“Among Allah’s servants are those who, if they adjure Allah, He will fulfil their oath.”

He said this when Anas ibn al-Nadr said: “Will al-Rubayyiʿ’s front tooth be broken? No, by Him who sent you with the truth, al-Rubayyiʿ’s front tooth will not be broken!”

Likewise, al-Barā’ ibn Mālik said: “I adjure You, my Lord, to do such and such.” Both were among those whose oaths Allah would fulfil.

A servant asks his Lord through the means that bring about what he seeks: righteous deeds for which Allah has promised reward, and the supplications of His believing servants whom He has promised to answer. Thus, the Companions would seek a means of approach to Allah Most High through His Prophet, then through his uncle and other righteous men among them. They did so through his supplication and intercession, as recorded in the Sahīh: ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—sought rain through al-ʿAbbās, saying:

“O Allah, we used to seek a means of approach to You through our Prophet, and You would grant us rain. Now we seek a means of approach to You through our Prophet’s uncle, so grant us rain.”

They would then be granted rain. After the Prophet’s death, they sought a means of approach through al-ʿAbbās, just as they had done through the Prophet; this was through his supplication and intercession.

Another example is the report transmitted by the compilers of the Sunan and graded authentic by al-Tirmidhī:

“A man said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: ‘Supplicate to Allah to restore my sight.’ He instructed him to perform ablution, pray two units of prayer, and say: ‘O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad, O Messenger of Allah, I turn through you to my Lord concerning this need of mine, that He may fulfil it. O Allah, accept his intercession on my behalf.’”

This man made his request of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who instructed him to ask Allah to accept the Prophet’s intercession on his behalf. His turning to Allah through His Prophet was like the other Companions’ seeking a means of approach to Allah through him, for