It is a daily observation, that Allah aids those who call Him for their assistance and likewise, He comes to the rescue of those struck by calamities. A Muslim has full faith and belief, that it is Allah who helps us, in all our troubles. It’s a historical fact that when the believers in the battle of Badr, supplicated for divine help, Allah accepted their call and sent a special army to back them. It is recorded in the Quran:
إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُمْ بِأَلْفٍ مِنْ الْمَلائِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ (9) الأنفال: 9
(Translation of meaning) [“And remember when you were praying your Creator for help then he responded that I am to help you with a thousand angels who will come to you in files” (Al-Anfal: 9) ].
Another observation is the supplication of Prophet Zakaria (AS) to Allah to grant his wish for a gentle progeny. Allah accepted his supplication and gave him the good news of the birth of Prophet Yahiya (AS) even though his wife had reached the age of menopause. Allah says:
وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لا تَذَرْنِي فَرْداً وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ (89) فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَى وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَباً وَرَهَباً وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ (90) الأنبياء: 90
(Translation of meaning) [“And remember Zakaria when he called his Creator O my Creator do not leave me alone and Thou are the best heir-maker. Then We accepted his call and blessed him with Yahiya and made his wife fit for him. Verily, they were hastening in the doing of good deeds and were praying to us willingly and fearfully and they were our devotees” (Al-Anbiya: 89-90)].
A similar episode has been reported from the blessed reign of the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
كانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَخْطُبُ عَلَى المِنْبَرِ يَوْمَ الجُمُعَةِ قَامَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَلَكَ المَالُ، وَجَاعَ العِيَالُ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَنَا أَنْ يَسْقِيَنَا، قَالَ: فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَيْهِ وَمَا فِي السَّمَاءِ قَزَعَةٌ، قَالَ: فَثَارَ سَحَابٌ أَمْثَالُ الجِبَالِ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْزِلْ عَنْ مِنْبَرِهِ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ المَطَرَ يَتَحَادَرُ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ، قَالَ: فَمُطِرْنَا يَوْمَنَا ذَلِكَ، وَفِي الغَدِ، وَمِنْ بَعْدِ الغَدِ، وَالَّذِي يَلِيهِ إِلَى الجُمُعَةِ الأُخْرَى، فَقَامَ ذَلِكَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ – أَوْ رَجُلٌ غَيْرُهُ – فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، تَهَدَّمَ البِنَاءُ وَغَرِقَ المَالُ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَنَا، فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ حَوَالَيْنَا، وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا» فتوقف المَطَرَ متفق عليه
(Translation of meaning) Once a famine occurred in Madinah Munawwarah. He was delivering a sermon from the pulpit when a Bedouin stood up lamenting that O Messenger of Allah we have lost all our belongings and our children are starving. Please pray to Allah to remove this calamity. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) raised his hands in prayer. His prayer was answered. Suddenly the clouds gathered and before he could finish his prayer it began raining. The people saw that rain was so incessant that raindrops were falling on the face of the Prophet and drops were falling from his hands. The rains continued for one full week. When this became unbearable some person stood up to lament O Messenger of Allah our homes are crumbling and all our belongings are under water. Please pray to Allah for the cessation of rains. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) prayed for this and then rain abated (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
