An Amazing Story About A Righteous Man Who Was Patient & Grateful

It is reported: Imām al-Awzāʿī narrates that 'Abd Allāh bin Muḥammad said:

“One day I set out to the shore on patrol; and at the time we were stationed at al-ʿArīsh [a town in Northern Egypt].

When I arrived at the shore, I found myself in wide open area where a tent was set up. Inside the tent, there was a man who had lost both his hands and legs, and whose hearing and sight had progressively worsened. No limb of his was of any use to him except his tongue. He was saying: O’ Allāh, grant me the ability to praise You, a praise through which I can sufficiently thank you for the Favors You have bestowed upon me, and by which You have preferred me over many whom You have created a great preference.”

Al-Awzāʿī said: ʿAbdallāh said: by Allāh, I will approach this man and ask him about what he has said. Perhaps it is understanding, or knowledge, or inspiration which was inspired to him? So, I approached the man, greeted him, and said to him: ‘I heard you say: ‘O’ Allāh, grant me the ability to praise You, a praise through which I can sufficiently thank you for the Favors You have bestowed upon me, and by which You have preferred me over many whom You have created a great preference.’ What Favors from the favors of Allāh upon you are you praising Him for? And in what way did He prefer you over others that you need to thank Him for it?

He replied: ‘Do you not see what my Lord has done? By Allāh, if He sent the sky to me as a fire which burned me, or commanded the mountains to crush me, or the seas to drown me, or the earth to swallow me; it would only cause me to be more grateful to my Lord for the blessing of this tongue that He has bestowed upon me.”

However, O’ slave of Allāh; since you have come to me, I need something of you. I cannot harm nor benefit myself. I had a young son who used to come at the time of prayer, and help me make wuḍūʾ, and when I became hungry, he would feed me, and if I became thirsty, he would provide me with a drink. But I have not seen him for three days, so please look for him on my behalf, Allāh have mercy upon you. I said: ‘By Allāh, no creature could fulfill the need of another which is greater in reward with Allāh than a need similar to yours.'

So, I set out looking for the young boy, and I had not gone far before I came by a sand-dune, and behold, I found a boy who had been preyed upon by a beast which ate his flesh. I said: innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rajiʿūn. How am I going to be able to face this man with a gentle face? As I was heading towards him, the dhikr of Prophet ʾAyyūb ʿalayhi al-salām came to my heart. 

So, when I reached him, I greeted him, and he returned my salām, and said: “Are you not my companion?” I said: “Yes!” He asked: “What did you do about what I had asked?” I said: “Who is more honourable in the sight of Allāh. You or Prophet ʾAyyūb?” He replied: “Prophet ʾAyyūb, of course.” I asked: “Do you know what His Lord did with him? Did He not test him in his wealth, family, and children?” He replied: ‘Yes.’ I asked: “How did He find him?” He replied: “He found him patient and grateful.” I said: ‘He was not pleased with that for him until his relatives and loved ones abandoned him. [Are you aware of that?]’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ So I said: ‘And how did his Lord find him?’ He replied: ‘He found him patient and grateful.’

I said: ‘He was not pleased with that for him until He made him a public display for people passing by. Are you aware of that?’’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ So I said: ‘And how did his Lord find him?’ He replied: “He found him patient and grateful. Make this brief, may Allāh have mercy upon you.” I said to him: “The young boy you sent me in search of, I found him between a sand dune having been preyed upon by a beast which had eaten his flesh. May Allāh increase you in reward and grant you patience.”

The tested man said: “Praise be to Allāh Who did not create from my progeny those who would disobey Him and would then be punished by the Fire.” Then he said the istirjā’ (“innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rajiʿūn”) [We are from Allāh, and to Him we shall all return], and heaved, and fell dead. I said: “Indeed, to Allāh we belong and to Him is our return.” My calamity has become greater. “A man like this. If I were to leave him, the beasts would devour him. And if I were to remain here, I would be able harm nor benefit. So, I covered him in a cloak which was over him, and I sat at the side of his head, crying. 

