And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. [Quran 19:25]

4. Ashab al-Kahf (The people of the cave)

These servants of Allah, sometimes known as the Seven Sleepers (although the Quran does not specify an exact number), were not Prophets or Messengers but were blessed with special ranks and favours. This group of young believers resisted pressure from their people to worship others beside God and took refuge in a cave, following which they fell asleep for 300 solar years or 309 lunar years, whilst being guarded by a dog.

5. Other Examples

The story of Dhu'l Qarnayn whom Allah strengthened to do what was impossible for anyone else but him to do! (18:83-98). 
There are several other examples in the Qur’an of non-Prophets receiving "wahy," such as: Maryam (Q19:25), the mother of Musa and Harun (alayhim salam) (Q20:38, 28:7), and the disciples of Sayyidina ‘Isa (Q5:111).  The scholars of Tafsir agree unanimously that this "wahy" refers to inspiration (ilham) and unveiling (kashf), and not revelation which only Prophets receive.

Sura Al-Kahf (Qur’an Ch.18:60 – 82) describes the events of Prophet Moses and Khidr (a.s.).  So a Prophet’s going in search of a Wali to seek wisdom and knowledge is a Sunnah of the Prophet (Musa a.s).  We should remember that’s why Allah made it part of Quran. Allah warns all believers to keep company with them when He says: "O believers! Be wary of Allah, and keep company with the truthful!" (Qur’an 9:119).  Allah enjoins the followership of those who have turned to Him in true and complete repentence (Qur’an 31:15).  As stated by al-Tustari in his Tafsir: This means that anyone who has not been guided to the path [that leads] to God, Mighty and Majestic is He, should follow in the footsteps of the virtuous (ṣāliḥūn), so that the blessing (baraka) of following them may lead him to the path of God.  Do you not see how the dog of the Companions of the Cave benefitted by following those virtuous ones, to the point that God, Exalted is He, repeatedly mentioned it in a good light? Indeed, the Prophet said in a ḥadīth in this regard, ‘Anyone who keeps their company will not be among the wretched’."

Lets continue on this one by turning to a few out of the many ahadeeth on the subject:

1. Hadhrat Umar ® narrates that the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said:  "There will be certain worshippers of Allah who will not be Prophets, nor martyrs, but the Prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Judgement."  The companions then asked, ‘O prophet of Allah! who are these people?’ Then the beloved prophet(peace be upon him) explained to them the qualities of Awliya. And the Prophet(sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) read to them the verse: ‘Beware, verily on the friends of Allah, there is no fear, nor shall they grieve’(Surah younus, verse 62).” [Abu Dawud, Sunan, book of ijarah 3:288:3527]

2. Harith ibn Malik al-Ansari passed by the Prophet ﷺ who asked him, “How are you this morning, O Harith?” and he replied, “This morning I am a true believer in Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Take care of what you say, for everything has a proof to it, so what is the proof of your belief?” He said: “I have turned myself away from this world by keeping awake at night and staying thirsty by day; and I can almost see the Throne of my Lord in full view before me, and I can see the people of the Garden visiting each other, and the people of the Fire wailing to each other.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “O Harith! You have realized (the truth), therefore cling to it.” Some versions add, “(This is) a believer whose heart Allah has illumined.”

[Recorded by Tabarani in his Mu’jam al-Kabir (3:266 #3367), Quda’i (Musnad Shihab, 2:127 #1028), Abu Nu’aym (Hilya, 1:242), Bazzar (Zawa’id, 1:26 #32), Ibn Abi Shayba in his Musannaf (7:226-27) and his Kitab al- Iman (#114-115)]

3. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Be wary of the spiritual vision (firasa) of the believer, for indeed he sees by the Light of Allah.”[Tirmidhi (#3052, Tafsir of Q15:75), Tabarani in his Mu’jam al-Kabir (8:121 #7497) and others.]

4. Similar to this is the hadith (reported through Anas and others) in which he ﷺ said: “Indeed, Allah has servants who know (the truth about people) through reading the signs (tawassum).” [Recorded by Tabarani in Mu’jam al-Awsat (3:207 #2935), Quda’i in Musnad Shihab (2:116 #1005), Hakim Tirmidhi in Nawadir (Asl #227) and others.]

