Du'a and Its Relationship with Destiny*

by Yasir Qadhi [http://khutbah.com/index.php]

The topic of du'a and its relationship with destiny (qadr) is a very important one, and one around which much confusion exists. Many people ask, "If everything has already been destined to occur, then of what use is du'a? If Allah has written what I want, I will get it without making du'a. And if it is not written for me, then I will never get it no matter how much du'a I make."

The response to this question lies in understanding that the outcome of anything is dependent on the performance of the efforts that are necessary to procure it. In other words, it has already been decreed, for example, that a seed will give fruit if planted, but this will not occur unless the farmer takes the appropriate efforts in irrigating the crop, maintaining it, protecting the seedling as it grows, and ensuring as much as he can that the factors are amenable for the plant to give fruit.

So even though a person believes in divine decree, he must at the same time strive all he can to ensure that the desired goal occurs. And du'a is the means that one uses to achieve the desired goal that one has, and this in no way contradicts the destiny that has been written for that person. This stance is clarified by the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam's hadith reported by Thawban, that he, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"Nothing increases one's lifespan except good deeds, and nothing repels divine decree except du’a. A person may be deprived of sustenance due to a sin that he does" (Ibn Majah)! In other words, the performance of good deeds is a cause of increasing one's lifespan. So if a person puts in the necessary effort, the results will be achieved, and this is also destined. So both the means to achieve a goal, and the fulfillment of the goal itself, are already decreed.

If someone were to ask, "How can du'a repel divine decree?" we would respond, "The fact that you may be ill has already been decreed by Allah for you, as has the fact that you will ask Allah to cure you of this illness (i.e. both the illness and your asking to cure the illness has been decreed). In a similar manner, a person may be deprived of his sustenance that was decreed for him, since Allah's eternal knowledge encompasses the fact that this person would perform a sinful deed that would cause the deprivation of his sustenance. All of this, then, is from the decree of Allah, all glory and praise be to Him." There are a number of ahadith that clarify this point. For example, Mu'adh ibn Jabal reported that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"Caution will be of no benefit against divine decree, but du' a benefits all things, whether they come down or not. I therefore advise you to make du'a, O servants of Allah" (Ahmad, Abu Ya'la and al-Tabarani)!

So no matter how cautious a person is, he cannot escape what is written for him, simply because Allah controls everything, and nothing escapes His knowledge or power. However, by turning to Allah through du'a , it is possible to avert something that might have been decreed. Salman al-Farsi narrated that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"Nothing repels divine decree except du'a, and nothing increases one's lifespan except good deeds" (Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim).

This hadith informs us in no uncertain terms that the only way we can repel some divine decree is through du'a. So it is possible that some unpleasant matter has been preordained for us, but only if we do not make du'a to avert it from us. So if du'a is made, then this matter will not occur or be fulfilled, whereas if du'a is left, the misfortune will occur. Another narration in al-Tirmidhi also supports this. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"There is no Muslim on the face of the earth that asks Allah for anything except that Allah gives it to him, or averts from him a similar evil, as long as he does not ask for something evil or for breaking the ties of kinship" (Al-Tirmidhi).

From this narration, the benefits of du'a are made clear, and its value is understood. For not only is a person rewarded for making a du'a, but it is also a cause of repelling an evil that was destined for him, and in obtaining the good that he was expecting.

Ibn Hajr, commenting on the benefits of du'a, said:
"And the benefit of performing du'a is the attainment of reward by obeying the command (of Allah to make du'a), and also by the attainment of what is asked for, for there is a possibility that the request is dependent on the du'a, since Allah is the Creator of both the effort and result of the effort" (Fath Al-Bari)!

Therefore, the proper response to the question posed earlier is, in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim, as follows:
"The logical consequences of such a reasoning leads to a rejection of all efforts. It can, therefore, be said to a person who holds this view, 'If the satisfaction of your hunger and thirst has already been destined for you, then it will be fulfilled, whether you eat or not. On the other hand, if it has not been destined for you, it will never occur, whether you eat or not. And, if a son has been destined for you, then you will be granted one, whether you have intercourse with your wife or not. On the other hand, if a son has not been destined for you, then you will never be granted one. In this case, there is no point in you getting married...!' Now, will any sane person agree with all of these conclusions" (Al-Jawab Al-Kafi)?

