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■ Sayyidunā Yūnus ع and the Whale:
Lessons from the Ocean of Divine Mercy.

▪︎ The Descent into the Ocean

Sayyidunā Yūnus ع left his people out of sorrow and frustration when they did not respond to his call.

He boarded a ship, and when the ship faced
a raging storm, lots were cast, and his name emerged.

Thrown into the ocean, he was swallowed by
a whale by the command of Almighty Allāh.

▪︎ Imām al-Qushayri ق writes:

“The darkness of the night, the darkness of
the ocean, and the darkness of the whale’s belly surrounded Yunus ع.

Yet he turned inward to the Light of Allāh.
This is the way of the Awliya: when surrounded by layers of darkness, they seek the Light within.”

▪︎ His Prayer in the Depths

In the depths, Prophet Yūnus ع recited:

“La ilaha illa Anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu minaz-zalimeen.”

(There is no deity but You; Glory be to You. Indeed, I was among the wrongdoers).

▪︎ Shaykh Abdul Qādir al-Jilāni ق explains:

“His supplication was not asking for deliverance first, but an admission of his
state before his Lord. Whoever acknowledges his own wrong and glorifies his Lord, deliverance is written for him.”

▪︎ Shaykh Ibn Arābi ق interprets the whale
as a manifestation of Divine Mercy:

“The whale was not a punishment,
but a means of protection from drowning. Outwardly it was confinement,
inwardly it was preservation.”

This teaches seekers that what appears
as constriction in life may be a hidden protection from a greater drowning in heedlessness.

▪︎ Lessons for the Seeker.

▪︎  Admit your wrongs without excuses.

▪︎  The prayer of Sayyidunā Yūnus ع contained
no justification, only humility.

▪︎  Never despair of Allāh’s Mercy.

▪︎ Shaykh al-Junāyd al-Baghdadi ق Said:

“If Yūnus had despaired, he would have remained in the whale until Judgement.
But hope opened the door of mercy.”

▪︎ Shaykh Bahā’uddīn Naqshband ق Said:

“When Allāh imprisons you in a situation,
He is calling you to the secret of Yunus:
La ilaha illa Anta.”

Though trapped, Sayyidunā Yūnus ع found absolute freedom in the remembrance of Almighty Allāh.

▪︎ The Return and Redemption

After three days in the whale, he was cast
upon the shore, weak and ill, and Almighty Allāh caused a gourd plant to grow over him
for shade and healing.

He returned to his people to find them believers, demonstrating that the fruits of patience are always beyond imagination.

The story of Sayyidunā Prophet Yūnus ع is not merely a historical event but an eternal lesson in spiritual etiquette.

▪︎ As the Awliya Say:

“The whale’s belly is the place where lovers
are cleansed of every veil except the oneness of Allāh.”

May we recite his prayer in our darknesses,
find the Light within, and be delivered into the radiant shores of nearness to our Lord.

🌿 Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (R.A.) — Faith Above Family 🤍🕊️

Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (R.A.), also known as Umm Habiba, was the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)…
A woman whose life showed what it means to choose faith over everything.

She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan — a leader of Quraysh.

—

🌿 A Life of Test

She accepted Islam early… while her father was still an opponent of Islam.

💔 A test between family and faith.

She migrated to Abyssinia with her husband Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh (R.A.).

📖 Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa’d

Then came a severe trial.

Her husband left Islam and became a Christian.

💔 A heartbreaking moment.

But she remained firm.

Alone… in a foreign land… holding tightly to her iman.

—

🌿 Honor from Allah

After her husband passed away…

She was alone in Abyssinia.

Then came honor from Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) sent a proposal to her.

The marriage was conducted by the Negus (Najashi), the king of Abyssinia.

📖 Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa’d
📖 Al-Isabah — Ibn Hajar

🤍 From loneliness to becoming a Mother of the Believers.

—

🌿 Faith Over Family

Later, her father Abu Sufyan came to Madinah.

At that time, he was still not Muslim.

When he tried to sit on the bedding of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)…

She folded it away.

He asked:
“Do you consider me unworthy of it?”

She replied:
“This is the bedding of the Messenger of Allah, and you are a disbeliever.”

📖 Musnad Ahmad
📖 Al-Isabah — Ibn Hajar

💛 Iman over blood relations.

—

🌿 Her Legacy

She was a woman of strength and sincerity.

She left her home… faced loneliness… and endured hardship…

But never left her faith.

—

🌿 Think about it:

What would you choose…

If your faith was tested against everything you love?

This was her choice.

This was her iman.

—

🌿 Lessons for Us:

💛 Faith comes before family when tested
💛 Stay firm, even when alone
💛 Allah honors patience
💛 True success is holding onto iman

📚 References:

Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra — Ibn Sa’d
Musnad Ahmad
Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah — Ibn Hajar

One day, Jamīlah bint Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ—may Allah be pleased with them both—entered upon Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the successor of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Out of honor and respect, Abu Bakr spread his own cloak for her to sit upon.