5.  “In the nations before you were people who were spoken to (muhaddathun) who were not Prophets. If there is anyone in my community, it is ‘Umar ibn Khattab.”  [Bukhari (#3210, 3413), Muslim (#4411), Nasa’i (Sunan Kubra, #8119-20), Tirmidhi (#3626), Imam Ahmad (#23150) and others.]  In his narration Imam Muslim adds, “Ibn Wahb explained ‘spoken to’ to mean ‘inspired’ (mulhamun),” and this is the majority’s opinion according to Ibn Hajar in his Fath al-Bari (7:62), who adds, “spoken to” means, “by the angels.” In his explanation on Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi writes on this hadith: “…there is in this a confirmation of the miracles of Awliya” (Kitab Fada’il as-Sahaba, Ch. 2, #10). This hadith specifically refers to the perfection of the quality of Ilham (inspiration) in Sayyidina ‘Umar and not the fact that other Muslims lack this ability, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar explained in his commentary on this hadith.

6. Ibn Mas’ud (Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu) asked, “Ya Rasoolallah (Salla Allahu ta'ala Alayhi wa Sallam), by what means do they attain that degree?” “They attain it by being generous, and by advising muslims,” said the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala Alayhi wa Sallam).

7. A Hadith Qudsi says: "Whoever shows hostility to My Wali, I proclaim war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me by anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me by the voluntary deeds, until I love Him. When I love him, I will be his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his feet with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him. And if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely give him refuge." (Agreed upon)  Regarding the statement in the hadith of Abu Huraira ® in Bukhari, vol8, 509, that we mentioned here: ‘I shall declare war on him who shows hostility to Wali of Mine…even the rigorous Ibn Taimiyya has gone to explain the statement to mean that Allah is expressing: "I will seek revenge like an aggressive lion against anyone who comes against My saints." 

Although the Holy Qur’an is replete with the many rewards that Allah confers upon Awliya Allah both in this world and the hereafter, the aforesaid definitions should be enough to give us an idea about the high esteem in which Allah (swt) holds his Friends.

Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuti (ra) wrote an essay in his collection of fatwas, al-Hawi lil-Fatawi, and called it: “The narrations which demonstrate the existence of the Qutb and the Awtad and Nujaba and Abdal.” At the beginning of it, he writes: It has reached me that some of those who possess no knowledge deny what is famously known among the noble Awliya, namely, that among them exist Abdal (substitutes), Nuqaba (chiefs), Nujaba (nobles), Awtad (supports, or pegs), and Aqtab (poles, or axial pivots), while there are numerous hadiths and narrations which affirm their existence and reality…. And know that the denial of the stubborn is not to be given any weight or importance… So I say, it is authentically narrated from (and then he lists 18 Companions and Followers), and those after them, innumerable reports which attest to the above. [See Hawi li-l Fatawi (2:241ff), and for more information on hadiths about the Abdal see ‘Ajluni’s Kashf (#35) and Sakhawi’s Maqasid (#8).]

In short, superiority of the status of Awliya is not dependant on miracle they work, but are dependant upon their proximity to Allah and His love for them and their desire to be with Allah to the exclusion of all others, with no desire for the Jannah or the Houris or the world or the ability to work miracles, or for any other purpose . Awliya are the inheritors of Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) when he said, the scholars of the ummah are the inheritors of the prophets. Imam Sayuti said: "The Awliya of Allah are those, if you see them, Allah is mentioned, and if they are absent, they are missed and if they come Allah will be mentioned”.  And, lest it be misconstrued, let me add that “Becoming free from fear and grief” for Awliya-Allah simply means that for the pleasure of Allah, they remain content with whatever state and condition they find themselves in. Otherwise it is well known that the lives of Friends of Allah were full of incredible hardship, suffering and pain. Higher the rank, higher the trial.

No less than Ibn Taymiyya writes at the end of his `Aqida wasitiyya: 

The true adherents of Islam in its pristine purity are Ahl al-Sunnat wal-Jama`a. In their ranks the truthful saints (siddiqin), the martyrs, and the righteous are to be found. Among them are the great men of guidance and illumination, of recorded integrity and celebrated virtue. The Substitutes (abdal) and the Imams of religion are to be found among them and the Muslims are in full accord concerning the guidance. These are the Victorious Group about whom the Prophet said: "A group within my Community manifestly continues to be in the truth. Neither those who oppose them nor those who abandon them can do them harm, from now on until the Day of Resurrection."

Continued in Part 2....

NASIR

MIRACLES - ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE IN BRIEF-PART 7

Miracles - Islamic Perspective in Brief - Part 7.
Continued...


IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MOST BENEFICIENT, MOST MERCIFUL. 

