THE RELATIONSHIP OF DUA AND TAQDEER: 13:38-40

courtesy: www.flickr.com/dua

Surah Ra’ad 13:            38

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَذُرِّيَّةً  وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأْتِيَ بِآيَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ  لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ كِتَابٌ

We did send apostles before thee, and appointed for them wives and children: and it was never the part of an apostle to bring a sign except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is a Book (revealed).

In french:

Et Nous avons certes envoyé avant toi des messagers, et leur avons donné des épouses et des descendants. Et il n’appartient pas à un Messager d’apporter un miracle, si ce n’est qu’avec la permission d’Allah. Chaque échéance a son terme prescrit.

39

يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ  وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ

Allah doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him is the Mother of the Book.

In French:

Allah efface ou confirme ce qu’Il veut en l’Ecriture primordiale est auprès de Lui.

40

وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِي نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ

Whether We shall show thee (within thy life-time) part of what we promised them or take to ourselves thy soul (before it is all accomplished),- thy duty is to make (the Message) reach them: it is our part to call them to account.

In French:

Que Nous te fassions voir une partie de ce dont Nous les menaçons, ou que Nous te fassions mourir (avant cela), ton devoir est seulement la communication du message, et le règlement de compte sera à Nous.

BACKGROUND: These ayahs have three main messages: Taqdeer, Dua, and the deliverance of the  Message of Tawheed with the understanding that all accountability is by Allah.

TAFSEER BY DR. FARHAT HASHMI

Allah Subhanawataala has the main book or the Mother of all books; The Luh Mahfooz He Subhanawataaala can change it or confirm it. E.g. He changed some of the rules for Rasoolallah’s Ummah compared to past rules brought by His messengers.

He can increase or decrease changes in His book (Luh Mahfooz) as He deems fit.

Which book is mentioned here? (ayah 39) Is this the Na’ama Aamaal or the Taqdeer? Because He has the mother of all Books. This give us the span of Allah’s power. He has rules for all times and All Ummahs.

Hadith:

Taqdeer is changed with dua.

In another hadith:

We know that the power is Dua is immense, the Dua may be rising and a calamity may be descending, thus if the dua is strong, then when it meets the rising Dua, there is a tussle for power of implementation, thus which ever is stronger, prevails. If  the Dua is strong, the calamity is turned around and if the Dua is weak or in adequately made then calamity prevails.

Allah Subhanawataala has the original book and he can make whatever changes he wants to. (Dua is asking Allah Subhanawataala to change one’s taqdeer and dua does affect taqdeer) .

Hadith:

Sila Rahmi increases life

Hadith:

Sins decrease our Rizq, we may be about to get something but we do disobedience and He turns His face away.

Everything is with Allah we need to ask Him by making Dua to change our Taqdeer.

Sadaqa is rad-e Bala, it pushes calamities away.

Thus Allah Subhanawataala’s message to Prophet Muhammad is:

If We (Allah Subhanawataala) show you (Prophet Muhammad pbuh) that azaab (Punishment) which we have promised the disbelievers inyour lifetime or do it after you die, in both case your (Prophet Muhammad pbuh) responsibility is to give the message and Ours (Allah Subhanawataala) is to check accountability.

ADVICE FOR A DAEE: DO NOT WAIT FOR TOMORROW!

Thus a Daee must continue her work, no matter what the results and whether the environment is advantageous or not, do not wait for times to become advantageous, just continue to give the message and leave the results to Allah Subhanawataala.

Allah Subhanawataala reiterates this message in Surah Ghashiya (88)

21

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ

Therefore do thou give admonition, for thou art one to admonish.

22

لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

Thou art not one to manage (men’s) affairs.

23

إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ

But if any turn away and reject Allah,-

24

فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ

Allah will punish him with a mighty Punishment.

End tafseer

My humble take on this:

Our Taqdeer is written in His book (Luh Mahfooz) but if he so wishes he can change it

How and why would Allah Subhanawataala change our taqdeer? Only if we make sincere Dua, which reflects the etiquette, respect and full protocol and adaab of Dua.

Calamities in this life can be warded off with Dua and Sadaqa

The disobedience of Allah causes Him to turn away from us. This may be reflected in the decrease in our Rizq in this dunya.

Allah’s Azaab (Punishment) is promised to those who deny the existence and Unity of God Almighty and He will and can show it at anytime.

The instructions to the Messenger (pbuh) and all those who come after him (Pbuh) is to give the Message of Allah to ……….go ahead and GIVE the message without waiting or hesitating even if they do not see an immediate effect, or if times are difficult or unfriendly.

