Rabiulawwal Reflections Day 4: Dreaming of the Prophet ﷺ
Sometimes I wonder about the sort of legacy I would leave behind. Most times I think about which deeds will be that one defining weight that would tilt my scales to ensure my spot in hellfire (not even kidding), and which would be the cause for God to look at me with mercy and give me a chance to enter Jannah.
Ustaz Mazdiuky from Nusantara Books has very kindly, for years, given me the opportunity to translate his works in Malay into English (which in turn has opened the doors for me to edit works by others). The annual Risalah Mawlid is the one I look forward to each year.
I really hope & pray that it’s the one thing I can depend on for the Prophet ﷺ to intercede on my behalf. Because out of the many nonsense words I type and spout, for some weeks every year, I translate words about him, sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
This year, the Risalah Mawlid is to refute claims that before receiving revelation, the Prophet ﷺ was misguided. Please do contact Ustaz Mazdiuky to receive your copy!
In 2017, the Risalah Mawlid was about dreaming of the Prophet ﷺ. Every translation project is meaningful and I learn so much but you can imagine how the 2017 Risalah Mawlid touched my heart in a different way and really intensified my yearning for the Prophet ﷺ mashaAllah. You can try asking Ustaz Mazdiuky if he still has copies of the 2017 edition. :)
Anyhow, here’s an excerpt from Risalah Mawlid 2017: “Meeting the Prophet ﷺ in Dreams: A Yearning for the Hearts that Miss Him”:
Rasulullah ﷺ said:
مِنْ أَشَدِّ أُمَّتِيْ لِيْ حُبًّا نَاسٌ يَكُونُونَ بَعْدِيْ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ رَآنِى بِأَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ
“From amongst my ummah, the ones who love me the most are those who will come after me. (There will come a time) one from amongst them will desire to see me by (sacrificing) his family and his wealth.” — Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari & Muslim
Sayyidul Habib ‘Ali Zainal ‘Abidin Al-Jifri Al-’Ash’ari Ash-Shafi’I حفظه الله was once asked about the ways to meet the Prophet ﷺ in a dream that he had tried and gotten a positive outcome from. Shaykh replied:
| 1. Send abundant salawat (salutions upon the Prophet ﷺ) |
Anyone who has such aspirations must recite abundant salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ. According to Al-Imam Al-Haafidz As-Sakhawi رحمه الله in his book Qaul Badi’ fi Solati ’ala Habib Ash-Shafii’, the minimum number of salawat is 300 times daily, every morning and evening.
| 2. Glorify the Sunnah of the Prophet |
To glorify the Sunnah isn’t only to practise the outward actions like some people mistakenly think, even though that is good. However, what is meant by glorifying the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ here is to desire to be just like the Prophet ﷺ. For example, when it is mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ ate and drank with his right hand, we also do it not just out of custom but to really reflect as we eat and drink: “I am eating and drinking just like my beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ate and drank.”
Glorifying his Sunnah also isn’t just by our way of dressing, but with our character as well. For example, the Prophet ﷺ disliked excessive laughter and he smiled a lot instead. He did not frown or had a sour expression on his face despite being someone who carried the greatest burdens of the ummah.
| 3. Serve the Ummah of the Prophet ﷺ |
We should live our lives by always thinking of ways to serve others and never to be arrogant. Whenever someone in need came to the Prophet ﷺ , look how he dealt with them. Serving the ummah of the Prophet ﷺ isn’t limited to only the Muslims but to all of humanity as he was sent for all.
| 4. Spread the Prophet’s Message |
When we love someone, we’ll know what our beloved holds dear, even if the thing saddens or pleases us. As a lover, we would put our beloved first. Surely we would want to be near to the thing that our beloved occupies themselves with. If not, how do we prove our love?
From this, what pleases the heart and is foremost to the Prophet ﷺ? It is calling people to Islam, upholding the declaration of Tauhid, prayer, and perfecting noble character.
Allahumma ya Allah! Ennoble us to see the Prophet, the author of this publication, the one who wrote it, as well as the one who reads it and understands it well. Al-Faatihah!
