Engagment, Dought & clear, - * Marriage proposal from one who smokes and drinks, and doesn’t pray regularly

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A young man proposed marriage to me after I passed the age of thirty. He smokes and drinks, and neglects prayer, but he honours his mother, treats people well and works hard.
My brothers agreed to him, but I feel that they are fed up because I am still with them and am not married.
Can I agree to marry him and try to change him for the better? Please tell me what I should do?.
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Praise be to Allaah.
Our answer to you will consist of three messages in which there is advice: to them (your brothers), to the suitor and to you. This is how we will answer your question.
Firstly:
A message to your brothers:
1 – Allaah has commanded you to look for that which is in the best interests of your sister in both religious and worldly terms, which includes choosing a good husband who is suitable for your sister, and not preventing her from marrying one who is suitable. You know that marriage cannot be done without a wali (guardian), and that one of the most important duties of the wali is to look for a good husband and make a good choice, even if that means the guardian offering his sister or daughter in marriage to righteous people. Marrying your sister to one who is not suitable or preventing a suitable man from proposing marriage to her is a betrayal of the trust with which Islam has entrusted you.
2 – You should note that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told you of the qualities to be found in the man who is suitable for your sister, which may be summed up in two characteristics: religious commitment and good character. These two characteristics, in sha Allaah, will guarantee good and happiness for your sister and her children. The one who is religiously committed will take care of her rights and he will do what Allaah has commanded him to do towards her and her children. He will encourage her to do good and obey Allaah, and will warn her against evil and sin.
His good character will prevent him from mistreating her, and will make him continue to treat her well; if he dislikes one characteristic in her, he will be pleased with another, so he will be patient in putting up with any crookedness in her nature which Allaah has created in her, and if he wants to leave her he will do so in a kind manner and will give her her rights.
3 – You should note that it is not permissible for you to marry her to a kaafir, and it is not good for an evildoer to marry your sister. Marriage to a kaafir means that the marriage is invalid, and marriage to an evildoer is a betrayal of the trust and a failure to protect her.
The one who does not pray is not a Muslim. The fact that he is a kaafir is mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and that was the consensus of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). The one who prays but neglects prayer in congregation is an evildoer (faasiq). The one who smokes is also an evildoer, as is the one who drinks alcohol, which is the mother of all evils. Such a man should not be married and he cannot be trusted to take care of his wife and protect her honour, and he cannot be trusted to take care of his children.
Allaah has made you the guardians in charge of arranging your sister’s marriage, and He has enjoined upon you to fulfil the trust and be sincere towards her in the best of ways. This means that you should find out how religiously committed the one who proposes marriage to your sister is, and how good his character is. If you find that he does not pray, then do not give your sister in marriage to him, because by not praying he is a kaafir. But you must advise him. If he is careless about praying on time or he does not pray in congregation, or he drinks alcohol, then do not give your sister in marriage to him either, because the trust requires you to marry her to one whose religious commitment and character are good.
4 –Fear Allaah with regard to your sister, and do not mistreat her. Do not be upset by the delay in her getting married or her remaining single. She is putting up with worries which we do not think that you men could bear. Instead of that you should try to support her and help her to be patient, and you should keep her good company, until she is blessed with a righteous husband and good children who will give her good company.
Secondly:
Our message to the suitor:
1 – Remember that Allaah, may He be exalted, has judged the one who does not pray to be a kaafir. The same is mentioned in the Sunnah, and the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were unanimously agreed upon that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But if they repent [by rejecting Shirk (polytheism) and accept Islamic Monotheism], perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) and give Zakaah, then they are your brethren in religion”
[al-Tawbah 9:11]
It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving up prayer.” Narrated by Muslim (82).
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Shaqeeq said: The companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not think that failing to do any deed counted as kufr, except prayer. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2622). If you are not praying, then you must repent from this deed and you have to go back to praying regularly, as Allaah has enjoined you, at the proper times fulfilling the conditions of prayer and doing all the obligatory parts of prayer.
