THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 044 A PATTERN OF LIFE EMERGES by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem A Pattern of Life Emerges Only a few years prior to Islam, each tribe had governed itself. There had been little or no unity among the many tribes except for the occasional alliance that lay dormant until a situation arose. Now, Arabs from every quarter of Arabia began to flock to Medina bringing with them diversified approaches. To an unbeliever, the situation might well have spelled internal disaster however Allah, in His Mercy united them all with one heart and sent down the verses: " ... It is He who supported you with His victory and with believers, and brought their hearts together. If you had given away all the riches of the earth, you could not have so united them, but Allah has united them. He is Almighty, Wise.” Koran 8:62-63 And so it was that Muslims from a multitude of different backgrounds now settled in Medina and put aside their differences. They were united as one under Allah and His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), for Allah honored His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) by making obedience to His Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) the same as being obedient to Him. Each of the five obligatory daily prayers was offered in the Mosque and when Bilal called them to prayer, those able to attend made their way to join their brothers and sisters in the congregation. During the interval between the obligatory evening and night prayer the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) would encourage his Companions to offer voluntary prayers informing them that, if Allah willed, it would increase their rank in Paradise. He would also expound the meaning of the verses of the Holy Koran and speak of the many rewards of Paradise as well as the punishment of Hell. The Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) never spoke upon religious matters without either receiving instructions from Allah via the Angel Gabriel or having been shown them in a vision or being spiritually inspired. Allah swears: ‘By the star when it plunges, your companion is neither astray, neither errs, nor does he speak out of desire. Indeed it is not except a Revelation which is revealed, taught by one who is stern in power. 53:1-5 The sincere yearning of the Companions to come closer to their Lord was evident as they spent many hours during the night worshiping Allah. Allah makes mention of these Companions in the Koran saying: " ... whose sides forsake their couches as they supplicate to their Lord in fear and hope; who give in charity of that which We have given them. No soul knows what pleases the eye is in store for them as a recompense for what they used to do.” Koran 32:16-7 The Value of the Remembrance (Zikr) of Allah and His Prophet Allah said: “So remember Me. I will remember you. Give thanks to Me And do not be ungrateful towards Me.” Koran 2:152 He also said: “Allah, and His angels praise and venerate the Prophet. Believers, praise and venerate him and pronounce peace upon him in abundance.” Koran 33:56 One day the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) asked his Companions, “Is there anyone of you who has enough strength to do a thousand good deeds in a day?” The Companions asked how this was possible, to which our beloved Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) replied, ‘If you exalt Allah a hundred times, you will be recompensed with a thousand good deeds, or a thousand of your sins will be wiped away.” He also told them if they said, ‘Exalted is Allah, and to Him belongs all praise’, a date palm would be planted for the suppliant in Paradise. The Companions were so grateful and delighted with the news that they would often exceed the number, hoping for even greater rewards and forgiveness and the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) never discouraged them from doing so, rather it was the opposite, he would encourage them. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) taught his Companions that the example of one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not is like the difference between the living and the dead. The Companions were overjoyed when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told them that Allah said, “I am to My worshipper according to his good expectation of Me. I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his mind, I remember him in Mine, and if he remembers Me in company, I remember him in better company.” There were many poor people among the Companions who grieved at not being able to be charitable like their richer brethren. One day the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told his Companions, “Shall I tell you what your best and purest deed is with your King that will raise your rank to the highest. One which is better for you than spending gold and silver, and is even better for you than if you should be engaged with the enemy and cut off their necks, and they cut off yours?” The Companions anxiously replied, “Indeed, please tell us!” He replied, “It is the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.” The Prayer on the Prophet Such was the great love for the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) that his Companions were even more elated when he told them that every time they supplicated to Allah for praise and venerations upon him - even after Allah had taken him to Himself an angel would come to him in his rawdah (resting place) - and inform him of the supplication and that Allah, in His Mercy, increased the supplication tenfold. It is no wonder that no matter whether the Companions were engaged in their work, daily chores or family life that one would see and hear them continuously supplicating for blessings upon our beloved Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) and exalting Allah by remembering Him in His Precious Names. Salman and Abu Darda There were, however, some