5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

O Allah..." I continued to supplicate for him until his heart softened and he cried as he kept repeating "Amen... Amen..." When I decided to conclude the supplication, I said, "O Allah, if he stops smoking, then accept this supplication. If he doesn't stop smoking, then don't." Upon hearing this, the man exploded in tears, covered his face with his hands, and left the room. After many months had passed, I was invited by the same satellite television channel for another live show. When I entered the building, I saw a chubby man who came up to me and greeted me very warmly. He kissed my forehead and then kissed my hand. I said to him, "How kind of you! I really do appreciate the love and respect you have shown to me, but forgive me as I do Supplications not remember you." He said, "Do you remember the cameraman you advised a couple of years ago to quit smoking?" I said, "Yes." He said, "I am he! By Allah, dear Shaykh, I have not placed a cigarette in my mouth ever since!" Whenever I recall my memories, I always think about this incident. Three years ago during a Hajj season, I went to a Hajj group to deliver a lecture after the 'Asr prayer. After the lecture, people came to greet me and ask me various questions. I wanted to finish with them quickly so that I could go to deliver another lecture with another group. Meanwhile, I noticed that there was a young man who was hesitantly moving towards me. Perhaps he felt uncomfortable in the crowd. I turned to him and stretched out my hand towards him to shake his hand. I then asked him while he was still in the middle of the crowd, "Do you have a question?" He said, "Yes." I pulled him to myself until he came close. "What's your question?" I asked. He said in hurry, "I went to do the ritual stoning along with my grandmother and sister. There were lots of crowds..." He asked the question and I answered. Meanwhile, I noticed the smell of cigarettes on him, so I smiled and asked, "Do you smoke?" Supplications "Yes", he said. I said, "I ask Allah to forgive you, accept your Hajj, and help you quit smoking straight way." The young man remained silent, and it was quite clear that he was affected what I had said. After eight months, I went to deliver a lecture in a city. I entered the mosque to notice an honourable young man waiting for me at the door. I was amazed because as soon as he had seen me, he came and greeted me very warmly, even though I didn't remember him. I exchanged greetings with him anyway. He said, "Do you recognise me?" I said, "I thank you very much for your kindness, love and respect, but I am afraid that I don't recognise you." He said, "Do you remember the young man you met during Hajj who was a smoker? You advised him to quit smoking…" I said, "O yes, I do!" He said, "I am that person! I would like to give you the good news that I have not placed a cigarette in my mouth since. I have quit smoking and have also rectified myself in other ways to a great extent." I warmly shook his hand and became convinced that supplicating a person in front of him, as he listens, is perhaps more effective than advising him directly. Similarly, if you were to see for example a young man being dutiful to his parents, you should say, "May Allah reward you. May He grant you success. May He make your children as dutiful." Supplications There is no doubt that this prayer would be an encouragement for him to continue. The Prophet was very novel in using such prayers to guide and win over people in order to bring them closer to the religion. At-Tufayl bin 'Amr was one of the leaders of the tribe Daws. One day he came to Makkah for a need. When he entered the city, the noble men of the Quraysh noticed his presence. They approached him and said, "Who are you?" He said, "At-Tufayl bin 'Amr, the leader of Daws." Quraysh feared that at-Tufayl might meet the Prophet and accept Islam. They said, "There is a man here in Makkah who claims that he is a prophet. Beware! Do not sit with him or listen to what he has to say, for he is a magician. If you were to listen to him, you would lose your mind." At-Tufayl said, "They continued to warn me about him until I was determined neither to listen to anything from him nor to speak to him. In fact, I stuffed cotton in my ears in the fear that I would end up overhearing some of his speech as I passed by him." At-Tufayl said, "I went to the Mosque to find the Messenger of Allah standing in prayer next to the Ka'bah.