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Our Holy Master and Benefactor’s prayers were so extensive that there was not even a moment devoid of them. He prayed for those of his followers who were to come near the end of the world.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) prayed for his successors, ‘O Allah, treat my Khalifas [successors] with special mercy and blessings. These are the people who would come after me and convey my traditions and sunnah to the people. They would act upon them and instruct others to act on them.’
Whenever the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) used to send forth an expedition he would pray for them. Mostly he would dispatch these armies in the morning and specially pray for them.
‘O Allah, particularly bless the morning journeys of my ummah.’
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) cared for his ummah so much that he prayed ‘O Allah, whosoever is the chief and ruler of my ummah and is harsh or transgresses against them, You Yourself take revenge and treat him likewise. A ruler or patron of my ummah, who treats the people kindly, You treat such a ruler kindly.’
The love which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) had for his ummah, is evident from the prayers which he offered day in and day out. When he migrated to Madinah, some poor Muslims were left behind in Makkah. For various reasons, they could not migrate and continued to suffer torture in Makkah. The pain which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) felt in his heart for those poor Muslims can be guessed by his prayers. For a long period of time he used to pray by name for his oppressed followers in his ‘Isha’ Salat. ‘O Allah, deliver ‘Ayyash bin Abi Rabi‘ah (ra) (brother of Abu Jahl) from the non-believers of Makkah. O Allah, free Walid bin Walid (ra) from them. O Allah, save Salmah bin Hisham (ra) from the cruelty of the Idolaters. O Allah bestow the means of deliverance upon all weak Muslims.’ Allah did deliver all of them from the enemy.
Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (ra) bin Al-‘As relates that when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) recited verse number 36-37 of Surah Ibrahim, which contains a prayer for the safety of children from shirk, he prayed for the forgiveness for the whole ummah.
When the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) read the Qur’anic prayer regarding forgiveness, offered by Jesus (as), ‘If You punish them, they are Your servants, if You forgive them, You are the Mighty, the Wise,’[1] his heart stirred with the love for his own people, he raised his hands and prayed, ‘O Allah, forgive my ummah, have mercy on my ummah .’ He started to cry while praying. God sent Angel Gabriel (as) to ask why Muhammad (sa) was crying (even though God knew full well the reason why the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) was crying). Angel Gabriel (as) enquired, and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) told him that he was begging for mercy for his ummah, God’s mercy stirred, and Angel Gabriel (as) was told by God to tell Muhammad (sa) that he would make him happy about his ummah and would not make him sad about them.
In brief God granted all types of signs of acceptance of prayers to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). The parallel of these prayers for his ummah is not to be found anywhere. By following the sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) every pious person can partake in the blessings of these prayers.
Muhammad (sa) – The Perfect Man (Qadian, India: Nazarat Isha’at, 2015), 184-187.
ENDNOTES
[1] The Holy Qur’an, 5:119.
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