Chapter undefined: PART 3, CHAPTER 2 — STORIES FROM THE LIVES OF THE PIOUS

Shaikh Abdul Waahid رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ says, “One day I was so much overpowered by sleep that I went to bed before finishing my zikr for the night. I saw in my dream a most beautiful girl dressed in green silk. All parts of her body and even her shoes were engaged in zikr. She said to me, ‘Desire to possess me as I desire to possess you.’ She then recited a few couplets showing the eagerness of a lover. When I woke up from the dream, I vowed not to sleep any more during the night.” It is reported that for full forty years he never slept at night, and performed both Esha and Fajr Salaah with the same wudhu.

Shaikh Mazhar Sa’di رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ , the famous saint, kept weeping for sixty years in love and eagerness for Allah Ta’ala. One night he saw in a dream a few women by the side of pearl trees with gold branches, on the bank of a river full with fluid musk, pure and fragrant. The women were making the zikr of Allah Ta’ala. He asked them who they were. They replied by reciting two couplets, which meant, “We have been created by the Sustainer of mankind and the Rabb of Nabi Muhammad ﷺ for those people who keep standing before Allah Ta’ala all night long, remembering Him and asking from Him.”

Abu Bakr Dhareer رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ says, “There lived a young slave with me. He fasted the entire day and stood in Tahajjud Salaah the entire night. One day he came to me and related: ‘Last night, against my usual practice, I went to sleep. I saw in my dream that the wall of the Mihraab was cracked and from the crack appeared a few damsels. One of them was very ugly. I asked one of the pretty damsels who they were. She replied that they were my previous nights and that the ugly one was this night.’”

A famous Shaikh says: “One night I was in a deep sleep and could not get up for Tahajjud Salaah. I saw in my dream a girl of such beauty which I had never seen in my life. A fragrance came out from her which I had never smelt before. She handed over to me a piece of paper on which were written three couplets, which meant, “You are enjoying such a deep sleep that you have become forgetful of the high balconies of Jannah, where you have to stay forever with no fear of death. Wake up! It is better to recite the Qur-aan Shareef in Tahajjud than to sleep.” Since then, whenever I feel sleepy, these couplets come to my mind and the sleep goes away.

Hadhrat Ataa رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ writes, “I once went to the market. A person was selling a slave girl who was known to be mad. I bought her for seven Dinaar (gold coins) and brought her home. After some part of the night had passed, I noticed that she got up, performed wudhu and began her Salaah. She cried so much that I thought she would die. On finishing her Salaah, she made dua to Allah Ta’ala thus, ‘O my Allah!

Because of the love You have for me, show mercy on me.’ I corrected her by telling her that she should rather say; ‘Because of the love I have for You...’ She got annoyed and said, ‘By Allah Himself! Had He not loved me, I would not be standing here before Him while you are in your bed.’ She then fell into sajdah and recited a few poems saying, ‘I am growing more and more restless. How can one rest whose peace of mind is taken away by love (of Allah Ta’ala)? O Allah! Show mercy and give me some good news.’ She then made dua. ‘O Allah! The matter between me and You had been a secret. Now, people have come to know of it. O, Allah!

Call me back.’ After saying this, she cried aloud and passed away on the spot.”

Hadhrat Sirri رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ writes: “I once bought a slave woman to work for me. She served me for some time. I didn’t realise her secret. She had a corner in the house for her Salaah. After finishing her work, she would go there and offer Salaah. One night, I noticed her performing Salaah and then making dua to Allah Ta’ala. While making her dua, she said, ‘Because of the love You have for me, do such and such a thing for me.’ I said to her, ‘O woman, say, by the love that I have for You.’ She answered, ‘My Master, if He had not loved me, He would not have allowed me to stand in Salaah and deprive you of it.’ Next morning, I said to her, ‘You are wasting your time in your present job. You are meant for the service of Allah.’ I then gave her some gifts and set her free.”

Hadhrat Sirri Saqati رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ writes about a woman: “Upon getting up for Tahajjud she would say, ‘O Allah! Shaytaan is Your creation. You have full power over him. He sees me and I cannot see him. You see him and have control over all his actions, while he has no control over You. O, Allah! Stop the evil that he wishes to do to me. Forgive the wrong he may do to trick me. I seek your help from his evil plans and with Your help I chase him away.’ She would cry bitterly until she became blind in one eye. People begged her to stop crying so much in case she loses her other eye. She replied, ‘If it is an eye of Jannah, Allah Ta’ala will grant me better than this, but if it is an eye of Jahannam, then the sooner it is lost the better.’”

Shaikh Abu Abdullah Jilaa رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ says: “My mother asked my father to buy some fish from the market. My father left for the market and I went with him. After buying the fish, we required someone to carry it. We paid a boy who was prepared to do the job. He put the load on his head and followed us.

On the way, we heard the Azaan. The boy exclaimed, ‘The caller of Allah Ta’ala has called me. I need to make wudhu. I shall now carry the fish after Salaah. If you like, you may wait, otherwise, here it is.’ Saying this, he put the load down and left for the Masjid. My father thought that if the poor boy could trust Allah Ta’ala so much, we must do so as well. He, therefore, left the fish there and took me to the Masjid. Having performed Salaah, we found the fish lying in the same place as we had left it. The boy carried it to our house. My father mentioned this strange story to my mother who insisted that the boy should be invited to eat with us.

