Key to Knowledge
Key Questions and their Answers
Mawlana Muhammad Adnan Chishti Attari Madani
Whenever our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم desired to bestow something upon the noble companions or teach them anything, he would utilise various styles. Among them was the method of teaching through asking questions. On many occasions, he provided encouragement and increased enthusiasm by asking, “Shall I not inform you of such and such?” or “Shall I not teach you such words?” etc. Then, out of compassion, he himself would teach those words, which are beneficial for both religious and worldly affairs. Some prophetic narrations containing such questions are presented below.
What should one recite in difficulty?
The fourth Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ꜤAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: يَا عَلِيُّ، أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ إِذَا وَقَعْتَ فِي وَرْطَةٍ قُلْتَهَا “O ꜤAlī, shall I not teach you words which you can recite if you encounter any distressing situation?”
I replied, بَلَى جَعَلَنِي اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ، كَمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ قَدْ عَلَّمْتَنِيه “Indeed! May Allah make me ransom for you. You have taught me many virtuous things.”
The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Whenever you are afflicted with any calamity, say بِسْمِ اللہ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّ حِیْم ط وَلَاحَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّۃَاِلَّا بِاللّٰہ الْعَلِیِّ الْعَظِیْمِ. Indeed, Allah Almighty will remove through it any difficulty that He wills.”[1]
Dear readers, if any small or major difficulty or worry befalls us—be it illness, debt, a court case, unemployment, misfortune, loss of an item, trauma, being attacked, feeling disheartened, stumbling, breakdown, getting stuck in traffic, financial loss or theft—we should develop a habit of reciting بِسْمِ اللہ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّ حِیْم ط وَلَاحَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّۃَاِلَّا بِاللّٰہ الْعَلِیِّ الْعَظِیْمِ.
What should one recite when burdened with a heavy debt?
A man came to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and said, “O Leader of the faithful, I have a commitment with my master to repay a certain amount for my freedom, and I am unable to do so, please help me.”
Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ asked him, اَلا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ عَلَّمَنِيهِنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، لَوْ كَانَ عَلَيْكَ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ صِيرٍ دَيْناً اَدَّاهُ اللهُ عَنْكَ “Shall I not teach you words that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم taught me? Even if your debt were as huge as Mount Seer, Allah will repay it for you?”
Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then said, “Recite اَللّٰھُمَّ اکْفِنِیْ بِحَلَالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَاَغْنِنِیْ بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ O Allah, suffice me with Your lawful sustenance and save me from Your prohibited sustenance, and suffice me by Your grace from [depending on] all others besides You.”[2]
What are the plants of paradise?
Sayyidunā Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that during the Miraj, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed by Prophet Ibrahim عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام.
Prophet Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام asked, مَنْ مَعَكَ يَا جِبْرِيلُ؟ "Who is with you, O Jibril?"
He answered, هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ "This is Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم."
Prophet Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام then said, مُرْ أُمَّتَكَ فَلْيُكْثِرُوا مِنْ غِرَاسِ الْجَنَّةِ،فَإِنَّ تُرْبَتَهَا طَيِّبَةٌ، وَأَرْضَهَا وَاسِعَةٌ "Order your Ummah to increase the plants of Paradise, for its soil is pure and its land is vast."
Our Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, وَمَا غِرَاسُ الْجَنَّةِ؟ "What are the plants of Paradise?"
Prophet Ibrahim عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام replied, "Reciting لَاحَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّۃَ اِلاَّبِاللہِ.”[3]
What is the treasure of Paradise?
Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, the son of Sayyidunā SaꜤd b. Abī Waqqāṣ رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ relates, “Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said to me, أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَةً عَلَّمَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‘Shall I not teach you a phrase that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم taught me?’
I replied, ‘Yes, certainly, dear Uncle.’
Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, ‘When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم visited my home, he said, أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ يَا أَبَا أَيُّوبَ كَلِمَةً مِنْ كَنْزِ الْجَنَّةِ “O Abū Ayyūb, shall I not teach you a phrase which is from the treasures of paradise?”
I replied, ‘Of course O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! May my parents be ransomed for you.’
So, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Recite لَاحَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّۃَ اِلاَّبِاللہِ in abundance.’”[4]
What is beneficial to recite?
Sayyidunā Qabīṣah b. Mukhāriq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states, “I once visited the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and he asked me, يَا قَبِيصَةُ مَا جَاءَ بِكَ 'O Qabīṣah, what has brought you here?'
I said, كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَرَقَّ عَظْمِي فَأَتَيْتُكَ لِتُعَلِّمَنِي مَا يَنْفَعُنِي اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهِ 'I have reached old age, and my bones have weakened. I have come to you so that you may teach me something that Allah Almighty may benefit me with.'
The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, يَا قَبِيصَةُ مَا مَرَرْتَ بِحَجَرٍ وَلَا شَجَرٍ وَلَا مَدَرٍ إِلَّا اسْتَغْفَرَ لَكَ 'O Qabīṣah, you did not pass by any stone or a tree or soil except that they sought forgiveness for you.’
The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then said, ‘O Qabīṣah, when you offer the Fajr prayer, recite سُبحٰنَ اللہِ العَظِیمِ وَبِحَمدِہ three times; you will be saved from blindness, leprosy, and paralysis, and O Qabīṣah, recite the following supplication اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِمَّا عِنْدَكَ وَأَفِضْ عَلَيَّ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ وَانْشُرْ عَلَيَّ رَحْمَتَكَ وَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيَّ مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ O Allah! I ask You for that which is with You, bestow upon me Your grace, spread Your mercy over me and bestow Your blessings upon me.’”[5]
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