A Companion Saved from a Robber by an Angel from the Fourth Heaven Author: Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Anwar Zāhid ḥafiẓahullāh
❖ The Incident as Narrated by Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رحمه الله
Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رحمه الله reports that among the Anṣārī Companions, there was a Companion by the name of Abū Mu‘allaq who was extremely pious and known for his honesty and success in trade. Once, he set out on a journey for business purposes. During his travels, he encountered a robber.
The robber demanded, “Hand over whatever wealth you possess, or I will kill you.”
The Companion calmly responded, “You may take this wealth.”
The robber replied, “The wealth is already mine. But I will not leave you alive.”
The Companion then said, “Very well, but grant me a short respite so I may perform four rak‘āt of prayer.”
The robber allowed him that time. The Companion performed ablution and prayed four rak‘āt. In the final prostration, he supplicated before Allah with the following words:
«يا ودود يا ذو العرش المجيد يا فعال لما يريد اسئلك بعزتك الذى لايرام وبملكك الذى لا يضام وبنورك الذى ملا اركان عرشك أن تكفيني شر هذا اللص يا مغيث اغثني يا مغيث اغثني يا مغيث اغثني»
“O Loving One, O Possessor of the Glorious Throne, O Doer of what He wills, I beseech You by Your invincible might, and I seek Your refuge through Your dominion which cannot be overcome, and I entreat You by Your light which fills the pillars of Your Throne, protect me from the evil of this robber. O Helper, help me! O Helper, help me! O Helper, help me!”
As he was reciting this supplication in his final prostration during the fourth rak‘ah, a mounted warrior suddenly appeared, armed with a spear. He killed the robber and then turned to the Companion and said, “Raise your head, for your enemy has been destroyed.”
The Companion lifted his head from prostration and saw the robber lying dead. He asked, “Who are you?”
The stranger replied, “I am one of the angels from the fourth heaven. When you supplicated to Allah, I heard the doors of the heavens open. At your second plea, a commotion spread among all the angels. At your third plea, it was said: ‘This is the supplication of an afflicted and oppressed individual.’ I then requested Allah for permission to destroy this oppressor, and He granted me permission. Thus, I came to assist you.”
This incident is reported in al-Majābīn fī al-Du‘āʾ by Ibn Abī al-Dunyā and cited by ʿAllāmah Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Jawāb al-Kāfī liman saʾala ʿan al-Dawāʾ al-Shāfī, page 14.
❖ Ḥadīth Authentication:
Chain of narration: Weak (Ḍaʿīf)
Sources:
- Ibn Abī al-Dunyā in Mujābī al-Daʿwah, pp. 38–39, ḥadīth no. 23
- al-Hawātif, pp. 24–25, ḥadīth no. 14
- From his chain, also reported by al-Lālakāʾī in Karāmāt al-Awliyāʾ, pp. 154–155, no. 111
- ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Maqdisī in al-Targhīb fī al-Duʿāʾ, pp. 104–105, no. 16
- Ibn Bashkuwāl in al-Mustaghīthīn bi-Allāh, pp. 17–18, no. 3
- al-Ḍiyāʾ al-Maqdisī in al-ʿUddah lil-Karb wa al-Shiddah, pp. 72–73, no. 32
- Ibn Ḥajar in al-Iṣābah, 7/380
Narrators under scrutiny:
- al-Kalbī: He is the same al-Kalbī known for his Tafsīr, and the Muḥaddithūn have strongly criticized him.
- Ibn Maʿīn said: “Not trustworthy.”
- al-Jawzajānī said: “He is a liar.”
- al-Dāraquṭnī and others said: “Abandoned.”
- If this is indeed the same al-Kalbī, the narration is severely weak. If it is someone else, he remains unknown (majhūl).
- Mūsá ibn Wardān: Also a weak narrator, not reliable.
- Additionally, the correct name of the Companion is Abū Mu‘allaq, not Abū Ma‘qil.
