Allah’s Will & Wisdom
05 March 2016
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ
'We said: O Fire! be thou cool, and (a means of) wellbeing/safety for Ibrahim!'
(Surat al-Anbiyaa’: Ayat 69)
This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2016.
When Ibrahim Nabi SA established his Dawat, the local chieftain, Nimrood, ordered his execution by use of the manjaneeq. A manjaneeq is a catapult used to fling large boulders and oil at the opposing army. In this case, Nimrood ordered his men to place Ibrahim Nabi SA in the manjaneeq and catapult him into a large fire. As the Qur’anic ayat narrates, when he was launched into the fire Allah Ta’ala commanded the fire to become “coolness and wellbeing/safety” (bardan wa salaama - Surat al-Anbiyaa’: 69).
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA narrates this event in his risalat (1374H) on the authority of Syedna Ja’far bin Mansurul Yaman RA, the Babul-Abwaab of Moiz Imam AS. When placed in the manjaneeq, the angels and malaa’ikat of the heavens wept for Ibrahim. Allah Ta’ala commanded Jibra’eel to descend from the heavens and offer his aid to Ibrahim SA. When Jibra’eel asked Ibrahim, “do you need anything” (hal laka min haajatin), Ibrahim Nabi SA simply replied, “from you, no” (amma ilayka fala). Jibra’eel then asked, “from Allah Ta’ala?” Ibrahim Nabi SA responded, “nor from Allah Ta’ala.” At that point Ibrahim Nabi SA was thrown into the fire and Allah Ta’ala commanded it to become “coolness and wellbeing/safety.” After Ibrahim SA was saved, Jibra’eel asked Ibrahim SA, “I understand that when I offered to help you may have refused, but you did not ask for Allah’s aid?” Ibrahim Nabi SA explained, “I did not see fit to ask Allah Ta’ala to save me while it may have been in Allah’s will and wisdom that I die.”
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA explains that Ibrahim Nabi SA had full faith, yaqeen and tawakkul in Allah Ta’ala’s will to save him so that the chain of Nass would continue in his progeny till qiyaamat.
Such is the faith of our Awliyaa’ Kiraam in Allah Ta’ala. Such is the extent of their surrender to his will. Rida bil qadar – being content and happy with Allah’s will and wisdom.
In this world of ever changing seasons, of long nights, of difficulties and calamities, our awliyaa’ kiraam are an example of submission to Allah’s will and being content with his will and wisdom. We cannot match their submission and contentment with Allah Ta’ala’s will, but we can try to follow their example.
In 1434H (2013), Syedna Qutbuddin TUS travelled to Sanli-Urfa, the holy site in the South-East of Turkey, the site where the fire turned to coolness and wellbeing/safety for Ibrahim Nabi SA. According to local legend, the fire turned into water and the wood used to fuel the fire turned into fish (the lake still exists today). Syedna TUS led imaamat namaaz in this area and prayed with the wasila of Ibrahim Nabi SA. After Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA wafaat, during the wasila on the 15th of Rajab, Syedna TUS prayed to Allah Ta’ala: O lord grant us contentment and pleasure in your will (rida bilqadar), we beseech doa and ask for our wishes to be fulfilled. But we ask you that you grant us those wishes that are you in your wisdom (hikmat), we are happy with that, we are at peace.”
May Allah Ta’ala grant us rida bilqadar. May Allah Ta’ala enable us to follow the example of our awliyaa’ kiraam and be content with Allah Ta’ala’s will and wisdom. May Allah Ta’ala strengthen the Dawat of Haqq and grant a long life in sehhat and aafiyat to its guardian (dhani), Syedna Qutbuddin TUS.
