For righteous and permissible work, the more we make good intentions, the more we attain reward.

Intentions of listening to Bayan

1      Lowering my eyes, I will listen to the Bayan attentively.

2      Instead of resting against a wall, etc., I will sit in Attahiyyaat position as long as possible with the intention of showing respect for religious knowledge.

3      When I hear صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب, اُذۡكُرُوا اللّٰه, تُوۡبُوۡا اِلَی اللّٰه, etc., I will reply loudly with the intention of gaining reward.

4              After the Ijtima’, I will approach people to say Salaam, shake hands and to make individual efforts upon them.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه today, in the weekly Sunnah-inspired Ijtima’, we will listen to some faith-enlightening aspects of the blessed biography of a saint (Wali) of Allah, a great scholar and Muhaddis (scholar of Hadees), Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه. If only we could listen to the entire speech with good intentions. Let’s listen to a very interesting parable of his blessed life:

Yearning to behold the Imam of his time

The grandson of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه, Sayyiduna Zuhayr Bin Saalih رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه states: I heard my father (Sayyiduna Saalih رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه) say: ‘Once, when I came home, I found that my father, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه was waiting for me intensely. I immediately went to him and asked: ‘O my beloved father! Were you waiting for me?’ He replied: ‘Yes! In your absence, a person came to meet me. I wanted you to meet him as well but now he’s gone. No worries! I’ll tell you something about him.

Today afternoon, I was at home when I heard someone say Salaam at the door. I opened the door and saw a traveller in front of me who was wearing a patched jubbah. He was wearing a shirt under the jubbah. He neither had any travel bag nor any utensil to drink water from. His face was scorched from the heat of the sun.

(After replying to his Salaam), I called him inside instantly and asked: ‘Where are you from and what brings you here?’