Islamic Beliefs and Knowledge
Calling “Dear Messenger of Allah” in Distress
Mawlana Adnan Chishti Attari Madani
Allah’s attributes and perfection are limitless. He is omnipotent, He is omniscient, and He is the answerer of supplications, needs and requests. The anxious and grief-stricken call out to Allah Almighty and attain their heart’s desires.
Allah Almighty has bestowed upon His favoured and elect servants the authority to assist people too. By the bestowal of Allah Almighty, they are able to hear the pleas of people and fulfil their needs.
Remember, our creed as Muslims is that only Allah Almighty is the ultimate Helper. All others help through His bestowal and grace, and this is established in the holy Quran and hadith. As Allah Almighty states:
فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ مَوْلٰىهُ وَ جِبْرِیْلُ وَ صَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَۚ-وَ الْمَلٰٓىٕكَةُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَهِیْرٌ(۴)
“So Allah is indeed his Helper, and Jibrīl and the virtuous believers; and after that the angels are also ˹his˺ supporters.”[1]
The Prophet of mercy صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “If one of you loses something or is in need of help, but he is in a land where there is no one to help, let him call:
يَاعِبَادَاللهِ اَغِيثُونِي، يَا عِبَادَ اللهِ اَغِيثُونِي،فَاِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِبَادًا لَا نَرَاهُمْ
‘O servants of Allah, help me! O servants of Allah, help me!’
For verily Allah Almighty has servants whom we do not see.”
The narrator states, “This is tried and tested.”[2]
Allah Almighty has made His beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم a mirror of His divine attributes. Even a cursory glance at the Sunna and the Prophet’s life reveals that through Allah’s bestowal, our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم eases difficulties and helps creation. From the angels, jinn, and humans to small insects and large beasts, everyone and everything can have their needs fulfilled by the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .
The Prophet’s vast and generous power to help people is a manifest truth according to the teachings of Islam. Imam Muhammad b. Mūsā al-Mālikī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه (d. 682 AH) dedicated an entire book to this subject. Yet, even he concluded:
وَلَو تُتُبِّعَت ھٰذَا الْفَنُّ لَحَفِیَتِ الْاَقْلَامُ وَ جَفّتِ الْمَحابِر ُ وَ فَنَیَتِ الطُرَوسُ فِی تَتَبُّعِہٖ وَ الدَّفاترُ
“If all the accounts relating to this topic were written down, the pens would be worn out, the inkwells would dry up, and the pages and notebooks would be depleted.”[3]
Cured from disability
A man from Granada was afflicted with an illness for which the physicians had no cure. Sayyidunā Abū ʿAbd Allah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه wrote a poetic request on this man’s behalf, sending it to the court of the blessed Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم with visitors travelling to Madina. The content of the poetry was:
This is a plea from one who has been suffering for a long time from a severe illness, seeking a cure through the means of the pure shrine of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . His feet no longer function, and he can only signal with his hands. O Seal of the Prophets! O you who intercedes! This is a plea from a sick person whose heart cries and whose eyes are lowered in shame. As you did during your worldly life, we hope you will repel substantial harm even after your veiling.
As soon as that caravan arrived at the blessed shrine and the lines of poetry were recited from the plea, the ill person was healed.[4]
Saved from drowning
Sayyidunā Imam Muhammad b. ʿAlī al-Khazrajī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه records:
I was once at Jarjar. Travelling by sea, a destructive storm suddenly brewed. As I was about to drown, I called out to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for help. At once, a piece of wood appeared from the unseen, by virtue of which I reached the shore…Allah Almighty saved me because I sought help from the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم