The following is the translation of an Arabic Q&A from the website of Sheikh Ata' Abu Rashta.
Question:
Discussion took place at a
meeting on the subject of prayer, particularly what has been mentioned in the
book "Concepts of HT" at page no. 57 and 58… so, it is stated: Is
supplication (Dua'a) is an action which is for reward only? Or it an
action which achieves tangible result also? Is the method of implementation of Islamic
idea is not incorporated in supplication (Dua'a), rather these are
materialist actions which achieve tangible results? Is combining these actions with
supplication (Dua'a) contrary to the method of Islam? And what about the
Hadith of the Prophet (saw): "There is no Muslim who calls upon his Lord with a
supplication in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allah will
give him one of three things: Either He will answer his prayer quickly, or He
will keep equivalent reward for him (in the Hereafter), or He will divert an
equivalent evil away from him". The companions (ra) then said:
"in such a case we will supplicate as much as we can". The Prophet
(saw) remarked: "Allah gives abundantly". I.e. are there
tangible results which happen due to effect of Dua'a as if does Allah
expedite realization of the need of the supplicant in Duniya? As Allah favours
his servants by responding to the supplication of the distressed one when he
calls Him, as mentioned in the noble Ayah (Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed
one, when he calls Him)…
Kindly clarify this matter and
May Allah reward you.
Answer:
There seems to be confusion
in understanding what was mentioned at pages 57 and 58 of the Concepts. So,
what is mentioned therein on the subject of Dua'a, and that it attains non-tangible
results "reward" is in the context of a particular case, i.e. the Shar'ai
rules have explained the method of dealing with any issue. However, we don't
utilize it. Rather, we suffice to supplicate only. The book has cited
the examples of Jihad and Dua'a, towards opening a fortress or fighting an
enemy…
With regard to the other
circumstances, Dua'a may produce tangible results if Allah wills in addition to
the award as mentioned in the reported hadith of the Prophet (saw), which was
stated in the question.
In order to shed light upon
the matter, I will review what was mentioned at pages 57 and 58 of the Concepts:
1- It was mentioned at the
beginning of page 57: (On examining those actions which are defined by the Shar’ai
rules related to the Tareeqah, we find that they are materialistic
actions achieving tangible results. They are not actions aimed at achieving
non-tangible results…), end of quotation.
And this is correct. By
examining the evidences, it is found that the actions related to the Tareeqah
achieve tangible results.
2- Then the book
compared the above text between Dua'a and Jihad in case of opening a fortress or
city or killing the enemy, and deemed that the prayer (Dua'a) alone is not the
way and that Jihad is the method in this case on the strength of the evidences
stated therein …
It was stated in the
Concepts: (For example, supplication (dua’a) is a materialistic
action that achieves a spiritual value, and jihad is also a
materialistic action that achieves a spiritual value. However, dua’a, although
being a materialistic action, it achieves a non-tangible result which is the
reward even if the intention of its performer was to achieve a spiritual value.
This is in contrast to jihad, fighting against the enemy is a
materialistic action which achieves a tangible result, e.g. the opening of a
fortress or city, or killing the enemy and the like, even if the intention of
the mujahid was to achieve the spiritual value…)
So, the comparison here
is between prayer (dua'a) and Jihad at the time of fighting enemies or
opening a fortress..:
If only dua'a is
performed, it achieves a
non-tangible result which is the reward. This is because the way stated in this
case is Jihad and not Dua'a. So, the
topic here is to make comparison between the supplication (dua'a) alone,
in case it was used alone in a issue without adopting the way clarified for the
same issue.
This case cannot be
generalized by making the supplication (dua'a) 'in other cases, which
don't have any effect in the tangible results, rather they only achieve the
reward! For the reason that what has been mentioned in the earlier passage is
related to a issue which in the Sharia has a practical way that was not
followed; rather only the supplication (dua'a) was performed and
supplication (dua'a) achieves non-tangible results which is reward.