Regarding the Awliya-Allah, one of the Islamic doctrines mentioned in Tahawi’s Aqida is: “We believe in what has appeared regarding their marvels and such narrations of them as having been authentically reported from trustworthy persons. In order to deny the Karamaat, some ignorantly claim that the Sahabas did not work any miracles. Nothing could be further from the truth as the following examples from the prophetic traditions will show:




1. 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud ® narrated: "A man from among the humans went out and was met by a man from among the jinn, who said: "Will you wrestle with me? If you throw me to the ground, I will teach you a verse which, if you recite it when you enter your house, no devil will enter." So, he wrestled with him and threw him to the ground. He said: "I see that you are very small and your forearms are like the front paws of a dog. Are all the jinn like this, or only you?" He said: "I am strong amongst them. Let us wrestle again." So, they wrestled again and the human threw him to the ground. So, the jinn said: "Recite Ayat al-Kursi, for no one recites it when he enters his house except that Satan leaves, passing wind like a donkey."" It was said to Ibn Mas'ud ®: "Was that man 'Umar ®?" He said: "Who else could it have been, other than 'Umar?"
['Majma' az-Zawa'id'; 9/71]


2. When the bodies of the martyrs of Uhud were being relocated forty years after their burial (during the reign of Mu'awiyah), the foot of Hamzah bin 'Abd al-Muttalib ® was scratched in the process of being moved, and it started gushing blood. ['al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah'; 4/43]


3. Ibn 'Abbas ® died in at-Ta'if, and a bird, the likes of which had never been seen before, was seen at his funeral. The bird entered the hole in the ground where Ibn 'Abbas was to be buried. So, we looked and waited to see if it would come out, and it didn't. When his body was finally placed in the ground, we could hear the verse {"O, the one in rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased and well-pleasing!"} [al-Fajr; 27-8] being recited from the edge of his grave, but we were unable to find out who had recited it. (Authentically reported by al-Hakim in 'al-Mustadrak' 3/543)


4. Khayshamah narrated: "Khalid bin al-Walid ® came to a man carrying a jug of alcohol, so, he said: "O Allah! Turn it into honey!" So, it turned into honey."
[Reported by Ibn Hajar in 'al-Isabah fi Ma'rifat as-Sahabah'; p. 414]


5. The Romans imprisoned a son of the Companion, Abu Qurfasah ®. So, whenever it was time for prayer, Abu Qurfasah would climb the wall of 'Asqalan (in Syria) and call out: "O, son! It is time to pray!" And, his son would hear him all the way from the land of the Romans." ['Majma' az-Zawa'id' (9/396)]


6. When Sa'd and the Muslim army arrived at the Tigris River during the battle of Qadisiyyah, Salman stopped and said: "A river from the rivers of Allah. Will it not carry the soldiers of Allah?" So, he took Sa'd by the hand and stepped onto the water, leading all 30,000 soldiers across the Tigris River on foot. The Persians saw this and escaped, saying: ‘The demons have arrived! The demons have arrived!’"
[Reported by at-Tabari in 'at-Tarikh' (3/123), and Ibn Kathir in 'al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah' (7/64)]


7. During the khilafah of 'Umar ®, the governor of Egypt wrote to him asking for help as the river Nile had failed to flood. 'Umar ® wrote a letter in return, addressing the Nile itself. This was then placed in the Nile, and no sooner this was done, than the Nile's water began to flood. [Tarikh Ibn Kathir, volumes 1 and 8, the chapter on Rivers and chapter on Khilafah of 'Umar, ®


8. Abu Hurairah narrated: "al-'Ala' al-Hadrami supplicated for rain, and it then began to rain in the middle of the desert. In another incident, he supplicated, and we were able to walk over the water in the Arabian Peninsula (near Bahrain), without even the bottom of our feet getting wet. When he died, we buried him, and after a while, we opened up his grave to find that he was not there."
('Majma' az-Zawa'id'; 9/276)


9. During the Caliphate of Hazrat of 'Umar ®, a fire was noticed in the desert. Hazrat 'Umar ®, asked Tamim al-Dari ® to assist him. They approached the area of the fire when Tamim al-Dari ® began to gather the fire with his hands and started shoving the fire into a hole in the ground. This was a karamah of Tamim al-Dari ®. (Tarikh Ibn Kathir, Vol. 6, the chapter on Miracles, and Sirat un-Nabi, Ibn Kathir, chapter on Mu'jizat)


10. Sa'id bin al-Musayyib, a famous Tabi, narrated: "Zayd bin Kharijah al-Ansari died during the reign of 'Uthman bin 'Affan. When he was wrapped in a shroud in preparation of the burial, a gurgling sound was heard coming from his chest. Then Zayd got up and said: "Ahmad! Ahmad! He is in the first Book! Abu Bakr has spoken the truth! 'Umar has spoken the truth! 'Uthman has spoken the truth!" [Authentically reported in 'al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah'; 6/293]


