Abdullah Ibn Ummu Maktum

The road was uneven. He wanted to reach the mosque of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (p.b.u.h.), as soon as possible so that he will not miss the congregation prayer. In his blindness, he fell into a hole. He can feel that his clothes was dirty. Standing up slowly, he walked back home. Not to cancel his initial plan, but to change his clothes before going back again to the mosque.

Walking back towards the mosque, he moved carefully. He almost fell again but his hand was suddenly grasped by an other man. Holding his hand along the way, that man helped him to reach the mosque safely. But the irony is when they reached the mosque, the man will let go Abdullah's hands and disappeared. This happen everyday, the man guiding Abdullah to the mosque. He would never revealed to Abdullah who he was even when asked.

One day Abdullah can't stand the curiosity anymore. Who is this kind man after all? What's his name? As usual the man refused to tell. Then Abdullah warned him that if he would not tell, then Abdullah would not want to be guided by the man again.

I am the syaitan/devil. I guided you to mosque every day because when you fall the first time, you was not deterred by it. You keep on going to the mosque after going back home to change your clothes and because of that, half of your sins was forgiven by Allah. I'm afraid if you fall again, Allah will forgive all your sins. I don't want that to happen. That's why I guided you to the mosque everyday.

MasyaAllah. Praise be to Allah. A blind man who was whole hearted in seeking Allah's pleasure. I have to keep on reminding myself of Abdullah Ibn Ummu Maktum whenever I feel lazy. Be it procrastinating to perform my prayer on time, read the Holy Qur'an, renew my wudhu' or ablution, perform solat dhuha in the morning after the sun comes out, solat tahajjud in the middle of the night, reading to seek Allah's knowledge, etc.

I always pray so that in the hereafter I will be placed near Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and his companions but what have I been doing to achieve that? My ibadah is nowhere near them. Ya Allah, I pray to you my Lord to give me the strength to keep on improving myself. There is no strength but the strength that You gave us. And there is no god but Allah.

Say: He is Allah, the One!

Allah, the eternally Besought of all!

He begetteth nor was begotten.

And there is none comparable unto Him.

May Allah bless us all. Ameen.