To summarise, then, divine decree (qadr) cannot be used as an excuse not to make du'a. For, just as one strives to ensure that one attains worldly needs, of food, drink and family, so too must one strive in one’s religious deeds to attain the desired goal. Du'a is intrinsically related to qadr; in fact, it is a part of one's qadr. Allah has already decreed that a certain matter will be granted to a servant, or an evil averted from him, if he makes du'a. And if he were to leave du'a, then the desired goal would not be reached. Hence it is the Sunnah of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam to make the following du'a during the witr prayer:
"...Bless me in what You have given me. And avert and turn away from me the evil that has been decreed for me, for verily You decree (all things), and none can decree against You..." (Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Nasa'i)

So the Muslim turns to Allah and prays to Him so that any and all evil can be averted from him.

Additionally, it should be remembered that the concept of divine decree is one that a human can never fully understand, due to his limited intellect and finite capabilities. The true Muslim does not delve too deeply into the philosophical ramifications of divine decree. Rather, he accepts all that has occurred to him in the past as having been destined for him, and he strives to obtain what he desires in the future (as long as it is permissible for him). Since he does not know what has been written for him in the future, he expects the best from Allah, and does everything in his power to ensure that what he wants is granted him. Just like going to work every day will ensure, if Allah wills, that he gets his pay-cheque at the end of the month, so too does making du'a ensure, if Allah wills, that he achieves his desired goal.
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*Excerpted and edited further from: Qadhi, Abu Ammaar Yasir (2003). Du'a: The Weapon of the Believer: A Treatise on the Status and Etiquette of Du'a in Islam. Birmingham: Al-Hidaayah.

My Mother, My Best Friend

by Muhammad Alshareef

Aseer ibn Jaabir narrates: Whenever people would come from Yemen, Umar would ask them, "Is Uways Al-Qaranee amongst you?" until, one year, he met Uways. He said, "Are you Uways Al-Qaranee?"

He said, "Yes."

Umar continued, "From Muraad, then Qaran?"

He said, "Yes."

Umar then asked, "Were you once afflicted with leprosy and your skin healed except for a dirham's area?"

Uways said, "Yes."

Umar finally asked, "Do you have a mother (that is alive)?"

He said, "Yes."

Umar then said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam say, 'Uways ibn Aamir will come to you with the delegations from Yemen, from Muraad, then from Qaran. He was once afflicted with leprosy and his skin healed except for a dirham's area. He has a mother, and he treats her kindly. If he was to ever swear by Allah (for something) Allah would fulfill his oath. If you can, request that he ask forgiveness for you." Umar then requested from Uways, "Ask forgiveness for me." And Uways Al-Qaranee did.

Allah ta'aala commanded us in the Qur’an:

And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both attain old age in your life, then do not say to them 'uff' (a word of disrespect), nor shout at them, rather address them in terms of honor / And lower for them the wing of submission and humility through mercy. And say, 'My Lord! Grant them Your mercy as they brought me up when I was small' (Al Isra' 17/23-24).

Ad-Daylami collected from Al-Husayn ibn Ali, that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

"If Allah knew any smaller than 'uff' (tsk) to be disespectful to parents, He would have decreed it to be haram!"

A man came to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam seeking permission to go for jihaad. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam asked him, "Are your parents alive?"

He said, "Yes."

He - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Perform jihaad (in you kind treatment) of them" (Bukhari).

If someone came to you today and offered you a free lunch, no doubt your response would be to smile, speak kindly to them, and reserve a special place in your heart for their memory. Why is it then that our parents receive only cold stares, harsh words and bitter treatment and they are who they are in our lives? For twenty or thirty years they fed us, clothed us, washed us, and showered their mercy on our soft skin. Their love for us never dies even if we do; it is a love that goes even beyond us, to our children and even our children’s children.

