Gardens of the Righteous — Page 3
RIYADH AS-SALIHIN 3 while waiting for the service to begin, and, so long as he causes no inconvenience to anyone and his state of purity is maintained, the angels continue to pray for him: Allah, have mercy upon him; Allah, forgive him; Allah, turn to him with compassion (Bokhari and Muslim). 11. Abdullah ibn Abbas has related that the Holy Prophet repeated. Allah's affirmation that He has defined good and evil and has expounded their gradation. He, therefore, who makes up his mind to do a good deed, is rewarded by Allah for one full measure of it, and if he then proceeds to carry it out Allah rewards him from ten to seven hundred times and even many times more. He who is inclined towards an evil deed, but does not carry it out, is rewarded by. Allah for one full measure of good deed. Should he carry it out, he is debited only one evil deed (Bokhari and Muslim). 12. Abdullah ibn Umar has related that he heard the Holy Prophet recount the following: Three persons, of a people before you, were on a journey when they were overtaken by a storm and they took refuge in a cave. A rock slithered down from the mountain and blocked the exit from the cave. One of them said: The only way for deliverance left is to beseech God for it by virtue of some righteous deed. Thereupon one of them supplicated: Lord, my parents were very old and I used to offer them their nightly drink of milk before my children and the other members of the family. One day I was drawn far away in search of green trees and did not get back till after my parents had gone to sleep. When I had milked and brought their drink to them they were asleep, and I hated to disturb them, nor would I give any part of the milk to my children and others till after my parents had had their drink. Thus, with the vessel in hand, I awaited their wakening till the flush of dawn, while the children cried out of hunger at my feet. When they woke up they had their drink. Lord, if I did this seeking Thy pleasure, then do Thou relieve us of the distress imposed upon us by this rock. . Thereupon the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out. Then one of the other two supplicated: Lord, I had a cousin whom I loved more passionately than any man loves a woman. I tried to seduce her but she would have none of me, till in a season of great hardship from famine she approached me and I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she would yield herself to me. She agreed, and when we got together she pleaded: Fear. God, and do not break the seal unlawfully; whereupon I moved away from her despite the fact that I desired her most passionately; and I let her keep the money I had given her. Lord, if I did this seeking Thy pleasure, do Thou move the distress in which we find ourselves. Again, the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out. Then the third supplicated: Lord, I hired some labourers and paid them their due, but one of them left leaving behind what was due to him. I invested it in business and the business prospered greatly. After a time the labourer came back and said: O servant of God, hand over to me my wages. I said to him: All that you see is yours; camels, cattle, goats and slaves. . He said: Mock me not, O servant of Allah. I assured him: I am not mocking you. So he took all of it, sparing nothing. Lord, if I did this seeking Thy