On inviting him, he said, ‘Excuse me, I am fasting.’ My father then asked him to have iftaar at our house. To this he said, ‘It is not possible for me to return once I am gone. Maybe I will stay in a Masjid close to your house. I shall then join you for meals.’ Saying this he went to the Masjid and returned after Maghrib. When supper was over, I showed him the room where he could rest without being disturbed.

There lived a crippled woman in our neighbourhood. We were surprised to see her walking normally. Upon asking her how she got cured, she said, ‘I made dua to Allah Ta’ala to cure me through the blessings of your guest. As soon as I made this dua I was cured.’ When we went to look for the boy in the room where we had left him in, we found that the door was closed and he was nowhere to be seen.”

A pious man had a severe sore on his foot. According to the doctors, if his foot was not amputated, the sore might cause him to die. His mother suggested the operation be done while he was reading Salaah. The operation was done whilst he was in Salaah and he felt no pain at all.

Abu ‘Aamir رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ says, “I saw a slave woman for sale at a very cheap price. She was very thin and her hair was dirty. I took pity on her and bought her. I said to her, ‘Come woman, let us go and buy some things for Ramadhaan.’ She said, ‘Alhamdulillah, all the months are same for me.’ She fasted daily and stood in Salaah every night. When Eid approached, I said to her, ‘O Woman! You will accompany me tomorrow to buy some things for Eid.’ She replied, ‘My master! You love this world too much.’ She then went into her room and commenced her Salaah. She was reciting Surah Ibraheem. When she reached the 16th aayah of the Surah;

Translation: “Before him is Jahannam where he will be given boiling, stinking water to drink.” (Surah Ibraaheem – Aayah 16), which describes the punishment of a disbeliever. She continued reciting this aayat when she suddenly gave out a cry and fell down dead.”

A story is mentioned about a Sayyed (A person from the family of Nabi لى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمَ ), who read Salaah for twelve days with the same wudhu and did not get the opportunity to lie down for fifteen years. There were many days wherein he did not get anything to eat.

Many similar incidents are mentioned about those people who had sacrificed for the sake of Allah Ta’ala. To emulate such people is very difficult as Allah Ta’ala had created them only for this reason (i.e. Allah Ta’ala had bestowed them with the strength to endure such sacrifice). For the common people like us, leave alone following these people, even following those pious people who were serving Deen and also busy in their worldly responsibilities is difficult.

Everybody knows Umar bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ . He is the most famous Khalifah after the four Khulafaa-e-Raashideen. His wife says, “There may be other people more particular about wudhu and Salaah, but I have never seen anybody fearing Allah Ta’ala more than my husband. After Esha, he would sit on his musalla and raise his hands in dua. He would continue crying before Allah Ta’ala till sleep overpowered him. When he awoke during the night, he would again make dua and cry before Allah Ta’ala.”

It is said that since his becoming Khalifah, he never shared the bed with his wife. His wife was the daughter of the great King, Abdul Malik. Her father had given her a lot of jewellery in dowry, which included a beautiful diamond. He said to his wife, “Either part with all your jewellery for the sake of Allah Ta’ala, so that I may deposit it in the Baitul Maal or be separated from me. I would not like to live in a house where there is so much wealth.” His wife replied, “I can part with a thousand times more wealth, but I cannot leave you.” She then deposited everything she had in the Baitul Maal. After the death of Umar bin Abdul Aziz, when Yazeed, the son of Abdul Malik, succeeded him as Khalifah, he said to his sister, “If you like, you may have your jewellery back from the Baitul Maal. She replied, “How can the wealth I discarded during the lifetime of my husband satisfy me after his death.”

Umar bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ was on his deathbed when he asked the people around him about the cause of his disease. Someone said, “People think it is the effect of black magic.” He said, “No, it is not magic.” He then sent for a particular slave and asked him, “What made you poison me?” He replied, “One hundred Dinaar and a promise of freedom.”

Umar bin Abdul Aziz رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ took away those Dinaars from the slave and put them in the Baitul Maal. He then advised the slave to run away where he could not be arrested.

Just before his death, Maslamah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ came to him and said, “Nobody has ever treated his children as you are doing. None of your thirteen sons have anything to live on.” He sat up in his bed and said, “I have not held back from my sons what was due to them. I have refused them what was actually due to others. If my sons are pious, then Allah Ta’ala will surely look after them as He has said in His Book:

Translation: “And He is the guardian of the righteous.”

If they are wrong-doers, why should I care for them?”

Hadhrat Imaam Ahmad bin Hambal رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is a famous Imaam in Fiqh. Despite him being so busy the entire day in Masaail, he would perform 300 rakaats of Nafal Salaah at night. Hadhrat Sa’eed bin Jubair رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ used to read the entire Qur-aan in one rakaat of Salaah.

