41. THE STORY OF JURAIJ, ONE OF THE SLAVES OF BANU ISRA’EEL
Imam Ahmad narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “None spoke in the cradle except three: ‘Eesa, the son of Maryam, Juraij’s companion; Juraij was a man of worship, he had a place of worship and while he was in it, his mother came in and called upon him. He said to himself; ‘My Lord, my mother or my prayer?’ So he continued praying and she left. The next day she also came and called upon him while he was in prayer. He said to himself; ‘My Lord, my mother or my prayer?’ So he continued praying and again she left. The following day she came again and called upon him while he was in prayer, he said to himself; ‘My Lord, my mother or my prayer?’ So he continued praying. She said: ‘O, Allah, do not allow him to die until he sees the faces of prostitutes.’ The Children of Isra’eel knew of Juraij and his worship. There was a very beautiful prostitute who offered to seduce him. She attempted to do so but he did not pay any attention to her. She then approached a herdsman who used to seek refuge in his place of worship, she offered herself to him and he slept with her. She became pregnant, and when she gave birth she claimed that it was the child of Juraij. The people went to him, invoked curses over him, destroyed his place of worship and attacked him. He said, “Why are you doing this?” They responded, “You fornicated with this woman and she bore you a child.” He said, “Where is the child?” So they brought him the child. He said, “Leave me until I pray.” When he finished praying he came to the boy and poked him in his stomach. He said, “O, child, who is your father?” The baby boy responded, “So-and-so the herdsman.” So the people turned to Juraij, kissing him and asking him for forgiveness. They offered to rebuild his place of worship in gold, but he refused and asked them to rebuild it from mud just as it was before, and so they did. [There was also a baby who was being breastfed by his mother when a rider in fine garments passed by on an agile animal. His mother said, “O, Allah! Make my child like him.” The baby stopped suckling and looked at him, then he said, “O, Allah! Do not make me like him.” He then continued suckling…” Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is as if I can see the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) right now, as he is illustrating the scene of the baby’s suckling with his forefinger in his mouth.” He continued, “They passed by a slave girl who was being beaten by people who were accusing her of committing fornication and theft.” She was saying, “Sufficient is Allah for me.”
And Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of ‘Abdur-Rahman Al-A‘raj that he heard Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) say, “While a woman was nursing her child, a rider passed by and she said, “O, Allah! Don’t let my child die till he becomes like this (rider).” The child said, “O, Allah! Don’t make me like him,” and then returned to her breast (sucking it). (After a while) they passed by a lady who was being pulled and teased (by the people). The child’s mother said, “O, Allah! Do not make my child like her.” The child said, “O, Allah! Make me like her.” Then he said, “As for the rider, he is an infidel, while the lady is accused of illegal sexual intercourse (falsely) and she says: “Allah is sufficient for me (i.e. He knows the truth).” And it has been reported regarding those who spoke in the cradle also that Yoosuf’s witness did so, and the son of Fir‘awn’s wife’s maidservant. And Allah knows better.
By Ibn Katheer
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