Umm Ma’bud’s description of the Messenger of Allah

This was a text taught to us by Sheikh Atabek Shukurov.

The event occured during the Migration/Hijra from Mecca to Medina.

Translated by Arfan Shah.

It was narrated that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his servant, a guide and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) left Mecca, passing a tent of an elderly lady called Umm Ma’bud. She would sit close to the tent and would give food and drink to travellers. So they asked her if they could buy some meat or dates from her but she could not find anything. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) looked towards a sheep next to the tent. They had run out of provisions and where hungry. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked Umm Ma’bud, “What is wrong with this sheep, dear Umm Ma’bud?”

She replied, “The sheep is fatigued and is weaker than the other sheep.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Does it milk?”

She replied, “I swear by your mother and father, if I saw milk from it then I would milk it.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called the sheep and moved his hand over its udder; he pronounced the name of Allah and praised him. Then he called Umm Ma’bud when the sheep steadied its feet and its udder filled. He asked for a large container and milked it until it was filled. The lady drank until full, his companions (meaning satisfied) drank until full, then the others drank. Then it was milked for a second time until the container was full and they left her and continued on their journey.

After a short while, the partner of the lady (Abu Ma’bud) returned from herding goats that were swaying from weakness. He saw the milk and said to his wife, “Where did you get this milk from, dear Umm Ma’bad. The sheep is single and there is no milk in the house!”

She replied, “I swear by God, a blessed man passed by, in the following manner...”


Abu Ma’bud said, “Describe him to me.”

She said, “I saw a man externally bright; fair of face (beautiful face). His form was not blemished (The slimness of his body); he was not afflicted by extreme leanness (he was not thin), he was not plump but beautifully proportioned (He radiated beauty); his eyes were deep set (they were black); his eyelids were bushy (he had long eyelashes); his voice was melody (throaty and beautiful); his neck was prominent (long); his beard was dense (ample hair); curved furrows (long arched eyebrows). If silent, he possessed dignity, when he spoke, its elevation and loftiness was beautiful. He is the most beautiful person, beautiful from afar and stunning when close. Delightful speech with pauses, without jest or nonsense (speech between a little and a lot). His speech is like the beads of a necklace cut (he would not speak excessively or moderately). His height does not harm and the eye is not taken over by him, a branch between two branches, he is more radiant than them and he is most respected.

His colleagues would surround him, if he said something they would listen attentively, if he ordered then they would hasten to perform it, his entourage (He had some companions with him who would obey him), without frowning or refusing (without frowning on the face and speech free from dislike)."

Abu Ma’bud said, “I swear to God, he is the one Quresh mentioned to us about his affair in Mecca. I am determined to accompany him; if I could go that way.”


It was mentioned that Asma the daughter of Abu Bakr, and who was with her, fearful of what had happened to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon). They did not know where they went until a man of the jinn came whose voice was heard but could not be seen. Came into the city whilst the people were following and composed the following;

“May Allah recompense the protector of people with the best reward,

The friends who came into the tent of Umm Ma’bud,

They came in goodness then left ,

Prosperous is who is the follower of Muhammad,

May the tribe of Ka’b be blessed in their youth,

She intended to wait for the believers,

How embarrassed are you, from what Allah has taken,

With the action with reward or leadership,

Ask your sister about her sheep and her container,

Even if you ask the sheep it will testify,

Call the barren sheep and which gave milk,

The udder of the sheep gave cream,

He left her and gifted her with a sheep giving milk,

He returned her to her place and then to his destination.”


Sources: Ibn Hisham, Imam Ahmed, Al-Hikam Hasan qawi agreed upon by Ad-Dhahbi, Tabarni in Mujam Al-Kabir 3/57, Ibn Kathir “The beginning and the end” 2/190, Haytami 6/57, Proofs of Prophethood by Al-Bayhaqi 2/493, Tabarani in the Major compilation 4/57, in the “Grades” of Ibn Saad 1/230

Khowla bint of Al-Azwar

Khowla daughter of Al-Azwar became a heroine when her brother Dirar was taken prisoner by the Romans. She disguised herself as a horseman then took a position in the rows of the fighters in the battle of Ajnadien. (in Palestine in the fourteenth year after migration).


During the most intense fighting the Muslims saw a veiled horseman, who they could only see his eyes, riding a large horse with a spear in hand; attacking the Roman infantry like a raging fire. Thus causing the cavalry to displace and killing the soldiers. She caused such havoc that the people thought it was Khalid ibn Walid (may Allah show him mercy).


Suddenly, the people saw Khalid and their astonishment grew. Then they asked him who the veiled horseman was. He replied, “I am more astonished than you about the bravery of this horseman.”


Then Khalid cried out to the army, “O’ soldiers attack with the veiled horseman.” Then they attacked with them; broke the ranks of the enemy and gained victory.


When the veiled horseman came out at the end of the battle he was surrounded by the Muslim soldiers and asked, “Who could you be, O’ brave soldier?” but their perplexity increased when the veiled horseman turned away without answering. Then Khalid came and asked, “Who are you, O’ veiled hero? Reveal yourself to us. You have moved the hearts of the people and my heart through your actions. Who are you?”


