13th DhulHijjah 1433 H | What say you?

Bismillah.

Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar
Lailahaillallah wallahu Akbar
Allahu Akbar wa lillahil hamd

It's 13th of DhulHijjah 1433 Hijri, the last of tashreek days. We are feeling somewhat sad. The hajj season will be over soon. We have been learning quite a bit from watching Salam Baitullah - an excellent Malaysian TV program - and reflecting on some of the materials we have read about hajj.

One striking lesson we could learn from Prophet Ibrahim a.s. and Prophet Muhammad s.a.w is that both, despite their high stature, humbled themselves by asking for feedback. 

You may have heard from modern management gurus about the importance of asking for feedback. It's a mark of a good leader. And subhanallah, we observed that trait in Prophet Ibrahim a.s. When he saw in a dream Allah's command for him to slaughter his son Ismail, he spoke to Ismail afterward: "O my little son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So consider, what is your opinion?" (Quran 37:102)

Prophet Ibrahim could have just informed his son about it, but no, he, in fact, asked the boy 'what do you think?' And Ismail's reply matched the high regard his father had towards his opinion. Young Ismail said: "O my dear father, do what you have been ordered to do. You will find me, InshaAllah, one of those who endure patiently."

Subhanallah!    

Similarly, we marvel at the beautiful characters of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. During what was to be his last hajj and sermon, the prophet addressed his sahabah at Arafah imparting many important last words, asking them to worship Allah, offer prayers five times a day, fast in Ramadhan, pay zakat, perform the pilgrimage, obey their rulers, so they will enter Paradise and he said: "Let him that is present convey it to the one who is absent. For, many people to whom the message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience." Then the prophet said: "You will be asked about me in the hereafter, what will you say?"

According to Prof. Dr. Asri who spoke on Salam Baitullah last night, it was as though the Prophet was asking the sahabah if he had done well. Subhanallah! 

The last prophet, Al Amin, who had exhibited great leadership towards his people, wanted to know their feedback on his performance. So they replied: "We bear witness that you have conveyed the religion, fulfilled your mission and looked after our welfare."

Now, what will you say about that? What can we say about the humbling lessons we have learned from the hajj events, from Prophet Ibrahim, Siti Hajar, Ismail and Rasulullah s.a.w?

What say you?

Allahumma salli 'ala Saidina Muhammad 
wa 'ala ali Saidina Muhammad 

kama salaita 'ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahim

wa barik 'ala Saidina Muhammad 
wa 'ala ali Saidina Muhammad

kama barakta 'ala Ibrahim wa 'ala ali Ibrahim

fil alamina innaka hamidun majid

Pic credit: Bro. Shamsul N.A