Dear brothers and sisters, we all have parents, whether they are with us or not, and many have not understood the severity of their position in our lives and their right to be respected and revered. Today I want to remind you and I of the true position of our parents, may Allah have mercy on them all.

Birr al-waalidayn is a characteristic of the mu'min. Al-Hasan Al-Basree defined it saying, "Al-birr is to obey the parents in everything that they ask so long as it is not to disobey Allah. Uqooq is to disown your parents, denying them all of your goodness."

By the ijama' of the 'ulama, being respectful and obedient to one’s parents is fard. Ibn Hazm said, "(Obeying ones parents) is Fard!" and he quoted the verse:

And your Lord decreed that you should worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents.

To better understand what is meant by birr al-walidayn (kindness to parents), the scholars set the following conditions for one to follow:

One: He should place the pleasure of his parents above the pleasure of anyone else, including himself and his wife and kids – everyone. Two: He should obey them in everything they command or forbid, whether it agrees with his desires or not, so long as they do not command the disobedience of Allah.

Three: He should present them with everything he feels they desire, whether they ask for it or not. He should present it with kindness and mercy, understanding that no matter what he does he will always have some shortcomings in fulfilling the true kindness that his parents deserve.

Allah's love comes when our parents love us. And Allah's anger comes when our parents are angry with us. Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu said, "There are three things that will not be accepted if its mate is not fulfilled." And he mentioned,

Thank Me (Allah) and your parents…(Luqman 31/14)

Ibn Abbaas continued, "Thus whoever thanks Allah and is not thankful to his parents, Allah will not accept from him."

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

"The pleasure of Allah is from the pleasure of the parents, and the anger of Allah is from the anger of the parents."

Let us think about how many of us treat our parents. We shy away from them when they may need something. We never visit if we are away from them. In fact, many people dispose of their parents in retirement homes. And when an argument ignites between our parents and us, many of us shout at them as if we were arguing with our evilest enemy. May Allah protect us all.

Compare this to those that came before us. Dhibyaan ibn Ali At-Thowree radi Allahu anhu used to travel with his mother to Makkah. There, in the scorching heat, he would dig a little pool and fill it with cool water. Then he would turn to his mother and say, "Ummi, sit in this water to cool yourself."

For many of us, our friends are more precious to us than our mother and father. Forgetful we are of the time a man came to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and asked him who is more worthy of his dear companionship. He – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – said, "Your mother!" The man asked again and again, and the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam replied, "Your mother! Your mother!" Until on the fourth time he - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Your father."

Today, when the common question is asked, "Who is your best friend?" How many people would say, "My mother!" But this is how the question should be answered and implemented.

What pleases our parents comes before everything, so long as it is not in disobedience of Allah. The scholars understood this and set the example for us. Haywah bin Shurayh radi Allahu anhu, one of the imam's of our ummah, used to give classes in front of his home. During the class, his mother would call him to feed the chickens. He would stand up, leave the halaqa, and go feed the chickens. We all want Allah to accept from us; we would all like to enter Paradise. Look down dear brothers and sisters, and you will find paradise at the feet of your mother.

Narrated Ahmad and An-Nasaa'ee, from Mu'aawiyah ibn Jaahimah As-Sulamee: My father, Jaahimah radi Allahu anhu went to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, I would like to go out and fight for the sake of Allah, and I have come to you for advice."

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam asked him, "Is your mother alive?"

He said, "Yes."

"Then stay near her," advised the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, "For at her feet is Jannah!"

On the other side, making our parents sad or even making them cry is one of the many ways to earn Allah's anger. Imam Ahmad narrates, from Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-Aas radi Alllahu anhu: A man came to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam to give him his pledge of allegiance. He said, "I have come to pledge allegiance to you for hijrah and I have left both my parents behind crying."

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam commanded him, "Go back, and the same way that you made them cry, make them laugh."

Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu said, "Making ones parents cry is amongst the uqooq, a major sin!"