At that moment, Umar ibn al-Khattab entered and was surprised by what he saw. He asked:
“Who is this, O successor of the Messenger of Allah, for whom you have spread your cloak?”
Abu Bakr replied:

“This is the daughter of a man who is better than both you and me—except for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

ʿUmar asked:

“And who is he?”

Abu Bakr replied:

“A man who has already taken his seat in Paradise, while you and I remain behind… This is the daughter of Sa’d ibn al-Rabi’.”
Yes—Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ, the lion of the Day of Battle of Uhud.

Let us journey through the gardens of history to know this remarkable man and how he attained such a lofty station.

Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ and his cousin, Abdullah ibn Rawahah, were among the twelve leaders present at the Pledge of Aqabah.

On that night, Ibn Rawāḥah asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

“O Messenger of Allah, stipulate for your Lord and for yourself whatever you wish.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:

“I stipulate for my Lord that you worship Him alone and associate nothing with Him, and I stipulate for myself that you protect me as you protect yourselves and your families.”
Ibn Rawāḥah then asked:

“And what will we receive if we fulfill this?”

The Prophet ﷺ answered with one word:
“Paradise.”

The moment Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ heard the word Paradise from the blessed lips of the Messenger ﷺ, he cried out joyfully:
“A profitable bargain, O Messenger of Allah! A profitable bargain! By Allah, we will neither withdraw from it nor seek to cancel it!”
Regarding such believers, Allah revealed:
“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth in exchange for Paradise.” (Quran 9:111)

From that day onward, Saʿd remained true to his pledge. He never hesitated in serving Islam, striving with his wealth, his strength, and his life.

He fought bravely at Battle of Badr, and when the Day of Uhud arrived, he fought with unmatched courage, seeking the martyrdom that filled the hearts of the Companions.
As Paradise seemed to draw near, Saʿd cast aside the weight of this world. He threw off his armor, broke the sheath of his sword, and rushed into the enemy ranks like a blazing star. None stood before him except that he either fled or fell.

Seeing the devastation he brought upon them, the polytheists gathered against him from every side. Spears, arrows, and swords struck him relentlessly.

Still he fought.

Until his wounds overwhelmed him.
Until his noble body collapsed upon the battlefield—bearing seventy wounds from spears, swords, and arrows.
When the battle ended, the first thing the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked was:
“What happened to Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ? Who will find him for me?”

Ubayy ibn Ka’b volunteered and searched among the slain until he found Saʿd, barely alive.
He called out to him several times until finally he said:
“O Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sends you his salām and asks: How do you find yourself?”
At the mention of the Messenger ﷺ, Saʿd’s face lit up.
He said:
“Convey my salām to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and tell him:
Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ has found the fragrance of Paradise.
And say to him:
May Allah reward you with the best reward ever given to a Prophet on behalf of his nation.
And convey my salām to my people, the Ansār, and tell them:
By Allah! You have no excuse before Allah if harm reaches your Prophet while even one of you still lives and can blink an eye.”
Then his voice faded…
His heart grew still…
And Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ رضي الله عنه returned to his Lord as a martyr.
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard his words, he turned toward the qiblah, raised his hands, and supplicated:
“O Allah, meet Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ while You are pleased with him.”
Then he said:
“May Allah have mercy on him. He was sincere to Allah and His Messenger—both in life and in death.”
If you have finished reading, send blessings upon Muhammad ﷺ.

The Perfect Spiritual Guide (Murshid) of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (رحمة الله عليه):