Companions who had become over zealous in their devotions and when it was brought to the attention of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he advocated moderation, for his manners were those established in the Holy Koran and he did not desire hardship for his followers. He recommended that the twenty-four hours of the day and night be ideally divided into three sections, a third for worship, a third for work and a third for the family. One day, Salman decided to visit his friend Abu Darda. Umm Abu Darda opened the door, and Salman could not help but notice her appearance was somewhat unkempt, so he inquired what the matter was, whereupon she told him Abu Darda had no desire in the world. Abu Darda heard the voice of his friend and came to greet him then prepared some food for Salman but told him to eat alone as he was offering a voluntary fast. Salman refused to eat and told him that he would not eat unless he ate with him. So, Abu Darda broke his voluntary fast and they ate together, later on that day he invited Salman to spend the night with him. During the middle of the night Abu Darda arose to offer some voluntary prayers but Salman told him to go back to sleep, so he went back to bed. Later, Abu Darda arose again and Salman told him yet again to go back to bed. Towards the latter part of the night, Salman awoke him and together they offered their voluntary prayers. After the conclusion of their prayers Salman reminded his friend that it is indeed true that one owes one's duty to his Lord, but, at the same time, the body has rights and as such he must fulfill those duties accordingly. The next morning the two friends went to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to relate the matter, whereupon the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) confirmed that Salman's moderate approach was the better and so Abu Darda adopted the Salman’s moderate approach. The Fast of Abdullah, Amr’s son Abdullah, Amr's son told a friend of his intention to fast every day and spend the night offering voluntary prayers in which he would recite the Koran in its entirety. When news of Abdullah's intent reached the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he sent for him and asked if the report he heard was correct, whereupon Abdullah confirmed it to be so. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was concerned for Abdullah and told him that his intention would prove too difficult. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) advised him to offer the voluntary fast just three days a month as the value of a good deed is tenfold, and by fasting just three days a month his fast would be equal to the fast of a lifetime. The Recommendation of the Prophet to Recite the Koran Once a Month & to Fast Three Days a Month Abdullah, Amr's son was a strong young man and told the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) he was capable of better than fasting just three days a month, so the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) suggested that he fast every third day instead. When Abdullah persisted with his intention, the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) advised him to fast alternate days and told him that this way of fasting was the same way in which Prophet David, peace be upon him, fasted and that his fast was the most fair and that there was no fast better than that. Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) did not order Abdullah to stop what he was doing, rather he gave him a recommend choice so he continued to fast every day and offer voluntary prayers, and recite the Koran during the night. When old age overtook Abdullah, he told his family and companions he wished he had taken the advice of the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) to fast three days during the month and complete the recitation of the Koran once during month. However, not wishing to abandon the word he had given to the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), he continued to fast until death overtook him, but would offer his complete recitation of the Koran over the course of the day and night. The Value of the Chapter "Al Ikhlas – The Oneness" Occasionally when the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) wished to tell his Companions about a certain subject, he would not force them to listen, rather, in humility he would ask if they would like to know something. On one such occasion he asked his Companions, "Would any among you find it burdensome to recite one third of the Koran during the night? By He in whose Hands is my life, the recitation of the chapter "Al Ikhlas – the Oneness" is equal to one third of the Koran." This short chapter is the essence of the Islamic belief and the simple unchanged and unchangeable message the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) brought: "Say: 'He is Allah, the One, the called upon. who does not beget, and was not begotten, and there is none equal to Him." Koran Chapter 112 Al Ikhlas – The Oneness Such was the degree of the Companions sincerity not only in belief but in action that they were like the stars shinning brightly in the dark night sky. Whenever the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) ordered them to stop doing something, they had no hesitation in abandoning it completely. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) would often tell his Companions of a voluntary deed which, through its doing, would benefit them in the Hereafter. The Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) also recommended that such deeds should be done for as long as his Companions were able rather than over taxing themself for he disliked imposing hardship upon his followers. A Pattern of Life Emerges 045 Back Cover Subtitles The Value of the Remembrance (Zikr) of Allah and His Prophet The Prayer on the Prophet Salman and Abu Darda The Fast of Amr The Recommendation of the Prophet to Recite the Koran Once a Month & to Fast Three Days a Month