The Prophet Yusuf's (PBUH) Significance

Prophet Yusuf's Significance

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ

Ith qala yoosufu liabeehi ya abati innee raaytu ahada AAashara kawkaban waalshshamsa waalqamara raaytuhum lee sajideena

This is the narrative of that time, when Yusuf (Joseph) said to his father: "O my father! In a dream I saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon - I saw them prostrate themselves before me!"

Prophet Yusuf (as), known in the Bible as Joseph, is one of those prophets about whose life the Qur'an has most to say. Almost all of Surah Yusuf, one of the longest in the Qur'an, is devoted to his life and that of his family. Early on in this surah, Allah reveals that his life story contains important indications, proofs and wisdom:

In Yusuf and his brothers there are Signs for every one of those who want to ask.(Surah Yusuf: 7)

Since Allah devotes a lot of space to the details of the life of Prophet Yusuf (as), we may be sure that believers have a great deal to learn from it. In fact, the final verse of the surah stresses that the life stories of the prophets contain important lessons for those who possess wisdom and reason and are capable of grasping the essential meanings inherent in creation:

There is instruction in their stories for people of intelligence. This is not a narration which has been invented but confirmation of all that came before, a clarification of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for people who believe.(Surah Yusuf: 111)

One of the great examples of wisdom in the life stories of the prophets is the way the verses do not merely describe events in the past, but also provide lessons for people of future generations while pointing to events that have yet to take place.

In this sense, the life of Yusuf (as) has several meanings. When we look at his life we see that Muslims have faced similar difficulties in all ages, that they have been subjected to unfounded allegations by people who do not share their religion and that they have experienced a great many situations in which they have needed to exhibit patience and resignation before the will of Allah.

We are told that at an early age Prophet Yusuf (as) was thrown down a well by his brothers and left to die, that he was later sold into slavery and spent long years in prison as a result of false accusations, and that he was tested with a number of difficulties.

So when believers look at his life they find a great many similarities with their own lives. It is the immutable design of Allah that believers over the ages have faced similar situations. Allah makes this clear in a number of verses:

That was the pattern with those We sent before you as Our Messengers. You will not find any changing of Our pattern.(Surat al-Isra': 77)That is Allah's pattern which has passed away before.You will not find any changing in the pattern of Allah.(Surat al-Fath: 23)

In addition to this, after all the traps that had been set for him; the way he was thrown into a well, slandered, unjustly imprisoned and left there for years, Allah eventually made Yusuf (as) head of the Treasury. He gave him power, rank and wealth. The unalterable pattern of Allah applies here, just as it does in every other field. Allah promises in several verses that the faithful will be delivered after all their tribulations:

Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security.

"They worship Me, not associating anything with Me." Any who disbelieve after that, such people are deviators.(Surat an-Nur: 55)

Just as with the other prophets, believers who read the life story of Prophet Yusuf (as) will encounter many glad tidings and learn a great many lessons. That being the case, every believer must read these stories and attempt to grasp the wisdom they contain. A thorough understanding of the life of Prophet Yusuf (as) will provide believers with the kind of insight that will be of use to them in their daily lives and throughout their lives.

Sources

Harun Yahya - http://www.yahya-harun.name/ysf.php

The Youth of the Cave - From Surah Kahf (18)