Name and Lineage
Blessed name: Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni
Kunya (title): Abu al-Noor
Honorific title: Shaykh al-Islam
His noble lineage reaches, in the eleventh generation, to Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
Birth
According to most historians, he was born in 536 AH / 1141 CE in the town of Haroon (or Harwan) in Khurasan, near Nishapur.
Because of this place, he became معروف as “Harooni.” Some scholars say “Harwani” is more correct, but “Harooni” became commonly used among both scholars and the العامة.
A famous supplicatory verse says:
“By the حق of Khwaja Usman Harooni… O Moinuddin Chishti, help!”
Education
He received his early education from his respected father. Later, he traveled to Nishapur for higher studies, which was a major center of knowledge at that time.
He studied under renowned scholars and became proficient in all the prevalent sciences. Soon, he was counted among the distinguished scholars of his era.
Spiritual Allegiance (Bay‘ah) and Khilafah
After completing outward knowledge, he sought inner (spiritual) knowledge. Allah guided him to the khanqah of
Khwaja Sharif Zindani, where he took bay‘ah in the Chishti order.
Through عبادت، مجاہدہ، اور ریاضت (worship, struggle, and discipline), he reached spiritual perfection. His Murshid granted him khilafah (spiritual succession).
He also benefited from Khwaja Maudood Chishti.
Character and Spiritual Rank
He is counted among the كبار اولیاء (great saints) and leading spiritual masters of Islam.
He was a جامع (comprehensive master) of:
Shari‘ah and Tariqah
Outward and inward sciences
Tasawwuf and Ma‘rifah
It is written:
“He was the most knowledgeable in Shari‘ah, Tariqah, and Haqiqah.”
Teachings of His Murshid
His Murshid instructed him with deep wisdom, saying:
Follow the way of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Adopt humility and فقری (spiritual poverty)
Never consider yourself superior to others
Pride destroys spiritual مقام
Worship and Spiritual Discipline
Hazrat Khwaja Usman Harooni was known for extreme asceticism:
He memorized the Qur’an
Recited one complete Qur’an daily
For 70 years, he never ate to full satisfaction
Stayed awake at night in worship
Sometimes fasted continuously for days
Lived on minimal food
He would weep intensely in spiritual gatherings (sama‘), sometimes becoming overwhelmed with divine states.
After prayer, a voice from the unseen would say:
“We have accepted your prayer. Ask what you wish.”
He would reply:
“O Allah, I want only You.”
When asked again, he would say:
“Forgive the sinners of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.”
It was proclaimed that thousands of sinners were forgiven بسبب his دعاء.
Special Prayers
In his later life in Makkah, he made two special prayers:
That his grave be in Makkah and remain known
That his spiritual son,
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,
be granted a unique ولایت (spiritual authority)
A heavenly voice answered:
His grave will remain محفوظ in Makkah
Moinuddin Chishti will be granted unmatched spiritual authority in India
Miracles and Influence
He transformed countless lives:
Many non-Muslims accepted Islam at his hands
Many sinners repented
Many reached high spiritual ranks
One famous incident:
He entered fire holding a child among fire-worshippers, and the fire turned into a garden. Witnessing this, they accepted Islam.
Greatest Spiritual Legacy
His greatest miracle is his disciple:
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, known as Sultan al-Hind.
Khalifahs (Successors)
Among his distinguished successors:
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Khwaja Najmuddin Sughra
Khwaja Syed Arab Bukhari
Khwaja Ahmad Bukhari
Qazi Daniyal Qatri
Through them, countless people embraced Islam.
Sayings and Poetry
His teachings were compiled by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in “Anis al-Arwah.”
He also had poetic expression, including:
“I do not know why I dance at the moment of لقاء,
But I take pride in this state—that I dance before my Beloved.”
Passing (Wisal)
He passed away on 5 Shawwal 617 AH (3 December 1220 CE) in Makkah.
His blessed grave is located near Jannat al-Mu‘alla and remains preserved—fulfilling his supplication.
Al-Fatiha

A thought about the names of Angels – Mala’ika.

There are Four archangels there are called in Arabic Karubiyun, there names are;

1 – Angel Jibr’il (alayhis salaam)  – entrusted with conveying revelation to the messengers of Allah.

2 – Angel Israf’il (alayhis salaam) -blow the Trumpet on the Day of Judgement.

3 – Angel Asra’il (alayhis salaam) -Angel of death

4 – Angel Mika’il is  in charge of the rain and thunder.

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5 – Angel Isma’il (alayhis salaam) is in charge of 12,000 angels in one sky who are his direct assistants.

6 – Angel Artiya’il (alayhis salaam) in charge of relieving the sadness of the believers.

7 – Angel Ridwan (alayhis salaam) in charge of Paradise.

8  – Angel Malik (alayhis salaam) in charge of Hellfire.

9 – 19 Angels zabaniyah (alayhis salaam) torture sinners in Hell.

10/11 – Angel Munkar (alayhis salaam) and Angel Nakir (alayhis salaam), who bring about the trial in the grave.

12 – Angel Qasim (alayhis salaam)The angel who is charged with the distribution of provisions.

13/15 – Kiraman katibin (alayhis salaam) -Recording Angels: Raqib (alayhis salaam) and Atid (alayhis salaam), and Raqib (alayhis salaam) the Ameer, meaning the leader of the two, the one on the right.

16 – Two Angels at the front, two at the back-(Hafaza-guardian angels or known as Mu’aqqibat-“followers”)

17 –  Four angels who carry the ‘Arsh (Throne of Allah) Hamalat al-‘Arsh (alayhis salaam). 

The have 4 faces: Hamalat al-Arsh angels. One looks like a human being, one looks like a bull, one looks like an eagle, and one looks like a lion. Each of those four angels represents a different quality.

Which double ane become Eight in number on the day of Judgement.

‘The number of these angels will be added from four into eight angels during the Day of Resurrection. Al-Haqqa Quran 69:17)

And there are many liked to man to count his deeds and protect him