The Prophet’s Compassion and His Supplication for Intercession

 

(53) Intensity of the Kindness of the Prophet

This chapter deals with the intensity of the Prophet’s love and care for his ummah, his gentleness and mercy towards them. His mercy and love for his ummah will be more than that shown by the other Prophets for their respective nations.

When Allāh granted every Prophet permission to make a request which He promised to grant, every one of them had something to ask for in this very world, which Allah granted. Our Prophet kept his chance for the Last Day to intercede for them with the Lord. This is because he is kinder to his ummah than the others are to theirs. Allāh responded to the request of our Prophet better than He did to the other Prophets. He gave him a great station that He promised him so that, in it, he could intercede for his ummah. The Lord does not break His promise. He is going to fulfil His promise to the Prophet who kept his request for the Last Day to be used on the occasion when his ummah will need his intercession.

1. Al-Rabīᶜ‘ b. Sulaymān al-Murādī → Shuayb (b. al-Layth) → al-Layth → Jaᶜfar b. Rabīᶜah → Abd al-Raḥmān b. Hurmuz → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation (that will not be rejected) with which he appeals (to Allah), and I want to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter, if Allah wills.

2. Yūnus b. Abd al-Aᶜlā → Ibn Wahb → Mālik → Abū al-Zanād → al-Aᶜraj → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation (that will not be rejected) with which he appeals (to Allah), and I want to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter.

3. Yūsuf b. Mūsā → Jarīr → ᶜUmārah (b. al-Qaᶜqāᶜ → Abū Zurᶜah → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation that will not be rejected with which he appeals (to Allah). His call is heard, and he is given what he asks for. However, I have kept my invocation for interceding for my followers.

4. Yūnus b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā → Ibn Wahb → Yūnus → Ibn Shihāb → ᶜAmr b. Abī Sufyān b. Jāriyah al-Thaqafī:

Abū Hurayrah said to Kaᶜb that the Prophet said:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation (that will not be rejected) with which he appeals (to Allah), and I want to keep such an invocation, if Allah wills, for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter.

5. Yūsuf b. Mūsā → Jarīr → al-Aᶜmash → Abū Ṣāliḥ → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation that will not be rejected. I intend to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter.

6. Muhammad b. ᶜAzīz al-Aylī → Salāmah → ᶜAqīl → Ibn Shihāb → ᶜAmr b. Abī Sufyān b. Asīd b. Jāriyah:

Abū Hurayrah said to Kaᶜb, “…. ….”

Then he related a report similar to that of Ibn Wahb and added:

Kaᶜb said to Abū Hurayrah, “Did you hear it from the Prophet?” Abū Hurayrah said, “Yes.”

Yūnus b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā named the [fifth] narrator in the chain as ᶜAmr b. Abī Sufyān. Ibn ᶜAzīz, however, said he is ᶜUmar b. Abī Sufyān. To my knowledge, the truth of the matter is that he is ᶜAmr b. Abī Sufyān, Ibn Asīd b. Jāriyah and not as related by Ibn ᶜAzīz. I have also mentioned his nisbah (lineage).

7. Muhammad b. Bashshār → Muᶜādh b. Hishām → his father → Qatādah → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet of Allāh:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation concerning his ummah [that will not be rejected]. I have kept such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter.

8. Bundār related the narrative a second time in which Yūnus does not say, “for his ummah.”

9. Yūnus b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā → Ibn Wahb → Mālik → Ibn Shihāb → Abū Salamah → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation [that will not be rejected]. I intend to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter, if Allah wills.

10. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā, ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Bishr → ᶜAbd al-Razzāq → Maᶜmar → Hammām b. Munabbih → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation [that will not be rejected]. I intend to delay making such an invocation till the Day of Judgment for interceding for my followers if Allah wills.

11. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation [that will not be rejected] with which he will call [Allah]. I intend to keep such an invocation for interceding [for my followers].

Abū Bakr said: The wording in the narrative: “for every Prophet there is one special invocation (likulli nabiyyin daᶜwatan)” is very elliptical. A word has been left unexpressed. The whole would then be as follows: “(kānat likulli nabiyyin daᶜwatan).” Here, in this ḥadīth, there is another expression that needs to be explained. It has been said: yadᶜū bihā fatustajābu lahū(with which he appeals to Allāh and his request is fulfilled.)

This expression belongs to a special convention of the Arabic language. The Arabs say, “He does so or this happens” to refer to an act done in the past. [The present can be used for happening in the past.] We certainly know that the Prophets had died before the Prophet Muhammad said this concerning their invocations. Had their invocations not been made by then, and had Allah yet to fulfil their invocations in the future, the Prophetic statement that he had kept such an invocation would become meaningless. For if the Prophets did not make their acceptable invocations before their death and if they still had kept their chance to be made on the Last Day their status would be no different from that of the Prophet Muhammad in this regard. All would have their chance with them. All could have made a wish on the Last Day, which was still awaited then.

(54) Argument for this Interpretation of the Prophetic Ḥadīth

Now I wish to present proofs in support of my interpretation of the Prophetic words: “they will make.” I have held that the Arabs use the present/future forms of verbs to connote past happenings.

1. Abū Ṭālib Zayd b. Akhzam al-Ṭāᵓī → Abū ᶜĀṣim → Ibn Jurayj → Abū al-Zubayr → Jābir → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation [that will not be rejected] with which he calls [Allah] (daᶜā bihā). I have kept such an invocation for interceding [for my followers] on the Last Day.

