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He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, guided his daughters to the best of this life and the next:
‘Ali narrated: “Faatimah complained about the effect on her hands from using the mill, so she came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to ask him for a servant girl. She did not find him, but she mentioned it to ‘Aa’ishah, who mentioned it to him when he came home.” ‘Ali continued, “So he came to us when we had gone to bed. We were going to stand up, but he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told us: “Stay in your places.” Then he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sat between us, until I felt the coldness of his feet on my chest. Then he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Should I not guide you two to what is better for you than a servant? When you go to bed, then say Allahu Akbar 34 times [Allah is The Greatest], Subhaanal- ‘Ali continued, “So he came to us when we had gone to bed. We were going to stand up, but he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told us: “Stay in your places.” Then he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sat between us, until I felt the coldness of his feet on my chest. Then he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Should I not guide you two to what is better for you than a servant? When you go to bed, then say Allahu Akbar 34 times [Allah is The Greatest], Subhaanal- laah 33 times [Glory be to Allah], and Alhamdulillaah 33 times [Praise be to Allah]. This is better for you than a servant.””
The reason the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not give them a servant is that he chose to donate whatever came to him to the poor people of the Suffah, and he was of the view that patience was better for his family because it is greater in reward.
It also shows the gentleness used in dealing with one’s daughter and her husband, as he did not ask them to get up when he came to them and left them to stay in bed. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, even sat between them, and taught them what was better than the servant they had asked for. This is a method of teaching a person what is better than what they had asked for, showing them that preparing for the next life, having patience and not being deceived by this worldly life, is more important than what they were seeking
He also taught her another supplication that would be better for her than a servant. Abu Hurayrah (a Companion) narrated that Faatimah came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asking for a servant. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told her to say: “O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens, and Lord of the Earth, and Lord of the mighty throne. Our Lord, and the Lord of all things: The one who splits the seed and the date seed, and revealed the Torah, the gospel, and the Quran: I seek refuge in you from the evil of everything that you have taken by his forelock. O Allah, You are Al-Awwal [The First] so there is nothing before You, and You are Al-Aakhir [The Last] so there is nothing after You. You are Ath-Thaahir [The highest] so there is nothing above You, and You are Al-Baatin [aware of the subtlest secrets] so there is nothing closer than You. Settle our debt for us and enrich us from poverty
