43. THE STORY OF THE THREE WHO TOOK REFUGE IN THE CAVE
Allah’s Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “While three persons were traveling, they were overtaken by rain and they took shelter in a cave in a mountain. A big rock fell from the mountain over the mouth of the cave and blocked it. They said to each other. “Think of good (righteous) deeds which you did for Allah’s sake only and invoke Allah by giving reference to those deeds so that Allah may relieve you from your difficulties. One of them said, “O, Allah! I had my parents who were very old and I had small children for whose sake I used to work as a shepherd. When I returned to them at night and milked (the sheep), I used to start giving the milk to my parents first before giving to my children. And one day I went far away in search of a grazing place (for my sheep), and did not return home till late at night and found that my parents had slept. I milked (my livestock) as usual and brought the milk vessel and stood at their heads, and I disliked to wake them up from their sleep, and I also disliked to give the milk to my children before my parents, though my children were crying (from hunger) at my feet. So this state of mine and theirs continued till the day dawned.
(O, Allah!) If you considered that I had done that only for seeking Your pleasure, then please let there be an opening through which we can see the sky.” So Allah made for them an opening through which they could see the sky. Then the second person said, “O, Allah! I had a cousin whom I loved as much as a passionate man loves a woman. I tried to seduce her, but she refused till I paid her one hundred dinars. So I worked hard till I collected one hundred dinars and went to her with that. But when I sat between her legs (to have sexual intercourse with her), she said, “O, slave of Allah! Be afraid of Allah ! Do not deflower me except legally (by marriage contract).” So I left her. O, Allah! If you considered that I had done that only for seeking Your pleasure, then please let the rock move a little to have a (wider) opening.” So Allah moved that rock to make the opening wider for them. And the last (third) person said “O, Allah! I employed a laborer for wages equal to a faraq (a certain measure) of rice, and when he finished his job he demanded his wages, but when I presented his due to him, he gave it up and refused to take it. Then I kept on sowing that rice for him (several times) till I managed to buy with the price of the yield some cows and their shepherd. Later on the laborer came to me and said, “(Oh slave of Allah!) Be afraid of Allah, do not be unjust to me and give me my due.” I said (to him), “Go and take those cows and their shepherd.” So he took them and went away. (So, O, Allah,) if You consider that I did that for the purpose of seeking Your pleasure, then please remove the remaining part of the rock.” And so Allah released them (from their difficulty).”
By Ibn Katheer
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