This is a story related in Surah Kahf (18), Al Qur'an. About 400 years after Prophet Isa (Jesus) (alayhis salam), there was a ruler who was very cruel. His name was Decius the Emperor, and he ruled the vast Roman Empire which stretched from Spain to the Persian Gulf. He was an Idol worshipper, and the people who lived in this empire were forced to believe and in many gods and goddesses, and offer sacrifices to them. There was the god of war, the goddess of love, the sun-god, the god of the oceans, and many others. Some of these gods were symbolized by statues and the people were forced to pay special tribute to them or face the possibility of losing their lives. The people included many good Christians, who had believed in the one true God, Allah and in Isa (alayhis salam) as His messenger. The Emperor did not want the people to follow the religion of Allah as was revealed to Prophet Isa (alayhis salam). Within the Roman Empire there was a city called Ephesus located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was a bustling city with a great seaport where merchants from all over the Empire came to buy and sell their goods. In the heart of this city lived a few youths (about 7) that all believed in the one true God, Allah. They formed a small group and prayed to Allah for guidance in this land of oppression and injustice. They did not want to worship these idols that Decius the Emperor was forcing everyone to worship. Allah heard their prayers and gave strength to their hearts so that they would not be afraid to proclaim their belief to the people of Ephesus. One day these youths went to the bazaar where many people gathered to do their shopping. The youths stood up on a platform so that all the people in the bazaar could see and hear them. They said, "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We shall never call upon any god other than Him because if we did, it would surely be a lie!" The crowd suddenly stopped what they were doing and looked up at the youths that had so boldly proclaimed their faith. There were people in the crowd who agreed with the youths but were too afraid to say it. Whenever someone talked about the one true God, Allah, they were tortured and executed. Other people in the crowd shouted at the youths on the platform. The youths were not afraid and continued, "If our people worship other gods besides Allah, why don't they bring forward an authority clear and convincing for what they do? Who does more harm than the person who invents a lie about Allah?" [18:14-15] When Emperor Decius heard about the change of their faith by seven youth, he called them and questioned them about their faith. They told him that they worshipped only one Allah and made no partners with Him. The king turned furious, and gave them three days to come back to their old faith. He said that if they did not return to becoming Idol worshippers, then he would kill them. The youths ran away to a cave high up on a mountainside a few miles away outside of the city. On the way, a dog also followed them. They did their best to scare it away, but it would not leave them. The dog sat at the entrance. When the youth sought refuge in the cave they prayed, Rabbana atina mil-ladunka Rahma, wa hayya lana min amrina rashada  "Lord, grant us mercy and help us to get out of this trouble in a righteous way" [18:10]. After reaching safety in the cave, the youths were tired from running and decided to sleep there for a few hours. In order to protect these brave youths, Allah performed a miracle and kept them asleep for more than three hundred years. One would think them (the youths) awake while, in fact, they were sleeping. We turned their bodies from right to left and their dog stretched its front legs on the ground. [18:18] When they awoke they thought they were only asleep for a couple hours. One of them said, "How long do you think we have stayed here?" "A day or part of a day," they replied. "Your Lord knows better how long we have stayed here. Let us send one of us with this money to the city to get some pure food so that we might eat. He should be careful so that no one will know about us." [18:19] The youths were hungry so one of them went down to the city to buy some food. Before he left the cave, his friends warned him not to tell the pagans where they were. So the youth went down to the city of Ephesus with some money in his pocket. When he approached the city, he noticed something strange. He didn't recognize any of the people! Also, all of the clothes the people wore were different from his own. The surroundings, the dresses, the language they spoke and the lifestyle, everything had changed. He couldn't believe the city had changed so much in just a few hours. He went to the bazaar and found a shopkeeper selling food. When the youth brought out his money the shopkeeper looked at it very closely. "Where did you get this from?" he asked, peering out the corner of his eye. Remember that the youths had been asleep for over 300 years! "I saved it from my earnings, sir," said the youth. "This money has been out of date for 300 years!!," exclaimed the shopkeeper. The youth was shocked and the people of the bazaar began to gather around him. He now realized that Allah had saved him and his friends from the persecution of the pagans by making them sleep for a long, long time. When he explained his story to the people that had gathered around him, they were overjoyed. The whole city of Ephesus had changed. He informed the youth that he was now living at a time when he will no longer be persecuted. The whole city of Ephesus had changed. The wicked ruler of the Roman Empire, Decius, had died long ago and now a new tolerant Emperor reigned over the land. The whole city came out of their houses and marched toward the cave where the other youths were. Meanwhile, some officers of the king Theodosius (who was now the ruler) also arrived. When they were told that the stranger in the bazzar was one among the seven youths who had fled during the reign of Decius to escape death, he and a crowd followed him to the cave. Allah then caused the youths of the cave to pass away, just as Allah had caused the youth to sleep for 309 years [18:25], and king Theodosius ordered a monument to be built over the cave. Their story became famous throughout the Roman Empire as one of the true and beautiful miracles of Allah mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an.

