journey in six days. I remained thirsty during the day and stayed awake at nights (i.e., I travelled swiftly so that I could reach your presence as soon as possible, O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!). The purpose of my arrival is essentially two questions that have deprived me of sleep; I simply seek their answers.’

The Beloved Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  asked the name of this fortunate traveller. He replied, ‘اَنَا زَیْدُ_نِ الْخَیْل’ meaning, ‘I am Zayd of the Horses.’ The Greatest Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated, ‘بَلْ اَنْتَ زَیْدُ_نِالْخَیْر’ (meaning, you are not Zayd of the Horses) ‘but rather, you are Zayd of the goodness.’ He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then said, ‘Ask what you wish to ask.’ Now, that companionرَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ  asked two unique questions. He submitted: (1) ‘What is the sign of the person who is liked by Allah Almighty?’ (2) ‘And secondly, what is the sign of the person whom Allah Almighty does not like?’

These were unique questions. May our lives be sacrificed for the knowledge of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم who knows the news of the unseen! Just as the questions were unique, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave an equally distinct answer. He stated: ‘کَیْفَ اَصْبَحْتَ یَا زَید!’ meaning, ‘O Zayd! In what state did you find yourself this morning?’ He submitted, ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! When it was morning, my state was such that: *  There was love for goodness and for pious people in my heart. *  My heart desired to perform virtuous deeds. *  Then, regarding any pious deed that I missed and could not perform, I felt grief over it. *  And regarding the pious deeds I was able to perform, whether they were few or many, I became certain of receiving a reward for them.’

(Meaning, these are four states in total: (1) Love for goodness (2) Love for pious people (3) The desire to perform virtuous deeds (4) Remorse if a pious deed could not be performed). Upon hearing the answer of Sayyiduna Zayd al-Khayr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, the Final Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  stated: ‘هِیَ بِعَیْنِہَایَا زَیْد!’ meaning, ‘O Zayd! This indeed is the answer to your question. If the hidden plan of Allah Almighty regarding you were otherwise, Allah Almighty would have made