Allah Subhanawataala Himself will do the accountability of the actions of each one of us after we received His message.

Supplication: Please keep me in your duas!!!

CHANGING YOUR TAQDEER WITH DUA DUA AND MORE DUA………13:42

Courtesy: www.amazon .com islam images

وَقَد مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبلِهِم فَلِلَّهِ ٱلمَكرُ جَمِيعًا‌ يَعلَمُ مَا تَكسِبُ كُلُّ نَفسٍ وَسَيَعلَمُ ٱلكُفَّـرُ لِمَن عُقبَى ٱلدَّارِ (٤٢)

Those before them did (also) devise plots; but in all things the master planning is Allah’s. He knoweth the doings of every soul: and soon will the Unbelievers know who gets home in the End. (42)

People of the past did trickery with their messengers, but Allah is the master planner.

Allah knows what each soul has earned, we are not aware of the details of what we have done and what weight do they carry. But Allah Subhnawaata’ala knows the details of each persons efforts. The kuffar will know who will have a good end.

DUA AND TAQDEER

Dua of the Sahaba:

The Sahaba used to worry about their taqdeer and did not know where they were going to end, but knew without a doubt of the power of Allah Subhanawataala and used to make this dua:

“O Allah if you have written our name in the losers then please erase it  from that list and place it in the people who are the winners in those with a happy end (Khush Kismet)) and if you have written our name in the winners then keep us steadfast worthy of our place on that list.”

Umar RA has been reported to cry while making this dua, in his tawaf around the Kaaba:

“O Allah, If you  have written loss (badbakht) and sin for me, then please  erase it because you can erase what you want and keep whatsoever you want. You have the Loh e Mahfooz , please change my badbakhti to saadat “

One should never give up hope in Allahs power.

Thus the message to us from Allah Subhanawataala is that every thing is with Allah so the basis of this is to submit to his power and oneness in our heart and with our actions all the time, this includes active tawheed as well as wijdani tawheed.

…..DUA FOR THE NEWLY WED

Fortification of the Muslim Through Remembrance and Supplication from
The Quran and Sunnah

In the name of Allah, The most Gracious, Most Merciful

Supplication said to the newlywed

May Allaah bless for you (your spouse) and bless you, and may He unite both of you in (Khair) goodness.

Ameen

SUPPLICATION

A person who is deprived from the tawfeeq of Dua (supplication) will be deprived from being given.

Be often in supplication and dua!

(Quote taken from the Retreat on Tazkiyah Nafs  08 by Sheikh Mokhtar Magroubi)

For My Dearest Daughter On Her Engagement………..

A dua for my daughter and her fiancee:

Asalaamoalaikum,

As you make the commitment to each other with Allah Subhanawata’ala as your witness, to abide by His guidelines for finding happiness with each other, I too want to join in and pray for both of you.

I ask Allah Subhanawataala to put mercy, love and respect in your hearts for each other and for all those who are around you.

I ask Allah (SWT) to surround you with friends with taqwa who always are by your side in difficulty and in happiness showering you with the duas of love, mercy and protection, and who always encourage you to see the brighter and “cooler” side of each other.
I ask Allah (SWT) to allow each of your parents to see you wedded and happy in the path you have chosen, to follow in the obedience of Allah (SWT). He is the final one to whom we are all obedient.

I ask Allah (SWT) for all the small and big comforts of daily living for you and for the grease of laughter to ease all the possible points of friction.

I ask Allah to grant you a place to live where your Deen would be cherished and where you would find encouragement and rest with fellow muslims who enhance your efforts and help you up when you stumble.

I ask Allah to shower His blessings, love and Rahma on you and to answer your prayers for this dunya and the Hereafter, whenever and wherever you ask Him (SWT).

I ask you to remember Him (SWT) every moment that you can, either in exaltation (SubhanAllah) or in gratefulness (Shukr Alhamdollillah).

May these words become the essence of your conversations with each other and may you knowingly and unknowingly thus shower His (SWT) blessings upon each other, on your home, your friends and patients.

Your Dad and I love you and are here for you on stand by whenever you
need us.

May Allah Subhanawata’ala bless your engagement. I am so happy for both of you. Please keep us in your prayers my dear Hajjan daughter and my new son in law to be inshallah!

Love and duas,
Mom

PLEASE KEEP ME AND MY FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS. JAZAAIK ALLAH HU KHAIRAN.

