Prophetic Stories

        The Story of Sincerity

 

        It is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Bin al-Khattab (may Allah  be pleased with him), that he heard the Messenger of Allah  (may the peace and blessings of Allah  be upon him) as saying:  When three persons of a people before you were on a journey, they were overtaken by a rain-storm and they took refuge in a cave.  A rock slithered and blocked the exit from the cave. 

        One of the three persons said:  "Recall to your mind the virtuous actions which were done by you sincerely for Allah .  Beseech Allah  for deliverance (from the calamity) by virtue of some righteous act (He may remove it)."  Thereupon one of them said:  "My parents were very old and I used to offer them milk before my children and the other members of my family.  One day I went far away in quest of green trees and could not come back in time till my parents had gone to sleep.  When I milked as usual and brought milk to them, they had fallen asleep.  I hated to disturb them and also disliked to give milk to my children to drink before them (my parents).  My children were crying out of hunger at my feet but I awaited their [my parents'] wakening till it dawned (This state of affairs lasted till morning).  When they got up they drank milk.  O' Lord! You know that if I had done so to seek your pleasure then deliver out us of the distress imposed upon us by this stone (rock)."  Thereupon the stone moved a little but not sufficient enough to serve the purpose of their passage. 

        The other said:  "O' Lord! I had a cousin whom I loved with the utmost love of men for women.  I tried to seduce her but she refused.  Consequently in a year of famine, she approached me.  I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on the condition that she would yield herself to me.  She agreed and when we got together (for sexual intercourse) she said :  'O' servant of Allah ! Fear Allah  and do not open the seal unlawfully.'  Thereafter I drew away from her in spite of the fact that I loved her most passionately; and I let her keep the money I had given her.  O' Allah ! You know if I had done so to seek Your pleasure, then remove the distress in which we are suffering."  Again the stone moved aside a bit but they were unable to get out. 

        The third said:  "Lord! I hired the service of some laborers and paid them wages but one of them departed without taking what was due to him.  I invested it in business and the business prospered greatly.  After a long time, he came to me and said:  'O' servant of Allah! Pay me my dues.'  I said:  'All that you see is yours, camels, cattle, goats and slaves.'  He said:  'O' servant of Allah ! Do not cut jokes with me.'  I assured him that I was not joking.  So he took all things and went away.  He spared nothing.  Lord! If I did so seeking Your pleasure, then relieve us of our distress."  The stone slipped aside and they got out walking freely.  (Agreed upon [recorded by al-Bukhari & Muslim]).  (Al-Nawawi, 1985, vol. 1, pp. 7-8).

 

       

The Story of the Leprous, Bald and Blind

       

        It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira (Allah  be pleased with him) that he heard the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah  be upon him) saying:  "There were three men among the Bani Israiel, one leprous, one bald and one blind, whom Allah  wished to test.  He therefore, sent to them an angel who came to the leper and asked him what he would like best and he replied:  'A good colour, a good skin and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people.'  Thereupon he touched him and his loathsomeness vanished and he was given a good color and a good skin.  He, then, asked what property he would like best and he replied that he would like camels-or perhaps he said cattle, for Ishaq (one of the transmitters of the tradition) was uncertain, but either the leper or the bald man said:  Camels and the other said:  Cattle.  He was given a she-camel ten months young.  The angel expressed the wish that Allah 's blessing might accompany it. 

        He then went to the bald man and asked him what he would like best and he replied:  "Good hair and to be rid of what makes me loathsome to people."  Thereupon he touched him and it departed from him and he was given good hair.  He then asked:  What property he would like best? He replied that he would like cattle, so he was given a pregnant cow.  The angel expressed the wish that Allah 's blessing might accompany it.  He then went to the blind man and asked him what he would like best, and he replied:  "Allah  should restore my sight to me so that I may see people."  Thereupon he touched him and Allah  restored his sight to him.  He then asked what property he would like best and replied that he would like sheep, so he was given a pregnant ewe.  Flocks and herds were produced for the three men, the one having a wadi with camels, the second one with sheep. 

        Then the angel came to the one who had been a leper in the form and appearance of a leper and said:  "I am a poor man whose resources are exhausted in my journey, and my only means of arriving at my destination are dependent on Allah  and then on you, so I ask you, by Him, Who gave you the good color, the good skin and the property, for a camel by which I may get to the end of my journey," but he replied:  "I have many dues to pay."  He then said:  "I seem to recognize you.  Were you not a leper whom people found loathsome and a poor man to whom Allah  gave property?" He replied:  "I became heir to this property as one great in dignity from one great in dignity."  Then he said:  "If you are telling a lie, may Allah  return you to your former condition." 