It seems that the
confusion came from the sentence stated in the example that cited, so it has
been stated "However, dua’a, although being a materialistic
action, it achieves a non-tangible result which is the reward…", so
the sentence was considered by some of you to have a general implication i.e.
the supplication (dua'a) in all cases achieves only the non-tangible
results "reward", while the context of the parable is in a particular
case, which is to make use of only the supplication (dua'a) in opening a
fortress or defeating an enemy without adopting the way (required to achieve
the target) which was stated in the texts to be "Jihad".
3- As for the
supplication (dua'a) together with adopting the means, it have
impact on the results, as it was practiced by the Prophet (saw) and his
companions (may Allah be pleased with them). So, the Prophet (saw) used to
prepare the army and also enters Al Arish supplicating Allah. The Muslims in
the battle of Qadisiyah were preparing themselves to break into the river, and
(at the same time) Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) was engaged in
supplication to Allah… This way the true believers used to prepare themselves
(for the battle) and supplicate for blessings of Allah. Likewise, anyone
seeking to earn livelihood, strives and works hard as well as supplicates
Allah; the student studies and take pains as well as ask Allah for the success
and accordingly, it has impact on the results if Allah wills.
It was stated in the
Concepts at the bottom of page 58: (It must be noted that though the action
indicated by the Tareeqah is a materialistic action which achieves
tangible results, this action should be directed by the commands and
prohibitions of Allah with the intention of earning Allah (saw) pleasure. The Muslim must also be dominated by his
awareness of his relationship with Allah, so he seeks nearness to Allah through
salah, dua’a, recitation of the Qur’an and so on. He must
also believe that Nasr is from Allah. It is necessary that Muslims maintain
taqwa established in the heart to implement the rules of Allah. It is
also necessary to make dua’a and to remember Allah (dhikr), and
to maintain the relationship with Allah whenever undertaking all actions). So the importance of
Dua'a coupled with adopting the means is evident in all actions of the
believer. And the repetition of the word "must" has increased this
importance to show the great significance of connecting all the actions with
Dua'a and always having close relationship with Allah…
4- Performing Dua'a together
with adopting the means, as we said earlier, was the practice of Prophet (saw),
his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the believers. They, when
coupled together, have the impact on the results if Allah wills, and their
simultaneous use does not violate the Islamic way. Rather, what violates the
Islamic way is to get restricted to Dua'a only without adopting the way
explained by the Shar’ai rules for implementing the Islamic fikrah
(Idea).
It was stated at the
end of page 57 and beginning of page 58: It is completely unacceptable that
all actions used to implement the Islamic Fikrah be those actions that
achieve non-tangible results. This is contrary to the nature of the Islamic Tareeqah…)
i.e. it is contrary to the nature of Islamic Tareeqah that "all the
actions aimed at implementing the Islamic Fikrah are the actions which
achieve non-tangible results". However, the fact that some of them that
achieves non-tangible results "Dua'a in specific cases" are
coupled with actions that achieve tangible results "the materialistic
preparation" so it is an expected and significant matter and is not
contrary to the nature of Islamic Tareeqah.
5- Thus, what was
stated in the Concept on the subject of Dua'a, has two conditions:
First: It alone should be used to implement a Fikrah,
which has no specific way for implementation. Rather, the texts stipulated another way to implement
it such as Dua'a in the case of fighting the enemy, that we should stand
in front of the fortress in order to open without preparing an army for
fighting but to resort to Dua'a only. In such a case, Dua'a does
not achieve except non-tangible results and that is "reward".
Second: Dua'a should
be coupled with adaptation of the means and this is an indispensable matter. In such a case,
both participate i.e. "Dua'a and adopting the means" in having
impact on the results if Allah wills.