A SIMPLE DUA……ON GRADUATION

Dear N,
Asalaam-o-alaikum,

We always like to tell people younger than us what to do and how to do it. In the west the young people’s response to this is that they tell the elders to mind their own business, in the east they listen politely and do exactly what they want to do.

So why do we continually give them unsought advice? I guess the key word here is unsought.
Let me share a story I am thinking of when I was a third year medical student in Karachi in a five year medical degree program. I am remembering this as I sit in the audience watching you and your classmates graduate from Medical School:

I am at Khalaji’s; I have decided to stop by after a hot day at Dow Medical College in Karachi. Khalaji and I have had an altercation sometime back. I with the limited knowledge of a third year medical student have diagnosed that she is perhaps in heart failure. She refuses to go to the Doctor or to the hospital.

I coax her till she reluctantly agrees. I call the rickshaw, her daughter J and I squeeze in with her and we are off to see my Medicine Professor who is a perfect gentleman. He opens the door for her with a flourish, salaams her with great humility and respect and leaves us outside while he sees her in his academic consulting office.

She comes out smiling and shows me the little pills he has not only prescribed but has sent his peon to get them for her. The event is over but she is sullen and feels resentful of her illness and indirectly resentful of me, as I am the bearer of the news of her illness.
Many months have passed since this episode and she is well and back to her old energetic self. Her cardiac failure has resolved.

So today……..I am heading towards her house. I want to see her and J, eat pakoras with her, drink tea and shoot the breeze

I almost run up the steps to her house two at a time and find myself ringing the bell. J opens the door and as I step in, I hear Khalaji calling me. How did she know it is me?

I walk in to her room, taking off my white coat. She commands me to come close and holds my face in her hand and kisses my cheeks and hands with gusto and with a devastatingly affectionate smile.
She then holds my head in her hands and gives me this dua:

May you become the best, biggest (waddi) and most famous Doctor and may you travel all over the world teaching people medicine.

Her hazel eyes mist over as she kisses my forehead and lets me go.

I laugh and tell her the chances of my doing that are slim and proceed to the kitchen to watch the pakoras being made as I sample them and chat with J. All is soon forgotten.

Recently I counted the twenty-six countries that I have been to, more than half are countries where I was invited to speak, teach a course or give a research paper. I am humbled……………Khalajis dua floating in the Universe long after she is gone, carrying me to the far corners of the world, opening my eyes, my brain and…….my heart. Just one dua!

So N, I know you are a good son, a wonderful friend and inshallah a compassionate doctor. As you graduate today, I will not burden you with what I think you should do or become.

My dua for you simply is:

May you get your heart’s desire and may Allah beautify it for you.
Ameen.

May Allah reward you with Khair,
Affectionately yours,
Auntie A

THE BRIDGE

DEDICATION: This post is dedicated to all those who are struggling with grief, may Allah place a balm on their hearts and give them strength and istiqamat in their struggle to be sabir:

The early days after Tariq died are as clear to me as if it happened yesterday. I can remember going to an Islamic retreat in search of a panacea for my pain. I also remember the first few days when I did get out of bed and go to work and grappled with what life has dealt me:

I have been pushed forward to the edge of the cliff, blinded by tears and grief, I look down, the raging inferno of unfathomable pain extends in the pit below me. One more stumbling step and I will be hurtling down into its unknown depths. I pause.

I have been told that The Pul- e -Siraat is a slim bridge made of a tight rope stretched over the fire of Hell, that each one of us will have to walk on, to get to the other side wherein lie the gardens of Paradise (jannah). We will be surrounded by darkness, and each of our steps will be guided by light that we earned in this life. The light comes from reading Surah Kahf on Fridays, from our good actions and reading and implementing the Quran and Sunnah in our lives.Today when I look ahead I do not see the gardens of Jannah. I see the pit of fire and pain that I am about to step into, somehow I have to cross this pit of grief without falling into it irrevocably.

A relative stranger that I met at a retreat has sent me a book of duas. It is a book of duas for every possible event in your life. I open it and peruse the contents. Some of the duas are familiar that we are used to rattling off without much thought and some are unfamiliar. Someone has thrown me a rope that stretches across the pit of the fire of grief. It is my own personal bridge made of a tight rope to cross my own personal fiery pit of grief. I must accept it or remain in the fire continuously, or perish painfully.

The usual whisperings enter my thought processes. :” How can reading a few duas going to get you across this pit of fire?” and then Sheikh Magroubi saying about the morning adkaars “ fake it till you make it” I force myself to open the book.

