Litanies
Restored Sight
Sayyidunā ʿUthmān b. Ḥunayf رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that a blind Companion once came to the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and asked, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Please supplicate to Allah and ask Him to remove the veil of blindness from my eyes!” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “If you wish, I can supplicate on your behalf, or if you wish, you can remain patient, and patience is better for you.” The blind Companion chose the supplication. Thus, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم instructed him to perform wudu in a good manner, and recite this supplication:
اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّی اَسْئَلُکَ وَاَتَوَجَّہُ اِلَیْکَ بِنَبِیِّکَ مُحَمَّدٍ(صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) نَبِیِّ الرَّحْمَۃِ یَا مُحَمَّدُ اِنِّیْ تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ اِلٰی رَبِّیْ فِیْ حَاجَتِیْ ھٰذِہٖ لِتُقْضٰی لِیْ اَللّٰھُمَّ شَفِّعْہُ فِیَّ
“Dear Allah! I ask of You and turn to You with the mediation of Your Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , the Prophet of mercy! O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ! I have turned myself to my Lord through you for this need of mine, so it may be fulfilled. Dear Allah! Accept his intercession in my favour!”
Sayyidunā ʿUthmān b. Ḥunayf رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then says, “By Allah! After a brief time, the man returned with his sight restored, as though he was never blind.”[1]
Note - ‘Ala Hazrat Imām Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: “The scholars explicitly elucidate: It is ḥarām to call out to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم using his name. And (this ruling) is truly in accordance with justice, because when his Lord and Master Almighty does not call him with his name, then what right does a slave have to cross the boundaries of respect. In fact, research scholars like Imām Zayn al-Dīn al-Marāghi etc. have clarified that if these words [yā Muḥammad] come in any du`ā which has been taught by the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself, for example the du`ā “یَا مُحَمَّدُ اِنِّیْ تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ اِلٰی رَبِّیْ”, then one should say yā Rasūlallāh or yā Nabiyyallāh instead of yā Muḥammad. This is despite the fact that generally the words of du`ā are not altered as far as possible. This very important ruling, which the majority of people in this era are heedless of, is necessary to memorise.”[2]
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