bilal

Written by Hadhrat Moulana Idrees Kaandhlawi (RA)

Bismihi Ta’ala

When Tubb‘a, the emperor of Yemen, happened to pass by the land of Madinah, four hundred ‘Ulama of the Tauraat were also with him. They requested the king to allow them to settle down in this area. When he enquired the reason, they replied: “We find in the manuscripts of the Prophets that towards the end of time, a Prophet by the name of Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam will appear. This region is reported to be his Daarul-Hijrah (place of migration).” The emperor thus allowed them to settle down there. He constructed a separate house for each one of them. He got them all married and liberally provided them with ample wealth. He then built a home especially for Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with the belief that when the final Messenger migrates to this area, he may reside therein. He even composed a letter to Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in which he expressed his Imaan in him and his ardent desire to meet him.

The focus of the letter is summed up in the following poetic words:

شَهِدْتُ عَلٰى اَحْمَدَ اَنَّهُ رَسُوْلٌ مِنَ اللّٰهِ بَارِي النَسَمِ

“I bear testimony upon Ahmad that he is the messenger of Allah, the Creator of life.

فَلَوْ مُدَّ عُمُرِيْ اِلٰى عُمُرِهِ لَكُنْتُ وَزِيْرًا لَهُ وَابْنَ عَمٍّ

If my era has to connect with his era I would certainly become his supporter and devotee.

وَجَاهَدْتُ بِالسَّيْفِ اَعْدَآءَهُ وَفَرَّجْتُ عَنْ صَدْرِهِ كُلَّ غَمٍّ

I would challenge his enemies with the sword and I would eliminate all woe from his heart.”

Tubb‘a, the emperor then sealed the letter with a royal seal. Entrusting the letter to one of the ‘Ulama, he said: “If you happen to come across the era of this final messenger, hand this letter over to him otherwise hand it over to your children and instruct them with the same advice I am imparting to you.” Hadhrat Abu Ayyub Ansaari radiyallahu anhu is a descendant of this very Aalim and his house was the very same house which Emperor Tubb‘a constructed for the final messenger Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to reside in when he happened to migrate this way. The Ansaar were descendants of these four hundred ‘Ulama.

The camel of Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam halted at the door of the house, which Tubb‘a had constructed with Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in mind. It is said that on the arrival of Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Madinah Munawwarah, Hadhrat Abu Ayyub Ansaari radiyallahu anhu presented the royal poetic letter of the emperor Tubb‘a to Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And Allah Ta’ala knows best.

[Seerat-e-Mustafa (abridged version) Page 181] Download Poster Here

Bismihi Ta’ala

Before explaining this story to the children, first as them the following two questions;

1. Who controls everything?
2. With whose command does everything happens?

Now tell them the following story:
Moulana In’aam was always worried about the Imaan of his Maktab children. One afternoon, before sending the children home, he decided to revise a few simple Imaani lessons with them.
He asked them, “Dear children! Where did the corona virus come from?”

Without any hesitation, they all replied, “China!” Moulana further asked, “Clocks, blocks, locks and socks that come from China are all made in different factories in China. Which factory was the corona virus made in?” The children were all silent in shock. Moulana very lovingly explained to the class, “My dear children, the virus came only with the command of Allah Ta’ala. Everything happens only with the instruction of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala alone controls the whole world. A leaf cannot move, and the wind cannot stop, without the permission of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala alone decides where the sun will shine and when the rain will fall. Allah Ta’ala knows the height of the mountains and the depth of the oceans. Allah Ta’ala alone is the creator and owner. All power belongs to Allah Ta’ala alone.

Allah Ta’ala is full of greatness, whilst the creation is full of weakness. Nothing can harm us, or benefit us, without the decision of Allah Ta’ala.

The entire class was now captured with the greatness of Allah Ta’ala. Their heart and minds were convinced regarding the power and the control of Allah Ta’ala. They were wishing their Moulana would go on and on and on, speaking about the greatness of Allah Ta’ala.

Moulana In’aam was a very intelligent Aalim and he was busy training the minds of his Maktab children. So he asked them the next question, “Tell me my dear children, if someone is ill with the virus and without knowing I go near him, what will happen to me?” The entire class, with full confidence replied, “Moulana! You can only get the virus, with the command of Allah.” Moulana smiled. He then asked them the last question, to see whether the lesson of Allah’s greatness had really settled in their hearts or not; “My dear children, if there are twenty people in one room, who are ill with the virus, and I went in that room without knowing they are ill, what will happen to me?” The entire class in order to impress on Moulana their strength of conviction, answered, “Moulana! Even if seventy people were in that room, and they coughed and sneezed on you, then too, nothing will happen to you, without the command of Allah.”

When Moulana heard this, his heart was full of joy, that Insha-Allah, nothing of the world, will be able to move the hearts of these little children, away from the command of Allah Ta’ala. Before sending them off, Moulana made them raise their hands in dua saying, “O Allah! Let us live with strong Imaan, let us die with strong Imaan, and raise us on the day of Qiyaamah with strong Imaan. Aameen.

Lessons:
1. As parents, we need to have that constant worry about our children’s Imaan.
2. As the many Imaani dangers and challenges present themselves, we need to sit with our children and correct and protect their beliefs.
3. A child’s heart is innocent and pure. Thus, it will naturally and easily believe and bring Imaan in Allah Ta’ala.
4. The talks of the greatness of Allah Ta’ala need to echo in our homes and lives so that we begin to see the weakness of the creation around us.