The story of Abdullah bin Umar narrates the condition of our beloved Prophet Muhammad

 

 

8^thDecember, 2024

The story of Abdullah bin Umar narrates the condition of our beloved Prophet Muhammad

Prophet Khidr (AS) said to me this morning:

O Ahmad, rest after you have performed the Fajr prayer, and do not neglect the rights of your body. Indeed, Allah does not like His servants to overthink, even if it is about matters such as the poor and orphans. Sit and write down my words before the first light of dawn, and do not omit any of our conversation.

O Ahmad, it is apparent that you are growing thinner and losing much of your rest. This reminds me of Abdullah bin Umar's narration about your grandfather, the Noble Prophet Muhammad, as recounted by Fatimah binti Muhammad (RA) to the companions after the Prophet's passing.

One day, as the Prophet prepared to go to the mosque before dawn and planned to eat (sahur on a Monday), he only had a piece of bread, three dates, and a glass of water. Then, he heard the cries of hungry children. The Prophet sought the source of the sound and found a small house with half its walls and roof covered only by a few palm branches and a tattered cloth serving as a door to shield against the night's cold. Inside, he found a mother and her three children, one of whom was crying in her arms. The Prophet gave them all the food he had, fasting for the rest of that day and the following days.

O Ahmad, your grandfather then went to his daughter's house intending to ask for some dates. However, his daughter, too, had been fasting for three days due to hunger. They both smiled, and his daughter asked, 'O my father, O AbalAytamwalMasakin (Father of the Orphans and the Needy), is this hardship because Allah is displeased with us?'

The Noble Prophet replied, 'O Ummu Abiha, Allah is not displeased with you or me. Rather, He enacts His decree upon those who believe in Him and are pious. Allah guarantees the happiness of this world and the hereafter for those who declare their faith, are tested by Him, and remain steadfast in faith and righteous deeds. This is how Allah tested the prophets, messengers, and the righteous before us. True happiness lies neither in clothing nor rank, but in the heart that wears and carries them. If a person's heart is corrupt, no fine clothing or high worldly rank can prevent the filth that will manifest in vile words and actions. Conversely, if a person possesses a noble heart, no matter how rough their appearance or how poor their attire, the light of faith, piety, and noble character will shine through, captivating all who see them with love and compassion. Allah has embraced them with His love and mercy.'

 

O Ahmad, despite his hardships, your noble grandfather, Muhammad, always honored the rights of his body to rest and drink, entrusting his hunger and fatigue to Allah. He never rejected gifts from his companions, and through them, Allah brought ease to his mission of delivering the truth of the Qur'an and his noble teachings. 

 

O Ahmad, what you are doing now is in line with the wishes of your noble grandfather—that you remain patient while caring for and bearing the burden of orphans left behind by your departed companions. Do so with patience and sincerity, just as your wives have accepted your circumstances in fulfilling Allah’s commands. If both they and you remain steadfast and patient, Allah will truly open wide the doors of sustenance for your first wife, enabling her to become a mother to the orphans and the needy, thus lightening your burden. Do not feel burdened by the responsibilities for those in your household or the animals Allah has entrusted to you. 

O Ahmad, even in the smallest winged creatures, the insects that emerge during the rainy season and swarm around lights, eventually losing their wings and dying, is a profound metaphor. These creatures resemble those who pursue fleeting desires, chasing the illusion of happiness in worldly wealth. In the end, humiliation awaits them: some become prey to predators, others perish underfoot, and still others die in exhaustion and hunger. 

O Ahmad, proceed with what you and your followers have planned, and trust in Allah. Does a crowded place guarantee blessings? Consider the shop in a remote forest that still draws many visitors despite its isolation. Truly, blessings do not depend on location but on the diligence, warmth, and patience of the one conducting the trade. 

O Ahmad, Allah has entrusted five orphans into your care and under your responsibility. Be patient, for it is not you who sustains them, but Allah, who is testing you and creating a story similar to that of your noble grandfather, Muhammad. 

In a certain place, there is a boy you know who pays close attention to your advice. He constantly prays for you, acts upon some of your counsel, and recalls when Allah tested you—to choose between attending the invitations of two wealthy individuals or visiting a poor man. With your heart, you chose to visit the poor man. You would not have found the three coconuts that healed your illness at that time had you chosen to visit the wealthy host with his luxurious accommodations and delectable food. 

O Ahmad, tell that boy, Aryando, to remain patient and steadfast in his work and to endure until the business you will teach him is ready. Let some of your followers join him in establishing the business. They must not become divided after achieving worldly success in the third year of their venture. Many people of the end times have fallen into disgrace after attaining worldly success. 

O Ahmad, tell your followers who are striving in their homeland to persevere for the next five months, until Allah fully blesses what you are working on and doing. This will yield the best results and protect your ship from those with a love for the world, who pursue it with excessive and arrogant words. Do they think the trees are their creation, to be controlled by them? Trees are Allah’s creations, possessing physical forms and souls. 

It is inconceivable for someone with knee pain to receive the same treatment as one with eye pain. Likewise, the needs and nourishment of one tree’s roots differ from another, and not all types of soil (adimilardh) across the earth are the same, enabling every type of tree to grow on them. These are signs of Allah's power for His intelligent servants. 

If you and your followers remain patient and follow the guidance of Allah that I have taught you, He will heal the sick and dying trees in your land and the lands of your brothers. The land of Bani Khizba will once again flourish, bringing blessings to its inhabitants. Hasten to build that place and strive in accordance with Allah's guidance, which I have taught you for 40 days, so you may achieve what is best for your ship in spreading mercy to His creations—both trees and animals. Such is Allah's will in every trial and command of His.

O Ahmad, during your gathering with your followers, seek a cool hill near the mountain. Truly, such a place will better protect them from weariness and shield them from the intense reverberation of the sea's dhikr by Allah's command. Let your followers take heed of this.

 

-Ahmad F. Bin Abdullah A. Syam-