11. Sa'id then said: "Then, another man died shortly thereafter. When he was wrapped in a shroud in preparation for the burial, a gurgling sound was heard coming from his chest. The man then got up and said: "Zayd bin Kharijah has spoken the truth!”
['Majma' az-Zawa'id'; 8/230]


12. A Sahaba once pitched his tent on a plot of ground without realizing that he was doing so over a grave. After a while, he realized that his tent was over a grave for he could hear the recital of the Surah Mulk. He related the entire episode to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), who replied that the recital of Surah Mulk indeed assists the person within the grave and protects him from pain and punishment. (Tirmidhi Shareef)


From this episode, we see that the beloved servants of Allah are still alive within their graves, or else the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) would have merely disregarded the entire incident. But he did not do so. Rather, he commented on the excellences of the Sura Mulk, which means that he also accepted that the beloved servants of Allah Ta'ala are still alive within their graves.


13. It is recorded that in the period of Ameer-e-Mu'awiya (R) a canal was dug between Mecca and Medina. Co-incidentally, the canal passed through that plot of land where the Shuhada (Martyrs) of Uhud lay buried. A person while digging accidentally cut the foot of a Shaheed with a spade. As a result of this, blood began to flow from the blessed foot. We learn from this incident that aside from their souls, even the bodies of these great and beloved servants of Allah are alive. (Jazbul Quloob, Sharahus Sudr)

Imam an-Nawawi was a wali and a great scholar who authored many works. A karamah of his states that when the lantern extinguished for want of oil, Allah illuminated his finger for him at night so he could see and continue writing about the Religion. Imam Nawawi has mentioned some miraculous incidents of the Sahaba in his Riyadh as-Saliheen (Meadows of the Righteous):




1. Quraish ordered ‘Uqbah bin Al-Harith, whose father had been killed by Khubaib ® himself, to execute him. They also appointed someone to guard his corpse.   Al-Harith’s daughter reported that shortly before his execution, Khubaib ® was seen eating a bunch of grapes when no fruit was available in Makkah at that time. [In fact, it was nothing but sustenance bestowed upon him by Allâh.]


2. ‘Asim ibn Thabit, who had previously slain one of the Chieftans of Quraysh in the Battle of Badar. When the Quraysh were told that he had been slain, they sent a few of their men to bring something that might identify him. To their disappointment, they could not reach his corpse because a large swarm of hornets had been shielding him against any malicious mutilation. ‘Asim had already sought his Lord’s pledge to protect his body from mutilations by the polytheists. He had also kept aloof from any contact with the enemies of Allâh. On hearing this piece of news, ‘Umar ® exclaimed, “Allâh verily protects His believing slave after death just as He does during his lifespan.” ( from al- Bukhari)


3. Ibn Umar ® said that he never heard from ‘Umar say about anything that I conceive to be thus and thus, but that it turned out to be in accordance with what he had conceived.


4. Jabir bin Abdullah ® related that his father called him on the eve of Uhad and said: ‘I believe I’ll be the first among the Sahaba to be killed, and after the Holy Prophet (s) you’re the one most dear to me. Discharge my debts and treat your sisters well. The next morning, he was among the first to be killed and I buried him along with another in the same grave. Thereafter, I was not happy that I should leave him with another in the same grave. So I dug up his body after six months, and he was in the same condition as he was on the day I had buried him but for his ear. Then I buried him in a separate grave. (Bukhari)

5. Anas related that Holy Prophet’s (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) two companions (Usaid ibn Huzair and Abbad ibn Bishar) left the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) late one dark night and perceived as if there were two lights in front of them. And, when they separated each had one light before him till the time he reached home.

6. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "In the nations, before you,  there were people who were spoken to (by Allah). If there was to be such a man in my community, it would be 'Umar." [al-Bukhari. Muslim transmits it from 'A'isha.]


7. 'Urwa ibn az-Zubayr reported that Sa'id ibn Zayd ibn 'Umar ibn Nufayl had litigation instigated against him by Arwa bint Aws before Marwan ibn al-Hakam. She claimed that he had taken some of her land. Sa'id said, "Would I take any of her lands after what I heard from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?" He said, "What did you hear from the Messenger of Allah?" He said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'Anyone who wrongfully takes a hand's width of land will wear it around his neck down through seven earths.'" Marwan said to him, "I will not ask you for evidence after this." Sa'id said, "O Allah if she is lying, make her lose her eyesight and kill her in her land!" He said, "She did not die before her eyesight had gone, and while she was walking in her land, she fell into a pit and died." [Agreed upon] A variant of Muslim from Muhammad ibn Zayd ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar has something to the same effect and says that he saw her blind, groping for the wall, saying, "The invocation of Sa'id has struck me." She passed by a well in the house regarding which she had litigated and fell into it and it became her grave.

