Gardens of the Righteous — Page 21
RIYADH AS-SALIHIN 21 carrying a kid. The animals multiplied greatly, so that one had a valley full of camels, the other a valley full of cattle and the third a valley full of goats. . Thereafter the angel came in his old guise to the leper and said: I am a poor man bereft of all resources in the course of my journey, and I have no means left for the completion of my journey save Allah. I beg you in the name of Allah Who has given you a good complexion and a clear skin and great wealth to furnish me with a camel that might help me to reach the end of my journey. The man said: I have many obligations. The angel said: I seem to recognise you. Were you not a leper, shunned by people and indigent, enriched by Allah? The man said: My wealth is inherited through generations. The angel said: If you are lying, may. Allah restore you to the condition in which you were. Then he came to the bald one in his old guise and said to him the same as he had said to the leper and received a reply similar to the one he had received from the leper. To this one also he said: If you are lying, may Allah restore you to the condition in which you were. . Then the angel came to the blind one in his old guise and said to him: I am a poor man on a journey. My resources have all given out and I cannot reach the end of my journey save with the help of Allah. I beg you in the name of Him Who has restored your sight to you to give me a goat that might prove of help to me in reaching the end of my journey. The man said: Indeed I was blind and Allah restored my sight to me. Then take what you will and leave what you will, I shall not constrain you in any way in respect of whatever you may wish to take in the name of Allah, the Lord of honour and glory. The angel said: Keep all you have. . All three of you were being tried. Allah is, indeed, pleased with thee and is wroth with thy companions (Bokhari and Muslim). 66. Shaddad ibn Aus relates that the Holy Prophet said: A wise person is one who watches over himself and restrains himself from that which is harmful and strives for that which will confront him after death; and a foolish one is he who gives rein to his cravings and seeks from Allah the fulfilment of his vain desires (Tirmidhi). 67. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: It is part of the excellence of a person's Islam that he should eschew that which is of no benefit to him (Tirmidhi). 68. Omitted. 6. . On Righteousness. Allah, the Exalted, has said: 21. O ye who believe, be mindful of your duty to Allah in all respects (3. 103). 22. Be mindful of your duty to Allah as best you can (64. 17).