        He went to the one who had been bald in the form of a bald man and said the same as he had said to the other and received a similar reply.  So he said:  "If you are telling a lie, may Allah  return you to your former condition." 

        He then went to the one who had been a blind man and said:  "I am a poor man and a traveller whose resources are exhausted in my journey, and my only means of arriving at my destination are dependent on Allah  and then on you, so I ask you, by Him, Who restored your eye-sight, for a sheep by which I may get to the end of my journey."  He replied:  "In fact I was blind.  Allah  restored my eye-sight, so take what you wish and leave what you wish.  I swear by Allah that I shall not importune you today for anything you take, as I give it for Allah 's sake."  He said:  "Keep your property, for you have all simply been put to a test, and Allah  is pleased with you and displeased with both of the Companions."  (Agreed upon [recorded by al-Bukhari & Muslim]).  (Al-Nawawi, 1985, vol. 1, pp. 57-59).   

       

 

The Story of None Spoke in the Cradle but only Three

       

        It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Allah  be pleased with him) that he heard Allah 's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah  be upon him) as saying:  None spoke in the cradle but only three persons, Jesus Christ son of Mary, the second one was a child in the story of Juraij.  Juraij was a pious man.  He had got constructed a temple and confined himself in that.  One day his mother came to him as he was busy in prayer and she called him.   He said:  "my Lord, my mother is calling me while I am engaged in my Prayer (enlighten me as to which should I prefer)."  He continued with the Prayer and his mother went away.  She returned and she came on the next day and he was busy in prayer, and she said:  "O' Juraij."  And he said:  "My Lord, my mother is calling me while I am engaged in Prayer," and he continued with the Prayer and she went back, and then on the third day she again came and her son was busy in Prayer and she said:  "O' Juraij."  And he said:  "My Lord, my mother is calling me while I am engaged in my Prayer," and he continued with the Prayer.  Thus, she said:  "My Lord, don't give him death unless he has seen hardship and the face of the prostitutes." 

        The story of Juraij and that of his meditation and Prayer gained currency amongst Banu Isriel.  There was a prostitute who had been a beauty incarnate.  She said to the people:  "If you like I can allure him to evil and involve him in scandal.  Thereafter she presented herself to him but he paid no heed to her.  Then she came to a shepherd who lived near the temple and she offered herself to him and he had sexual intercourse with her and so she became pregnant and when she gave birth to a child she declared:  This is from Juraij.  So people came to Juraij and asked him to get down from his temple.  They demolished the temple and began to beat him.  Juraij said "what is the matter?"  They said:  "You have committed fornication with this prostitute and she has given birth to your child."  He said:  "Where is the child?"  They brought the child and Juraij said:  "Just leave me alone so that I may observe Prayer."  Then he observed Prayer and when he finished, he came to the child.  He struck his stomach and asked the child:  "O' boy, who is your father?"  The child replied:  "My father is such and such the shepherd."  So the people turned towards Juraij, kissed him and touched him for seeking his blessing and said:  "We shall construct your temple with gold."  He said:  "No, just rebuild it with mud as it had been," so they built it. 

        The third case is that of an infant who was being suckled by his mother.  At this time a man passed by riding a fast and handsome horse and the rider was wearing fine clothes.  The baby's mother said:  "Allah  make my son like this man."  The infant left his mother's breast and moving his face glanced at the man and said:  "O Allah , do not make me like this man."  Then he turned to his mother's breast and resumed the suckling.  Here the Holy Prophet demonstrated the suckling of the child by putting his forefinger into his mouth and sucking.  Then Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)continued:  Then some people and a maid servant passed by and they were beating the maid servant, charging her for having committed adultery and theft; and in reply she was saying:  "Sufficient for me is Allah  and an Excellent Guardian is He."  The mother prayed:  "O' Allah , do not make my son like this maid servant."  Thereupon the baby left suckling, looked upon the young woman and said:  "Allah , do make me like her." 

        Now a dialogue began between the mother and the child.  She said:  "A handsome person passed and I supplicated:  'Allah , make my son like him,' but you said:  'O' Allah  do not make me like him.'  Then some persons passed with a maid servant, whom they were beating accusing her of adultery and theft.  I supplicated:  'O' Allah , do not make my son like this maid servant,' but you said:  'O' Allah , do make me like her.'"  The boy replied "that man was a cruel person, so I contradicted you and said:  'Allah , do not make me like him.'  As to the girl, they said:  'you committed adultery'; but actually she had not.  They charged her, 'you stole'; but she had not stole.  I therefore, said:  'O' Allah , make me like her.'   (Recorded by al-Bukhari & Muslim)."  (Al-Nawawi, 1985, vol. 1, pp. 187-190; al-Nawawi, 1983, pp. 170-171).