9. PIOUS PEOPLE’S DU‘Ā (SUPPLICATION) IN THE QUR’ĀN (8)

9. PIOUS PEOPLE’S DU‘Ā (SUPPLICATION) IN THE QUR’ĀN (8)

The remaining pious people’s du’a (supplication) mentioned in the Qur’ān are in sūrat al-Mu’minūn (Q. 23:109), sūrat al-Furqān (Q. 25:65 and 74), and sūrat al-Taḥrīm (Q. 66:8).  We shall deal here the verses mentioned above as follows:

In the Hereafter Allah would rebuke the People of Hell for their disbelief and sins, because of which they were doomed to Hell. He would remind them of prophets sent to them but they did not believe in them. They would admit their mistakes and would ask Allah to send them back to this world, and promised that if they repeat the wrong-doing they would deserve punishment. But Allah would not accept their request. Instead, He would remind them how they used to make fun of His slaves who prayed for His forgiveness. (Q. 23: 104-110). Allah says:    

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْ عِبَادِي يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا

وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ (المؤمنون:109)

 Verily, there was a party of My slaves, who used to say:

 “Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us,

 for You are the Best of all who show mercy.” (Q. 23:109)

This is one of many supplications of pious people mentioned in the Qur’an. According to the Qur’an commentator Mujāhid, among these pious people were weak believers, such as Bilāl, Khabbāb, Ṣuhayb. But the disbelievers, such as Abū Jahl and his companions used to mock them for their belief. (Q. 23:110)

At the last part of the Qur’an sūrat al-Furqān (Q. 25) from verse 63 till 77 (the end of the chapter) Allah mentions in the Qur’an the attributes of pious people whom He calls عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ (“the servants of the Most Gracious” to indicate His graciousness to them). He also mentions their du’a, and the reward awaiting them in the Hereafter. As for the impious, Allah would punish them, unless they repent. This is another way to teach us how to be pious by following the examples of these people described by Allah in the Qur’an, as follows:

-         They walk on the earth with serenity, dignity and humility, not with arrogance or pride.

-          If ignorant people insult them, they forgive them, and if they respond they do it with good words.

-         They spend the night in worship of their Lord.

-         They pray to Allah to save them from Hellfire, as in the following verse:

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ

إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا. (الفرقان:65)

And those who say: “Our Lord! Avert from us

 the torment of Hell. Verily, its torment is ever an

 inseparable, permanent punishment.”(Q. 25:65).

This Hell is an evil abode to rest in.

-         When they spend, neither extravagant nor niggardly, but between the two extremes.

-         They do not invoke any other (god) along with Allah, a major sin

-         They do not kill except for just cause, a major sin

-         They do not commit illegal sexual intercourse, a major sin.

Whoever commits any of these major sins will be severely punished by Allah with double punishment and in disgrace on the Day of Resurrection. But if they repent with true repentance and do righteous deed, Allah will not only accept their repentance, but He will also change their sins into good deeds.[1]

-         They do not give false testimony.

Lying deliberately is also is among major sins. Abū Bakrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said three times: “Shall I tell you of the greatest of major sins?” They Said: “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Associating others in worship with Allah and disobeying one’s parents.” He was lying down, then he sat up and added: “Beware false speech, and bearing witness to falsehood.” He kept repeating it until they thought, would that he would stop. (Reported by Muslim).

-         If they pass by evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.

-         When they are reminded of Allah’s ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) they do not fall deaf and blind.

-          They pray to Allah, as mentioned in the Qur’an as follows:

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ

أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا (الفرقان:74)

And those who say: “Our Lord! Bestow on us from

 our wives and our offspring the comfort of  our eyes,

 and make us leaders of the pious.”(Q. 25: 74)

Allah will reward them with the highest place in Paradise because of their patience in doing what they did, where they will be greeted with words of welcome and honour. Peace will be theirs and they will be wished peace, and will settle in Paradise forever. To disbelievers Allah told the Prophet s.a.w. to tell them that Allah paid attention only to those who made invocation to Him and worship Him, but because they denied Him, they would be punished in Hell.

           Allah calls the believers to turn to Him with sincere repentance, that He may expiate their sins and admit them to Paradise under which rivers flow. That day Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run forward before them and in their right hands. They will say:

رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (التحريم:8)

 “Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not

 put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge

 over the Hell) safely] and grant us forgiveness.

