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KUMAYL &
THE DUA’ OF PROPHET KHIDHR (A.S.)
Kumayl
ibn Ziyad an-Nakhaa-i was originally from Yemen. His family inhabited
Kufa during the Khilafah of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.). He was a very
noble man and also a close companion of Imam (a.s.).
There are
many traditions from Imam (a.s.) reported by Kumayl. Some of them are as
follows:
-
One
night, Imam Ali (a.s.) took Kumayl outside the city of Kufa. The sky
was full of stars and fresh breeze was blowing. Imam (a.s.) held onto
the hand of Kumayl, took a deep breath and then said,
“O Kumayl! This heart contains knowledge.
The best of all knowledge is preserved here. Therefore listen to me
carefully and preserve what I say to you; People are of three types:
-
A
Knowledgeable (one who is cognizant of God)
-
A
learner who seeks salvation in the Hereafter
-
A
stupid who bends where the wind blows him. These (stupid) men do not
seek to be illuminated by the light of learning, nor do they resort
to any authority”.
(Al-Hayaat)
-
Imam
Ali (a.s.) once told Kumayl, “O Kumayl!
Knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge guards you while you guard
wealth; Wealth is diminished by expenditure while knowledge increases
even by giving it away. O Kumayl! Those who amass wealth are dead even
if they are alive, while those who have knowledge will continue to
exist as long as time lasts”. (Meezan al-Hikmah)
THE DUA’
OF KHIDHR (A.S.):
It is
reported that:
[One
day Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) was sitting with a group of his
companions when somebody asked him to explain the meaning of the verse
from Holy Quran which reads, “Therein every
wise affair is made distinct” (44:4)
Imam Ali
(a.s.) said, “It is on 15th of
Sha’ban. By Allah! Man faces his fate on 15th of Sha’ban. So
he must invoke to Allah and pray the supplication of Prophet Khidhr
(a.s.)”.
The
meeting was over and everyone went home. That night, everyone was fast
asleep but Kumayl could not. He got up from his bed, went to the house
of Imam Ali (a.s.), and knocked at his door.
Imam
(a.s.) asked, “Kumayl! What has brought you
(at this hour of the night)?”
He said,
“O Ameerul-Mumineen! The supplication of Prophet Khidhr (a.s.)”
Imam
(a.s.) asked him to enter and told him, “I
am reading the supplication to you and you write it down”.]
This is
the same supplication which later on became known as DUA’-E-KUMAYL
meaning “supplication of Kumayl”.
It is
recommended that one should recite this dua’ every day. If it is not
possible then at least once a week. If it is not possible then once a
month. If it is not possible then at least once a year. Moreover, if
this too is not possible, then one should recite it at least once
during life time.
Mulla
Mujaheedali Sheriff
mulla@almahdi.org.uk |