Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Uwais Al-Qarny

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Uwais Al-Qarny, Allah be pleased with him, did not live to see the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, because he was caring for his elderly mother who was blind. Even though he did not see the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, he had so much love for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, that when news reached him in Yemen that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had lost his tooth in the Battle of Uhud, Uwais broke his tooth. But then he thought it might be another tooth. So he broke another tooth. Still he was not satisfied and so he broke all his teeth.

Yearning to see the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, he asked permission from his mother to go to Madina to see the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. His mother knew how much love her son had for the Prophet, Allah bless him peace, and gave him the permission. When Uwais arrived in Madina, he went directly to the Prophet's house. It was obvious to him that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not home, and Aisha, Allah be pleased with her, told him that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had gone to battle. As much as he wanted to wait for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to come back, he could not leave his mother for too long and sadly he returned to Yemen without seeing the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had advised ‘Umar ibn Al-Khatab and Ali ibn Abi Talib (Allah be pleased with them both) that if they meet Uwais then they should ask Uwais to ask Allah to forgive them and to make supplication for them.

'Umar b. Khattab reported:
I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Worthy amongst the successors would be a person who would be called Uwais. He would have his mother (living with him) and he would have (a small) sign of leprosy. Ask him to beg pardon for you (from Allah). [Muslim]

Usair b. Jabir reported:
A delegation from Kufa came to 'Umar and there was a person amongst them who jeered at Uwais. Thereupon Umar said: Is there amongst us one from Qaran? That person came and Umar said: Verily Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) has said: There would come to you a person from Yemen who would be called Uwais and he would leave none in Yemen (behind him) except his mother, and he would have the whiteness (due to leprosy) and he supplicated Allah and it was cured except for the size of a dinar or dirham. He who amongst you meets him should ask him to supplicate for forgiveness (from Allah) for you. [Muslim]
Usair b. Jabir reported:
When people from Yemen came to help (the Muslim army at the time of jihad) he asked them:

Is there amongst you Uwais b. 'Amir? (He continued finding him out) until he met Uwais.

He said: Are you Uwais b., Amir?

He said: Yes.

He said: Are you from the tribe of Qaran?

He said: Yes.

He 'Umar (again) said: Did you suffer from leprosy and then you were cured from it but for the space of a dirham?

He said: Yes.

He ('Umar) said: Is your mother (living)?

He said: Yes.

He ('Umar) said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: There would come to you Uwais b. Amir with the reinforcement from the people of Yemen. (He would be) from Qaran, (the branch) of Murid. He had been suffering from leprosy from which he was cured but for a spot of a dirham. His treatment with his mother would have been excellent. If he were to take an oath in the Name of Allah, He would honor that. And if it is possible for you, then do ask him to beg forgiveness for you (from your Lord).

So he (Uwais) begged forgiveness for him.

Umar said: Where do you intend to go?

He said: To Kufa.

He (Umar) said: Let me write a letter for you to its governor

Whereupon he (Uwais) said: I love to live amongst the poor people.

When it was the next year, a person from among the elite (of Kufa) performed Hajj and he met Umar. He asked him about Uwais.

He said: I left him in a state with meagre means of sustenance.

(Thereupon) Umar said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There would come to you Uwais b. 'Amir, of Qaran, a branch (of the tribe) of Murid, along with the reinforcement of the people of Yemen. He had been suffering from leprosy which would have been cured but for the space of a dirham. His treatment with his mother would have been very kind. If he would take an oath in the name of Allah (for something) He would honour it. Ask him to beg forgiveness for you (from Allah) in case it is possible for you.

So he came to Uwais and said: Beg forgiveness (from Allah) for me.

He (Uwais) said: You have just come from a sacred journey (Hajj); you, therefore, ask forgiveness for me.

He (the person who had performed Hajj) said: Ask forgiveness for me (from Allah).

He (Uwais again) said: You have just come from the sacred journey, so you ask forgiveness for me.

(Uwais further) said: Did you meet Umar?

He said: Yes.

He (Uwais) then begged forgiveness for him (from Allah).

So the people came to know about (the status of religious piety) of Uwais. He went away (from that place).

Usair said: His clothing consisted of a mantle, and whosoever saw him said: From where did Uwais get this mantle? [Muslim]

Narrated Abu Huraira:
A man came to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man said. "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man further said, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your father." [Bukhari]

Allah has not made anyone's right follow His right or the right of His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, except that of the parents, so He said:

وَاعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good,... [Qur'an An-Nisa 4:36]
May Allah increase our love for His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. May Allah help us be kind and dutiful to our parents and make our children kind and dutiful to their parents. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

No comments:

Post a Comment