Key to getting supplications answered: seeking forgiveness
Imam Ahmed, may God be pleased with him, once was traveling and needed to stay somewhere overnight. When he went to the masjid, the guard (not recognizing Imam Ahmed) denied him entrance. Imam Ahmed tried numerous times, but the guard did not accept his requests. Frustrated, Imam Ahmed resolved to spend the night int he masjid yard. The guard became furious and dragged him away, despite the old age and frailty of Imam Ahmed. A baker, whose shop was nearby, watched this scene and took pity on Imam Ahmed. He invited the Imam to stay with him for the night. While there, Imam Ahmed noticed that the baker continually made istighfar (asking for Allah’s forgiveness) while working, and in the morning, the Imam eagerly asked his host about the latter’s continual seeking of forgiveness. The baker said it had become like second nature, and Imam Ahmed then asked whether the man had experienced any reward from this practice.
The baker answered, “By Allah! No duaa (supplication to God) I made except that it was answered but one.” “And what is that duaa?” asked Imam Ahmed.
“To be able to see the famed Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal!”
Imam Ahmed interjected, “I am Ahmed ibn Hanbal!”
He then went on to add:
“By Allah! I was dragged to your place so that you can have your duaa/wish come true.”
- Summarized from Al Jumuah magazine, vol 19, issue 7.
SubhanAllah… Allah dragged Imam Ahmed to the house of the baker to answer his duaa. We needa start making istighfar..
Taken from: www.islamequalscool.wordpress.com
June 15th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Jazakumullahu khayr, that is a very beneficial reminder.
And the best du’a for seeking forgiveness is Sayyidul Istighfar.
About Sayyidul Istighfar:
The Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Aalihi Wa Sallam, added, “If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it and dies before the morning he will be from the people of Paradise.”
Subhanallah, shouldn’t we then memorize it and make that du’a throughout the day?
June 15th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
SubhanAllah.. lovely
June 15th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
SubhanAllah, truly inspiring! Gave me the chills.
June 15th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
That is a wonderful story, masha’Allah!
June 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
I pray that you are in the best of health & imaan.
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May Allah bless you for your noble efforts.
Wa’salam
June 15th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
What a nice story MashAllah! Thanks for posting!
June 16th, 2008 at 4:47 am
SubhanAllah, jazakAllahkhair for this beautiful reminder!
June 16th, 2008 at 11:02 am
jezak Allahu khayrin for this post!
June 16th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Well it’s been ten years, and a thousand tears
And look at the mess I’m in-
A broken nose and a broken heart,
A heart full of sins
Well I sit and I pray
In my broken down Chevrolet-
While I’m singin’ to myself
There’s got to be another way
take away this ball and chain
I’m lonely and I’m tired
And I can’t take any more pain
Never to return again
Well I’ve searched and I’ve searched
To find the perfect life-
But wherever I have gone
I was sure to find myself there-
You can run all your life
But not go anywhere
Well I’ll pass them on the way
To my dingy hotel room-
I spent all my money
Been slippin’ since a half past noon-
I’ll wake there in the mornin’
Or maybe in the county jail-
Times are hard getting harder
I’m born to lose and destined to fail-
Take away this ball and chain
June 17th, 2008 at 12:47 am
subhan’Allah, that was entirely awesome! funny too.
yeh, we def. have to get our istighfar on. =)
June 21st, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Wow, that was touching… Jazakallah Khair Brother.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:11 am
is there a source for this other than that its from al-jumu`ah magazine?