2. Sallam b. Junādah → Abū Muᶜāwiyah → al-Aᶜmash → Abū Ṣāliḥ → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

Every Prophet has an invocation that will not be rejected. Every Prophet hastens to make such an invocation. I have, however, kept such an invocation for interceding [for my followers] on the Last Day. It will benefit every such person among you who will die while not ascribing any partner to Allah.

3. Muhammad b. Bashshār → Muhammad (b. Jaᶜfar) → Shuᶜbah → Muhammad b. Ziyād → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

I pray to Allāh to make my invocation an intercession for my ummah on the Day of Judgment.

4. Muhammad b. Abd al-Aᶜlā al-Ṣanᶜānī → al-Muᶜtamir → his father → Anas → the Prophet:

Every Prophet made a request to Allah or [the Prophet said:] every Prophet had a call to make to his people. I have kept my request for interceding for my people on the Day of Judgment.

Abū Bakr said: The words “his nation” (qawmihī) imply for his people or against his people (ᶜalā qawmihī or liqawmihī). If I remember correctly the word the Prophet used is as I have mentioned.

5. Bishr b. Muᶜādh al-ᶜAqadī and Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm b. Ḥabīb → al-Muᶜtamir → his father → Anas:

The Prophet said, “For every Prophet there is an invocation (daᶜwatun) or [perhaps he said, “a request (suᵓāl)”] which he makes. I have kept my invocation for interceding for my ummah on the Day of Judgment.

These are the words of the narrative of Bishr.

Isḥāq said: The Prophet used to say:

Every Prophet made a request. Every Prophet had an invocation [which is not rejected]. I have sought response to my invocation regarding intercession for my ummah on the Last Day.

However, I find this narrative written in my book as follows:

For every Prophet there is an invocation [which is granted for sure].

The correct version, however, is that which has been reported by al-Ṣanᶜānī and Bishr b. Muᶜādh. They were uncertain whether the word was daᶜwah (invocation) or suᵓāl (request). I think it more probable that doubt comes from Sulaymān al-Taymī in the chain for he is the one who is uncertain regarding the wording of his narratives in many cases. I have explained in many of my books that the Arabs use the words waw (and) for aw (or). An example is the following Qurᵓānic verse: “Marry women of your choice, two or three or four” (Q 4:3). There is no doubt that the particle “or” here means “and”. The meaning would then be three and four.

6. Abū Baḥr → Shuᶜbah → Qatādah → Anas: A narrative has been reported through this chain which is relatively long. The last part of the narrative is as follows:

For every Prophet there is an invocation [which is not rejected] which he makes regarding his ummah.

This narrative contains arguments supporting my interpretation of the Prophetic words: daᶜā bihā qawmahū. The report of al-Ṣanᶜānī too expressly says that it means that the Prophet made the granted invocation regarding his ummah or against his ummah. This last-mentioned narrative also supports my interpretation of the words yadᶜū bihā (which is present/future tense) used for the past, i.e., he prayed.

7. Muhammad b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā al-Ṣanᶜānī → Khālid (b. al-Ḥārith) → Shuᶜbah → Muhammad b. Ziyād → Abū Hurayrah → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is an invocation with which he pleads [Allah]. It is granted concerning his ummah. I intend to defer such an invocation to the Day of Judgment for interceding for my ummah.

8. Abū Mūsā Muhammad b. al-Muthannā → Muᶜādh b. Hishām → his father → Qatādah → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is an invocation with which he pleads [Allah] concerning his ummah. I have kept such an invocation for interceding for my ummah on the Day of Judgment.

Abū Bakr said: This wording: “with which he pleads [Allah] concerning his ummah” is similar to the one used by Abū Baḥr from Shuᶜbah.

9. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā → Jaᶜfar b. ᶜAwn → Misᶜar → Qatādah → Anas:

For every Prophet there is one invocation [that will not be rejected] with which he calls [Allah]. I have kept such an invocation for interceding [for my followers] on the Last Day.

His statement “he said” refers to the Prophet. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā reported to me, “For every Prophet there is one invocation [that will not be rejected].” There is no doubt in that this statement is directly traced back to the Prophet.

Abū Bakr said: The words: “I kept” are explicitly mentioned in the narrative. It is not my insertion or gloss. This type of statement is not expected from anyone other than the Prophet.

10. Zakariyyā b. Abī Zāᵓidah → ᶜAṭiyyah al-ᶜAwfī → Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī → the Prophet:

Every Prophet has been given acceptance to one of his invocations, with which he calls [Allah]. I have, however, kept such an invocation for interceding [for my followers] on the Last Day. A man from my ummah will intercede for tribes, for a group of people, for three persons, for two persons and for one person.

Abū Mūsā narrated the same ḥadīth to me from Yazīd b. Hārūn from Zakariyyā.

11. Hishām b. Ḥassān → al-Ḥasan → Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh → the Prophet:

For every Prophet there is one special invocation [that will not be rejected] which he makes concerning his ummah. I intend to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter.

Ismaᶜīl b. Bishr b. Manṣūr al-Sulamī narrated this from ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā → Hishām.

Abū Bakr said: I have used the chain Hishām → al-Ḥasan → Jābir because some of the scholars do not believe that al-Ḥasan heard ḥadīths directly from Jābir.

The above passage is translated from Kitāb al-Tawḥīd by Imām Abū Bakr Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 AH). English translation by Dr Tariq Mahmood Hashmi.