Muhammad bin Munkadir رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ was a Haafiz of Hadith (a person who has memorised at least 100 000 Ahaadith). One night, he cried bitterly in Tahajjud. When someone enquired, he said, “While reading, I came across the following words of the Qur-aan:

Translation: “Such things will then become apparent to them from Allah Ta’ala, which they had never imagined.” (Surah Zumar – Aayah 47)

In the beginning of this aayat it is mentioned that if the wrong doers possessed everything of this world and double that amount, then on the Day of Qiyaamah, in order to save themselves from the punishment, they will be prepared to give over everything they possess to save themselves.

Thereafter this aayat (above) is mentioned. At this point, all his eveil deeds will be made apparent to him. Hadhrat Muhammad bin Munkadir رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ was very worried at the time of his death saying that he feared these Aayaat of the Qur-aan.

Saabit Bunaani رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is a Hafiz of Hadith. He would cry a lot while making dua to Allah Ta’ala. Someone warned him that he would lose his eyesight. He replied, “Of what use are these eyes if they do not weep before Allah Ta’ala.”

He used to ask in his dua, “O, Allah! Allow me to read Salaah in the grave.” Abu Sanaan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ says, “By Allah! I was among those present at the burial of Saabit Bunaani رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ . Just after he was placed in his grave, one of the bricks from the side fell off. I peeped into the grave, and to my amazement, Saabit رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ was performing Salaah. I said to a person standing by my side, ‘Look at that.’ He advised me to keep quiet. After the burial, we went to his daughter and enquired, ‘What was the special practice of your father?’ She wanted to know what made us ask her that question. We told her the story of the grave. She said, ‘He has been punctual in Tahajjud Salaah for fifty years and made dua to Allah Ta’ala to allow him to perform Salaah in the grave if that privilege could be granted to anybody.’”

Before finishing this chapter, I will write a few more stories about the Salaah of some pious people.

1. Hadhrat Imaam Abu Yusuf رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ was the Qaadhiul Qudhaat (supreme judge). Everyone knows very well about his ilmi pursuits. The work of qadhaa (being a judge) was a separate work.

Despite all of this, he would perform 200 Rakaats of Nafl Salaah daily.

2. Muhammad bin Nasr رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is a famous Muhaddith.

His devotion to Salaah cannot be compared. Once, while in Salaah, he was stung on the forehead by a wasp. Although blood oozed out, he neither moved nor did he allow it to disturb his concentration in Salaah.

It is said that in Salaah, he stood still like a stick planted in the ground.

3. It is said about Baqi bin Makhlad رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ that he would recite the complete Qur-aan every night in thirteen rakaats of Tahajjud and Witr.

4. Hannaad رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is a great Muhaddith. One of his pupils says, “Hannaad used to weep a lot. After finishing the lesson in the morning, he would perform Nafl Salaah till midday. He would go home for a short break, returning for Zuhr. He would then perform Nafl Salaah till Asr. Between Asr and Maghrib, he recited the Qur-SALAAH aan Shareef. I left him after Maghrib. I said to one of his neighbours, ‘Our Shaikh performs so much of Salaah. It is really wonderful.’ He said, ‘He has been doing this for the last seventy years. You will be even more surprised if you saw his Salaah during the night.’”

5. Masrooq رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is another great Muhaddith. His wife says, “He used to read such long rakaats that his legs would get swollen. I would sit behind him, weeping out of pity for him.”

6. It is said about Sa’eed bin Musayyab رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ that for fifty years he read his Fajr Salaah with the wudhu made at Esha. It is also mentioned about Abul Mu’tamir that he had done the same for 40 years. Imaam Ghazaali رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ , on the authority of Abu Taalib Makki, reported the same practice by no less than forty Taabi’een, some of whom had been doing it for forty years continuously.

7. Imaam Abu Haneefah رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is famous for his ibaadah.

It is said that for thirty, forty or fifty years (according to the information of different people) he read his Fajr Salaah with the wudhu for Esha (meaning that he did not sleep the entire night). This difference in numbers is because of the different narrators. The person who knew him for so many years narrated the number of years that he knew Imaam Saahib. He would go to sleep only for a few minutes in the afternoon saying, “It is Sunnah to sleep in the afternoon.”

8. Imaam Shaafi’ee رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ , another famous Imaam of Fiqh, would complete reciting the Qur-aan Shareef sixty times in his Salaah during Ramadhaan.

A person says, “I remained with Imaam Shaafi’ee رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ for several days and found him sleeping only for a little while at night.”

9. Imaam Ahmad bin Hambal رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is one of the famous four Imaams of Fiqh. Besides being busy with his usual work, he used to read 300 rakaats of Nafl Salaah daily. After being lashed by the king, he became very weak and reduced his Nafl Salaah to 150 rakaats. We should not forget that he was eighty years old at that time.

10. Abu Itaab Sulami رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ is said to have been fasting during the day and weeping during the night for forty years.

Besides the above stories, there are many other stories of the pious people in our Islamic History. It is difficult to cover all of them in this book. All that has been said here is sufficient to serve as an example. May Allah Ta’ala, through His Grace, grant me and the readers of this book the strength to follow in the footsteps of these blessed people. Aameen.