2 – You should note that neglecting the prayer until the time for it is over is one of the deeds for which Allaah has warned of punishment. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As‑Salaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell”
[Maryam 19:59]
“Those who delay their Salaah (prayer from their stated fixed times)”
[al-Maa’oon 107:5]
3 – As for alcohol, how evil it is. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al‑Ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to false gods) and Al‑Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful”
[al-Maa’idah 5:90]
And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant is khamr and every intoxicant is haraam. Whoever drinks khamr in this world and dies when he is addicted to it and has not repented, will not drink it in the Hereafter.” Agreed upon.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant is haraam. Allaah has made a covenant that whoever drinks intoxicants, He will give him to drink of the mud of al-khabaal.” They said: O Messenger of Allaah, what is the mud of al-khabaal? He said: “The sweat of the people of Hell, or the juice of the people of Hell.” Narrated by Muslim (2002).
And he said: “Khamr is the mother of all evils. Whoever drinks it, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days, and if he dies with that in his stomach he will have died a death of Jaahiliyyah.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani, classed as hasan by al-Albaani.
4 – You should note that smoking is haraam, and it destroys wealth and the body. Allaah will ask you about your wealth and on what you spent it. If smoking is the cause of your death then you will come under the ruling on one who committed suicide, which is a major sin.
5 – We appreciate your honouring your parents, especially your mother. We also appreciate your good treatment of other people and your attention to your work. But you must note that your not praying or your shortcomings with regard to prayer, and the fact that you smoke, mean that the guardians must refuse to marry you to their sister, and the woman must refuse to accept you as a husband. We hope that you will review your deeds and make all of them good and righteous, then you will deserve to be the husband of a righteous woman, and you and she can build a righteous household based on the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and form a good and blessed family.
Thirdly:
Our message to you:
1 – We advise you to be patient and adhere steadfastly to the truth, and we do not advise you to compromise on the issue of religious commitment and good character in those who propose to you, even if you remain unmarried for a long time. Women are weak by nature, and a woman may marry a man who commits sins with the aim of guiding him, but many women have failed in that. So do not follow this path which many have followed before you, without succeeding. It is said that a woman follows the way of her husband.
2 – If your brothers want to insist on your marrying this suitor, then they must understand why you are refusing to marry him, and they should tell him frankly about that, and take a promise from him that he will adhere to the laws of Allaah. That may be done with the knowledge of his family, so as to ensure his seriousness about keeping his promise. There should be a lapse of time to prove whether he is actually keeping his promise, before the marriage contract is completed.
3 – If we exclude his not praying, the other sins that he is committing do not affect the validity of the marriage contract, but we advise you to do that which is best. If you choose to marry him in spite of all the problems he has, with the hope that he will be guided, that is up to you. Rather we say this so that you will not think that marrying him – in the latter case – is haraam, although we prefer for you to be patient and make du’aa’, so that Allaah will give you a way out and send you a husband who is better than him.
4 – You should note that married life with one who is religiously committed and of good character is a happy life in which a woman can establish her household in accordance with Qur’aan and Sunnah, and develop herself and raise her children in accordance with that which our Lord loves and is pleased with. But a life with one who commits sin will bring worries and distress and a focus on worldly matters, and a failure to attain the pinnacle of good morals. Sin drags a person to further sin, until his heart becomes blackened and he does not acknowledge anything good or condemn anything bad. The one who is of good character and religiously committed may occasionally do something bad, just as the one who commits sin may occasionally do something good, but marriage, partnership, love and brotherhood can only be based on that which is present and established, not that which is hoped for or impossible.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The most important characteristics for which a woman should choose a suitor are good character and religious commitment. Wealth and good lineage are secondary matters. The most important thing is that the suitor should be religiously committed and of good character, because the woman will not lose anything with a husband who is religiously committed and of good character. If he keeps her, he will keep her on reasonable terms and if he divorces her he will release her with kindness. Moreover the one who is religiously committed and of good character will be a blessing for her and her children, and she will learn good attitudes and religion from him. But if he is not like that, then she should keep away from him, especially some of those who are negligent about performing prayers or who are known to drink alcohol – Allaah forbid. As for those who do not pray at all, they are kuffaar and it is not permissible for them to marry believing women, and they are not permissible for (believing women) either. What matters is that the believing woman should focus on good character and religious commitment. As for good lineage, if that is present too, then it is better, because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If there comes to you one with whose religious commitment and character you are pleased, then give (your daughter or female relative under your care) in marriage to him.” But if they are socially compatible, that is better.
Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah(2/702)
And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If the suitor does not pray in congregation, then he is a faasiq (evildoer) who is disobeying Allaah and His Messenger, and is going against the consensus of the Muslims, which is that praying in congregation is one of the best acts of worship. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inMajmoo’ al-Fataawa(23/222): The scholars are unanimously agreed that it – i.e., praying in congregation – is one of the most emphasized acts of worship, best acts of obedience, and greatest symbols of Islam. End quote.
But this evil deed does not put him beyond the pale of Islam, so it is permissible for him to marry a Muslim woman, but someone else who adheres more strictly to the religion and good attitudes is better than him, even if he is less wealthy and of an inferior lineage, based on what is said in the hadeeth: “If there comes to you one with whose religious commitment and character you are pleased, then give (your daughter or female relative under your care) in marriage to him.” They said: O Messenger of Allaah, even if he has some fault? He said: “If there comes to you one with whose religious commitment and character you are pleased, then give (your daughter or female relative under your care) in marriage to him,” three times. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi. And it is narrated inal-Saheehaynand elsewhere from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Women may be married for four things: their wealth, their lineage, their beauty and their religious commitment. Choose the one who is religiously-committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).”
These two ahaadeeth indicate that the first things that should be sought in both men and women are religious commitment and good character. What the guardian who fears Allaah and takes his responsibility seriously should do is to pay attention to the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he will be asked about that on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) the Day (Allaah) will call to them, and say: What answer gave you to the Messengers?”
[al-Qasas 28:65]
“Then surely, We shall question those (people) to whom it (the Book) was sent and verily, We shall question the Messengers.
7. Then surely, We shall narrate unto them (their whole story) with knowledge, and indeed We have not been absent”
[al-A’raaf 7:6-7]
But if the suitor does not pray at all, whether in congregation or alone, then he is a kaafir who is beyond the pale of Islam who must be asked to repent. If he repents and starts to pray, then Allaah will accept his repentance if it is sincerely for the sake of Allaah, otherwise he should be executed as a kaafir and apostate, and he should be buried somewhere other than the Muslim graveyard, without being washed or shrouded or having the funeral prayer offered for him. The evidence that he is a kaafir is to be found in the texts of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). – He quoted the evidence for the one who does not pray being a kaafir, then he said:
As it is clear from the texts of Qur’aan and Sunnah that the one who does not pray is a kaafir whose kufr puts him beyond the pale of Islam, it is not permissible for him to marry a Muslim woman, according to the texts and scholarly consensus. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And do not marry Al-Mushrikaat (idolatresses) till they believe (worship Allaah Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress), even though she pleases you”
[al-Baqarah 2:221]
“then if you ascertain that they are true believers send them not back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them”
[al-Mumtahanah 60:10]
The Muslims are unanimously agreed upon what is indicated by these two texts, that it is haraam for a Muslim woman to marry a kaafir. Based on that, if he gives a woman whose guardian he is, whether his daughter or anyone else, in marriage to a man who does not pray, the marriage is not valid and the woman does not become permissible to that man as the result of that marriage contract, because it is a contract which is not in accordance with the command of Allaah and His Messenger. It is narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected.”
So if a marriage is to be annulled because the husband gives up praying, unless he repents and comes back to Islam by praying, so what about marrying someone who is already known not to pray?
To sum up: with regard to this suitor who does not pray, if he does not pray in congregation then he is a faasiq (evildoer) whose evil deed does not make him a kaafir, and it is permissible to marry him in that case, but one who is religiously committed and of good character is better than him.
