Let us reflect on the stories of the first man created. The story of him and the father of evil – Iblis. How both of them ended their stay in the blissful jannah because of their disobedience to Allah.
Adam alaihi salam and Hawa, both of them ate the forbidden fruit while Iblis refused to prostrate unto Adam upon being commanded by Allah.
What we need to look at are the reactions of them two so we may reap lessons from this major point of history of mankind.
Iblis
Surah Al Aaraf 7: 11-18
And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a human being); then We told the angels, “Prostrate yourselves to Adam”, and they prostrated themselves, except Iblîs (Satan), he refused to be of those who prostrated themselves. (11)
(Allâh) said: “What prevented you (O Iblîs) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?” Iblîs said: “I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.” (12)
(Allâh) said: “(O Iblîs) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced.” (13) (Iblîs) said: “Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).” (14)
(Allâh) said: “You are of those respited.” (15)
(Iblîs) said: “Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path (16)
Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).” (17)
(Allâh) said (to Iblîs) “Get out from this (Paradise) disgraced and expelled. Whoever of them (mankind) will follow you, then surely I will fill Hell with you all.” (18)
Adam alaihi salam
Al Aaraf 7: 19-25
“And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the Zâlimûn (unjust and wrong-doers).” (19)
Then Shaitân (Satan) whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before); he said: “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save that you should become angels or become of the immortals.” (20)
And he [Shaitân (Satan)] swore by Allâh to them both (saying): “Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both.” (21)
So he misled them with deception. Then when they tasted of the tree, that which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise (in order to cover their shame). And their Lord called out to them (saying): “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily, Shaitân (Satan) is an open enemy unto you?” (22) They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.” (23) (Allâh) said: “Get down, one of you is an enemy to the other [i.e. Adam, Hawwa (Eve), and Shaitân (Satan),]. On earth will be a dwelling-place for you and an enjoyment, – for a time.” (24)
He said: “Therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (i.e.resurrected).” (25)
A little bit of analysing
When shaytan was asked why did he not obey the command, he replied by saying that he is better than Adam because he is created from fire while Adam was created from clay. Where did he get the idea that fire is better than clay? He refused to admit his guilty but instead showed his arrogance and pride.
And when being informed of his punishment by Allah, he made du’a. Instead of making repentance he asked to have a respite so that he could make Adam and his sons (all of us) also disobey Allah.
When Adam was asked why did he disobeyed, they did not give any excuse but rather immediately admit their guilt, beg for forgiveness by Allah’s will and humbled themselves.
This teach us Insya Allah about du’a – what to do and what not.
Supplication must be directed to Allah alone.
Ghafir 40: 60
And your Lord said: “Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islâmic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islâmic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” (60)
Allah, Mighty and Glorious is He, has commanded us to supplicate to Him and has promised to respond to us when we do so.
Alhamdlillah, Allah with His boundless generosity and endless mercy. He has made the servant’s supplication as the fulfillment for his needs and then it is also rewarded as an act of worship.
Whereas for those who do not ask from Him or when he neglects asking Allah, Allah describes him as being arrogant!
Supplication is Worship
Prophet salllahu alaihi wasalm made it clear that supplication is a part of worshiping Allah,
Narrated by An Nu’man Ibn Basheer, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said,
Ad Du’a is worship. A Tirmidhee. hassan Saheeh.
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet sallallahu alahi wasalam said, “Whoever does not supplicate to Allah invokes His wrath.”
Anyone who does not supplicate to Allah or who supplicates to other than Allah, then that person has – according to the above mentioned hadith – scorned His worship.
When you supplicate to Allah, you will taste the spiritual sweetness of invoking Allah and you humble before him. To cry before Allah and to beg Him.
Lesson
1. Invoke only to Allah
2. When you invoke to Allah, he will respond
3. When you invoke to Allah you are rewarded.
4. making du’a is an act of worship.
5. Those who do not invoke to Allah, Allah is angry at him.
6. Those who do not invoke to Allah, they are arrogant.
Al Naml 27: 62
Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilâh (god) with Allâh? Little is that you remember!
And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright. Al Baqarah 2: 186
According to the ayat, any supplication that fulfills the correct requirements will, be answered by Allah.
In a hadith
Allah is Shy and Most Generous. He is Shy that when a man raises his hands to Him (in Du’aa), He does not allow him to put them empty in failure.” [Ahmad, Abu Dawood and At-Tirmidhee]
Abu Said al khudri related that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said, “No Muslims makes du’a to Allah, without being granted one of three things by Allah: it hastens the fulfillment of what he asked for, or it is saved up for him until the Day of Judgment; or it prevents some kind of trouble from happening to him – unless it was for something bad, or something that might break the family ties.
(At Tirmidhi)
Lessons
1. Allah stresses again that He responds to du’a.
2. Du’a to ask Allah to remove evil.
3. Allah is shy if His slave raise his hands and ask Him for something and He doesn’t give it to him. So make du’a often.
Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said,
Nothing drives back Al Qadaa ( a decree) except for supplication, and nothing increases a (person’s) lifespan except for al Birr – At Tirmidhee. This hadeeth is Hassan Ghareeb.
Lesson
1. Do not underestimate a du’a for it will remove evil and Allah knows best how He will respond to you by your du’a.
Reference
1. The purification of the soul – Compiled from the works of Ibn Rajab al Hanbali, Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya and Abu hamid al Ghazali.
2. Ad Daa’ wa ad Dawaa’ – Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah
3. the Book of Manners – Darussalam
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