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

He then said, “Woe be to you! Allah’s intercession is not The keys to mistakes… sought with any of His creation! Allah is far more Sublime than that! Woe be to you! Do you know Allah? His Throne is above His Heavens like such”, he said this while forming a dome-shape with his fingers, and said,“The Throne groans as a saddle does because of the rider.” (Abu Dawud) However, if a person makes a mistake in private, how should one deal with it? Once, the Prophet  came to ‘A’ishah’s house – may Allah be pleased with her – to spend the night with her. He took his slippers and his upper garment off and lay down on his bed. He remained liked that until he thought that ‘A’ishah had fallen asleep. Thereupon, he got up from his bed, quietly wore his garment and slippers, calmly opened up the door and exited, gently shutting the door behind him. When ‘A’ishah noticed this, she became jealous fearing that perhaps he had gone to his other wives. She got up, wore her upper garment and khimar and went out to follow his footsteps. She followed him without him realising. The Prophet  continued walking in the darkness of the night, until he reached al-Baqi’ graveyard. He stood there looking at the graves of his Companions, those who lived as worshippers, died as warriors and were gathered together underground in their graves. The Prophet  was gazing at their graves, recalling their memories. He then raised his hands and prayed for them. He then began to stare at the graves, and thereafter raised his hands and prayed for them once again. Thereafter, he stayed there for a while, and then raised his hands again praying for their forgive43 The keys to mistakes… ness. He stayed there for a while, as ‘A’ishah watched him from far away, and then decided to turn around and return. When ‘A’ishah saw this, she also turned around to return home before she would be spotted by the Prophet . The Prophet  began to walk fast, and so did ‘A’ishah. The Prophet  hastened more as did she. The Prophet  began to walk even faster, as did she, until she arrived home first, took off her upper garment and her khimar, returned to her bed and lay down, as if she were asleep, whilst she was still breathing heavily. The Prophet  entered the house and heard her breathe heavily. He said, “What is wrong with you, O ‘A’ishah? Why are you breathing so heavily?” She replied, “Nothing!” He said, “Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware will inform me.” She then told him the entire story; that she felt jealous over him and followed him to see where he went. The Prophet  said, “Are you the one I saw in front of me?” “Yes”, she said. Upon hearing this, the Prophet  pushed her in the chest and said, “Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would deal unjustly with you?” ‘A’ishah said, “No matter how much people hide, will Allah know it?” The keys to mistakes… He  said, “Yes!” He then explained to her the reason he left and said, “Jibril came to me when you saw me. He did not come in since you had taken off your garment. Thus he called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you. I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He ordered me to go to those buried in al-Baqi and seek forgiveness for them.” Yes! The Prophet  was easy going and gentle, such that he didn’t magnify the mistake. As a matter of fact, he often used to say to the people – as narrated by Muslim, “A believing man does not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes a trait in her, he likes another”; meaning, a man should not utterly hate his wife due to a particular trait or nature. Rather, one should overlook her faults in consideration of her virtues. Hence, when he sees a fault in her, he immediately remembers her virtues. When he witnesses something unsightly in her, he thinks of her beauty. He should try to be oblivious to those manners of hers which he dislikes. Enlightenment… The blame is not on the one who does not accept advice. Rather, it is on the one who presents it inappropriately. The keys to mistakes… (44) Untie the bundle If an error were to occur at the hands of a group of people, then as a rule they should be advised on the spot. However, sometimes you may need to untie the knot of the bundle. I mean by that to speak to each one of them individually and advise them. For example, if there is a gathering in your house and you happen to overhear your brother speaking to his friends−who were all his guests.