If he does not pray at all, either in congregation or alone, then he is a kaafir and apostate who is beyond the pale of Islam, and it is not permissible for him to marry a Muslim woman under any circumstances, unless he repents sincerely and starts to pray and adhere to the religion of Islam.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(12/question no 31).
Seek the help of Allaah with patience, prayer and du’aa’, and we ask Allaah to make you steadfast in obeying Him, and to bless you with a righteous husband and good offspring.
And Allaah knows best.

PUBLISHERM.NajimudeeN. MD,IRI

General Dought & clear, - * Could you tell me some of the deeds that the Messenger of Allah did during the Makkan period that indicate his confidence that he was indeed the Messenger of Allah?

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Referring to the main events of the Prophet’s career while he lived in Mecca between 610 and 622, show how his actions indicate his confidence that he was rasul Allah, messenger of God.
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Praise be to Allah
After the first verses of Soorat al-Muddaththir were revealed to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), instructing him to call people to Allah and convey the religion, from that moment he started to strive persistently, based on great faith and certainty, and his efforts to convey the message never faltered.
He began to go around to the polytheists, conveying to them the command of Allah and telling them that He alone was deserving of worship, to the exclusion of all others, and that he had been sent from Allah to revive what had been forgotten of the teachings of the Messengers before him, reciting to them the verses that had been revealed concerning that.
Allah, may He be exalted, said, instructing His Prophet in Soorat al-A‘raaf, which was revealed during the Makkan period (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)): ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah — to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He); It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) who believes in Allah and His Words, and follow him so that you may be guided”
[al-A‘raaf 7:158].
How could he not be certain of that, when it was Allah, may He be exalted, Who was instructing him to proclaim to all people that he was the Messenger of Allah to them?
And He says in Soorat al-Haaqqah, which was also revealed during the Makkan period (interpretation of the meaning):
“So I swear by whatsoever you see,
And by whatsoever you see not,
That this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger [i.e. Jibril (Gabriel) or Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which he has brought from Allah].
It is not the word of a poet, little is that you believe!
Nor is it the word of a soothsayer (or a foreteller), little is that you remember!
This is the Revelation sent down from the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”
[al-Haaqqah 69:38-43].
And there are many similar verses.
Anyone who any knowledge of the religion of Islam will know for certain that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not have any doubt that he was the Messenger of Allah. How could he have any doubt about that, when he was calling people to enter Islam by testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?
How could the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) not be confident of his Prophethood when he passed by his companions being tortured by the polytheists, until Sumayyah, the mother of ‘Ammaar ibn Yaasir, was killed, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them, “Patience, O family of Yaasir, for you are promised paradise”? Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inTakhreej Fiqh as-Seerah(p. 103).
How could he not be confident of his Prophethood during the Makkan period when he depicted the truthfulness of his Prophethood by saying: “Do you think that if I told you that there was a cavalry emerging from the foot of this mountain, would you believe me?” They said: We have never known you to be a liar. He said: “I am a warner to you of an imminent and severe punishment.” Abu Lahab said: May you perish! Did you call us together only for this? Then he stood up, and this soorah was revealed:“Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet) and perish he!” [al-Masad 111:1].
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1394) and Muslim (208).
How could he not be confident of his Prophethood, when he answered his uncle Abu Taalib, when he said to him, O son of my brother, your people have come to me saying such and such – describing what they said to him – so spare me and yourself, and do not put on me a burden greater than I can bear. The Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) thought that his uncle was going to forsake him and stop protecting him, and that he was no longer able to support him and stand by him. He replied: “O my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this cause, before Allah has made it victorious, or I perish therein, I would not abandon it.”
Narrated by Ibn Ishaaq inal-Maghaazi(1/154)
Al-Albaani said inas-Silsilah ad-Da‘eefah(2/311):
I found another chain of narration of the hadith with a hasan isnaad, but it says: “I am not more able to give that up for you than you are able to get me a firebrand from the sun.” I have narrated it inal-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, no. 92. End quote.
