Download PDF: [S] Du’a of Owais Qarni (Islamic story)

In the Sahih Muslim, there is a Hadith Shareef which is reported by Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – who mentions that the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – has stated that, “There will be someone who is the best among the Taaba’een and his name will be Owais. His mother will still be alive and on his body there will be a small sign of a white patch of (past) vitilago (which he suffered from). You people should ask him to make Du’a for your pardon and forgiveness.”

 

Thereafter, whenever a supporting army used to arrive from Yemen, Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – used to inquire from them whether Hadrat Sayyiduna Owais – may Allah be pleased with him – was in their ranks. Finally, when he received news that Hadrat Sayyiduna Owais bin Amir – may Allah be pleased with him – had arrived, he approached him and asked, “Are you Owais bin Amir?” He replied that he was. The great Muslim leader then asked, “You are from the Murad tribe and from Qaran?” He replied that yes he was from this tribe. He then asked him whether he still had a sign the size of one Dirham on his hand from the past illness of vitaligo. He replied that yes, he did have this.

 

The great Muslim leader then asked him whether his mother was still alive and he replied that yes, she was still alive.

 

The great Muslim leader then informed him that the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – had stated that, “Owais will arrive with an army of supporters (for Islam) from Yemen. He will be from the tribe of Murad and then Qaran which is a branch of this tribe. He would have also suffered from vitaligo and although he has recovered from this, there is still a small amount equal to a Dirham in size which remains. He also has a mother with whom he is extremely kind to. If He swears in the Divine Name of Allah Almighty on anything, Allah Almighty will certainly complete and fulfil his oath. Therefore, if it is possible for you to ask him to make Du’a for you, you should ask him to make Du’a.”

 

Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – then asked him to make Du’a and then asked him where he wanted to settle. He replied that he wanted to settle in Kufah. The great Muslim also asked him whether he wanted a special letter of introduction to be written to the governor of Kufah, but he replied, “It is my preference that I live among the common people.”

 

In the Sahih Muslim, there is also another report which explains that the people of Kufah once approached Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – and mentioned to him that among them, there was one person who used to make fun of Owais.

 

This is that famous Saint in Islam who lived his entire live in simpleness and humility. Hadrat Sayyiduna Owais – may Allah be pleased with him – lived a life of someone who was completely unknown. In fact, when people saw him, some of them used to even make fun of him. Obviously, they were unaware of his deep secret. If only some of them understood that this person whom they considered as a simple person was actually someone whose oath and promise was immediately accepted in the Divine Court of Allah Almighty.

 

Hadrat Sayyiduna Imam Nawawi – may Allah be pleased with him – explains that by virtue of the fact that some people used to make fun of him, clearly proves that the great Saint used to completely conceal his true identity from the common masses. He refused to reveal the deep secret which existed between him and His Creator. This has been the manner of many Saints over the years. (Sharah Muslim; Imam Baghwi)