The Prophet's (PBUH) Appearance

Appearance

muhammad (pbuh) was of a height a little above the average. he was of sturdy build with long muscular limbs and tapering fingers. the hair of his head was long and thick with some waves in them. his forehead was large and prominent, his eyelashes were long and thick, his nose was sloping, his mouth was somewhat large and his teeth were well set. his cheeks were spare and he had a pleasant smile. his eyes were large and black with a touch of brown. his beard was thick and at the time of his death, he had seventeen gray hairs in it. he had a thin line of fine hair over his neck and chest. he was fair of complexion and altogether was so handsome that abu bakr composed this couplet on him:

"as there is no darkness in the moonlit night so is mustafa, the well-wisher, bright."

his gait was firm and he walked so fast that others found it difficult to keep pace with him. his face was genial but at times, when he was deep in thought, there were long periods of silence, yet he always kept himself busy with something. he did not speak unnecessarily and what he said was always to the point and without any padding. at times he would make his meaning clear by slowly repeating what he had said. his laugh was mostly a smile. he kept his feelings under firm control - when annoyed, he would turn aside or keep silent, when pleased he would lower his eyes (shamail tirmizi).

“his face shone like the moon.” - (hind bin abi hala)

“his face was round like the moon.” – (bara bin azib)

“his face was not quite round but inclined to roundness.” – (ali- may allah be pleased with him)

“broad forehead, slanting thick brows parted in the middle. a vein protruded between the two parts which 

 became more prominent in anger.” (hind bin abi hala)

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Description of the Prophet:

n order to understand the message of islam, it is first necessary to acquaint ourselves with the prophet of islam. you cannot, as the popular saying goes, separate the message from the messenger. it is therefore only natural to wish to study the life of muhammad (pbuh), his manners and his morals, and to see how islam manifested itself in his person as a living example for all muslims till the end of time.
 

abu hurairah described him as follows:

"he was of medium build, closer to being tall. his skin was extremely white, his beard was black, his mouth was pleasant, his eyebrows were long, and his shoulders were wide"
 

ibne malik said:

"i never touched silk or any soft fabric equal to the softness of his palm, and i never smelled a scent more pleasing than his."
 

hind ibn abi hala (the son of muhammad's wife kadijah) described muhammad (pbuh) as follows:

"the messenger of allah was of consecutive sorrows, continuous thought, never finding rest, long in silence. he did not speak without cause. he spoke with his full mouth (was not arrogant), and spoke concisely. his speech was just, with neither excess nor deficiency. he was not pompous, nor denigrating. he exalted all blessings no matter how small and never belittled a single one. he would never praise his food nor criticize it. he was never angered by matters of this life nor that which was associated with it. however, if justice was transgressed nothing could stand up to his anger until justice was established. he never became angry for his own self nor sought retribution for himself. if he gestured, he did so with his whole palm. if he was amazed, he overturned it. if he spoke, he struck with his right palm the inside of his left thumb. if he became angry he turned away, and when he was happy he lowered his gaze. the majority of his laughter was [restricted to] smiling."
 

ali ibn abi talib described muhammad (pbuh) as follows:

"he was not vulgar nor did he condone vulgarity, and he was not one to shout in the market place. he did not reward evil with evil, rather, he would forgive and overlook. he never in his life struck anything with his hand except when he was fighting in the name of allah. he never struck a servant nor a woman, and i never saw him taking revenge for an injustice dealt him, except if the prohibitions of allah were transgressed. for if the prohibitions of allah were transgressed he was among the strongest of them in anger. he was never given a choice between two matters but he chose the simplest of the two. if he entered into his home he was a man like any other; cleaning his own garment, milking his own goat, and serving himself.

he would guard his tongue from that which did not concern him. he would attract them (the people) and not repel them. he would ennoble the noble of the people and charge them with their affairs. he was wary of the people and guarded himself against them but without depriving them a warm smile or fitting conduct. he would inquire after his companions and would ask the people about their affairs. he would encourage that which was good and strengthen it, and he would discourage that which was evil and undermine it. he was balanced and consistent. he would never be neglectful that they would not learn neglect and grow indifferent. he had a provision for every occasion and he never fell short of justice nor exceeded it. the closest people to him were the best among them, and the best among them in his eyes were the most comprehensive in advice. the highest of them in stature with him was the best among them in looking after the people and assisting them. he would not rise nor sit down without praise [to god]. if he visited a gathering he would sit wherever the group ended (and not at their head) and he encouraged the same. he would give all those sitting with him their just due [to the extent that] they would each feel that none was more important to him than them. if someone were to sit with him or come in search of a favor he would be patient with them until they (the guest) would be the one to leave. whoever came to him with a request was never turned away except with that which they had asked for or with a kind word. his cheerfulness and good manners encompassed them all such that he became a father to them and they all became equal in rights. his gatherings were those of knowledge, humbleness, patience, and integrity. in them there would be no raising of voices nor transgressions of prohibitions. they would not expose one-another's errors, but would be equal, encouraging each-other in the fear of god. in them, they would respect their elders, be merciful to their children, give preference to those in need, and protect the stranger."