How could he not be confident of his Prophethood, when he was speaking of his ascent to heaven, his meeting with the Prophets, his coming close to the Lord of Glory, and what He enjoined upon him of the prayers, and the other details in the story of the Isra’ and Mi‘raaj (Night Journey and Ascent to Heaven)? Would he tell of all of that when he was still uncertain about his Prophethood and that Allah had sent him?
How could he not be confident of his Prophethood, when he was reciting to the polytheists verses that spoke of his Prophethood and refuted their doubts concerning it, when they stubbornly refused to believe that he, of all of them, would be the Messenger of Allah?
“And they say: ‘Why does this Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) eat food, and walk about in the markets (as we). Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him?
‘Or (why) has not a treasure been granted to him, or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat?’ And the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers) say: ‘You follow none but a man bewitched.’
See how they coin similitudes for you, so they have gone astray, and they cannot find a (Right) Path”
[al-Furqaan 25:7-9].
How could he not be confident of his Prophethood, when he was refusing to compromise with the polytheists and rejecting what they offered to him of kingship, power, wealth, status and everything that if it were offered to someone who was not confident, he would accept it?
Quraysh sent ‘Utbah ibn Rabee‘ah, who said to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): O son of my brother, you are, as you know, of noble descent and you have brought your people a grievous matter because of which you have divided their community. Listen to me; I shall give you some options, so that you may choose one of them. If you want wealth, we will collect money from our wealth so that you may be the wealthiest of us. If you want honour, we will make you our leader, and we will not decide any matter without you. If you want sovereignty, we will make you our king. If what comes to you is something caused by the jinn, and you think that you cannot rid yourself of it, then ask us for medicine, and we will spend our wealth on it until you are healed.
When he had finished speaking, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited to him the beginning of Soorat Fussilat, up to the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“But if they turn away, then say (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)): ‘I have warned you of a Saa‘iqah (a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunderbolt) like the Saa‘iqah which overtook ‘Aad and Thamood (people)”
[Fussilat 41:13].
Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in hisMusannaf(36560); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh as-Seerah(p. 159).
After all of this, could he have had any doubts about his ownProphethood and the fact that Allah had indeed sent him?
But they kept trying to make deals with him and trying to offer him compromises, in the hope that he would respond in kind and compromise with them, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with them, so they (too) would compromise with you”
[al-Qalam 68:9].
But no, that never happened.
They even said to him: Worship our gods for one year, and we will worship your God for one year. Then Allah, may He be exalted, revealed soorat al-Kaafiroon (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to these Mushrikoon and Kaafiroon): ‘O Al-Kaafiroon (disbelievers in Allah, in His Oneness, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Resurrection, and in Al-Qadar)!
‘I worship not that which you worship,
Nor will you worship that which I worship.
‘And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping.
‘Nor will you worship that which I worship.
‘To you be your religion, and to me my religion (Islamic Monotheism)’”
[al-Kaafiroon 109:1-6].
That put an end to this ridiculous attempt at compromise. If we were to quote all the signs of his confidence in his Prophet hood, we would not have enough room.
And Allah knows best.

PUBLISHERM.NajimudeeN. MD,IRI

Da'eef (weak) hadeeths, Dought & clear, - * The du’aa’ which saved the Sahaabi from the thief, in which are the words “Yaa Wadood, yaa Dhaa’l-‘arsh il’majeed (O Most Loving, O Owner of the majestic Throne)”

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I would like to find out the status of these ahaadeeth, because I received this message via e-mail and I do not know how sound it is:
Read it three times and Allaah will answer, in sha Allaah.
“O Most Loving, O Most Loving, O Owner of the majestic Throne, O Initiator, O Returner, O You Who do whatever You will, I ask You by the Light of Your Countenance which fills the pillars of Your Throne, and I ask You by Your Power by which You control all of Your creation, and I ask You by Your mercy which encompasses all things, there is no god but You, O Helper help me” – three times.
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Praise be to Allaah.