Shaykh al-Qaasim once said, "Subhan Allah! How can we leave our parents sobbing, tears that the throne of Allah shakes for, tears that unsettle the angels in the heavens, and then we claim that we want to go for jihaad so that Allah will be pleased with us? Go back and make them happy with your visit as you made them sad by your departure. If they laugh and are pleased with you, Allah will be pleased."

During the funeral of his mother, Al-Haarith Al-Aklee radi Allahu anhu weeped. When asked for the reason of his tears he said, "Why should I not cry when one of my doors to Paradise has now closed?"

PART II

We reap what we plant. In a far away land, a long time ago, a boy was born blind. His widowed mother, the good Muslimah that she was, did not lose hope in her du'a and pray she did, continuously. A few years later, the boy's sight returned, alhamdulillah. Soon after she realized that her village was not befitting for her son to excel in Islamic education, so with her son in hand they migrated to Makkah. There she saw that he was being instructed in Qur'an and Hadith, the latter becoming the young man's focus. He went out far and wide collecting Hadith and compiled a Hadith book that sits next to the Qur'an in authenticity forgetting not his mother who had raised him well. His mother named him Muhammad ibn Isma'il, and many of us know him today as Al-Imam Al-Bukhari!

Dear brothers and sisters, how often is it that a farmer plants wheat and it comes out as a sunflower? You may say, never! For how can someone farm the seed of one plant and expect some other plant to grow. It just does not happen. Similarly, some parents leave their children waddling in the mud of television, music, movies, and disbelieving friends. Then, when the child reaches grade 12 and asks to go to the prom with his girlfriend, or when he enters university and stops praying, or when he gets married to a kafir and himself becomes one, then the parents say, "What happened?"

Brothers and sisters, it is the harvest of what we planted. If we do not raise our children to be obedient, where do we expect them to learn? If we do not practice Islam ourselves, who will be our children's example? How do you teach a child to wake up for Fajr, when he sees his own father and mother sleeping in, day after day? You may ask: how do I raise my children to be good Muslims, obedient to their parents? Consider the following:

Firstly: One should discipline their children throughout their youth. Hisham ibn Abd Al-Malik missed a son of his during Jumah one week. When he met him later, he asked him, "Why did you miss Jumah?"

His son replied, "My donkey couldn't make the trip."

His father then said, "Couldn't you have walked!" For an entire year after that, Hisham ibn Abd Al-Malik made his son walk to Jumah.

Secondly: The piety of the father and mother reaches the children. In the Qur'an, Allah recalls for us the story of Khidr, and how he rebuilt a wall for 2 orphans.

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town. Under it was a treasure belonging to them and their father was a righteous man…(Al Kahf 18/82)

Look at how Allah protected these orphans because of the piety of their father. In tafseer, it is said that it was in fact because of the piety of their grandfather seven generations back! Sa'eed ibn Jubayr said, "I often lengthen my salah for the sake of my son; perhaps Allah may protect him (because of it)."

In conclusion, let us reflect on the virtue of respecting our parents:

It is one of the greatest things that we can do. In Bukhari and Muslim, from Abdullah ibn Mas'ood radi Allahu anhu, a man asked the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, "What deed is most beloved by Allah?"

He - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Salah on time."

The man asked, "And then?"

He - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - said, "Respecting and revering ones parents."

He asked, "And then?"

"Jihaad for the sake of Allah."

It is a means by which our sins are forgiven. When Allah commanded in the Qur'an:

And We enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents …

The next verse tells us:

…They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. They shall be amongst the dwellers of Paradise…(Al Ahqaf 46/15-16)

Respecting our parents will lead us to Jannah! In Muslim, Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam say, "May he perish! May he perish! May he perish!"

It was asked, "Who, O Messenger of Allah?"

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, "He whose parents attain old age in his life - one or both of them - and he does not enter Paradise (because of his goodness towards them)."

And when our parents are gone, the goodness towards them does not end.

Malik ibn Rabi'ah Al-Saa'idi narrated: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam when an Ansari man came and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left from my birr to my parents that I should present to them after their death?"