Bayhaqi and others quoted 'Abdullah ibn 'Ubayullah al-Ansari: "I was present when Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas was buried after being martyred during the Battle of Yamama. As he was being buried, 
people heard him say: 'Muhammad is God's Messenger, Abu Bakr is truthful, 'Umar is a martyr, and 'Uthman is pious and merciful.' We opened the grave only to find him dead." Thabit thus predicted 
'Umar's martyrdom even before 'Umar became caliph.
(Shifa', 1:320.)

Imam Tabarani and Abu Nu'aym in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa (Proofs of Prophethood) report from Nu'man ibn Bashir: "Zayd ibn Kharija died unexpectedly at the market. We took his body home. Women cried
around him for some time between the evening and the late evening prayers, when he was heard to say: 'Silence, silence!' and continued fluently: 'Muhammad is God's Messenger. Peace be upon you, O Messenger.' We examined him, and found that he was dead."

Traditionists also report, through authentic narrations having the certainty of mutawatir (a large chain of narrations in hadith) in meaning, that Companions often saw Gabriel with God's Messenger as Dihya, a very good-looking Companion. For instance, 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, Usama ibn Zayd, Harith, 'A'isha, and Umm Salama report: "We
frequently saw Gabriel with God's Messenger in the form of Dihya." Would they have said this if they could not see Gabriel?

(Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:212; Bukhari, 4:250; Bayhaqi, 7:52, 87.)

The Readers are reminded that we are not discussing the evidentiary miracles of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam, but only the karama (miracles or marvels of the pious and holy persons). 

To continue, Insha Allah…

NASIR

HAZRAT UWAIS AL-QARNI (Radi Allah Ta'la Anhu) - A Short Overview.

From the Layman’s Desk-5: HAZRAT UWAIS AL-QARNI (Radi Allah Ta’la Anhu)



Sayyid Uwais al-Qarni (594-657 c.e. ) was a contemporary of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). He was a resident of Qaran in Yemen. We find references to him in various books, notably in the prophetic traditions. To the natives of Qaran, he was a madman who dwelt in solitude and associated with no one. He did not eat what men ate and he felt no happiness or sorrow. He wept when others smiled, and smiled when others wept. He lived in a desert from their homes and camels. This was how the natives described him to the second Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar ®.


The Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) described Uwais ® to Hazrat Umar ® and Hazrat Ali ® as a lowly man of medium height, hairy, with a white spot on his left side as large as a dirham, which spot is not from leprosy, and having a similar spot on the palm of his hand. The Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) also bade them to give his greetings when they meet him and to pray for his people.


From the Ihya of al-Ghazali we learn that Uwais al-Qarni ® was regarded as a mad man since he used to subject himself to strict rigours in daily life. He used to go out for the morning prayers even before the call to prayers and return only after the Isha or night prayers. His food was very frugal and consisted of stones of dried dates.  As for his clothes, he used to put on a torn pieces of cloth. He used to sew the torn pieces. His appearance attracted the mischievous boys who threw stones at him and he used to constantly remind the boys that if they wished they could throw small pebbles since bleeding that resulted from the wounds sustained through large stones would invalidate his ‘wudu’.


In a Hadith Qudsi recorded by the Companion Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace and blessings, said speaking on behalf of his Lord:


"Allah, Exalted and Mighty is He, loves of His creation the God-fearing, the pure in the heart, those who are hidden, and those who are innocent, whose face is dusty, whose hair is unkempt, whose stomach is empty, and who, if he asks permission to enter to the rulers, is not granted it, and if he were to ask for a gentle lady in marriage, he would be refused, and when he leaves the world it does not miss him, and if he goes out, his going out is not noticed, and if he falls sick, he is not attended to, and if he dies, he is not accompanied to his grave.”


They asked him, "O Messenger of Allah, how can we find someone like that?" He, upon whom be peace and blessings, said, "Uwais al-Qarni is such a one."


Hadrat Ibn-e-Sa'd ® quotes the Beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) as saying "In my ummah (followers) I have a friend whose name is Owais al Qarni".


We gather from Sahih Muslim: Umar al-Khattab ® reported that he had heard the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) saying that worthy among the successors would be a person called Uwais. He would have his mother living with him. He would bear a sign of leprosy. Ask him to beg pardon from Allah for you.