The du’aa’ mentioned was narrated in a hadeeth which tells a story that is well known and widely circulated in chat rooms and forums, and perhaps it is appropriate to quote it so that we may explain about it.
It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: There was one of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one of the Ansaar, who was known by the kunyah of Abu Mu’allaq. He was a merchant who did trade with his own wealth and on behalf of others, and he used to travel all over, and he was a pious ascetic. He went out on one occasion and was met by an armed thief who said to him: Give me what you have, for I will kill you. He said: You do not need my blood, all you want is the wealth. He said: As for the wealth, it is mine; all I want is your blood. He said: If you insist, then let me pray four rak’ahs. He said: Pray as much as you want. So he did wudoo’, then he prayed four rak’ahs, and among the words that he said in du’aa’ in the last prostration were: “O Most Loving, O Most Loving, O Owner of the majestic Throne, O Initiator, O Returner, O You Who do whatever You will, I ask You by the Light of Your Countenance which fills the pillars of Your Throne, and I ask You by Your Power by which You control all of Your creation, and I ask You by Your mercy which encompasses all things, there is no god but You, O Helper help me” – three times.
He said this du’aa’ three times, then he saw a horseman who was holding a spear between the ears of his horse, and when the thief saw him, he turned to him and stabbed him and killed him, then he turned to him and said: Get up. He said: Who are you, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you? Allaah has helped me by you today. He said: I am an angel from the fourth heaven. When you said your du’aa’ the first time, I heard the gates of heaven tremble, then when you said your du’aa’ the second time I heard a noise from the people of heaven, then when you said your du’aa’ the third time it was said to me: The du’aa’ of one who is in distress, and I asked Allaah to let me kill him.
Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: So you should know that whoever does wudoo’ and prays four rak’ahs and recites this du’aa’, will receive an answer, whether he is in distress or not.
Narrated by Ibn Abi’l-Dunya inMajaabi al-Da’wah(64) andal-Hawaatif(24). It was also narrated via this isnaad by al-Laalkaa’i inSharh Usool al-I’tiqaad(5/166), in a chapter entitledSiyaaq ma ruwiya min karaamaat AbiMu’allaq(Reports of the miracles of Abu Mu’allaq). And it was narrated by Abu Moosa al-Madeeni – as stated by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar inal-Isaabah(7/379) in his biography of Abu Mu’allaq al-Ansaari, and he quoted it in full in his bookal-Wazaa’if. It was narrated from him by his student Ibn al-Atheer inAsad al-Ghaabah(6/295). All of them narrated it via al-Kalbi from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him).
But the report of al-Kalbi was unclear and the reports from him varied.
On one occasion he narrated it from al-Hasan from Anas – as in the report of Ibn Abi’l-Dunya.
On another occasion he narrated it from al-Hasan from Ubayy ibn Ka’b – as mentioned by Ibn Hajar inal-Isaabah, concerning the isnaad of Abu Moosa al-Madeeni.
On another occasion he narrated it from Abu Saalih from Anas – as in the report of Ibn al-Atheer from Abu Moosa al-Madeeni.
Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This isnaad is problematic, and the problem stems either from the unknown al-Kalbi or from someone further back in the isnaad than him. Al-Hasan – i.e., al-Basri – was mudallis and he used the word ‘an [meaning “from”], so the isnaad is weak.
It is strange that Abu Mu’allaq is mentioned as being one of the Sahaabah, but they did not mention anything to prove that he was such, apart from this fabricated text with this weak isnaad. Hence – and Allaah knows best – it was not narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr inal-Isti’aab. Al-Dhahabi said inal-Tajreed(2/204): He has an amazing hadeeth, but its isnaad includes al-Kalbi, who is not thiqah (trustworthy). It is narrated in Mujaaboo al-Da’wah, and you can see when you read it that he said concerning al-Kalbi: He is not thiqah (trustworthy). This indicates that no attention was paid to what he said in the isnaad, “he is not the author of the Tafseer”, because al-Kalbi who is the author of the Tafseer is known not to be trustworthy. It says inal-Mughni: They rejected him, and he was regarded as a liar by Sulaymaan al-Taymi, Zaa’idah, and Ibn Ma’een. He was also rejected by Ibn Qattaan and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.