As I was sitting, four men came upon me and said: ‘O Slave of Allāh! What is your situation and what is your story?” So, I told them my story and his. They said to me: “Uncover his face for us, perhaps we know him.” I uncovered his face and the men fell upon him, kissing his eyes and his hands alternately, and saying: ‘May our father be sacrificed [for you], for how long were these eyes lowered from the prohibitions of Allāh. May our father be sacrificed [for you], for how long this body prostrated before Allāh while people were sleeping.” I asked them: “Who is this, may Allāh have mercy on you?” They replied: ‘This is Abū Qilābah al-Jurmī, the companion of Ibn ʿAbbās. He had immense love for Allāh and the Prophet ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam.’

So, we washed him and shrouded him with clothing that we had with us, and we prayed over him, and buried him. The men left and I went back to my station. When night fell, I put my head down and saw him in a dream, in a garden from the gardens of Paradise. He was wearing two garments from the garments of Paradise while reciting: “Salāmun ʿAlaykum. Peace be upon you for what you had patiently endured. Excellent indeed is the final abode.” [Al-Quraan 13:24]

I asked: ‘Aren’t you my companion [whom I encountered today]?” He replied: ‘Yes.’ So, I said: ‘How did you receive all this?” He replied: “Indeed, with Allāh are levels that cannot be attained except by having patience in times of difficulty, and gratitude in times of prosperity, along with the fear of Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic, in private and in the company of others.”

[Ibn Hibbān, Ath-Thiqāt 5/2-5]

أَبُو قِلابَةَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَيْدٍ الْجَرْمِيُّ مِنْ عُبَّادِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَزُهَّادِهِمْ يَرْوِي عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ وَمَالِكِ بْنِ الْحُوَيْرِثِ روى عَنهُ أَيُّوب وخَالِد مَاتَ بِالشَّام سنة أَربع وَمِائَة فِي ولَايَة يزِيد بْن عَبْد الْملك حَدَّثَنِي بِقِصَّةِ مَوْتِهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ ثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ الْجَرَّاحِ قَالَ ثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ بَقِيَّةَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ قَالَ ثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ إِلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ مُرَابِطًا وَكَانَ رَابِطُنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ عَرِيشَ مِصْرَ. قَالَ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى السَّاحِلِ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِبَطِيحَةٍ وَفِي الْبَطِيحَةِ خيمة. فِيهَا رجل قد ذهب يَدَاهُ وَرجلَاهُ وَثقل سَمعه وبصره وَمَا لَهُ من جارحة تَنْفَعهُ إِلَّا لِسَانه. وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَن أحمدك حمدا أكافىء بِهِ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ بِهَا عَلَيَّ وَفَضَّلْتَنِي على كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقْتَ تَفْضِيلًا. قَالَ الأَوْزَاعِيُّ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ قُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لآتِيَنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ وَلأَسْأَلَنَّهُ أَنَّى لَهُ هَذَا الْكَلامُ فَهْمٌ أم عِلْمٌ أم إِلْهَامٌ أُلْهِمَ؟ فَأَتَيْتُ الرَّجُلَ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ سَمِعْتُكَ وَأَنْتَ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أحمدك حمدا أكافىء بِهِ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ بِهَا عَلَيَّ وَفَضَّلْتَنِي على كَثِيرٍ من خَلَقْتَ تَفْضِيلا فَأَيُّ نِعْمَةٍ مِنْ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ تَحْمَدُهُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَيُّ فَضِيلَةٍ تَفَضَّلَ بِهَا عَلَيْكَ تَشْكُرُهُ عَلَيْهَا؟ قَالَ وَمَا تَرَى مَا صَنَعَ رَبِّي وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَرْسَلَ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيَّ نَارًا فَأَحْرَقَتْنِي وَأَمَرَ الْجِبَالَ فَدَمَّرَتْنِي وَأَمَرَ الْبِحَارَ فَغَرَّقَتْنِي وَأَمَرَ الأَرْضَ فَبَلَعَتْنِي مَا ازْدَدْتُ لِرَبِّي إِلا شُكْرًا لِمَا أَنْعَمَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ لِسَانِي.

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