When Khalid insisted, the horseman answered saying, “I do not wish to display myself to you O’ leader except out of my shyness towards you. I am Khowla daughter of Al-Azwar, Darar’s sister who was captured by the polytheists."


Khalid shouted, “Bless you O’ daughter of Al-Azwar. No army will be defeated with the like of you in it!”





Later she and the Muslims freed her brother from the Romans. More information can be found out about her in Famous Muslim Women Cd set by Dr Umar Abdullah Farooq.



Source page 76-77 Silsila ta’lim Al-loghat Al-Arabiyya, Al-Musawa Al-Thalitha, Kitab Al-Qiraat

Translation by arfan shah

Sheikh Muhammad Adeeb Al-Kallas

Sheikh Muhammad Adeeb Al-Ka... by arfansyedshah on Scribd

The Supplication of fire/completeness/relief

صلاة النارية
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ صَلاة كَامِلَة وَسَلِّم سلاماً تَامّاً عَلَى سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ الَّذِي تَنحَلُّ بهِ العُقدُ وَتَنفرِجُ بهِ الكُرَبُ وَتُقضَى بهِ الحَوَائِجُ وَتُنَالُ بهِ الرَّغَائِبُ وَحُسنَ الخَوَاتِم وَيُستَسقَى الغمَامُ بوَجهِهِ الكَريم وعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحبهِ فِي كُلِّ لَمحَةٍ
وَنفسٍ بعَدَدِ كُلِّ مَعلُومٍ لكَ

The Supplication of fire

O’ Allah convey complete supplications and perfect salutations upon our master Muhammad who, by him, bounds are unravelled; by him, calamities are dispelled; by him, necessities are fulfilled; by him, wishes are attained as is the best end (dying Muslim); by his generosity clouds quench thirsts; and upon his family, his companions; in every moment, with every breath of everything that you know the number of.

The supplication of the troubled/ Dua’ Al-Malhouf

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates an event in which a merchant was caught by a highway man. The highway man refused to accept just the items he would aquire, he also wanted to kill this traveller. The traveller asked to pray four units of prayer before being killed. He could not remember any verse other than this one:

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ ٱلْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ 
“He who answers the constrained, when he calls unto Him, and removes the evil...” The Ant 27:62

Then he recited this supplication:

يَا وَدُودُ يَا ذِاالعَرشِ اَلمَجِيدِ يَا فَعَّالُ لِمَا تُرِيدُ أَسأَلُكَ بِعِزكَ الَّذِي لَا يُرامُ وَالمُلك الَّذِي لا يُضَامُ وَبِنُورِكَ الَّذِي مَلأَ أَركَانُ عَرشَكَ أَن تَكفِيني شَرٌ هَذَا اللِصُ يَا مَغيثُ اَغَثنِي يَا مَغيثُ اَغَثنِي يَا مَغيثُ اَغَثنِي
رَواهُ اِبنُ الَجَوزِيُ

“O’ Beloved; O’ Possessor the great throne; O’ Doer of what you wish; I ask you by your might that cannot be coveted; the dominion cannot be harmed; and by your light which has filled the pillars of your throne; to protect me from the evil of this thief. O’ giver of support, help me; O’giver of support help me; O’giver of support help me.”
Narrated by Ibn Al-Jawzi

He heard the sound of the hoofs, a scream, something falling and then rolling. He completed his prayer and then turned to see a horseman wearing a turban and the highway man had been slain. The traveller asked the man on the horse with the turban, who are you? He said he one of the angels of the fourth heaven and when you recited the Quranic verse and supplication for the first time the gates of fourth heaven began to shake, when you recited it again the whole heaven began to shake, then when it was recited again. The angel asked Allah if he could respond and Allah gave him permission and that is why he came to help the traveller.

Hence this dua is very powerful and we should all try to use it if we are in a difficult situation.

(There are other versions of this event.)

Smart Bird

As-Sha’bi narrates that there was a man who caught a turtledove. It asked him, “What do you want to do to me?” The man replied, “I want to kill you and eat you.” It said, “I swear by Allah, I will not satiate your hunger. It is better for you that I teach you three things rather than eating me. The first, I will tell you in your hand, the second whilst I am on the tree and the third when I am on the mountain.”

(The man agreed and whilst the bird was in his hand he said), “Do not lament what has been lost.” The man let it go and it perched on the tree and said, “Do not believe something that can never be.” Then when it reached the mountain and it proclaimed, “O unfortunate one, if you had killed me then you would have found in my belly two pearls, each one worth twenty mithqals.”

The man bit his lip out of grief then said, “What was the third?” It replied, “Did you forget the first two? So how could I tell you the third? Did I not tell you not to lament what has been lost and not to believe something that can never be? I am flesh, blood and feathers; there is no twenty pieces in me! So how could there be two pieces weighting twenty mithqals in my belly!” Then it spread its wings and flew away.



This story can be found in many works of Imam Ghazali (may Allah be pleased with him) and others, this is from Nafhat Al-Arab/Breeze of the Arabs p.58.

One mithqal is about 3 grams in weight so the bird tricked the man saying he had sixty grams worth of pearls in its belly. Smart bird!!