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Yes, four things: Pray and ask forgiveness for them. Fulfill their pledges. Be kind to their friends. And maintain the ties of kinship that come from only their direction. That is what is left from your birr to them after their death."

Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Maajah reported that Aamir ibn Abd Allah ibn Az-Zubayr radi Allahu anhu said, "My father died, and for an entire year I did not ask Allah for anything except that He forgive my father."

Remember dear brothers and sisters as you meet your parents today, the words of Rasul Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, "Fa feehima fa jaahid!" – Do Jihad in (your kind treatment of) your parents.

O Allah, forgive us and our parents, and reward them with the finest reward. O Allah, elevate their position in the hereafter and this dunya; make that which befalls them an expiation for their sins. O Allah, grant them residence in Firdaus, the highest level of Jannah, with the Prophets, the Siddeeqeen, and the Martyrs.

Ameen.

http://www.sihalamuslims.org/

When the Night Equals a Thousand

by Muhammad Alshareef [ http://khutbah.com/en/ramadan_hajj/night.php]

It was narrated that in the days that Musa alayhis salaam wandered with Bani Israeel in the desert, an intense drought befell them. Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Musa alayhis salaam and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israeel who had disobeyed Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala for more than forty years of his life. “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala told Musa alayhis salaam. “Only then shall I shower you all with rain.”

Musa alayhis salaam then called out to the throngs of humanity, “There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.”

That man waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one. The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst and that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.

He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said, “O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!”

As Musa alayhis salaam and the people of Bani Israeel waited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa alayhi salaam asked Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala, “O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward.”

And Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala replied, “O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israeel with water.”

Musa alayhis salaam, wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked, “Show him to me O Allah!”

Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala replied, “O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?”

PART II

Ibn Jareer narrates on the authority of Mujaahid, that there was a man from Bani Israeel who used to spend the night in prayer. Then during the day he would fight the enemy in the way of Allah until the evening and he did this for a thousand months. And so Allah revealed:

Verily, We have sent it (the Qur’an) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (the Night of Destiny or the Night of Power). / And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr is? / The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah this night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months) (Al-Qadr 97/1-3).

Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala revealed the Qur’an in the most blessed month – the month of Ramadan. And on the 27th night of this month comes the Night of Al-Qadr (Laylatul Qadr), which is better than a thousand months. On the authority of Mujaahid, Sufyaan Ath-Thawree reports that Laylatul Qadr being better than a thousand months means that the good deeds performed on it, fasting on it, and standing in prayer on it are better than a thousand months worth of good deeds, prayer and fasting.

It is reported from Abu Hurayrah that when the month of Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah said:

“The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah has made it obligatory for you to fast; in it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained. In it is a night better than a thousand months, whoever loses the benefit of it has lost something irreplaceable” (Imam Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i).

It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, that Allah’s Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“Whoever stood in prayer on Laylatul Qadr in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, he will have all of his previous sins forgiven” (Bukhari and Muslim).

This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The sincere believer who worries day and night about his sins and phases of neglect in his life, patiently awaits the onset of Ramadan. During it, he hopes to be forgiven by Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala for past sins, knowing that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam promised that all who bow down during the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven. To achieve this, the believer remembers the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam’s advice in different sayings wherein he used words like ‘seek’, ‘pursue’, ‘search’ and ‘look hard’ for Laylatul Qadr.

Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. The mu‘min should search for it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, passing the nights in worship and obedience. For those who catch the opportunity, their gift is that of past sins wiped away.

The Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam illustrated for us some of the things we should be doing on this Grand Night. From his blessed Sunnah we find the following:

Praying Qiyaam (Night Prayer):

It is recommended to make a long qiyaam prayer during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many ahadith, such as:

“Whoever stands [in qiyaam] in Laylatul Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation [of Allah’s reward], will have all of his previous sins forgiven” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Making Supplications:

It is also recommended to make extensive supplications on this night. Aisha radi Allahu anha reported that she asked Allah’s Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam:

“O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul Qadr, what should I say during it?” And he instructed her to say, “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa ‘fu ‘annee – O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me” (Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi).

Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship:

It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr is likely to fall. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala. Aisha radi Allahu anha reported:

“When the [last] ten nights started, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam would tighten his izhaar [i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship], spend the whole night awake [in prayer], and wake up his family” (Bukhari and Muslim).

And she, radi Allahu anha, said:

“Allah’s Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam used to exert more [in worship] on the last ten than on other nights” (Muslim).

Have we estimated Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala correctly? Life is about people who take advantage of their opportunities to win the love of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’ala, and Laylatul Qadr is one of them.

Abu Darda radi Allahu anhu was one of those who found an opportunity and won that which is greater than the heavens and the earth. An adult companion of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam cultivated his garden next to the property of an orphan. The orphan claimed that a specific palm tree was on his property and thus belonged to him. The companion rejected the claim, so the orphan boy went to the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam to complain. With his justness, the Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam measured the two gardens and found that the palm tree did indeed belong to the companion. The orphan erupted crying. Seeing this, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam asked the companion, “Would you give him the palm tree and to you is a palm tree in Jannah?” However, the companion in his disbelief that an orphan would complain to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, missed the opportunity and went away angry.

But someone else saw the opportunity – Abu Darda radi Allahu anhu. He went to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and asked, “Ya RasulAllah, if I buy the tree from him and give it to the orphan shall I have that tree in Jannah?”

The Messenger of Allah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam replied, “Yes.”

Abu Darda radi Allahu anhu chased after the companion and asked, “Would you sell that tree to me for my entire garden?”

The companion answered, “Take it, for there is no good in a tree that I was complained to the Prophet about.”

Immediately, Abu Darda radi Allahu anhu went home and found his wife and children playing in the garden. “Leave the garden!” shouted Abu Darda. “We’ve sold it to Allah! We’ve sold it to Allah!” Some of his children had dates in their hand and he snatched the dates from them and threw them back into the garden. “We’ve sold it to Allah!”

When Abu Darda was later martyred in the battle of Uhud, RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam stood over his slain body and remarked, “How many shady palm trees does Abu Darda now have in Paradise?”

What did Abu Darda lose? Dates? Bushes? Dirt? What did he gain? He gained a Jannah whose expanse is the heavens and the earth.

Abu Darda did not miss his opportunity, and I pray to Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala that we do not miss our opportunity of standing to Allah on Laylatul Qadr.

Dear brothers and sisters, we do not obey, worship and revere Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala in a way befitting of His Majesty.

Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala revealed:

No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him. On the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand. Glory to Him! High is He above the partners they attribute to Him (Az-Zumar 39/67).

When someone dies we say inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (Indeed to Allah we belong and indeed to Him we shall return). This is not a supplication just for when a soul is lost. It is a supplication for every calamity that befalls a believer, even if his sandal were to tear. Why? Because everything belongs to Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala and everything shall come back to him. Sit and try to count the blessings Allah has bestowed upon you. Have you ever tried to count stars?

And He has given you all that you ask for. But if you count the favors of Allah, never will you be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude (Ibrahim 14/34).

We have not understood the weight of this Qur’an that we rest on our high shelves; this noble book that was sent to give life to the dead. For even if our hearts were as solid as mountain they would have crumbled to the ground in fear and hope of Allah’s punishment and mercy. Could it be that our hearts are harder than that mountain?

Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, verily, you would have seen it humble itself and split asunder in fear of Allah (Al-Hashr 59/21).

Dear brothers and sisters, as you fill the masajid for Qiyam-ul-Layl in the last ten nights of Ramadan, remember what Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala wants you to know:

…that Allah is strict in punishment and that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

There shall be a night, some night in your life, that you shall awaken in Jannah or Hellfire. On his deathbed, Anas ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu prayed to Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala, “O Allah, protect me from a night whose morning brings a journey to Hellfire.” Think about that morning.

Peace shall descend on Laylatul Qadr until the dawn. It may be that you shall leave the masjid after Fajr one day soon forgiven by Allah, Glorious and Most High.

 Why ?...

