The Prayers and Blessings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for Abdurrahman Ibn-i Avf (R.A.)
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) also made supplications for the blessing of sustenance for Abdurrahman ibn Avf (d. 32/652), one of the companions who were given glad tidings of Paradise. Abdurrahman Ibn-i Avf, recounting that this prayer was accepted, expressed this blessing with an interesting anecdote:
Abdurrahman Ibn-i Avf’s Anecdote
“For example, if I exerted myself to lift a stone, by the grace of Allah, I would hope that gold would come out from it.” This statement demonstrates Abdurrahman Ibn-i Avf’s belief in blessed sustenance and his devotion.
Abdurrahman Ibn-i Avf’s Legacy
Upon his death, the ingot gold he left behind was dug up from where it was buried and distributed among his heirs. This highlights how much wealth he possessed. Each of his four wives received a inheritance between 80 and 100 thousand dirhams/dinars. He even divorced one wife during his illness and agreed on a sum exceeding 80 thousand dirhams/dinars as compensation for the separation.
Abdurrahman Ibn-i Avf’s Donations
In addition to the known charitable acts and donations he made during his lifetime, it was stipulated that 50 thousand gold coins be distributed. These donations included:
- The emancipation of 50 slaves in a single day
- The complete donation for Allah’s sake of a trading caravan consisting of 700 camels (including the loads on their backs)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s Prayer for Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) made a prayer for Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan (d. 60/680) to govern cities, and he accepted this responsibility.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s Prayer for Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) also supplicated that Allah Almighty accept the prayer of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (d. 55/675), may Allah be pleased with him, for his prayers were always accepted.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s Prayer for Omar Ibn-i Khattab
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed to Allah Almighty to strengthen Islam with either Abu Jahal or Omar ibn al-Khattab, and this prayer was accepted for Omar:
“O Allah! Of these two, whoever You love most, strengthen Islam with him!” he supplicated. Then he said: “Allah preferred Omar.”
Abdullah Ibn-i Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him confirmed this by saying, “From the day Omar embraced Islam, we gained strength and power.”
Footnotes
- Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said about Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan: “O Allah! Teach him writing, calculation, and grant him the ability to govern cities.” (Tabarani, al-Mu‘jamu’l-kebîr [Salafi], XIX, 439, nr. 1066; Heysemi, Majma‘u’z-zewa‘id, IX, 356-357).
- Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan embraced Islam during the Conquest of Mecca along with his father, Abu Sufyan. He served as a scribe for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). During Umar’s reign, he was the governor of Jordan and Damascus, and during Uthman’s reign, he became the general governor of Syria. After the martyrdom of Uthman, when he did not pledge allegiance to Ali, who became caliph, a battle of Siffin took place due to their disagreement. After the martyrdom of Ali, his son Hz. Hasan relinquished the caliphate and made an agreement with him. However, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The caliphate according to the Sunnah of the Prophet will last for thirty years. Then Allah will bring about a monarchy.” Therefore, Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan was accepted as an emir rather than a caliph. During his reign, in 49 (662), Istanbul was besieged from both land and sea. Various places such as Bukhara and Samarkand were conquered in the East. Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan narrated 163 hadiths from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
- Prophet’s mother Hz. Amina, because she belonged to the Banu Zuhra tribe, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) would show affection to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, who was also from the same tribe, saying: “Does anyone have an uncle like this?” Once he said for him: “O Allah! When Sa’d prays, accept his prayer.” (Tirmidhi, Menakib 26, nr. 3751, 3752).
- Tirmidhi, Menakib 18, nr. 3681; Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Musnad, II, 95.
- Bukhari, Fazailu ashabil-nabi 6, nr. 3684; Manakibu’l-ensar 35, nr. 3863.