The Importance of supplicating for steadfastness, and uprightness in the religion upto the end of one’s life

Narrated Abduh ibn Abdurrahim :

“We went on an expedition to one of the lands of Rome; and among us was a youth of who there was none amongst us more proficient in reciting The Qur’ân than him, and none of us was more knowledgeable of fiqh and inheritance laws than him, one who used to fast the days and stand at night in prayer.

Whilst in our expedition we passed by a fort -of which we were not ordered to stop for- [guarded by many soldiers] ; and this youth stopped close to the fort as if he was relieving himself.

So he looked up the fort and he caught sight of a woman from among the women of the Romans who was looking from that fort, and she amazed him.

And as such he desired her, so he talked to her in the Roman language : ‘Tell me the way to get to you?’

So she replied: ‘For you to become a christian, then we will open the door for you [to enter the fort] ; and I am yours.’

And he answered that call of hers, and he entered the fort!

In one narration it says : [The Muslims were not aware of the on-goings except that by the time they realized ; he was with her!]

[The narrator continues to say] Consequently we were covered in great distress and encountered hardship in our expedition because of that. It was as if each of our men took that to be as if it happened to his own child.

After some time while on another expedition, we returned and passed by this same fortified town: and there he was with that woman, and the Christians ; looking at us [from the fort].

So we said [to him] : ‘O so- and –so what happened to your Qur’ân? What happened to your knowledge? What happened to your fasting? What happened to your prayers!”

And there he said to us : ‘Indeed, know that; I have forgotten all the Qura’n except His statement :

رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ كَانُواْ مُسْلِمِينَ

ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُواْ وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ وَيُلْهِهِمُ الأَمَلُ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ

“Perhaps (often) will those who disbelieve wish that they were Muslims.Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope.They will come to know!” [Suraatul Hijr 1-2]

Source : Al-Muntadham of Ibnul Jawzee, Taarikh al-Islaam of Imaam Adh-Dhahabi under the biography of Abduh ibn Abdur rahim, Taarikh al-Dimashq of Ibn Asaakir : 37/379

Lessons:

1. The great benefit of lowering the gaze.

2. The Importance of fighting the desires, especially the fitna between the opposite genders.

3. Loving for your fellow Muslim that which you love for yourself, and hating for him that which you see is harmful to him. [And what is more of a calamity than seeing a Muslim leave the light of belief and choosing the darkness of shirk !]

4.The diligence of shaytaan and his allies – in their greatest goal – against the Muslims : to make them apostatize.

Especially in the times of tribulations; the true colours of people come forth. As you see, Indeed she didn’t ask him for wealth or anything else. Allaahu Musta’n.

5. Don’t be amazed by the actions of a person, only Allaah knows the reality of the end of a person.

6. Prior to that, don’t be amazed by your own deeds!

7. The Importance of supplicating for steadfastness, and uprightness in the religion upto the end of one’s life.

Indeed the Prophet (sallahAllaahu alayhi wasallam) used to do so, and taught us to do so, as in the hadeeth of Umm Salamah by Shihr who said : ‘I said to Umm Salamah : ‘O Mother of the Believers, what is the duaa’ which the Prophet (sallahAllaahu alayhi wasallam) would supplicate the most while in your presence? ‘

So she said : ‘The frequent supplication of his was :

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ

“O, Turner of the hearts, turn our hearts to Your obedience.”

And also reported by Imaam Ahmad , from the hadeeth of ‘Aisha (radhiyaAllaahu anha): ‘The Dua’ which the Prophet (sallahAllaahu alayhi wasallam) used to supplicate with a lot…’ then she mentioned it.

Taken from Silsilah as-Saheeha of Al-Imaam Al-Albaanee : 2091