Sayyiduna Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates the following incident:

Among the Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was a man of the Ansaar known as Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). He was a businessman who traded in various lands and regions using his own wealth as well as that invested by others. Together with being a competent businessman, Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would engage in (excessive) ‘ibaadah and was very pious.

One day, while Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was travelling to some place, he was accosted by a thief. Clad from head to toe in armour, the thief commanded him, “Give up all your wealth, for I am going to kill you!” Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) responded, “Why do you want to kill me? Just take the money!” The thief replied, “As far as the money is concerned, it is certainly mine. However, I am determined to kill you!”

Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said, “If you insist on killing me, then allow me to first perform four rakaats of salaah.” The thief obliged and said, “Perform salaah as you wish.”

Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thus made wudhu and commenced performing his four rakaats of salaah. In the final sajdah of the four rakaats, while making du‘aa, he addressed Allah Ta‘ala in the following words:

يَا وَدُوْدُ ، يَا ذَا الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيْدُ ، يَا فَعَّالَا لِّمَا يُرِيْدُ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِعِزِّكَ الَّذِيْ لَا يُرَامُ ، وَمُلْكِكَ الَّذِيْ لَا يُضَامُ ، وَبِنُوْرِكَ الَّذِيْ مَلَأَ أَرْكَانَ عَرْشِكَ ، أَنْ تَكْفِيَنِيْ شَرَّ هٰذَا اللِّصِّ ، يَا مُغِيْثُ أَغِثْنِيْ ، يَا مُغِيْثُ أَغِثْنِيْ ، يَا مُغِيْثُ أَغِثْنِيْ

O the Most Loving! O Owner of the throne, the Majestic! O the Doer of all that He intends! I ask you, by Your strength which cannot be challenged, and by Your kingdom which cannot be overcome, and by Your radiance which fills the corners of Your throne, that You suffice me from the evil of this thief! O the One who assists, assist me! O the One who assists, assist me! O the One who assists, assist me!

After making this du‘aa three times, he suddenly saw a horseman approaching, holding a spear between the ears of his horse. As the thief caught sight of the horseman and moved towards him, the horseman stabbed him with the spear, killing him. He then turned to Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and bade him to stand.

Sayyiduna Abu Mi’laq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked the horseman, “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you – who are you? Indeed Allah Ta‘ala assisted me through you today!” The horseman replied, “I am an angel from the inhabitants of the fourth sky. When you made your du‘aa the first time, I heard knocking on the doors of the sky. Then, when you made your du‘aa for the second time, I heard a clamour among the inhabitants of the sky. Thereafter, when you made your du‘aa for the third time, someone said, ‘This is the du‘aa of a person in distress.’ I thus asked Allah Ta‘ala to allow me to kill the thief.”

After narrating this incident, Sayyiduna Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentioned, “Understand that if a person makes wudhu, performs four rakaats of salaah and recites this du‘aa, his du‘aa will be accepted, whether he is in distress or not.”

(Mujaabud Da’wah – Ibnu Abid Dunya #13)

Lessons:

1. Du‘aa is the weapon of a believer. Whenever we have a problem, whether big or small, our first response should be to make wudhu, perform a few rakaats of salaah and raise our hands before Allah Ta‘ala in du‘aa. Allah Ta‘ala is that Being who can assist us with means, without means or even against means and everything is under His supreme control.

2. The angels are the friends of the pious and hasten to assist them and protect them. We should thus value the company of the angels and should not repel them from ourselves eg. by keeping pictures of animate objects, having foul odours, etc.