Part of Echo of the Pulpits
· Lesson 43 of 48
Echo of platforms | By Sheikh Khaled Al-Hamoudi | Sermon (40) | Love and loyalty
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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Echoes from the pulpit.
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Love and loyalty.
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A sermon by the honorable Sheikh,
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Khalid Ibn ‘Abdullah al-Humudi,
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may Allah preserve him.
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We place our trust in Allah.
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To Him we turn in repentance, and to Him is the final return.
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I bear witness that our master, our Prophet,
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and our beloved, Muhammad, is the servant of Allah
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and His Messenger.
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He is His chosen one and His intimate friend.
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He was harmed, yet he forgave.
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He was tested, yet he remained patient.
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He attained victory, yet he remained grateful.
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He established the proof,
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he clarified the clear path,
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and he guided the masses of the Ummah.
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Whoever follows his Sunnah is rightly guided,
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and whoever deviates from it goes astray and perishes.
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O you who have been guided by the Prophet Muhammad,
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follow the guidance of your Prophet in reverence.
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And when you hear his name mentioned in a gathering,
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“Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation.” (33:56)
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O Allah, send prayers, peace, and abundant blessings
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upon Your servant, Messenger, Prophet, and beloved, Muhammad,
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and upon his pure and immaculate family,
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and upon his noble and righteous Companions,
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and grant them abundant peace until the Day of Judgment.
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To proceed, O servants of Allah,
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I advise you and myself to fear Allah,
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for it is the commandment of Allah to us and to those before us.
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“Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. And We charged those who received the Scripture before you, and (We charge) you, that ye keep your duty toward Allah. And if ye disbelieve, lo! unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and Allah is ever Absolute, Owner of Praise.” (4:131)
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“Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. And We charged those who received the Scripture before you, and (We charge) you, that ye keep your duty toward Allah. And if ye disbelieve, lo! unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and Allah is ever Absolute, Owner of Praise.” (4:131)
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O Lord, O Lord,
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make us all among Your righteous servants,
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and among Your successful party.
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O Allah, answer our prayer.
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O community of believers,
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Allah, the Almighty, has mentioned the affection between spouses,
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for He, the Exalted, says:
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“And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmeets from yourselves that ye might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo! herein indeed are portents for folk who reflect.” (30:21)
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“And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmeets from yourselves that ye might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo! herein indeed are portents for folk who reflect.” (30:21)
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"Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought."
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Love, O servants of Allah, is not merely words
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repeated on the tongue;
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rather, it is actions and stances.
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It is also thinking well of those you love,
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it is seeking excuses for those you love,
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and it is being happy for the happiness of those you love.
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Therefore,
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love between spouses is considered one of the fundamental pillars
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for a successful marital life,
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from which tranquility, affection, and mercy are born.
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Love between spouses is not
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a luxurious outing the husband arranges,
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or buying an expensive gift,
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or perhaps preparing an "unforgettable night," as they say.
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While these things are special,
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they are sometimes difficult to achieve,
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and difficult to maintain due to the burden of affectation.
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Often, their impact is only temporary.
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Love can be expressed in the simplest of ways,
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yet at the same time, it can have a profound impact on the soul.
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Our example in this
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is our Prophet,
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our beloved,
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and our guide and leader, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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Therefore, O servants of Allah,
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today we will mention a beautiful, delicate, and flowing example.
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I will tell a wondrous story,
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containing benefits, unique points, and pearls of wisdom
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that deserve to be recounted.
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The chain of narration for most of the events in this story was authenticated
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by the Imam and hadith scholar al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him,
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in *al-Silsilah al-Sahihah*.
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Some, or many parts of it, were also mentioned by his son, Sham,
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and others among the scholars of the Seerah.
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So let us, O servants of Allah,
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move from this place
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to the honored city of Makkah.
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Abu al-‘As Ibn al-Rabi‘ went
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to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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before the Prophetic mission,
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and said, "I wish to marry Zaynab, your eldest daughter."
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said,
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"I must ask her permission."