he continues: "he was continually smiling, gentle in manners, soft in nature. he was not severe, harsh-hearted, loud, abusive, or miserly. he would disregard that which he disliked, and no one ever despaired of him. he never responded to disparagement or evil words. he forbade upon himself three things: argument, arrogance, and that which did not concern him. and he relieved the people of three: he would not degrade any among them or abuse them, he would not search after their honor or private matters, and he would not speak except in matters which he hoped to be rewarded for. when he spoke his attendees would lower their heads as if birds had alighted upon them. once he finished they would speak. they would not vie with one-another in his presence to speak, but when one would talk in his presence the rest would listen until he finished. speech in his presence was that of the first among them. he would laugh with them, and wonder with them. he had patience with the strangers when they were gruff in speech and requests, to a degree that his companions would fetch them to him. he would say: 'if you see someone in need, fetch him to me.' he would not accept praise except from those who were balanced and not excessive. he would not interject into someone's speech unless they transgressed, in which case he would either rebuke them or else leave.

he was the most generous of heart, truthful of tongue, softest in disposition, and noble in relationship. he who first set eyes upon him feared him, but he who associated with him loved him. those who described him would say: 'i have never seen before or after him anyone similar to him, peace be upon him' "

Importance of Following the Sunnah

The qur'an is the last divine book, which was revealed from allah as a declaration and guidance to mankind. it is an explanation of all things and means for men to be rightly guided. in many verses of the qur'an, it is commanded to obey the prophet of allah. this is quite a significant point because understanding the qur'an fully can only be possible with following the sunnah of the prophet (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam).

the sunnah is the explanation of the qur'an. it is the creed of ahl-i sunnat  which has been constituted with collecting true hadiths of the prophet muhammad (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam), and interpretation of these hadiths by great scholars in later times.

it's worth dwelling upon a point here. the sunnah is not a concept that can be dealt with separately from the qur'an. in the qur'an, it has been mentioned that the prophet removes heavy burdens, makes rules, teaches the ummah (society) the open and hidden meanings of the qur'an. as a matter of fact, when we look at the practices of sunnah, we see that the prophet of allah gave his companions a lot of information about numerous subjects. this information was then interpreted by scholars of the time, continued to be practised in daily lives and has passed on to us generations to generations.

allah has informed in the surah al-e imran that the prophet (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam) had the characteristic of teaching the qur'an and purifying mankind:

certainly allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when he raised among them a messenger from among themselves, reciting to them his communications and purifying them, and teaching them the book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error. (surah al-e imran, 164)

it would be useful to attract attention to the phrase "teaching the book and the wisdom". because, it is not possible to understand the qur'an fully and practise its commands without following the sunnah of the prophet of allah. our religion is a whole only with the qur'an and the sunnah. at that times when the qur'an was revealed, the people around the prophet learned and practised the commands of our religion as required by looking at the examples of the prophet. indeed, the prophet has been an important example with his life, where he practised the commands of the religion, for us to understand the qur'an.

we can give "salat" (ritual prayers) as a clear example to understanding the commands of the religion. as well known, in islam, performing salat 5 times a day is an obligation and there are verses giving general information about how to perform it, how to perform ablution (wash). however, we can understand how exactly we should perform prayers only by looking at sunnah. because there is no detailed information in the verses about the way of praying, what to say in prayer, the way of man and woman's performing the prayer, the degree of importance of the prayers, the details of ablution, what nullifies ablution. we can learn such details only by looking at sunnah of the prophet (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam).

as another example, we can mention the suggestions of the prophet about friday and the things he said about friday prayer. beside the subjects such as speaking that which is best, cleanness, foods, modesty, there are verses in the qur'an about obligations such as fasting, ablution and hajj (pilgrimage). however, there is no detailed information about those worships in the verses. we learn the detail information about how to perform these worships from the interpretations of the scholars about the words and habits of the prophet (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam).

