Hadith #53

Arabic Text

English Translation

Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAbd al-Karīm ibn Maʿqil ibn Munabbih narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Ṣamad — meaning ibn Maʿqil — narrated to me who said: I heard Wahb say: al-Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr narrated to me that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioning al-Raqīm, and he said: 'Three men were in a cave when a rock fell upon the mouth of the cave and sealed them in. One of them said: Recall which of you has done a good deed — perhaps Allah عز وجل in His mercy will have mercy on us. One of them said: I once did a good deed. I had workers employed, and I hired each man for a known wage. Then a man came to me one day at midday, so I hired him for half the wage of his companions. He worked in the remainder of his day as each one of them worked in his entire day. I felt it was my duty not to reduce his pay from what I had hired his companions for, given how hard he worked. One of them said: You give this man the same as you gave me when he only worked half a day? I said: O servant of Allah, I have not shortchanged you anything of your terms — it is my wealth, and I dispose of it as I wish. He became angry and left, abandoning his wage. So I set aside his right in a corner of the house for as long as Allah willed. Then some cattle passed by me, so I bought a young cow with it, and it multiplied as Allah willed. Then after some time, he passed by me as a weak old man whom I did not recognize. He said: I have a right with you. He reminded me of it until I recognized him. I said: It is you I have been looking for — this is your right. I presented them all to him. He said: O servant of Allah, do not mock me. If you will not give me charity, then give me my right. He said: By Allah, I am not mocking you — it is indeed your right, and I have no claim to any of it. So I handed them all over to him. O Allah, if I did that for Your sake, then relieve us. The rock split open until they could see through it. The second one said: I once did a good deed. I had surplus wealth, and hardship struck the people. A woman came to me seeking help. I said: By Allah, you cannot have it without yourself. She refused and left. Then she came back and invoked Allah to me, but I refused and said: By Allah, you cannot have it without yourself. She refused and left. She mentioned it to her husband, and he said: Give him yourself and provide for your family. She returned and invoked Allah to me, but I refused and said: By Allah, you cannot have it without yourself. When she saw that, she surrendered herself to me. When I uncovered her and was about to act, she trembled beneath me. I said: What is the matter? She said: I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds. I said to her: You feared Him in hardship while I did not fear Him in ease. So I left her and gave her what was due to her for having uncovered her. O Allah, if I did that for Your sake, then relieve us. The rock split further until they could recognize each other. The third said: I once did a good deed. I had two elderly parents and I had sheep. I would feed and give drink to my parents, then return to my sheep. One day rain detained me and I did not leave until evening. I came to my family and took my milking vessel and milked while my sheep were standing. I went to my parents and found them asleep. It was difficult for me to wake them and difficult to leave my sheep. So I remained sitting with my milking vessel on my hand until dawn woke them, and I gave them their drink. O Allah, if I did that for Your sake, then relieve us. Al-Nuʿmān said: It is as though I hear this from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: The rock went crack, and Allah relieved them, and they came out.'