 

 

 

 

Du'a : From the Glorious Qur'an

List of supplications made by the Prophets of Allah Azza Wajal and some 

people in reference to the Glorious Quran.

Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam

"My Lord! Increase me in knowledge."[20:114]

رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

"My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy!"[23:118]

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

"My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings of the Shayâtin. And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they (should come near) me."[23:97-98]

رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ . وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!". [02:201]

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ 

"Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment. Evil indeed it (Hell) is as an abode and as a place to rest in."[25:65-66]

رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا إِنَّهَا سَاءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا

"Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqûn"[25:74]

رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

"My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslim"[46:15]

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ 

"Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful."[59:10]

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإِيمَانِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلّاً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

“Our Lord, perfect for us our light, and forgive us. Indeed you are powerful over every thing.”[66:8]

رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

"Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower,"Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt. Verily, Allâh never breaks His Promise,"[03:8-9]

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ

رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ

"Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! . Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire. [03:191]

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

"Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses."[05:83]

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

“As for me, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, the straight religion, the faith of Ibrahim who was upright and was not of those who associate partners with Allah" [6:161] 

رَبِّي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

“My prayer, my offering, my life and my death are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. For Him there is no partner. And thus I have been commanded, and I am the first one to submit.”[6:162-163]

إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَاي وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ . لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Master of the, Day of Judgment. You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help. Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.[01:1-7]

 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم . الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ . الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ . مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ . إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ . اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ . صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ

"We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." And they say: "We hear and we obey; (We seek) Thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.""Our Lord! condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; help us against those who stand against faith."[02:285-286]

لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ 

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

“Our Lord, whomsoever You admit into the Fire, he is disgraced by You indeed, and for the unjust there are no supporters. Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad SAW) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die along with Al-Abrâr (the pious) [03:191]

رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ مَنْ تُدْخِلْ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ

رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا

فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأَبْرَارِ

"Our Lord, give us what You have promised us through Your messengers, and do not put us to disgrace on the Day of Judgement. Surely you do not go back on Your promise.”[03:194]

رَبَّنَا وَآتِنَا مَا وَعَدْتَنَا عَلَى رُسُلِكَ وَلاَ تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ

"I seek refuge with (Allâh) the Lord of the daybreak, From the evil of what He has created; And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness; And from the evil of those who practise witchcrafts when they blow in the knots, And from the evil of the envier when he envies."[113:1-5]

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ . مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ . وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ . وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ . وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind. The God of mankind, From the evil of the retreating whisperer - Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - From among the jinn and mankind."[114:1-6]

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ . مَلِكِ النَّاسِ . إِلَهِ النَّاسِ . مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ . الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ . مِنْ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ

For the parents:

“My Lord, be merciful to them as they have brought me up in my childhood.”[17:24]

رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

When a calamity befalls:

"Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return."[2:156] 

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Prophet Adam & Eve [pbut]

"Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers." [ 07"23]

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ

 Prophet Nuh [pbuh]

"O my Lord! Help me: for that they accuse me of falsehood!" [23:26]

رَبِّ انصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ

"My Lord! Verily, my people have belied me.Therefore judge You between me and them, and save me and those of the believers who are with me." [26:117-118]

رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي كَذَّبُو. نِفَافْتَحْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَتْحًا وَنَجِّنِي وَمَنْ مَعِي مِنْ  الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

"I have been overcome, so help (me)!" [54:10]

رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ

"My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth!. If You leave them, they will mislead Your slaves, and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers. [71:26-27]

  رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى الأَرْضِ مِنْ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا. إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا عِبَادَكَ وَلاَ يَلِدُوا إِلاَّ فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا

"My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And to the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers) grant You no increase but destruction!" [71:28] 

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِي مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلاَ تَزِدْ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلاَّ تَبَارًا

"O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I will indeed be one of the losers." [11:47]

رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُنْ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ

 "My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing-place, for You are the Best of those who bring to land." [23:29]

رَبِّ أَنزِلْنِي مُنْزَلاً مُبَارَكًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْمُنزِلِينَ

