Wonders of Number Seven (7)

  Dear Islamic brothers! Wonders of digit seven are spread from the birth of creation to the time when people will enter Paradise and Hell! Many Ahadees and sayings of pious predecessors have been mentioned in different ways about the digit seven. Let’s increase our knowledge about it:

Digit seven and sayings of Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has mentioned the digit seven in numerous Ahadees. For example:

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: I have been commanded to perform Sajdah on seven bones. (Muslim, pp. 200, Hadees 490)

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: May the one who has seen me and believed in me get good news once. May the one who will believe in me without seeing me get good news seven times. (Sahih Ibn-e-Habbaan, vol. 9, pp. 178, Hadees 7188)

Hakeem-ul-Ummat Mufti Ahmed Yar Na’eemi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْه has said: The number seven is not a set limit but an expression of abundance, i.e. countless blessings and good pieces of news are for the people who will believe in me without seeing me and will become devoted to me by just hearing my name. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 8, pp. 594)

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will make seven trenches between Hell and the person who goes with his Muslim brother to fulfil his need and then fulfils his need. The distance between two of these trenches will be equal to the distance between the earth and the sky. (Musu’at Ibn Abi Duniya, vol. 4, pp. 167, Hadees 35)

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: Hell says for the person who seeks protection from it seven times: Oh Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Your (so and so) bondman has sought protection from me, so give him protection! And Paradise says for the person who seeks it seven times: Oh Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Your (so and so) bondman has sought me, so make him enter Paradise. (Attargheeb Wattarheeb, vol. 4, pp. 243, Raqm 3)

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: The one who visits such a sick person who is not destined to death [at that time] and recites these words seven times: ‘اَسْأَلُ اﷲَ الْعَظِیْمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِیْمِ اَنْ یَّشْفِیْکَ’, i.e. ‘I ask from the Greatest, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the Owner of the great throne that He عَزَّوَجَلَّ cures you.’ Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will bless him with good health. (Abu Dawood, vol. 3, pp. 251, Hadees 3160)

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: When you have finished the Fajr Salah so before conversing, recite these words seven times ‘اَللّٰہُمَّ اَجِرْ نِـیْ مِنَ النَّارِ’ Translation: Oh Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Save me from the Hell fire. Then if you pass away that day, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will write safety for you from Hell. And when you have finished the Maghrib Salah, so before talking, recite the same words ‘اَللّٰہُمَّ اَجِرْ نِـیْ مِنَ النَّارِ’ Translation: Oh Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Save me from the Hell fire. Then if you pass away during the night, Allah Almighty will write safety for you from Hell. (Abu Dawood, vol. 4, pp. 451, Hadees 5079)

i.e. recite this Du’a seven times without talking to anyone about worldly affairs after performing the Maghrib Salah. Talking about worldly affairs decreases humility and devotion that develop during Salah and lessens the efficacy of Salah on the tongue. Certain Du’as are, for this reason, are subject to the condition that one should not talk about worldly affairs when reciting those Du’as, even one should not talk about worldly affairs while reciting the Holy Quran and reciting  Du’as. Worldly affairs should not be discussed during Wudu either. The reason why ‘seven times’ is specific is because Hell has seven doors and by virtue of the blessings of reciting the Du’a seven times, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will shut the seven doors. Every number will work as a padlock اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه! (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 4, pp. 15)

Number seven and sayings of pious predecessors

Wonders of the digit seven have been mentioned in many sayings of blessed companions and pious predecessors besides blessed Ahadees:

٭ Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Abbas رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُمَا has said: Surely Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is One and He عَزَّوَجَلَّ likes odd numbers. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has created the days of the world in a way that they revolve around seven. He عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made humans from seven things; He has made our sustenance from seven things; He has made seven skies above us and seven earths below us; He عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made seven seas; the Quranic verse which is recited again and again (Surah Fatihah) contains seven verses. In the Holy Quran, Nikah has been declared to be prohibited and Haram with seven types of blood relations. Inheritance has been fixed for seven types of heirs in the Holy Quran. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم performed Tawaf around the Ka’bah seven times. He صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم performed Sa’ee between Safa and Marwah seven times and he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم performed the Rami of Jamaraat with seven pebbles as well. (Hilyat-ul-Awliya, vol. 1, pp. 392, Raqm 1123, Al-Raud-ul-Fa’iq, pp. 50)

٭ Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُمَا has said: In Paradise, scholars will be seven hundred times higher in rank than common believers, and between every two levels there is the distance of a journey of five hundred years. (Qut-ul-Quloob, vol. 1, pp. 241)

٭ Sayyiduna Abu Darda رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ has said: Whoever recites this seven times daily:

فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِیَ اللّٰهُ ﱙ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَؕ-عَلَیْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِیْمِ۠

Then if they turn away, so say you (O Beloved) that, ‘Allah is sufficient for me; there is no one worthy of worship except Him; only in Him have I trusted, and He is The Owner of the Great Throne.’

