(Mother of Moulana Sayyid Abul Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi [rahimahumallah] – Part Nine)
The attachment that Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) had with making du‘aa was indeed proverbial. Apart from the sunnah du‘aas pertaining to different occasions, she would remain almost perpetually engaged in du‘aa. It was this favour of Allah Ta‘ala upon her (of inspiring her to make abundant du‘aa) that became a great means of her progress and opened the door to her enjoying countless special favours and blessings of Allah Ta‘ala.
Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) herself explained that in her experience, whenever Allah Ta‘ala wanted to bless her with something, he would first make her beg for it in du‘aa. She would be overcome by a feeling of acute distress and anxiety, and it was only through crying to Allah Ta‘ala in du‘aa that her heart would once again feel solace and peace.
She had a natural affinity for poetry, and thus, while making du‘aa, the words would flow from her lips in the form of poetry. Her love for du‘aa was such that she even composed a book named ‘Baab-e-Rahmat’ – The Door of Mercy, in which she wrote du‘aas in the form of poetry.
Together with du‘aa, Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) was extremely committed to her other ma’moolaat (daily nafl ‘ibaadah), such as the recitation of the Quraan Majeed and performance of Tahajjud Salaah.
The time of Tahajjud was the time which she cherished and anticipated the most. Each day, she made an effort to wake up for Tahajjud even earlier than the previous day. Towards the end of her life, on account of her weakness and other ailments, her family members continuously tried to convince her to wake up a little later for Tahajjud. However, she was not prepared to accept their suggestion.
In fact, it was when she had awoken for Tahajjud Salaah and was being led to the bathroom that she fell, breaking her shoulder and wrist due to the darkness and her sleepiness, and it was this incident that caused her final illness to commence.
Lessons:
1. Du‘aa is not only the means of a believer placing his needs before Allah Ta‘ala and getting them fulfilled, but is also a great act of ‘ibaadah. How sad it is that we can make up to ten phone calls – if not more – and spend hours standing in a line in order to fulfil our needs, yet we find it difficult to make wudhu, perform two rakaats of salaah and raise our hands, placing our needs before Almighty Allah Ta‘ala! A person once mentioned, “The quickest route between a problem and its solution is the distance between the forehead and the musalla.”
2. Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) not only ensured that she awoke for Tahajjud every day, she made an effort, every day, to wake up even earlier. This is the true spirit of a believer – he always strives to improve and better himself in Deen and acquiring the proximity of Allah Ta‘ala.
3. For a person to exert himself in ‘ibaadah for a few days is easy. The true test of dedication is where a person remains committed all the time, and it is this dedication that draws the special love and mercy of Allah Ta‘ala. Khairun Nisaa (rahimahallah) was so dedicated to her Tahajjud that let alone foregoing it due to ill health, she was not even prepared to awaken a little later and decrease the time for her Tahajjud.