Inspirational Advice

Beautiful outcome of Honesty and Taqwa

Once, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) was on a journey, accompanied by his pupils and disciples. When they stopped for meals, a shepherd passed by with his herd of goats and greeted them by saying: “Assalaamu ‘alaikum”. Ibnu ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) invited him to join them, but he said that he was fasting. At this, Ibnu ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) said: “You are fasting in a shadeless desert, on such a hot day when a hot wind is blowing!”

The shepherd replied: “I want to receive my rewards for the past days (al-ayyaamul khaaliyah).” He was referring to the following verse of the Quraan Majeed:

كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ

(It will be said to those in Jannah) “Eat and drink at ease for that which you sent on before ‘in the past days’.”

Ibnu ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) then said to him, by way of trial: “We want to buy a goat; name a price and we shall pay it. We shall then slaughter the goat and give you some of its meat to serve you for iftaar (breaking the fast).” The shepherd said: “These goats are not mine; I am but a slave and the goats belong to my master.” Ibnu ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) said: “How will your master know? You can tell him that a wolf devoured a goat.” At this, the shepherd turned away saying: “What about Allah? (Who is watching us at all times? How could I deceive Him and say that a wolf had devoured a goat?).” Ibnu ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) was delighted with these words from a simple shepherd and he began to say to himself, again and again (in an ecstasy of joy): “A simple shepherd says: ‘What about Allah (who is watching us at all times)?’”

When Ibnu ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) came back to Madeenah Munawwarah after the journey, he bought the slave from the master, together with the herd of goats, emancipated him and bestowed the herd upon him as a gift. (Shu‘abul Imaan #4908).

Lessons from the Lives of the Pious

Intercession for his Opposition

On one occasion Hazrat Moulana Khaleel Ahmad Saharanpuri (rahimahullah) had some dealings with an individual which became sour. Coincidently, this person was involved in a court case and was advised that if Hazrat Moulana (rahimahullah) interceded on his behalf, his problem would be solved.

Eventually, this person came to Hazrat Moulana and requested him to intercede on his behalf. Hazrat (rahimahullah) wrote a letter to someone he knew in Delhi, who would be able to help him. The letter read as follows:

“Though my relationship with the bearer of this letter is not very good, I am nevertheless still interceding on his behalf. It will be good if his matter could be resolved. May Allah Ta‘ala reward you.”

He wrote these few words and gave the letter to him requesting him to read it. The person refused to read it saying that it was not meant for him. When Hazrat (rahimahullah) insisted, he read it and then asked Hazrat (rahimahullah) to remove the part stating their relationship was not very good. Hazrat (rahimahullah) asked him the reason for it as this was the truth, but when he insisted, Hazrat (rahimahullah) obliged and wrote out another letter omitting those words. (Malfoozaat of Faqeeh-ul-Ummat vol. 2 pg. 384)