sunnah has ected the lives of muslims throughout the history, of all past scholars of islam, shaping their worships. since the era of our prophet, which has been hundreds of years, the muslims have worshipped in compliance with the sunnah. worships like praying five times a day, fasting, giving charity and sacrificing have not changed until today as they have been always performed according to the sunnah. for this reason, starting discussions upon the worships, which have been practised for hundreds of years without change, and speculating about the subjects like time of the prayers, the number of the rakaats (units) are completely unnecessary. all of them are obligatory worships, whose details are described in the sunnah. as a matter of fact, when we look at the qur'an, we see many verses in the qur'an about following the messenger. in a verse, for example, allah commands us to obey the messenger (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam) as follows:

surely we have sent you as a witness and as a bearer of good news and as a warner, that you may believe in allah and his messenger and may aid him and revere him; and (that) you may declare his glory, morning and evening. surely those who swear allegiance to you do but swear allegiance to allah; the hand of allah is above their hands. therefore whoever breaks (his faith), he breaks it only to the injury of his own soul, and whoever fulfils what he has covenanted with allah, he will grant him a mighty reward. (surah al-fath, 8-10)

whoever obeys the messenger (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam), he indeed obeys allah, and whoever turns back, so we have not sent you as a keeper over them. (surah an-nisa, 80)

the point one needs to pay attention in the verses is that they emphasise on the concept of "obeying the messenger". this point shows us that following the messenger, in other words following his commands and rules is a worship that allah brought as an obligation. when we look at the verses, we again see that our prophet has the authority to enjoin and forbid things. for example, the verse "....and whatever the messenger gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back, and be careful of (your duty to) allah. (surah al-hashr, 7) shows that the prophet may forbid certain things for his ummah, apart from those things that are forbidden in the qur'an. besides, it is again informed in the verses that the believers took the matters that they did not understand to the prophet (salla allahu `alayhi wa sallam) and the prophet judged for them.

those conducts, on the other hand, such as opposing the messenger's being a judge, or disrespecting his judgements are described in the verses as "transgression". the certainty of the judgement of our prophet and the need for obeying his judgement is stressed in another verse as follows:

it is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by allah and his messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys allah and his messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path. (surah al-ahzab, 36)

as seen up to here, allah commands in his verses a strict obedience to his prophet. for this reason, islam can only be lived through practising the sunnah along with the qur'an. the explanations made in the verses related to this subject are certain. therefore, putting forward a claim of turning away from the sunnah of the prophet is completely opposite to the essence of the qur'an.

imam malik, one of the greatest islamic scholars, compared the sunnah of the prophet to the ark of noah and said : the sunnah of the prophet muhammad (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) is like the ark of noah. whoever embarks upon it reaches salvation and whoever refuses is drowned.". the true salvation will be realised only when the creed of ahl-i sunnat is understood by everybody and prevails in the society.

Duas of the Messengers of Islam (Pbut) and other Muslims

Bismillah wa salaatu was salaam ala Rasulillah (peace be upon him)

Duas of some Messengers, Prophets and other Pious Muslims in the Quran

1) Dua of Adam (A.S) to Allah in repentance:

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ (7:23)

Rabbana thalamna anfusana wain lam taghfir lana watarhamna lanakoonanna mina alkhasireena

"Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers."

Al-Qur'an, 007.023 (Al-Araf [The Heights])

2) Dua of Yunus (A.S) repenting to Allah in the belly of the whale:لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ (21:87)

la ilaha illa anta subhanaka innee kuntu mina alththalimeena

“La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers."

Al-Qur'an, 021.087 (Al-Anbiya [The Prophets])

3) Dua of Ayyub (Job, A.S) after he was ill for many years:أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ (21:83)

annee massaniya alddurru waanta arhamu alrrahimeena

"Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy."

Al-Qur'an, 021.083 (Al-Anbiya [The Prophets])

4) Dua of Ibrahim (Abraham (A.S)) for widom and piety:

لِي حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ (26:83)

وَاجْعَل لِّي لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ فِي الْآخِرِينَ (26:84)

وَاجْعَلْنِي مِن وَرَثَةِ جَنَّةِ النَّعِيمِ (26:85)

وَاغْفِرْ لِأَبِي إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الضَّالِّينَ (26:86)

وَلَا تُخْزِنِي يَوْمَ يُبْعَثُونَ (26:87)

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ (26:88)

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ (26:89)

Rabbi hab lee hukman waalhiqnee bialssaliheena

WaijAAal lee lisana sidqin fee alakhireena

WaijAAalnee min warathati jannati alnnaAAeemi

Waighfir liabee innahu kana mina alddalleena

Wala tukhzinee yawma yubAAathoona

Yawma la yanfaAAu malun wala banoona

Illa man ata Allaha biqalbin saleemin

26:83 My Lord! Bestow Hukman on me, and join me with the righteous;

26:84 And grant me an honourable mention in later generations;

26:85 And make me one of the inheritors of the Paradise of Delight;

26:86 And forgive my father, verily he is of the erring;

26:87 And disgrace me not on the Day when (all the creatures) will be resurrected;

26:88 The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail,

26:89 Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart.

