A true hero, an Imam, an Ummah. 

There is a very special person that Allah has chosen to lead us in our ways, as a follower of Rasulullah (ﷺ) ,  and that is none other than Prophet Ibrahim a.s.

And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend. (Surah an-Nissa’ 4: 125)

Alhamdulillah, we are truly blessed to be Muslims, to have a legacy to follow, and it is upon us to seek this knowledge and benefit from it. It is not in the form of dinar nor dirham, as these will eventually run out. But one that Allah SWT has preserved in the Qur’an and a hadith for us to tread this life with true knowledge and guidance.

In a longer hadith we learn that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “.....The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion. [Sunan Abi Dawud]

SubhanAllah, let us take the opportunity to learn some of the du’as with real appreciation, and contemplation made by the one that Allah has given the honour of being called as His Khaleel in the Ayah above.

1. His concern for the safety of Makkah

رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا آمِنًا وَارْزُقْ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ مَنْ آمَنَ مِنْهُم بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۖ

"My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 126

Like any father, he made du’a to Allah for Makkah to be secured and for it to have provision for the inhabitants and this is prevalent till today as millions of people are circumambulating the Ka’abah, and surrounding it are plenty of resources enough to feed not only those living in it, but the millions of believers who come to visit His house.

2. His humility before His Rabb

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

"Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 127

Upon completing the command of Allah to build the Ka’abah, with utter humility and immense hope in Allah’s acceptance, our father has taught us this beautiful trait and character to have before Allah, to beseech His acceptance of this deed through calling Allah with His Beautiful Names.

3. His concern for our submission to Allah SWT

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 128 

Not only did Ibrahim a.s. make du’a to make us devout worshippers of Allah, He asked Allah to accept our tawbah, because as human beings, we will falter, but that does not mean that we give up hope in Allah. Our father a.s. reminds us again, in using the beautiful names of Allah in seeking our repentance. 

4. His du’a for Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) , the final Messenger of Allah 

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise." Surah Al Baqarah 2: 129

Allah answered this beautiful du’a of Prophet Ibrahim a.s., who is also one of the five Messengers of determination, ‘Ulul Azmi Min ar-Rusul, as he made du’a for a Prophet who will teach Allah’s words and meanings and guide them with righteous deeds and rid themselves from evil deeds, and he implored Allah with His Beautiful Names, knowing that Allah is Almighty, and He is Most Wise in choosing this messenger who will lead his descendants and also human kind in general. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: I am the answer to the prayer of my father Ibrahim. (Recorded and authenticated by Ibn Katheer)

5. His concern for us in establishing the solah 

6. In seeking forgiveness for our parents and for us all on the day of Judgement.

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ ‎

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ ‎

My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication. 

Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established." Surah Ibrahim 14: 40 & 41

We learn from a hadith that our prayer is of the utmost important deed that Allah will look at on the day of Judgement before any other deeds, so this was of his main concern for himself and his descendants. So learn to make du’a for yourself first to ensure that this is something that you lead your family by. Prophet Ibrahim a.s. displayed again his humility towards his Rabb by asking Allah to accept his du’a. This shows us his sincerity in asking Allah to fulfil his du’as. Allahu Akbar. At the end of this Ayah, let us take a lesson to always do Istighfar, and include seeking forgiveness for our parents and also the rest of the believers.

“...Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salat…” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi]

7. His Tawakkul (complete reliance) upon Allah SWT

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ

"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." Surah Ale Imran 3: 173

SubhanAllah, the super power of Tawakkul is indeed one that truly is a special relationship between a slave and His Rabb. This full reliance when our father Ibrahim a.s., who was to be thrown into the fire by his own people, that Allah SWT commanded the fire to be cool. (Surah Al-Anbiya 21: 69). And this Tawakkul is also for you and me to take into our lives in believing and relying upon Allah for all our affairs. Because indeed we are weak, but Allah is sufficient for us. When we have Allah, we have it all.

Dearest brothers and sisters, let us internalise these du’as and make sure that the legacy of our father Ibrahim a.s. is passed on to our next generations till the end of time, In shaa Allah.

May we renew our intentions and seek the pleasure of seeing Allah’s Face as the real purpose of our existence in this dunya. May we rectify our actions, and seek forgiveness from Allah for our shortcomings to attain the everlasting bliss in Paradise. Allahumma Aameen. 

With sincere du’as, your sister,

Tisha Zarina