A Conversation with God

I heard a great story today that I thought I'd share...

The story is about the battle of Uhud that was fought against the pagans at the time of prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The Muslims lost the battle because of their failure to follow the prophet's instructions - the archers left their positions to collect war spoils when they thought the war was over (though they had been given strict orders to stay atop the Mount Uhud). So the Meccan army saw that the Muslims had left their posts, and returned to fight once again, this time surrounding the Muslims from the front and the back.

Something close to a massacre took place and there was chaos in the Muslim army. One of the Muslims who was killed that day was Abdullah ibn Amr, may God be pleased with him. Although many of the army fled, and some effectually paralyzed by grief because of the rumour that the prophet had been killed, Abdullah fought until the end and was killed for the sake of his Lord.

His son, Jabir, was crying over his father and prophet Muhammad came to him and said, "O Jabir, why do I see you sad?" Jabir said, "O Messenger of Allah, my father was martyred and left behind debts and children." The prophet said: "Should I tell you that Allah never spoke to anyone except from behind a veil? However, He spoke to your father directly. He said 'ask Me and I will give you.' He (Abdullah) said, 'I ask that I am returned to life so that I am killed in Your cause again.' The Lord, Exalted is He, said, 'I have spoken the word that they shall not be returned back to to it (this life).' Abdullah said, 'O Lord, then convey the news to those I left behind.'" So God revealed:

"And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed on them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve" (Alee Imran: 169-170).

Imagine a verse of the Qur'an being revealed in response to your father's conversation with God, and that verse being recited for over 1400 years, until this day. I can't think of anything more honourable and comforting to a grieving son.