In his Saheeh, Imam Bukhari related that a man from the children of Israel asked another to lend him one thousand dinars. The second man asked, “Do you have a witness (for this transaction)?”The first man replied, “I have no witness except Allah.” The other then asked, “Do you have a guarantor?” The man said, “I have no guarantor except Allah.” The second man said, “Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.” He then gave him the thousand dinars; they parted and between them there was an agreement upon a place and time for the paying back of the loan. As it happened, they lived on opposite sides of a river. When the time drew near for the transaction, the borrower went to the shore to find a boat so that he could repay his debt. To his disappointment, he found no boat. He continued to wait until long after nightfall without succeeding in finding someone to take him across to the other side. He said, “O’ Allah, he asked me for a witness and I found no one but You; he asked me for a guarantor, and I found no one but You. O’ Allah, make this letter reach him.” He took a piece of wood, hollowed it out, and inserted the thousand dinars with the letter. Then he hurled the piece of wood into the river. By the permission of Allah, it floated forward according to a guided course. The lender went to the shore in keeping with the appointment. He waited for a little while, and when the other man did not come, he said to himself, “Why don’t I at least take some firewood for my family?” He passed by the piece of wood and took it home. Finding that it was hallow, he broke it open and found the money with the letter.(And in Allah should the believers put their trust.) (Quran 3: 122)(And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.) (Quran 5: 23)I mention these stories here so that your faith in Allah’s promise increases, and so that you will supplicate to Him and invoke Him in solitude. Allah, the Almighty, ordered you with the following:(Invoke Me, I will respond to your [invocation].) (Quran 40: 60)(And when my slaves ask you [O’ Muhammad] concerning me, then [answer them], I am indeed near [to them by My Knowledge]. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on me [without any mediator or intercessor].) (Quran 2: 186)Al-Hajjaj ordered for Al-Hasan al-Basri to be brought before him in order to inflict harm upon him. While Al-Hasan was going to him, Allah’s protection and kindness were in his mind. Having a strong trust in Allah’s promise, Al-Hasan started to pray to Allah, asking Him by His Perfect names and attributes. Allah caused Al- Hajjaj’s heart to change by infusing terror into it. When Al-Hasan arrived, he was surprised to see that Al-Hajjaj welcomed him in a friendly manner. During the meeting, Al-Hajjaj was gentle, polite, and obsequious with Al-Hasan.(There is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly; He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving.) (Quran 17: 44)It is authentically established that Sulayman (May peace be upon him) was taught the language of the birds. One day, he set out to pray with the people for rain, and on his way to the masjid, he saw an ant lift its legs: it was praying to Allah. Sulayman said, ‘O’ people, return, for another’s prayer was enough and sufficient for you.”The rain started to pour because of the ant’s prayer; Sulayman had understood its speech. Once, when he was marching forth with his huge army, one ant warned the others:(One of the ants said: ‘O ‘ ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulayman [Solomon] and his hosts crush you, while they perceive not. ‘So he [Sulayman] smiled, amused at her speech…) (Quran 27: 18-19)Allah’s kindness and mercy often descend because of animals.Abu Ya’la related a hadith, wherein the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him) related that Allah. the Exalted, said:“If it wasn’t for decrepit old people, infants, and pasture-seeking beasts, l would have prevented you from the drops of the sky.”