 Verily, You are Able to do all things.” (Q. 66:8)

          In the Hereafter, while the believers are crossing the Ṣirāṭ (bridge over the Hell) Allah gives them light depending on their good deeds, whereas the hypocrites will have no light. The believers will ask Allah to keep the light for them until they finish crossing the Ṣirāṭ. The hypocrites, having no light will ask the believers to wait for them and to give them some light, but they will be told to return to the rear where the believers get light, then seek a light… (Q. 57:13)

The classical Qur’an commentator al-Qurṭubī mentions various interpretations of the term “sincere repentance” ((تَوْبَةً نَصُوحا, among which are as follows:

-         not repeating or returning to the same sin, like milk will not return to the teat (‘Umar, Ibn Mas‘ūd, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal)

-         hating the sin one has committed and asking forgiveness whenever it is mentioned (al-Ḥasan)

-         being remorse with heart, asking forgiveness with tongue, refraining from the sin, and being confident that the sin will not be repeated (al-Kalbī)

-         three conditions to be fulfilled for the acceptance of the repentance: worry that it would not be accepted, hope that it would be accepted, and continuation of obedience (Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr)

-         its signs are: lack of talking, lack of eating, and lack of sleeping (the Ṣūfī Dhū ‘l-Nūn)

-         forgetting the sin, and never mention it, as the person who repents sincerely will love Allah, and whoever loves Allah he will forget other than Him (the Ṣūfī al-Junayd)

Besides pious people, angels who carry the ‘Arsh also pray for the believers besides glorifying Allah. Allah aid:

الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ

وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ

 لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ . رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّاتِ

 عَدْنٍ الَّتِي وَعَدْتَهُمْ وَمَنْ صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ

 الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ .وَقِهِمُ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَمَنْ تَقِ السَّيِّئَاتِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ

رَحِمْتَهُ وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (غافر:7-9)

Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those

 around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him,

 and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of

 Allah) (saying): “Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy

 and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your

 Way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!

Our Lord! And make them enter the ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise

 (everlasting Gardens) which You have promised them—and

 to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their

offspring! Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

 And save them from (the punishment for what they

 did of) the sins, and whomsoever You save from

 (the punishment for what he did of) the sins (i.e.

pardon him) that Day, him verily, You have

 taken into mercy.” And that is the

 supreme success.(Q. 40:7-9)

           The angles who are close to Allah and who bear His Throne, glorify Him, believe in Him, submit themselves to Him and ask forgiveness for the believers on the earth who repent, save them from Hellfire, save them from the sins, and make them enter Heaven which He has promised them together with their righteous parents, spouses, and offspring.

          Allah said that the angels continuously glorify Allah without being tired. He said:

وَلَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ

وَلَا يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ. يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ (الأنبياء:19-20)

To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth.
And those who are near Him (i.e., the angles) are not too

 proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship).

 They (i.e., the angles) glorify His Praises night and day

 (and) they never slacken (to do so) (Q. 21:19-20)

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās r.a. asked Ka‘b al-Aḥbār the meaning of the above verses, namely, how do the angels glorify Allah continuously night and day without becoming weary and exhausted.  

 “Is the blinking of your eyes a burden to you? Is your breathing a burden to you?” asked Ka‘b al-Aḥbār.

 “No,” answer Ibn ‘Abbas.

“So are the angels, they are inspired by Allah to glorify Him, just like you are inspired by instinct to blink your eyes and to breathe,” said Ka‘b al-Aḥbār.

In a tradition narrated by Jābir r.a. that he heard the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “The people of Paradise eat and drink, but they do not spit, not urinate, not defecate, and not blow their noses.” They asked: “What about food?” He answered: “Belching (i.e. sending out gas from the stomach noisily through the mouth), perspiring like the secretion of musk, and they are inspired to glorify and praise Allah like they are inspired by instinct to breathe.” (Reported by Muslim)

We see that many du’as we used to recite are derived from the Qur’an. By doing it we shall have double merits: making du’a and at the same time we recite the verses of the Qur’an which gives tenfold reward.

                                                (Civic, 13 March, 2015(

المراجع:

المكتبة الشاملة

تفسير الطبري (ت. 310 هـ)

تفسير القرطبى (ت. 671 هـ)

تفسير ابن كثير (ت. 774 هـ)

 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’ān. Kuala Lumpur: Percetakan Zafar Sdn Bhd, 2005 

Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus, 1984

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[1] Ibn ‘Abbās r.a. narrated that some pagans committed murders in great number and committed illegal sexual intercourse excessively came to the Prophet s.a.w. asking him whether they could make an expiation for their past evil deeds. Then revelation came to accept their repentance if they repent as mentioned above. Allah also revealed: قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ (الزمر:53)   “Say: O My salves who have transgressed  against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not in the Mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Q. 39:53)