You Granted Islam to Them

Parents’ Corner

You granted Islam to them

In your blessed group, you gathered them

‘Adnan Ahmad Attari

Every word of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is beautiful and unique, and every supplication of his is answered. Let us read the faith-inspiring accounts of nine fortunate personalities who were blessed with faith through Prophetic supplications. 

1.   Sayyidunā ʿUmar al-Fārūq’s entry to Islam: Sayyidunā ʿUmar al-Fārūq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was blessed with Islam in the sixth year after the proclamation of prophethood, when he was 27 years old. His رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ entry into Islam is the result of the supplication of the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .

A brief version of this account is as follows: Sayyidunā ʿUmar al-Fārūq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was at his sister’s home. Following a brief heated exchange, his heart opened: “Take me to the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ,” he stated. Sayyidunā Khabbāb رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ came out and said, “Congratulations ʿUmar!  I have hope that you are the supplication of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . On Thursday, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated, ‘My Lord! Grant Islam strength and dominance through ʿAmr b. Hishām or ʿUmar ˹b. al-Khaṭṭāb˺.’”^[1]

2.   The good fortune of al-Ṣiddīq’s mother: Once, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, “Dear Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ! This is my mother.  She is very affectionate to her son (i.e. to me). You are blessed, so invite my mother to Islam and supplicate to Allah for her.” The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated for her and invited her to Islam, and she became Muslim.^[2]

3.   The mother of Sayyidunā Abū Hurayra رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was blessed with faith: Sayyidunā Abū Hurayra رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates:

My mother was a polytheist. One day I came crying to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and requested, “Please ask Allah to guide the mother of Abū Hurayra رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ .” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated, “My Lord! Bless the mother of Abū Hurayra رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ with the guidance of Islam.” Having received the supplication of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , I left happily. When I arrived home, my mother opened the door and pronounced the testimony of faith.^[3]

4.   The Banū Thaqīf embraced Islam: The Muslim army along with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم laid siege to Taif. A fierce battle ensued in which twelve Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم were martyred. According to one narration, the siege lasted for more than 20 days, but the fortress could not be breached. At this time, a party of Anṣārī Companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم suggested, “Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ! Supplicate against Banū Thaqīf.” However, the most merciful Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم preferred to supplicate, “Dear Allah! Guide Banū Thaqīf.” The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then stopped the siege and returned. Allah Almighty accepted the supplication of the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم which led to a delegation from Banū Thaqīf visiting the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and accepting Islam. Then the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had a small tent set up for them in al-Masjid al-Nabawi.^[4]  

5.   Fortune shined: Sayyidunā Shayba رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states:

I participated in the Expedition of Hunayn (Shawwal 8 AH) with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . By Allah, neither did I participate in this expedition for the elevation of Islam nor was I familiar with Islam. Rather, I disliked the idea that Banū Hawāzin may subjugate Quraysh. I was standing with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the battlefield, and said to him, “I see a man on a spotted white horse.”  The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Do you see him?” I replied, “Yes.” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Only a disbeliever can see this horse rider.” Then the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم struck his blessed hand on my chest three times and each time supplicated, “Dear Allah Almighty! Grant Shayba guidance.” Sayyidunā Shayba رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ says, “By Allah, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had not even removed his  hand for the third time when suddenly, he became the most beloved of Allah’s creation to me. Then I bore witness to the truthfulness of Islam and became a Muslim.”^[5]     

6.   Supplication for the tribe of Daws: Sayyidunā Ṭufayl b. ʿAmr al-Dawsī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ once requested the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم : “The tribe of Daws has refused to accept Islam; supplicate for their destruction.” The people assumed that a supplication would now be made for their ruin. However, the following words flowed from the prophetic fount: “Dear Allah! Guide the people of Daws and bring them to Madina.”^[6]  

Sayyidunā Tufayl رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ went to his region and began calling to Islam. The expeditions of Badr and Uhud passed, and Khandaq too. When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was engaged in the Expedition of Khaybar in Safar 7 AH, Sayyidunā Ṭufayl رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ arrived in Madina with 70 or 80 people of his tribe. Amongst them was Sayyidunā Abū Hurayra رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ .^[7]

7.   A Jew received guidance: A Jew was sitting with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم when the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sneezed. The Jew said, “May Allah Almighty have mercy upon you”. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated for him, “May Allah Almighty guide you”. Consequently, the Jew embraced Islam.^[8]

8.   Faith was granted for your sake: Once, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent Sayyidunā ʿAlāʾ b. al-Haḍramī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ on an important task. On the way back, he رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ passed through Yamama where the leader of the area, Thumāma b. Uthāl stopped him and asked, “Are you an emissary of Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ?” He رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “Yes.” The tribal chief replied, “You will never be able to reach your prophet.” Seeing this, his uncle, ʿĀmir b. Salama, intervened and so Sayyidunā ʿAlāʾ b. al-Haḍramī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was released.

When news reached the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , he supplicated, “Dear Allah! Illuminate ʿĀmir b. Salama with the light of faith and grant us power and victory over Thumāma.” Thus, Sayyidunā ʿĀmir b. Salama رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ embraced Islam, and the leader of Yamama, Thumāma was captured and brought to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . Later, Sayyidunā Thumāma رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ also embraced Islam.^[9]

9.   Compassion for a small girl: Sayyidunā Rāfiʿ b. Sinān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ was honored with faith, but his رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ wife did not embrace Islam. Presenting their case before the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , the wife claimed their daughter: “This girl is mine,” she cried. The father, Sayyidunā RāfIʿ b. Sinān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ , said the same, “This girl is mine.” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had the mother seated in one corner, the father in another, and the daughter between them. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Both of you call this girl.”

The girl began to move towards her disbelieving mother. Seeing this, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم supplicated for the girl, “O Allah Almighty! Guide her.” The girl immediately went in the direction of her father who embraced her.^[10] Other versions suggest that the child was a boy. It is possible that these were two separate events.