Kanz-ul-Iman [translation of Quran] (Part 11, Surah Al-Taubah, Ayah 129)

Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will be sufficient for him in all the matters concerning the Hereafter whether he is truthful or a liar.

٭ Sayyiduna Jalaluddin Suyuti Shafi’i رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has narrated that blessed companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَان would give food to people on behalf of the deceased for seven days. (Al-Hawi Lil-Fatawa, vol. 2, pp. 223)

٭ A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has said: The digit seven is amongst the best numbers. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 6, pp. 232) At another place he has said: The number seven has a special quality of removing difficulties and calamities. During the last illness the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Pour the water one me from the seven Mashkeezahs [Mashkeezah: small leather bag for carrying water] which are tied from the top. It is stated in Sahih-ul-Bukhari that Sayyidatuna Aaishah رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا has narrated: When the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came to my home, his illness intensified. He صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Pour the water from the seven Mashkeezahs - whose knots had not been untied - on me.’ (Bukhari, vol. 3, pp. 155, Hadees 4442, Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 24, pp. 183; summarised) A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has further stated: The mystery and wisdom behind the digit seven is that it has a special efficacy in warding off the harmful effect of magic and poison. A blessed Hadees has proved that whoever eats seven Ajwah dates in the morning will not suffer any harm from poison and magic that day. (Bukhari, vol. 3, pp. 540, Hadees 5445, Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 24, pp. 183)

Method of creating domestic harmony

٭ A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has said: For creating harmony among the family members, recite ‘یَاوَدُوْدُ' one thousand and one times on Lahori salt after Jumu’ah [Friday] Salah. Recite blessed Durood before and after ten times. Once this is done, do not place the utensil containing the salt on the floor (place it on a table or in a cupboard or at any higher place with respect). Utilise this salt in the dishes made at home for seven days. Everyone should eat this food and Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will create harmony amongst them. Recite it for seven days every Friday. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 26, pp. 612)

Other wonders of number seven

٭ The Surahs in the Quran that begin with ‘ñ’ or ‘h’ or سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْاَعْلَىۙ(۱) or “‘سُبْحٰنَ’ are seven: (Surah Isra, Hadeed, Hashr, Saf, Jumu’ah, Taghabun and A’la) 

٭ The Surahs beginning with Huruf-e-Muqatta’at are seven ‘حٰمٓ’. (Surah Mumin, Haa-Meem, As-Sajdah, Ash-Shura, Ad-Dukhaan, Al-Jasiyah, Al-Ahqaaf)

٭ The Holy Quran contains seven Manzils  (There are three Surahs in the first Manzil, five in the second Manzil, seven in the third Manzil, nine in the fourth Manzil, eleven in the fifth Manzil, thirteen in the sixth Manzil and in the seventh Manzil, (there are 66 Surahs) from Surah Qaaf to the end). Blessed companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم divided the Quran in the same manner and this is how they would recite it. (Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 1, pp. 367)

٭ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had seven children - three sons and four daughters.

٭ Hell has seven levels. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will divide the followers of Satan into seven groups and will place each group in one of the levels of Hell. Since the levels of disbelief and sins are different, the levels they will be placed in will be different. It has also been said that these seven levels have been made according to the seven parts of a human body namely, eyes, ears, tongue, stomach, private parts, hands and feet. All these are the main cause of sins and for this reason there are seven doors to bring them in. (Hashiya-tus-Saawi ‘Alal-Jalalayn, Al-Hijr, Taht-al-Ayah, 44, vol. 3, pp. 1043; Mukashafat-ul-Quloob, pp. 190)

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ increase our knowledge and good deeds!

 صَلَّى  اللّٰهُ  عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّماٰمِيۡن   بِجَاهِ   النَّبِيِّ  الۡاَمِيۡن