Salaah Comes First

‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) was a very pious man. He was from the descendants of the great Sahaabi, Sayyiduna ‘Umar bin Khattaab (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).

When ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) was young, he was living in Egypt. However, his father wanted to send him to the blessed city of Madeenah Munawwarah so that he could study and learn under the great ‘Ulama of Madeenah Munawwarah. When sending him to Madeenah Munawwarah, his father was worried about who would look after his son and make sure that he was learning the right things and becoming pious. So, his father asked a pious man in Madeenah Munawwarah, whose name was Saalih bin Kaysaan (rahimahullah), to check on his son and look after him.

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Better than Hajj

‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) was a very great ‘Aalim and a very pious man. He lived long ago, just after the time of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). 

‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) would make lots and lots of hajj. When he would go for hajj, he would take many other people with him. Many of these people were poor and did not have money for hajj, so he used to take them and pay for them.

Once, when he was going for hajj, there was a person with him who had a bird. However, the bird died during the journey. Since this bird was not slaughtered, it was haraam to eat, so they threw it away and left it at a dump.

Thereafter, before they left that place, ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) saw a young girl come to the dump, pick up the dead bird and take it away to her home. When ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) saw this, he became very worried, because he did not want the girl to eat haraam. He told his servant to go to the girl’s home and knock on the door.

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The Iron Wall

Imaam Muhammad bin Seereen (rahimahullah) was a student of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). He was a very pious man and was a very great ‘Aalim of Deen.

Once, he was travelling with a group of people when they came to a river. As they came to the river, they decided that it was a nice place to make their camp and spend the night. However, as they were setting up their tents and getting their camp ready, some people came to them and said, “Don’t make your camp here! You should rather go further on and make your camp somewhere else! The reason why we are saying this is that all the people who stop here and camp here end up getting robbed!”

As soon as the people heard that, they packed up their tents and left, as they were all afraid of being robbed. However, Imaam Muhammad bin Seereen (rahimahullah) decided to stay where he was. He was not afraid of being robbed or harmed in any way because he was going to read some verses of the Quraan Majeed which would bring the special protection of Allah Ta‘ala.

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Allah is Watching

One day, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) went to an area outside Madeenah Munawwarah with some of his friends. When they arrived there, they spread a dastarkhaan (eating cloth) on the floor, sat and began to eat.

While they were eating, a shepherd, who was looking after a flock of goats, happened to pass by and made salaam to them. Seeing him, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) invited him to join them saying, “Come, O shepherd, come, and eat with us!” However, the shepherd excused himself saying, “I am fasting.”

Hearing this, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) was surprised and said, “You are fasting on such a hot day, when hot winds are blowing, and you are a shepherd in the mountains, caring for goats?” The shepherd replied, “I am spending my time fasting so that Allah Ta‘ala will give me great rewards in Jannah.”

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Khaleelullah

Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) is the Prophet of Allah Ta‘ala who was known as “Khaleelullah”, which means the special friend of Allah Ta‘ala.

It was the habit of Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) that he would not like to eat alone. Rather, he would always try to bring people home as his guests to eat with him. On one occasion, Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) went out, looking for someone to bring home as his guest. However, he could not find anyone to be his guest and share his meal with him, so he returned home.

When Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) got back to his home, he found that a man had entered the house while he was not there and was standing inside. Nabi Ebrahim (‘alaihis salaam) asked him, “O servant of Allah! Why did you enter my home without permission?” The man replied, “The One who is the real owner of your home gave me permission to enter (in other words, I was given permission by Allah Ta‘ala).”

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