This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hussain bin Mubarak Al-Mawsili's Arabic book Al-Awamer wal-Nawahi, whose Urdu translation has been done by Muhammad Sarwar Gohar Sahib under the title Ahkamat o Mamnoaat.
① Sayyiduna Abu Musa رضي الله عنه narrates, we were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم when people started saying Allahu Akbar loudly. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
أيها الناس إربعوا على أنفسكم إنكم لا تدعون أصم ولا غائبا إنكم تدعون سميعا بصيرا وهو معكم ، والذي تدعونه أقرب إلى أحدكم من عنق راحلته
"O people! Be kind to yourselves, you are not calling out to a deaf or absent one, rather you are calling out to the Hearing and Seeing Being who is with you, and the Being you are calling is even closer to you than the neck of your mount."
Sayyiduna Abu Musa رضي الله عنه narrates, I was reciting in my heart, "لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله" (avoiding sin and doing good is only possible by Allah's grant), then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
يا عبد الله بن قيس ألا أدلك على كنر من كنوز الجنة؟
"O Abdullah bin Qais! Shall I not tell you about one of the treasures of Paradise?"
I said: Why not, O Messenger of Allah! Please tell me! The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Expeditions, Hadith number 3883, Sahih Muslim, Remembrance, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness, Hadith number 2873.
① Sayyiduna Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
ثلاث لا يحل لأحد أن يفعلهن : لا يؤم رجل قوما فيخص نفسه بالدعاء دونهم فإن فعل فقد خانهم ، ولا ينظر فى قعر بيت قبل أن يستأذن فإن فعل فقد دخل ، ولا يصلي وهو حاقن
"There are three actions that are not permissible for anyone: that a man leads the people in prayer but prays only for himself, neglecting them; if he does so, he has betrayed them. That he looks into someone's house without permission; if he does so, it is as if he has entered. And that he restrains himself from urinating, etc., and then prays."
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Purification 90, Tirmidhi, Book of Prayer 357. Musnad Ahmad, Musnad al-Ansar 5/331, Hadith 22477.
② Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
لا يحل لرجل يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر أن يؤم قوما إلا بإذنهم ولا يخص نفسه بدعوة دونهم فإن فعل فقد خانهم
"It is not permissible for a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day to lead a people in prayer without their permission and then neglect them by praying only for himself; if he does so, he has betrayed them."
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Purification 91.
① Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه narrates, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا تدعوا على أنفسكم ولا على أولادكم ولا على أموالكم لا توافقوا من الله ساعة يسأل فيها عطاء فيستجيب لكم
"Do not curse yourself, your children, or your wealth, for it may be that you pray at a moment when Allah accepts prayers, and your prayer is accepted."
Reference: Muslim, Kitab al-Zuhd wal-Raqa'iq 74/3009.
② And in another narration:
لا تدعوا على أنفسكم ولا تدعوا على أولادكم ولا تدعوا على خدمكم لا توافقوا من الله ساعة نيل فيها عطاء فيستجاب لكم
"Do not curse yourself, your children, or your servants, for it may be that you pray at a moment when Allah accepts prayers, and your prayer is accepted."
Reference: Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Salat 1532.
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ubada bin As-Samit رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
ما على الأرض مسلم يدعو الله تعالى بدعوة إلا أتاه إياها أو صرف عنه من السوء مثلها ما لم يدع بإثم أو قطيعة رحم
"On the face of the earth, if any Muslim prays to Allah for anything except sin or severing of kinship, Allah grants it to him or removes a similar hardship from him."
Then someone among those present said: We will then pray more. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
الله تعالىٰ أكثر
"Allah is also capable of giving more."
Reference: Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Da'awat, Hadith 3573.
