Which Book Shall I Read

12 years old Owais had come to meet his maternal aunt and see her new house along with his mom. After drinking water etc., Owais started to look around for someone.

His aunt asked him, ‘Son, who are you looking for?’

Owais restlessly replied, ‘Dear aunt! I can’t see brother Noman. Where is he?’

‘I have sent Noman out for some work. He must be back soon.’ Replied the aunt.

Then, he sought permission to look around the new house and started exploring it. After looking at the lawn and balcony of the house, he stopped outside a room. Actually, that room was a study room that was made into a small but attractive library containing various small and big sized Arabic, Urdu and English books. As Owais was looking at the books, he all of a sudden heard someone saying Salam. As he turned around while replying to Salam, he saw brother Noman standing there. Owais’ face blossomed looking at brother Noman.

‘How are you Owais?’ Asked Noman.

Owais replied, ‘I am good. How are you, brother Noman?’

Noman replied, ‘اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰە عَلٰی کُلِّ حَال. I am fine too. Seeing you in the study room has really pleased me and given me an impression that you love reading books.’

Owais replied, ‘Yes, that is true; but brother Noman! There are loads of books over here and I am staying here for a few days. You tell me which book shall I read in these days?’

Noman said, ‘Brother Owais! The blessed month of Rabi’-ul-Awwal is about to commence. In relation to this month, read the booklets of Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, ‘Allamah Muhammad Ilyas ‘Attar Qaadiri دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه such as ‘Luminous Face, A Horrific Camel, Dark-skinned Slave The Dawn of Blessings’.

‘Brother Noman, please mention some detail regarding these booklets too.’ Owais asked in an inquiring manner.

Noman started telling him:

The booklet ‘The Dawn of Blessings’ is regarding being joyous upon the blessed birth of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Juloos-e-Meelad, decorating homes, etc. It also contains a letter of Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه regarding Rabi’-ul-Awwal (especially regarding the Shar’i and organisational precautions in relation to the Ijtima’ of Meelad and Juloos of Meelad).

The booklet ‘Dark-skinned Slave’ talks about the miracles of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, his Nooraniyat [i.e. luminosity], his matchless human nature and his blessed parents.

In the booklet ‘A Horrific Camel’, Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه has mentioned regarding the sacrifices of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for the sake of propagating Deen.

‘Luminous Face’ is also a booklet. It contains faith-enlightening parables of the blessed childhood of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as well as beautifully mentions 8 miracles of the blessed hand of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Moreover, it also mentions the destructions of video games.

‘Brother Noman! Do you have these booklets?’ Owais asked restlessly.

‘Yes! There you are. Read them one by one and if you want to ask anything, then do not hesitate to ask me.’ Noman said to Owais while handing him over the booklets.

‘Sure brother Noman.’ Saying this, Owais sat there and engaged in studying those booklets.

Question 1: Which era is called the period of ‘Fatrat’?

Answer: ‘Fatrat’ refers to the period between Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام and the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Tafseer Tabari, part 6, Al-Ma`idah, Taht-al-Ayah: 19, vol. 4, pp. 508, Raqm 11621)

Question 2: Which are those two cities in which Dajjaal will not be able to enter?

Answer: Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Tayyibah. (Sahih Muslim, pp. 1204, Hadees 7386)

Question 3: Whose title is Zul-Janahayn (the one with two wings)?

Answer: Sayyiduna Ja’far Tayyar رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 1, pp. 97)

Question 4: How many Ansar and Muhajireen^[1] (the emigrants) were made brothers of one another by the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?

Answer: According to one opinion, they were total 90 people, in which 45 people were Ansar and 45 were Muhajireen. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 1, pp. 184)

Question 5: Who will be the last one to die?

Answer: Sayyiduna ‘Izra’eel عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, who takes away the souls of people, will be the last one to die. (Sharh Usool-e-I’tiqad Ahl-is-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, vol. 1, pp. 202)

Question 6: How many people and who Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام brought back to life?

Answer: Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام brought four people back to life: (1) A person, namely ‘Aazir’ (2) Son of an elderly woman (3) One girl (4) Sayyiduna Saam رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ, the blessed son of Sayyiduna Nuh عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام. (Tafseer Khaazin, part 3, Aal-e-‘Imran, Taht-al-Ayah: 49, vol. 1, pp. 251)