It is fajr. I have never been a morning person, yet I have forced myself to awaken, long before fajr for a leisurely wudu and then readiness for fajr when the moment begins. I want to experience the change of the guard of the angels. I want the message to be taken up by the departing angels of the night as well as the incoming angels of the day. I need both the groups of the angels to take my messages up to Allah SWT, I need all His (SWT) attention every bit of it, for in front of me is the raging fire of grief, and behind me is the pitch darkness of “the event”. I need a bridge, and I don’t even know if I want the bridge or not, but I want to ask for His (SWT) help to relieve me of this never ending pain, when I have His (SWT) ear.

I have learnt that when I ask for help, Allah SWT sends help from strange and unusual quarters and I have to pay attention and accept that help as it is actually coming from Allah via my fellow human beings.

I open this book and start with the duas read in the morning, then I read the duas for “Huzn” or grief, then I read the ones on illnesses of the heart and I pause with surprise; it says that the remedy of ninety nine illnesses is in repeating “la howla wala quwata illa billa alayul azeem” and the least of those illnesses is grief.I am frozen in time, it is morning, sleep is still in my eyes and my father is reciting loudly and repeatedly in a sing song manner “la howla wa la………………..” Was he striken with Huzn or sadness, is that why he recited that in the mornings, was there a loss in his life that he was grieving for that he did not share with us, but turned to His Lord?

I continue to read, recite the Arabic dua and then the Urdu meaning, stopping for a few seconds in-between to let it sink into the atmosphere and me and for the angels to note it down.I keep on, steadily ignoring the whisperings of the Shaitan.Gradually I feel the balm of ease spreading on my heart…….., I see the daylight spreading from the east and with that I find I myself balanced on the bridge, a tight rope making my way across the pit of the fire of grief. I know that I must not look down, nor should I let go of the light of my dhikr for long.

I get dressed and get in the car to go to work, right next to mine is Tariq’s baby blue car sitting quietly draped in the soft cover awaiting its owner. I feel the heat of the fire of grief seething around me; I grab the tasbeeh hanging from my rearview mirror and repeat what my friend in South Africa had taught me:“ Atighfiruka wa atubu alaik, La takne tu mer Rahmatulllah” reversing the car out of the garage, tasbeeh in hand repeating the briefest of Astighfaars, and reminding myself never to be despondent of the mercy of Allah, till I finish the circle of a hundred.

Having done that, I feel stable, grief seeping out of my heart like pus being released by incision and drainage. Once again I am balanced, walking, one step at a time on the bridge……………..very carefully, keeping my head up and my rope of Dhikr held tight, continuously connected with Allah SWT.

Thus is life after Tariq, one step at a time…………….

A TRAVELERS PRAYER

It is the end of juma prayer and we are all leaving the masjid. Everyone to go home and I for a nine-hour road trip up north.
My friend turns to me and says “please make dua for my family and my daughter, a traveler’s prayer is always accepted”. I am dropped off at the car place where they are putting a new tire on my car, which has had an air leak.
I am on the road northbound. The first hour and half of my journey is uneventful, I fill the car with the beautiful qiraat of Mishary Al Afasy as he recites the last juz of the Quran, the road folds, and time passes uneventfully. I notice a light come on in the dash “you have a flat tire”. I pull up to the nearest gas station and look at the tires they seem okay. I go in for help and there is no one to help. An older man looks at the tires and reassures me that I can drive to the next town sixty miles away without difficulty.
I get back on I 95, and stop at the next gas station and there is no one to help. One of the women at the counter takes pity on me and sends a young man who checks the tires and confirms the air is a little bit low in all the tires. Low but not very low.
I am now on I-95, travelling north and the cape of night has fallen. It is pitch darkness with few trucks and cars on the road. I have almost forgotten that the flat tire light is still on.
I feel the car is slowing down, I am perplexed, and I give it gas. It makes no difference it is slowly stopping, the engine is running, and I just cannot accelerate. The shoulder is narrow and beside it is a grassy dip, I carefully come to a halt…………..
I make a fervent prayer from the depth of my heart “ O Allah please do not leave me here in the darkness miles from nowhere, please please please…………as I retrieve my car assistance card and call, the man at the other end is sympathetic but lets me know the wait for help is 90 minutes.
He asks me what happened. As I am explaining I am perplexed also, I say let me put it in gear and see if it will go…………..and to my astonishment the car begins to move as if nothing had ever happened. I am stunned and deeply thankful. I am reminded that:
Allah Subhana wa taala never turns away the prayer of:
A mother,
A traveler and
The Oppressed…………..

Thank you my friend for reminding me.

addendum: For the actual supplications for travellers:

check out Dont leave home without it: A travellers prayer