And there is nothing in
the "Concepts" which talks about Dua'a in other cases. Rather,
that is covered by the general hadith stated by Ahmad in his Musnad, reporting
from Abu Al Mutawakkil, who reported from Abu Sa'eed that the Prophet (peace be
upon him) said: "There is no Muslim who calls upon his Lord with a
supplication in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allah will
give him one of three things: Either He will answer his prayer quickly, or He
will keep equivalent reward for him (in the Hereafter), or He will divert an
equivalent evil away from him". The companions (ra) then said:
"in such a case we will supplicate as much as we can". The Prophet
(saw) remarked: "Allah gives abundantly" i.e. Allah the
Almighty responds to the supplicant with one of the three, including "Either He will answer his
prayer quickly". And this is a tangible result.
6- Therefore, there are
possible tangible results of Dua'a in a case other than what was stated in the Concepts,
as the Hadith mentioned one of the three "Either He will answer his
prayer quickly" and this is a tangible result. Example of this is what happens in Salat Al Istisqa
(the prayer for rain) "which is a Dua'a" in terms of achieving
tangible results by the rainfall, and what happens in ruqyah "which is a Dua'a"
in terms of achieving tangible results by the healing of patient. These cases
are similar to what happens when one gets cured by receiving the materialistic
treatment…
Allah favours his servants in
his noble Ayat by responding to the supplication of the distressed one, when he
calls Him. Thus He has made this responding a proof that there is no god but
Allah. And it is evident from the above that, responding to the distressed one
is here in this world. The word "distressed" is a description which
indicates requesting a need in this world. Accordingly, the respond is tangible
if Allah wills. He the Almighty says: (Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed
one, when he calls Him and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the
earth, generations after generations. Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Little
is that you remember).
Allah the Almighty enjoins us to
supplicate him and promises to respond to it (And
your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic
Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation).
The Prophet (saw) has explained this responding that it is "one of the
three" including the tangible result. And of course achieving the results
whether they are tangible or non-tangible, are all from Allah's willingness and
favor.
In summary:
The gist of what was stated in the Concepts is:
A- The Tareeqah are actions that achieves
tangible results:
B- The comparison between only Dua'a and Jihad is related to the subject of opening
a fortress or fighting an enemy… so, Dua'a in this case does not lead to a tangible result.
Rather, only to reward for the reason that it alone is not the way to open the
fortress or kill the enemy…
C- All actions used to implement fikrah of Islam should not be those (actions) that
lead to non-tangible results. Rather, the actions that achieve tangible results
should be coupled with actions that achieve non-tangible results such as
preparation of the army for fighting together with supplication (Dua'a) to Allah the Almighty for victory.
D- Dua'a is essential for a Muslim during his
performance of the Tareeqah… as was the practice of the Messenger of
Allah (saw) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
* This is what was stated in the Concepts on
the condition of Dua'a that does not exceed the reward, i.e. in case Dua'a alone is used to an issue such as opening of
fortress…, and not adopting the Tareeqah clarified by the Shar'ai rules related to the
same issue, which is in this case is Jihad.
As for other cases of Dua'a, they fall under the general hadith of
the Prophet (saw) "There is no Muslim who calls upon his Lord with a
supplication in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allah will
give him one of three things: Either He will answer his prayer quickly, or He
will keep equivalent reward for him (in the Hereafter), or He will divert an
equivalent evil away from him". The companions (ra) then said:
"in such a case we will supplicate as much as we can". The Prophet
(saw) remarked: "Allah gives abundantly" as stated by Imam
Ahmad in his Musnad.
It is evident from this
hadith that Allah the Almighty fulfills the need of the supplicant in this
world that is tangible or diverts an equivalent evil from him in this world and
that is also tangible, or He will keep equivalent reward for him on the day of
resurrection and that is reward i.e. non-tangible result. Allah the Almighty is
of the immense favor, as well as He is the Most Beneficent and the Most
Merciful, honors His servant the reward of his Dua'a, even by answering
his supplication in this world. So, all the praise is for Allah (SWT), the Sustainer and Cherisher of all worlds.
4th Dhu'l-Qadah, 1432 AH.
1st October, 2011
CE.
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