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, entered upon his daughter
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and said to her,
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"Your cousin has come to me and mentioned your name;
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are you pleased with him as a husband?"
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She remained silent,
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and silence is consent and permission,
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as has been authenticated in *Sahih al-Bukhari*.
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Her silence was her consent.
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, went out,
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and Zaynab married Abu al-‘As Ibn al-Rabi‘.
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She bore him ‘Ali and Umamah.
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Then, a great conflict began between them.
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Abu al-‘As was traveling,
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and when he returned,
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his wife Zaynab said to him,
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"I have great news for you:
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my father has been sent as a Prophet,
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and I have accepted Islam."
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He said, "Why did you not tell me first?"
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She replied, "I would not lie about my father,
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and my father was never a liar;
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he is the Truthful, the Trustworthy.
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And I am not alone;
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my mother has accepted Islam, my sisters have accepted Islam,
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my cousin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib has accepted Islam,
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your cousin ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan has accepted Islam,
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and your friend Abu Bakr al-Siddiq has accepted Islam."
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He said, "As for me,
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I do not like for people to say I abandoned my people
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and disbelieved in my forefathers
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just to please my wife.
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Your father is not accused of anything,
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so will you not excuse me and appreciate my position?"
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She said, "Who would excuse you
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if I do not?
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But I am your wife,
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and I will support you in the truth
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until you are able to reach it."
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And she kept her word to him.
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Abu al-‘As remained in his disbelief.
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Then the migration (Hijrah) came,
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and Zaynab went
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to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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and said, "O Messenger of Allah,
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do you permit me to stay with my husband?"
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He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, permitted her,
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and she remained in Makkah
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until the Battle of Badr occurred.
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Abu al-‘As decided
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to go out to war
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in the ranks of the Quraysh army,
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heading out with the army
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to fight her father.
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Zaynab would weep and say,
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"O Allah, I fear a day
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whose sun rises
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and my children are orphaned,
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or I lose my father."
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Abu al-‘As Ibn al-Rabi‘ went out
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and participated in the Battle of Badr.
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The battle ended,
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and Abu al-‘As was taken prisoner.
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News reached Makkah,
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and Zaynab asked,
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"What did my father do?"
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It was said to her, "The Muslims were victorious."
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She prostrated in gratitude to Allah.
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Then she asked,
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"And what did my husband do?"
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They said, "He was taken prisoner."
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She said, "Then I will send a ransom for my husband."
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She did not have
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anything valuable
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to ransom her husband with,
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so she took off her mother’s necklace
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that used to adorn her chest,
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and sent the necklace
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with the brother of Abu al-‘As Ibn al-Rabi‘
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to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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was sitting, receiving the ransoms
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and releasing the prisoners.
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When he saw the necklace of Lady Khadijah,
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he asked,
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"Whose ransom is this?"
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They said, "This is the ransom of Abu al-‘As Ibn al-Rabi‘."
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The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, felt soft
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toward that,
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he felt a deep tenderness,
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and said, "This is the necklace of Khadijah."
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Then he stood up
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and said,
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"O people,
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this man,
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we have not found fault with him as a son-in-law.
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Would you release his prisoner?
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And would you agree
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to return her necklace to her?"
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They said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah."
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The Prophet gave him the necklace,
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then said to him,
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"Tell Zaynab
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not to disobey the Messenger of Allah.
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Zaynab,
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do not part with the necklace of Khadijah."
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Then he said to him, "O Abu al-‘As,
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Allah has commanded me
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to separate a Muslim woman from a disbeliever,
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so will you return my daughter to me?"
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He said, "Yes."
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Then Zaynab went out
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to meet Abu al-‘As at the gates of Makkah.
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When he saw her, he said to her,
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"I am leaving."
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She said, "To where?"
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He said, "It is not I who is leaving,
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But you must depart.
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You must depart to your father.
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She asked, "Why?"
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He replied, "To separate me from you."
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"So return to your father."
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She asked, "Would you be willing to embrace Islam and accompany me?"
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He said, "No."
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So she took her son and daughter,
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and then she went to Medina.
