02/08/2024
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar Radiyallahu ‘anhuma narrates:
I heard Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam saying:
Three people (of an Ummah) before you set out on a journey, and they took refuge in a cave to spend the night. A rock slid from the mountain and blocked the cave.
They said: Indeed, you can not be relieved from this rock, except that you invoke Allah on the basis of your good deeds.
So one of them said:
"O Allah! I had very aged parents, and I would not give milk to my children and other members of my family and slaves before my parents.
One day, I went far away in quest of something, and I could not return to my parents before they had slept.
I milked the evening milk for them and found that they were asleep. I disliked to give milk to my children and other members of my family and slaves to drink before them.
So I stood by them, with the bowl of milk in my hand, waiting for them to wake up till it dawned. Then they woke up, and they drank their evening’s share of the milk.
O Allah! If I had done so to please You, relieve us from the distress imposed upon us by this rock."
So the rock moved a little, resulting in a small opening; but not enough for them to get out.
Nabi Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam then said that the second man said:
"O Allah! I had a cousin whom I loved more than anybody. I desired to satisfy my lust with her, but she refused.
Subsequently, a year of famine forced her to approach me. I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she would yield herself to my demand.
So she agreed, and when I was able to get a hold on her, she said:
'It is not permitted for you to break the seal of virginity except by its lawful right (that is by marriage).'
So I restrained myself from falling upon her, and I walked away from her, though she was the most beloved of people to me, and I left the dinars with her.
O Allah! If I had done so to please You, then relieve us from the distress that we are suffering."
So again, the rock moved a little, resulting in a small opening; but they were still unable to get out.
Nabi Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam then said that the third one invoked:
"O Allah! I hired the services of some labourers and paid all of them their wages except one, who departed without taking what was due to him.
I invested his wage in a business, and the business prospered immensely. He came back to me after a long time and said:
'O slave of Allah! Pay me my due.'
I replied: All that you see is yours: camels, cattle, sheep, and slaves.
He said: 'O slave of Allah! Do not make fun of me.'
So I said, "I am not joking with you." So, he took all of it and drove away, not leaving anything."
O Allah! If I had done so, to please You, then relieve us from this distress.
So the rock moved aside, and they got out walking freely.
(Bukhari) ~ Volume 8, Book 73, Number 5 – Bukhari.