Abu Katheer, Yazeed bin ‘Abdir Rahmaan (rahimahullah) mentions:
On one occasion, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to me, “Allah Ta‘ala has not created any believer who will hear of me or see me except that he will have love for me.” I asked him, “How do you know this, O Abu Hurairah?” In reply, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) related the following incident:
My mother was a disbeliever, and I would continue to invite her towards Islam. However, despite my efforts, she would not accept my invitation and refused to bring imaan.
One day, when I invited my mother to accept Islam, she began to speak against Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), uttering such words that I detested hearing. I thus presented myself before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with tears flowing from my eyes.
I laid my complaint to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! I would continue to invite my mother towards Islam, and she would continue to reject my invitation. Today, when I invited her to accept Islam, she uttered such words against you that I detested hearing. Make du‘aa to Allah Ta‘ala to guide the mother of Abu Hurairah towards Islam!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) immediately made du‘aa saying, “O Allah! Guide the mother of Abu Hurairah!”
I thereafter departed from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), running to give my mother the glad tidings of the du‘aa that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had made for her. As I returned home, I proceeded towards the door and found it closed. Just then, my mother heard the sound of my approaching footsteps and called out, “Stay where you are (i.e. do not enter), O Abu Hurairah!”
As I waited, I heard the sound of water flowing (and understood that my mother was taking ghusl). My mother then wore her cloak and hastened to open the door before wearing her scarf. She then addressed me saying, “O Abu Hurairah! I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is the Rasul of Allah.”
I thereafter returned to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), weeping in joy just as I had initially wept in grief and sadness. I addressed him saying, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Accept glad tidings, for Allah Ta‘ala has accepted your du‘aa and guided the mother of Abu Hurairah!” Hearing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) praised Allah Ta‘ala and also mentioned some words of good.
I thereafter requested, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Make du‘aa to Allah Ta‘ala to make my mother and I beloved to His believing servants, and to make His believing servants beloved to us!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thus made du‘aa saying, “O Allah! Make this servant of yours and his mother beloved to your believing servants, and make all the believers beloved to them.”
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereafter mentioned, “(On account of the du‘aa of Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam],) there is no believer whom Allah Ta‘ala has created (or will create) except that on hearing of me or seeing me, he will have love for me.”
(Saheeh Muslim #6396 and Musnad Ahmad #8259)
Lessons:
1. Love for Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), and similarly love for all the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), is the sign of a person possessing true imaan. Hence, the imaan of a person who does not love him, is definitely questionable.
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) continued to invite his mother to Islam, and even though she continued to reject his invitation, he continued to show her respect, as she was his mother. When this was the respect that he showed his disbelieving mother, then how much more respect should a believing mother be shown!
3. Today, there are people who are quick to ‘wash their hands’ of their parents (i.e. disassociate from them) due to petty issues. However, even when the mother of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) broke his heart by uttering words that he detested, he still went to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and asked him to make du‘aa for his mother to be blessed with the ultimate bounty – imaan.
4. The du‘aa of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was so effective that before Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) could even return home, his mother, who just moments before was speaking ill of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), had a complete change of heart and had now brought imaan. If we wish to obtain the du‘aa of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), we should engage in all those actions that bring happiness to his blessed heart.
5. If we wish to become beloved and accepted by people, we will first have to become the beloved of Allah Ta‘ala, as it is only Allah Ta‘ala that can instil love in the hearts of people.