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Then the proposals began.
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Men came to propose to her for six years.
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She would refuse, hoping
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that her husband would return to her.
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After six years,
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Abu al-'As
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had set out with a caravan from Mecca to the Levant.
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While he was traveling,
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he encountered a group of the Companions,
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and he lost his caravan.
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So Abu al-'As fled to Medina,
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and he asked for the house of Zaynab.
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Then he knocked on her door.
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When she saw him, she asked,
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"Have you come as a Muslim, Abu al-'As?"
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He said, "No, I have come as a fugitive."
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She asked, "Would you be willing to embrace Islam?"
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He said, "No."
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She said, "Then do not fear."
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"Welcome, cousin."
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"Welcome, father of 'Ali and Umamah."
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After the Prophet, peace be upon him, had led
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the Muslims in the dawn prayer,
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a voice came from the back of the mosque:
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"I have granted protection to Abu al-'As ibn al-Rabi'."
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"I have granted protection to Abu al-'As ibn al-Rabi'."
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The Prophet, peace be upon him, said,
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"Did you hear what I heard?"
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They said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah."
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Zaynab said, "O Messenger of Allah,
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Abu al-'As is
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a relative,
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for he is my cousin,
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and he is close,
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for he is the father of my children.
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I have granted him protection, O Messenger of Allah."
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The Prophet, peace be upon him, stood up
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and said, "O people,
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this man—
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I have found no fault in him as a son-in-law."
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[He repeated,] "I have found no fault in him as a son-in-law."
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"And this man,
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he spoke to me and was truthful,
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and he promised me and fulfilled it.
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If you agree
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to return his wealth to him,
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and to let him return to his land,
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then that is more beloved to me.
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But if you refuse,
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then the matter is yours,
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and the right is yours,
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and I will not blame you for it."
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The people said,
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"Rather, we will give him his wealth, O Messenger of Allah."
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The Prophet, peace be upon him, said,
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"We have granted protection to whom you have granted protection, O Zaynab."
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Then he went to her
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and said to her, "O my daughter,
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honor his stay,
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for he is your cousin,
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and he is the father of your children.
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But do not let him approach you,
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for he is not lawful for you."
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She said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah."
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She said,
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and she entered,
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and she said to Abu al-'As,
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"O man,
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does our separation weigh lightly upon you?
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Would you be willing to embrace Islam and stay with us?"
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He said, "No."
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He took his wealth,
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and returned to Mecca.
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Upon his arrival in Mecca,
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he stood and said, "O people,
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here is your wealth.
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Does anyone have anything left [to claim]?"
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They said, "May you be rewarded with good."
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"You have fulfilled your trust in the best manner."
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He said, "As for me,
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I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,
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and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
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Then he entered Medina at dawn,
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and headed to the Prophet,
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peace be upon him,
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and said, "O Messenger of Allah,
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you granted me protection yesterday,
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and today I have come to you
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saying: I bear witness that there is no
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god but Allah,
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and that you are the Messenger of Allah."
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Then Abu al-'As ibn al-Rabi' said,
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"O Messenger of Allah,
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will you permit me
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to take Zaynab back as my wife?"
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The Prophet, peace be upon him, agreed,
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and he stood at Zaynab's door,
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and knocked on the door,
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and said, "O Zaynab,
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this cousin of yours
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has come to me today,
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asking my permission to take you back.
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Do you accept?"
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She agreed, and after a year
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from this event,
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Zaynab,
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may Allah be pleased with her, died.
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Abu al-'As wept for her
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bitterly.
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
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would comfort him
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and console him.
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Abu al-'As would say to him,
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"By Allah, O Messenger of Allah,
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I can no longer bear this world
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without Zaynab."
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And he died
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a year after her death,
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though it is said after four.
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May Allah be pleased with Zaynab
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and with Abu al-'As.
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They set the most wonderful examples
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of love and sincerity,
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and patience and sacrifice.
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And this is how it should be
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for spouses in their lives
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with one another: love and loyalty,
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and patience and sacrifice,
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so that homes may be happy.
