Don’t Look Down Upon Anyone; a Slave May Be Better than You in the Sight of God

 “A man with a matted hair and dusty old clothes who is ignored by people, if he insists upon Allah {SWT} for something, it will be fulfilled graciously.” {Muslim}

Sa’eed Ibn Musayyab narrates:

One year, there was a severe famine and so the people gathered together to pray for rain. I looked around and my eyes fell upon a black slave, who had separated himself from the crowd and emerged on top of a small hill.

I advanced in his direction and when I came near him, I noticed that his slips were moving in prayer. Hardly had he completed his prayers, when a cloud appeared in the sky. Seeing the cloud, the black slave praised Allah {SWT} and moved away. 

Very soon, rains lashed us so heavily that we thought we might perish. I ran after the slave and observed that he entered the house of imam Sajjad {RA}. I arrived before Al-Sajjad and said: “In your house, there is a black slave; oblige me by selling him to me.”

He replied, “O’ Sa’eed! Why should I not gift him to you instead,” and ordered the head of his slaves to bring all the servants before me. When they has assembled, I noticed that the black slave was not amongst them. I said, “The one whom I desire is not amongst them.”

Al-Sajjad said, “There remains no other slave except one.” He then ordered him to be brought forth. When the slave was brought before me, I saw that he was the very person whom I had sought and so I said, “He is the one I need.”

“O’ slave! Henceforth, Sa’eed is your master, so go with him.” Instructed Al-Sajjad. The slave turned to me and asked, “What prompted you to separate me from my master?” I replied, “When I witnessed your prayers for the rains being accepted, I wished that I could own you.”

When he heard this, the slave stretched out his hands in supplication and, turning his face towards the skies, beseeched: “O’ My Lord! This was a secret between You and me. Now that You have divulged it, grant me death and take me towards Yourself.”

Al-Sajjad and all those present, wept over the position of the slave, while I, shedding tears, came out of the house. No sooner had I reached my own house than the imam’s messenger arrived and said, “Come along if you wish and take part in the funeral procession of your companion.”

I returned to Al-Sajjad’s house along with the messenger only to find that the slave had passed away.

Ina lillahi wa ina ilaehi rojihun!

May Allah {SWT} draw us closer to Himself. Aameen

Reference:

Muntahal Aa’mal

Ithbaat al-Wasiyyah