Takhrij Hadith 2144: "There was a man from…"

There was a man from among the Anṣār who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He was known by the kunyah Abū Mu‘allaq. He was a merchant who traded with his own wealth and that of others, travelling far and wide. He was devoted to worship and scrupulous in avoiding what was unlawful. On one occasion, he set out on a journey and encountered a thief, masked and armed. The thief said to him, "Hand over everything you have, for I am going to kill you." He replied, "What do you want with my life? Take the money and leave me alone." The thief said, "As for the money, it is already mine. I want nothing but your life." He said, "Since you insist, then allow me to pray four rak‘ahs." The thief replied, "Pray as you wish." So he performed ablution and prayed four rak‘ahs. In the final prostration, among the supplications he made was the following: "Yā Wadūd, Yā Dhā al-‘Arsh al-Majīd, Yā Fa‘‘āl limā Yurīd! As’aluka bi-‘izzatika allatī lā turām, wa mulkika alladhī lā yuḍām, wa bi-nūrika alladhī mala’a arkāna ‘arshik, an takfiyanī sharra hādhā al-luṣṣ. Yā Mughīth, aghithnī!" ("O Most Loving, O Possessor of the Glorious Throne, O Doer of whatever You will! I beseech You by Your Might, which cannot be challenged, by Your dominion, which cannot be undermined, and by Your Light, which fills the pillars of Your Throne, to protect me from the evil of this thief. O Helper in distress, come to my aid!") He repeated this plea three times. Suddenly, a horseman appeared, approaching with a spear in his hand, holding it between the ears of his horse. When the thief caught sight of him, he charged towards the thief and struck him with his spear, killing him. Then he turned towards the worshipper and said, "Stand up." The man asked, "Who are you? May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! Today, Allah has sent you to my aid." The horseman replied, "I am an angel from the inhabitants of the fourth heaven. When you made your first supplication, I heard a rumbling at the gates of heaven. Then, when you made your second supplication, I heard a commotion among the inhabitants of heaven. Then, when you made your third supplication, it was said to me, 'This is the supplication of someone in distress.' So I asked Allah, the Exalted, to appoint me to kill him." Anas said, "Know, then, that whoever performs ablution, prays four rak‘ahs, and makes this supplication will have it answered, whether he is in distress or not."