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And among His signs:
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“And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmeets from yourselves that ye might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo! herein indeed are portents for folk who reflect.” (30:21)
14:23
[He created for you] spouses that you may find tranquility
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in them, and He placed between you
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affection and mercy.
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Indeed, in that are signs
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for a people who reflect.
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May Allah bless me and you,
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and benefit me and you
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with the verses and the Wise Reminder it contains.
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I say what you hear,
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and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you.
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So seek His forgiveness; how successful are those who seek forgiveness!
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Praise be to Allah,
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and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,
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and I bear witness that Muhammad
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is the Messenger of Allah,
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may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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To proceed, O servants of Allah,
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the sincere love and pure loyalty
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of the Messenger of Allah,
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peace be upon him,
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when he saw Khadijah's necklace,
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he was moved and remembered
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those beautiful days
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that he spent with her,
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may Allah be pleased with her.
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Then he consulted his Companions about it,
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and they returned it out of love
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and loyalty to the Messenger of Allah,
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peace be upon him.
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So Zaynab was raised upon this
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love and this loyalty,
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and she was loyal to her husband in the best manner,
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and she kept repeating to him
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the message of Islam,
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and she remained patient
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until Allah blessed him with Islam,
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and he embraced it.
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There is a lesson for us in this,
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O community of Muslims,
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that we learn loyalty
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from the most loyal of people, Muhammad,
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peace be upon him.
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That we be loyal
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to our wives,
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that we be patient with them,
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and if we see something we dislike,
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you have surely seen something you like.
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A believer should not despise [his wife];
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if he dislikes one of her traits,
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he is pleased with another.
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Thus the report is authentic
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from the Prophet, peace be upon him.
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Do not rush to divorce
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for the slightest problem.
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Be patient and persevere,
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and handle matters with wisdom,
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so that you may be happy and your children
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may be happy. The outcome of patience
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is praiseworthy, so be patient,
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O servants of Allah,
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do not forget virtue,
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and do not forget kindness.
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O servant of Allah,
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adorn your life with patience,
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and you shall find happiness in this world and the Hereafter.
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O Allah, make us happy through consciousness of You,
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and make us fear You
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as if we see You.
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O Allah, make us the happiest
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of Your creation through You,
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and the closest of Your servants
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to You.
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O Allah, grant us praise that fills the scales,
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and gratitude that increases us
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in goodness.
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And grant us sincere repentance that admits us [to Paradise],
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and health and well-being in our bodies.
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O Allah, bestow upon us from Your generosity,
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which has no limit,
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and make our supplications
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answered and never rejected.
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O Allah, suffice us against what concerns us.
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O Allah, suffice us against what concerns us.
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O Allah, suffice us against what concerns us,
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regarding the affairs of this world and the Hereafter,
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regarding the affairs of this world and the Hereafter.
17:16
Provide for us
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from Your vast bounty and provision,
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protect us with Your protection,
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and guard us with Your care.
17:24
O Allah, keep us within Your guarantee and Your safety.
17:26
Turn away from us
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the evil of every evil-doer,
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and the gaze of every envious eye.
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O Allah, turn away from us the evil of the wicked,
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the plotting of the immoral sorcerers,
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and the evil of the night and day visitors,
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except for a visitor who comes with good,
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O Most Merciful.
17:42
O Allah, heal our sick,
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grant well-being to those among us who are afflicted,
17:46
and have mercy on our deceased.
17:48
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands,
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and rectify our leaders and those in authority over us.
17:52
Grant victory to our soldiers at the borders,
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and grant victory to our oppressed brothers everywhere.
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Rectify the conditions of our Muslim brothers
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in every place.
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O Allah, we love You,
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so do not withhold Your bounty from us because of our sins.
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O Allah, we have called upon You in our distress,
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just as You commanded us,
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so answer us just as You promised us.
18:10
“Glorified be thy Lord, the Lord of Majesty, from that which they attribute (unto Him)” (37:180)
18:12
from what they describe,
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and peace be upon the messengers,
18:16
and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.