It is also strange that this story was quoted by Ibn al-Qayyim at the beginning of his bookal-Jawaab al-Kaafi li man sa’ala ‘an al-Dawa’ al-Shaafifrom this report of Ibn Abi’l-Dunya, attributing it to al-Hasan without commenting on its isnaad!
Al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah(5737)
I say:
Al-Kalbi has a corroborating report from Maalik ibn Dinar. Al-Qushayri narrated a similar story inal-Risaalah al-Qushayriyyah(2/85, 86, chapter on Du’aa’) and said:
Abu’l-Husayn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bashraan in Baghdad told us: Abu ‘Amr ‘Uthmaan ibn Ahmad, who was known as Ibn al-Sammaak, told us: Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Rabbihi al-Hadrami told us: Bishr ibn ‘Abd al-Malik told us: Moosa ibn al-Hajjaaj told us: Maalik ibn Dinar said: al-Hasan told us, from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) … and he quoted the hadeeth.
But this corroborating report is not valid, because there are two problems with this isnaad:
-1-
Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Rabbihi al-Hadrami – I could find no biography for him.
-2-
Bishr ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, who narrated it from Moosa ibn al-Hajjaaj: I do not know him either. There were three men with this name whose biographies I found:
(i) Bishr ibn ‘Abd al-Malik al-Khuzaa’i, their freed slave from Mosul, who narrated from Ghassaan ibn al-Rabee’ and Muhammad ibn Sulayman Laween and a number of others. Al-Tabaraani narrated from him.
(ii) Bishr ibn ‘Abd al-Malik Abu Yazeed al-Kufi who settled in Basra. He narrated from ‘Awn ibn Moosa and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Ibraaheem al-Ansaari. Abu Haatim wrote from him in Basra and Abu Zur’ah narrated from him. He was asked about him and said he was a Shaykh.
Al-Jarh wa’l-Ta’deelby Ibn Abi Haatim (2/362).
(iii) Bishr ibn ‘Abd al-Malik al-‘Utbi, who narrated from Yahya ibn Sa’eed al-Ansaari. Abu Sa’eed al-Ashajj narrated from him.
Al-Thiqaatby Ibn Hibbaan (6/97).
As you can see, it seems that none of them are the one mentioned in the hadeeth.
But al-Haafiz Ibn Makoola mentioned inal-Ikmaal(5/101) a report narrated from Moosa ibn al-Hajjaaj under the name of Bishraan ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, and he said:
As for Bishraan, he is Bishraan ibn ‘Abd al-Malik, and I think he was Mawsili (from Mosul). He narrated hadeeth from Moosa ibn al-Hajjaaj ibn ‘Imraan al-Samarqandi in Baysaan from Maalik ibn Dinar.
End quote.
Perhaps this is the one who is referred to, and his name was shortened in the book of al-Qushayri to Bishr.
As for Ibn al-Sammaak, he is thiqah (trustworthy). His biography is inSiyarA’laam al-Nubala’by al-Dhahabi (17/312).
The same is true of Maalik ibn Dinar (d. 127 AH). His biography is inTahdheeb al-Tahdheeb(10/15).
To sum up:
The story and the du’aa’ are not saheeh (sound) in any way whatsoever, although there is nothing wrong with the phrases used in the du’aa’; rather the words are sound and good, as testified by the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. But that does not mean that the one who says this du’aa’ will necessarily be saved, or that we should believe that Allaah will help the one who says it. Such matters depend on the soundness of the isnaad going back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). As the isnaad in this case is not saheeh, we should not believe that. But if anyone wants to memorize these words and recite them in du’aa’, without regarding them as something that is prescribed in Islam, there is nothing wrong with that in sha Allaah.
And Allaah knows best.

PUBLISHERM.NajimudeeN. MD,IRI