Al-Qur'an, 026.083 (Ash-Shuara [The Poets])

 

5) Dua of Ibrahim(Abraham (A.S) for forgiveness for his parents:

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ (14:41)

Rabbana ighfir lee waliwalidayya walilmumineena yawma yaqoomu alhisabu

"Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established."
Al-Qur'an, 14.041 (Ibrahim[Abraham])

6)Dua of Ibrahim(Abraham (A.S) for Allah to make him a muslim:

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ (2:128)

Rabbana waijAAalna muslimayni laka wamin thurriyyatina ommatan muslimatan laka waarina manasikana watub AAalayna innaka anta alttawwabu alrraheemu

"Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage - Hajj and 'Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.”
Al-Qur'an, 2.128 (Al-Baaqarah[The Cow])

7) Dua of Ibrahim(Abraham (A.S) and his followers  to Allah when dealing with the idol worshippers:

رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ (60:4)

rabbana AAalayka tawakkalna wailayka anabna wailayka almaseeru

." Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return”

Al-Qur'an, 060.4(Al-Mumtahina [The Woman to be Examined])

8) Dua of Musa  (Moses, A.S) for any good:

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ (28:24)
rabbi innee lima anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqeerun

"My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!"

Al-Qur'an, 28.024 (Al-Qasas [The Narrations])

9) Dua of the people of the Cave:

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا (18:10)

rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wahayyi lana min amrina rashadan
"Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!"

Al-Qur'an, 18.010 (Al-Kahf [The Cave]) 

10) Dua of Yusuf (Joseph, A.S) for Allah to make him die as a muslim:فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنُيَا وَالآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ (12:101)

fatira alssamawati waalardi anta waliyyee fee alddunya waalakhirati tawaffanee musliman waalhiqnee bialssaliheena

“The (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, etc.) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous."

Al-Qur'an, 12.101 (Yusuf [Joseph])

11)Dua of the new beleivers whom Pharaoh was threatening to torture for their belief:

رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (7:126)
rabbana afrigh AAalayna sabran watawaffana muslimeena

“Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims."
Al-Qur'an, 7.126 (Al-Araf [The Heights])

12) Dua of Musa (Moses, A.S) for good speech, when he was sent by Allah to Pharaoh:

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي (20:25)

وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي (20:26)

وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي (20:27)

يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي (20:28)

rabbi ishrah lee sadree

Wayassir lee amree

Waohlul AAuqdatan min lisanee

Yafqahoo qawlee

"O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence, contentment, and boldness).

"And ease my task for me;

"And make loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue, (i.e. remove the incorrectness from my speech)

"That they understand my speech,”

Al-Qur'an, 20.025-28 (Ta Ha [Ta Ha])

13)Dua of Talut (Saul) and his army for victory over Jalut(Goliath) and his forces:

رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (2:250)

rabbana afrigh AAalayna sabran wathabbit aqdamana waonsurna AAala alqawmi alkafireena

"Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience and make us victorious over the disbelieving people."

Al-Qur'an, 2.250 (Al-Baqarah [The Cow])

14) Dua of Lut (A.S) to Allah for help :

       قَالَ رَبِّ انصُرْنِي عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (29:30)

  rabbi onsurnee AAala alqawmi almufsideena

"My Lord, support me against the corrupting people."

Al-Qur'an, 29.030 (Al-Ankaboot [The Spider]) 

15) Dua of Pharaoh's wife when she was being tortured by Pharaoh:رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ

rabbi ibni lee AAindaka baytan fee aljannati

"My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise..”
Al-Qur'an, 66.011 (Al-Tahrim [The Holding])

16)Dua of Shuaib (A.S) against his people:

رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ (7:89)

rabbana iftah baynana wabayna qawmina bialhaqqi waanta khayru alfatiheena

“Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are the Best of those who give judgment."