Though he lived during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) and embraced Islam, he could not physically meet with him (sallal laahu alahi wassallam) as he was overawed with ecstasy, and secondly, by the duty to his old and blind mother. He is, therefore, not included in the Companions’ list. However, he is known as the best of the successors (Tabiin) or Khair-ul-Tabiian, i.e. the Eminent among the Tabiian.


In the Stories of the Sahaba it is mentioned that since the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) mentioned the name and rank of Hazrat Uwais ®, the Sahabas tried to find him. During the Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr ® he was not traced. It was only during the fag-end of the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar ® that he was traced.


A hadith in Sahih Muslim, reported by Usair bin Jabir, we learn that when the people from Yemen came to assist the Muslim army at the time of Jihad, Hazrat Umar ® asked them if there was amongst them a person named Uwais bin Amir. At last he singled him out (from the crowd) and asked him whether he was that person. He said, “Yes”. Thereupon Hazrat Umar ® said that he heard Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) saying that there would come to you Uwais bin Amir with the reinforcement from the people of Yemen, that he would be from Qaran of Murad, that he would be suffering from leprosy from which he would have been cured, save for a spot of dirham; that his treatment of his mother would be excellent; that if he were to take an oath in the name of Allah, He would honour that oath; that if it were possible to meet him, he should ask him to supplicate for forgiveness from his Lord. It is further stated that Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni begged from Allah for forgiveness of ‘Umar ® who asked him where he intended to go from there. He replied that he would go to Kufa. Umar ® thereupon told him that he would write a letter to the governor of Kufa for him. He declined, saying that he would like to remain among the poor of Kufa.


We learn further from the above tradition that the next year after the above incident, an elite from the people of Kufa peformed Haj and met Umar ® who then asked him about Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni. The man said that he had left him in a state of meager means of subsistence. Then Harat Umar ® narrated to him that he had heard from the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) had told him about Uwais al-Qarni. Hazrat Umar ® told him to beg forgiveness through Uwais al-Qarni, if it were possible for him. So that person came to Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni and said: “Beg forgiveness for him”. The sage replied that the man had returned from the Hajj and that therefore the man must beg for forgiveness of the sage. The man repeated his request but got the same answer. Then Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni asked him if he had met with Umar ®. When the man replied in the affirmative, it was then that the sage prayed for forgiveness of the man. As the people came to know about the status of Hazrat Uway al-Qarni, he went away from that place. It is also reported in a tradition that Hazrat Uwaia’ clothing consisted of a mantle, and whoever saw him said: “From where did Uwais get this Mantle?”


The Mantle or the Burdu or Abaya , i.e. the cloak that the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) used over his clothes, also assumes significance. When the Sahaba ® asked: "And who'd be the right person to receive your Abaya after you pass away from the material world?" The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) replied that it would be Uwais al-Qarni.


Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghestani, (1891-1973 c.e.) who was guided spiritually by Uwais al-Qarni ®, as well as by Hazrat Ali ® and Sayyidina Abdul Khaliq Gujduwani (reh), Hazrat Shah Bahaudin Naqshband (reh.) and who had the vision of that cloak, explained amongst other things that it was this robe that had drops of sweats of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) because during his last moments he (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) prayed to Allah for forgiveness of his nation i.e. for the entire mankind since Allah says: 'Say [O Prophet]: O mankind! I am a Messenger to you all from Allah, to Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth.' [7: 158]. That is, he (s) was interceding for every individual which was represented by each drop of his sweat that was absorbed in the Mantle. Those drops of sweat are the symbols of forgiveness. Uwais al-Qarni ® stood up, kissed the robe, put it over his head, and said, “I accept, I accept, I accept.”


Thus the first recipient of the cloak of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) was Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni.


There are various accounts when Hazrat Umar ® and Hazrat Ali ® along with Hazrat Bilal ® together set out to find Uwais al-Qarni ®; or when Hazrat Umar ® alone went out to seek him; or when only he and Hazrat Ali ® went to seek him - all of which cannot be recounted in this short article. However, according to one account, Hazrat Umar ® and Hazrat Ali ® set out to find him. At last they located him. They waited till he finished his prayers. Uwais ® then greeted them and showed him the marks on his side and on the palm of his hand. They asked him for his blessings and also conveyed to him the greetings of Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) and enjoined him to pray for the Muslim people. After they had stayed awhile with Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ® for a while, the latter said: “You’ve taken this trouble, now return as the Resurrection is nigh.” He said that then they shall see one another without bidding adieu. He told them that he was busy preparing for the Resurrection. It was after this event that the men of Qaran showed great respects for the saint. He therefore left Qaran and made his way to Kufa, the city founded by Hazrat Umar ®.


