Mending the hearts of people.

Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki was a vizier to Harun al-Rashid. He used to give Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah one thousand dirhams every month so that poverty wouldn’t distract him from spreading the Sunnah and teaching fiqh among the people.

Sufyan would make du‘ā’ for Yahya in his prostration, saying:

“O Allah, Yahya has taken care of my worldly affairs, so take care of his Hereafter!”

When Yahya died, one of his companions saw him in a dream and asked:

“What did Allah do with you?”

He replied:

“He forgave me because of Sufyan’s du‘ā’.”

And perhaps your salvation could also be through a du‘ā’…

Through a heart you mend,

A tear you wipe away,

A burden you lift,

Or a distress you relieve.

Maybe Paradise lies in a box of medicine you buy every month for a patient,

Or in an amount of money you set aside for orphans.

There is nothing that draws the mercy of Allah more than mending the hearts of people.

The reality of our existance

Al-Asma'i reported that the ruler ar-Rashid once ordered for many delicacies to be prepared for him. He wanted to have a party for himself, so he had a hall decorated for him and invited the famous poet Abul-'Ataahiyyah.

When the party began, ar-Rashid looked at Abul-'Ataahiyah and said, "Describe the pleasures of the world that we are enjoying."

Abul-'Ataahiyyah began:

"Live in comfort as long as you please

Under the shades of high and wonderful castles"

"Wonderful, wonderful. Please continue," said ar-Rashid.

Abul-'Ataahiyyah continued,

"All that you desire is brought to you

Quickly, both in the morning and in the evening"

"Wonderful, wonderful," chimed in ar-Rashid. "Please continue."

He resumed thus:

"Then when the souls are parting

Through the breast with a croaking sound

It is then that one comes to know

I have lived nothing but a life of deception"

Ar-Rashid began to weep profusely, and some of those present looked reproachfully at Abul-'Ataahiyyah and said, "The Leader of the believers has invited you to make him happy, yet all that you have succeded in doing is making him sad!"

"Leave him alone," said ar-Rashid. "He simply noticed that we were in a state of blindness, and disliked adding to it with even more blindness."

Source: Stories of repentance by Muhammad Abduh Mughawiri

Some inspiring events from the life of Haroon Rasheed

One day Ibn Sammak was sitting with Haroon. Haroon felt thirsty and he asked for water and water was brought.

When he wanted to drink Ibn Sammak said, "O Amir al- Muminin! Stop for a moment."

Haroon Rasheed said "Yes"

Ibn Sammak said, "If you can't get water when you are most thirsty how much will you spend to get a bowl of water?"

Haroon Rasheed said," I shall exchange it for half of my realm."

Ibn Sammak said, "Now, you make drink."

When he finished Ibn Sammak said, " O Amir al- Mumineen! if this water remains in the abdomen and does not come out, how much will you spend to take it out."

Haroon Rasheed said,"Half of my realm if need be."

Ibn Sammak said, "Enough. Now you must know that the price of your whole realm is equal to a bowl of water and a bowl of urine. You must not be proud of it."

Haroon Rasheed burst into tears and continued to weep for a long time.


When the Romans deposed their Queen and made commander Nagfoor their king, Nagfoor sent a letter to Haroon Rasheed which says:

"The Queen, because of her natural weakness and too much pressure, came to terms with you and continued to pay you the jizya. This was her foolishness. Now you must repay all the taxes you have collected from us and promise to give payments as a fine or we will punish you with our swords".

When this letter was received and read by Haroon Rasheed, he flew into such a rage that the officials and ministers around him had no courage to remain sitting there and left the court. Haroon wrote on the back of the same letter:

"In the name of Allah Who is most Beneficent and Merciful. From Amir al-Mumineen Haroon Rasheed to the Roman dog. You, the son of unbelief, I read your letter. You will see its reply with your own eyes. You need not read it. That is all".

He wrote the above reply and sent back the letter and on the same day left Bagdhad with the army for the Roman territories, arriving there he besieged its capital Harculah. Nagfoor was at a loss and finding himself powerless to resist, begged him to be excused and promised to pay more jizya than before.


Once Haroon Rasheed requested a righteous and pious man to advise him.

He said, "If your friend is such as makes you fear leading good results he is better than the friend who makes you careless of and indifferent to fear leading to bad results."

Haroon Rasheed requested him to explain what he said.

He replied, "If anybody who tells you that on the day of judgement you will be questioned about your subjects and so you fear Allah much it is better than he who tells you that you are from among the family of Prophet(Peace be upon him) and that the virtue of your proximity to the Prophet(Peace be upon him), all your sins will be forgiven".

Hearing it he wept so much that those sitting near by began to feel pity for him.


When Haroon Rasheed was about to die he ordered a grave to be dug. And he had his cot shifted to the graveside and lying on it he continued to look at the grave and in that state he died.

Information taken form "The history of Islam" by Akbar Shah Najeebabadi