Al-Qur'an, 7.089 (Al-Araf [The Heights])

17) Dua seeking refuge from the shaytaan:

رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ (23:97)

وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ (23:98)

rabbi aAAoothu bika min hamazati alshshayateeni

WaaAAoothu bika rabbi an yahdurooni

"My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils). And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they may attend (or come near) me."

Al-Qur'an, 23.097-98 (Muminun [The Believers])  

Conclusion 

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ (7:180)

وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ (37:181)

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (37:182)

Subhana rabbika rabbi alAAizzati AAamma yasifoona

Wasalamun AAala almursaleena

Waalhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena

Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him!

And peace be on the Messengers!

And all the praise and thanks be to Allah, Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

Al-Qur'an, 37.180-182 (As-Saaffat[Those Ranged in Ranks])

STORIES FROM THE TIMES OF THE PROPHET'S (PEACE BE UPON THEM)

~ Value of one tumbler of water ~

One day Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was passing through a barren hill. He noticed a pious person busy in prayer sitting in a cave of the hill. Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) felt the urge to meet and talk to the pious person. Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went near and greeted him. The pious person asked disinterestedly, "Who are you?" Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said, "I am Musa!"

The pious person asked,
"Are you the Prophet Musa?"

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said, "Yes!"

The pious person said, "Then ask Allah The Magnificent to Grant my wish!"

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) asked, "What is it that you want?"

The pious person said, "Since the last one hundred years I am sitting here praying to Allah The Magnificent. I don't do anything other than the Prayer. Ask Allah The Magnificent, what He will give me for my efforts?"

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said, "I shall find out about it immediately." He immediately climbed up the hill and called aloud, "O Sustainer Allah! This person wants to know about the reward for his prayers! Tell me, what shall I inform him?"

He heard the sound, "O Musa! Tell him, we shall inform him about his reward tomorrow."

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went to the pious person and conveyed the message to him. The pious person said, "Its fine! Tomorrow is not much of a time!"

The pious person was in the habit of going to a nearby canal early every morning for bathing and fetching some water for his use. Therefore, the next morning too he started for the canal but he lost his way and reached somewhere else. Because of the sun's heat he became very thirsty and tired. He sat on a lonely boulder and started thinking about his death. At that time he found another person coming from the other direction. He waved to the person to come to him. When the person came nigh, he asked him to help him with some water.

The visiting person said, "Where is any water in this wilderness? Whatever little I have is only for me."

The pious person started crying. The other person said, "Fine! What will you give me if I give you a tumbler of water?"

The pious person said, "I don't have anything. I have been busy in the cave praying for the last one hundred years."

The other person said, "If you agree to transfer to me the Rewards for your prayers of one hundred years, I shall give you a tumbler of water."

The pious person thought, if he lived, he could pray for a further period to get the Reward from Allah. He said, "I am ready to transfer to you my reward for the hundred years' of my prayers.

The other person gave him a tumbler full of water and the pious person returned to his cave.

In the morning Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) got a revelation that the pious person transferred his hundred years of prayer to another person in exchange for a tumbler of water. Ask the man to settle the value of the tumblers of water that he had been drinking during the last hundred years!

Therefore, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went to the cave and told to the person that he had a message for him from Allah.

The pious person said, "O Prophet Musa (peace be upon him)! I have already sold my hundred years of penance!"

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said, "Yes! I know. But Allah has said that when the value of one hundred years of prayer is one tumbler of water, then he must settle the value of the water he had been drinking over the last hundred years."

When the pious person heard this, he was shocked and shouted, "O Prophet Musa (peace be upon him)! Recommend to Allah The Magnificent to forgive my sins! Allah is most Beneficent and Merciful!"

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) got the Revelation, "Tell the pious person! Your penitence of this moment pleased us more than your prayers of a hundred years and we have given to you rewards for a thousand years of prayers!"

Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you deny? Noble Qur'an (55:13)

Imam Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) says: "The sin that makes you sad and repentant is more liked by Allah than the good deed which turns you arrogant."

SUBHANALLAH!!

Spread the knowledge so it will be Sadqa-e-Jaaria for you and for me... In'Shaa'Allah.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever directs someone to a good, then he will have the reward equal to the doer of the action.” [Muslim 1893]