In the meantime, another Tabiian and ascetic , Harim bin Hayyan, arrived at Qaran. Not finding him there, he was sorely disappointed and he returned to Makkah where he gathered that Uwais al-Qarni ® was living at Kufa. To Kufa he went to find him; but this trip was in vain. Finally, he left for Basra and on the way he found Uwais ®, clad in a woolen garment which had patches. He found him performing ablution (wudu) on the bank of River Euphrates. Harim advanced to meet him and saluted him. Hazrat Uwais reciprocated the greetings by uttering his name in full as Harim bin Hayyan. The latter was astonished at being so called out by his name. When he asked Uwais ® how come he knew his name, the sage answered: “My spirit knew your spirit. “


When Harim bin Hayyan asked him to narrate a prophet tradition (Hadith), he said: “I never had any companionship with the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). However, I saw some of his companions and heard some traditions from them. He mostly talked about Hazrat Umar ® and Hazrat Ali ®. He narrated the tradition: The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he intended." Then he recited the Quranic verse: “I have not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them out of sport. I created them with truth, but most people do not know.” (44:38-39) At this juncture he raised a loud shriek and said: “O Harim, your father Hayyan has died and you will soon die. Hazrat Adam, his wife Hawa, Prophets Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and even Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) have passed away (from this material world). Hazrat Abu Bakr ® died and my friend Hazrat Umar ® has also just expired. Alas, O Umar! Alas, O Umar!


Since Harim bin Hayyan had seen Umar ® safe and sound way back, he told Uwais al-Qarni ® : “I saw him alive when I left him.” Hazrat Uwais reported: “My Lord has just given me the news that Umar ® has died.” He also advised: Walk in the path of God’s book, and the path of the believers and pious men. He also warned: The news of your death and mine has come. Don’t be heedless even for a moment. Don’t stray from the Muslims’ fold. Preach among your people and invoke for both of us also. I entrust you to God and may He shower mercy on you. You will never see me again for I am going this way and you that way. After this, no one saw Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ® till the time of the Battle of Siffin where he laid down his life fighting for Hazrat Ali ® during the year 657 c.e. His grave, according to one version is located in the city of Rakka (ar-Raqqa) which is on the bank of River Euphrates in north-central Syria.


Regarding the death of Hazrat Uwais-al-Qarni, there is a different account as narrated by some scholars, including Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id al-Jamal ar-rifai:


Abdullah ibn Salma, the Companion, (RA) said, "We went to Azerbaijan in the company of our Master Umar ibn al-Khattab, (RA), and Uwais was with us. On our way back he became ill and we carried him, but he did not last long and he died. We went to bury him and found a grave that was already dug. Water was available and everything was ready to receive a dead body. We washed him, put him in a shroud, prayed over him, and then we left. Some of us said that we should go back and mark the grave so that we would be able to find it later. So we returned to the place, but there was no trace of the grave to be found."


It must be noted that Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ® had intense love for the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alahi wassallam). The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) held him in honour and said: “I feel the breath of my friend from the land of Yemen.” During the battle of Uhad, the Holy Prophet ‘s(sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) front teeth were damaged. Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni was not sure of the exact position of the teeth that had been damaged. He therefore broke or damaged all his teeth in imitation of the damaged teeth of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) on the spur of the moment in his heightened love of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam).


When someone asked the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) “O Messenger of Allah, how is that you praise and extol Uwais al-Qarni despite the fact that he does not come to visit you?” The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alayhi wassallam) replied : “He cannot come to meet me because in him there is the ecstasy of the All-Merciful.” However, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) had foretold that Uwais al-Qarni would come to Madinah the Radiant to see him but by then he (s) would have been united with his Lord. Before his martyrdom, the Aashiq-e-Rasool did have an occasion to visit the resting place of the Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). Since his mother had passed away, Uwais al-Qarni ® visited the city of Madinah the Radiant. Beholding the holy grave, he became so deeply affected that he fell down in a swoon. On coming back to his senses, he left Madinah the Radiant in a hurry, being unable to withstand the pain surging out of his heart on seeing the grave of Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam).


The Holy Messenger (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) has also foretold that on the Day of Judgment Uwais al-Qarni will intercede for a multitude of the Ummah or people, they being as many as the sheep of Rabia and Mudar. He (s) also said that on the Day of Judgment Uwais al-Qarni would be accompanied by 70,000 angels who would resemble him, the reason being that he had prayed all his life in seclusion so as not to draw anyone’s notice to him, and this ‘purdah’ Allah would maintain on that Day too.