"There is no god but Thou: Glory to Thee: I was indeed wrong!"[21:87]

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنْ الظَّالِمِينَ

Prophet Ibrahim [pbuh]

"Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return" [60:4]

رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

"O my Lord! Bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous" [26:83]

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ 

 

"Grant me honourable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations)" [26:84]

وَاجْعَلْ لِي لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ فِي الآخِرِينَ

"Make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss" [26:85]

وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ وَرَثَةِ جَنَّةِ النَّعِيمِ

"And disgrace me not on the Day when (all the creatures) will be resurrected" [26:87]

وَلاَ تُخْزِنِي يَوْمَ يُبْعَثُونَ

"The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart" [26:88-89]

يَوْمَ لاَ يَنْفَعُ مَالٌ وَلاَ بَنُونَ . إِلاَّ مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

"I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me!" [37:99]

إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ

"My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous." [37:100]

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ الصَّالِحِينَ

 "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower."[ 2:127]

 رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

 "Our Lord! Make of us Muslims bowing to Thy (Will) and of our progeny a people Muslim bowing to Thy (Will) and show us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in Mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning Most-Merciful." [2:128]

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

"O my Lord! Make me one who performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation." [14:40]

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ

"Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established." [14:41]

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ

Prophet Lut [pbuh]

"My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do." [26:169]

رَبِّ نَجِّنِي وَأَهْلِي مِمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ

 Prophet Ayyub [pbuh]

"Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy."[21:83]

أَنِّي مَسَّنِي الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

"The Evil One has afflicted me with distress and suffering"![38:41]

أَنِّي مَسَّنِي الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ

Prophet Yusuf [pbuh]

"My Lord!, the Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Walî (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, God, Lord.) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous" [12:101]

  رَبِّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَنْتَ وَلِيِّ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ

Prophet Musa [pbuh]

"O my Lord! Expand me my breast; Ease my task for me; And remove the impediment from my speech.So they may understand what I say" [20:25-28]

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي  وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي  وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي
يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

"I take Allâh's Refuge from being among Al-Jâhilûn (the ignorants or the foolish)." [02:67]

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنْ الْجَاهِلِين

Followers of Prophet Musa [pbuh]

"Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims." [07:126]

رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ

“In Allah we have placed our trust: Our Lord, do not make us a victim of the unjust people" [10:85] 

عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

"And save us, through Your mercy, from the disbelieving people." [10:86]

وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنْ الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Wife of Fir'aun

"My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allâh)" [66:11]

   رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِنْدَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنْ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

Prophet Sulaiman [pbuh]

"My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves."[27:19]

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

 Prophet Zakariyya [pbuh]

"O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation."[3:38]

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ

"O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors."[21:89]

رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ

 People of the Cave

"Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!"[18:10]

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا 

Prayer of the Husband and Wife

"If You give us a Sâlih (good in every aspect) child, we shall indeed be among the grateful."[07:189]

لَئِنْ آتَيْتَنَا صَالِحًا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الشَّاكِرِينَ

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Charity

Narrated Abu Huraira Allah's Apostle said,

"If one gives in charity what equals one date-fruit from the honestly-earned money and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money --Allah takes it in His right (hand) and then enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much that it becomes as big as a mountain

(Bukhari - Book no.24, Hadith #491)

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Deeds Depend Upon Intentions

Narrated `Umar bin Al−Khattab: I heard Allah's Apostle saying,
"Deeds (their correctness and rewards) depend upon intentions,
and every person gets but what he has intended. So whoever
emigrated for worldly benefits, or for a woman to marry, his
emigration is for what he emigrated for."

[Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 1, Hadeeth no 1]

The example of guidance and knowledge

Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said, "The example of guidance
and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant
rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that
absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in
abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the
rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they
utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it
and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a
portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water
nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits).
The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's
religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge) which Allah has
revealed through me (the Prophets and learns and then teaches
others. The last example is that of a person who does not care
for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me
(He is like that barren land.)"

[Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1 , Book 3, Hatheeth no 79]