Imam Ghazali, points out in his celebrated Ihya Ulum Id-Deen that Uwais al-Qarni ® used to say: “This is the night of Ruku.” He then used to keep vigil during the night in Ruku. The next night he used pass in prostration. Once the sage Rabi came to greet Uwais ®. He found him engrossed in ‘Tasbeeh’ and ‘Tahlil’ after the morning ritual salaat. So he just a seat beside him so as to not disturb him. To put it briefly, he found that after every ritual salaat of different hours, Uwais ® continued with his ‘Tasbeeh’ or Dhikr or litanies. After the night prayer he remained in the same condition till the dawn prayer. Three days passed in this manner and on the fourth night he ate a little and slept a little. Thereafter he occupied himself with Istighfar (litanies for seeking forgiveness of Allah). He prayed: I seek refuge in You from the oppression of the sleepy eyes and the greedy stomach.” Seeing this state of Uwais ®, the sage thought that he had derived sufficient lesson from this meeting and went back.


Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ® is thus known for his Taqwa (piety), Zuhd (ascetism) and Ishq-e-Rasool (Love for the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). As we have seen, his mention is made in various books including the prophetic traditions in Sahih Muslim. Additionally, Islamic scholars inform us that his mention is found in Sahih Bukhari, Musnad of Ahmed bin Hanbal, Dalail of Bayhaqi, Abu Nuaym , Abu Yala, Mustradak of Hakim, etc. Hazrat Ali bin Usman al-Hajweri (Data Ganj Baksh) has a paragraph about him in his Kashful Mahjub. Farid-ud-din Attar mentions him in his Tazkiratul Awliya. Additionally, leading Islamic scholars too have written on various aspects of Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ®. Preponderant evidence establishes him as a Tabiian (among Successors) though some scholars have argued that he is included among the Sahabas (Companions ).


Once the Companions asked the Beloved Prophet: "Has Uwais al-Qarni ever visited you? The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) replied: "No, He never watched me physically, but spiritually he met me." That is, he received spiritual training directly from the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alahi wassallam). The passing of the Mantle to Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni confirmed the the heart to heart communication of the essence of Islam. The method of the passing of the Cloak represents two significant elements in the teachings of  the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wssallam)  which constitute the method of instruction of the School of Islamic Sufism--cognition must take place inwardly, and cognition must be confirmed--as it was in the case of Uwais ®, and Hazrat Ali ®.


In addition to the elements of Ihsan mentioned in the Hadith-e-Jibreel, Tasawwuf or Sufism is evidently proven from the era of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). Uwais al-Qarni ® founded the Sufi Order of Uwaisiyyah based on the spiritual connection or link that was between him and the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). In Sufism that spiritual connection is known as "Nisbat-e-Uwaisiyyah”. A sufi who has no spiritual guide or ‘Pir’ is said to belong to this Order and the list of such Awliya-Allah and Sufis is long. It is also evident that seeking Awliya-Allah is among the Sunnah of Sahaba ®, naturally done on the express recommendation of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam). Lastly, according to Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlvi, there are seven fundamentals principles in Silsila-e-Uwaisiyyah, one of which is obeying the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam).


According to Uwais al-Qarni ®: "Hidden invocation (al-du'a fi dhahr al-ghayb) is better than visiting and meeting," because hypocrisy (riya) might enter in the latter two.” Since Uwais al-Qarni considered this world ephemeral, he often said: “Sleep with the remembrance of death, and rise with the thought that you won’t live long.”


Someone told Uwais ® that a certain dervish sat on a tomb dressed in a shroud and weeping. He said: “Tell him that the method has become as an idol. He must transcend the practice for it is an obstacle.” When the dervish was acquainted with these words of the saint, he became thoughtful. He uttered a shriek and passed away.


It is stated in Ihya that once Hasan bin Haram asked Uwais al-Qarni ® : To which country you order me to live? He hinted at Syria. He then asked: How shall I earn my living there? To this Uwais ® answered: Alas, for the one who has doubts in mind and does not get any benefit from the advice!


One of his invocations, translates thus:


"O Allah, You created me when I was not worthy of mention;And You provided for me when I had nothing;And I wronged my soul and sinned, and I confess my guilt.If You forgive me, that will in no way diminish Your sovereignty;And if You punish me, that will in no way augment Your authority. You can find others to punish besides me,But I can find no one to forgive me but You.Truly, You are the most merciful of those who show mercy."


It is said that those who serve their mothers with love will be resurrected along with Hazrat Uwais al-Qarni ®.


Allah and His Rasool know best.


NASIR