Download PDF: [S] Good Deeds come as a Shield (Islamic story)

It is mentioned that once a pious and honest person went on a hunting trip. While he was walking he saw a snake. When he saw this snake, obviously he was in a state of panic and fear. But the snake said to him, “Please protect me against that person who is a my enemy. He is also following me and he wishes to kill me as well. May Allah Almighty also protect you.”

 

This person then wanted to wrap this snake in his shawl, however the snake mentioned to him, “If you wish to do something good and noble, then open your mouth so that I can enter your stomach and hide from this person.”

 

The person replied that he was extremely afraid. But the snake promised him that he would never harm him and he also mentioned to this person that since he was from the Ummah of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – he should not be afraid. This person then opened his mouth and the snake entered his stomach.

A few minutes another person approached this person and he had a sharp sword in his hand. He asked this person whether he had seen a snake and this person replied that he had not seen any snake.

 

After saying this and realizing that he had spoken a lie, he also read the Istighfaar a hundred times. When the snake again appeared in his mouth to inquire about his enemy, the person mentioned that this person had already left. He then asked the snake to come out from his body. However, the snake being a snake then said to him, “You can choose two deaths. You can either choose that I destroy your body from inside and another death is that I destroy your heart.”

 

When the person heard this, he asked the snake where the agreement that they had in the beginning was. The snake replied, “I have never see someone as stupid as you. Did you not learn how I was an enemy of your father Nabi Adam – peace be upon him. I was the one who had him removed from Jannah, therefore what has encouraged you to help someone who does not deserve help.”

 

He then said to the snake, “If you feel that it is necessary to kill me, then at least give me a chance to go to that mountain over there.” The snake then agreed that he could go wherever he wished.

 

As he walking towards this mountain, he looked up at the heavens and made Du’a. “O Allah Almighty Who does favours for every creation. Ya Lateefu, Ya Qadeeru, I ask You in the Name of Your Divine Power which controls everything and through You the Arsh is also stable, Ya Hakeemu, Ya Aleemu, Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyumu, please protect me against the snake.”

 

He then began to walk towards the mountain and as he did so, he saw a person full of Nur waiting for him. This person then handed him a piece of leaf and informed him to eat this leaf.

 

When he swallowed this piece of leaf, the snake was killed and appeared in many pieces in front of him.

 

He asked the person who he was and the person replied, “When you had made Du’a to Almighty Allah, then the Angels of the seven heavens also pleaded for you with Almighty Allah. The Almighty Allah also declared, ‘Whatever this snake has done to my servant, I am fully aware.’ He then commanded me to go towards Jannah and take a leaf from the tree of Tuba and bring it to you and it was through the miracle of this leaf that the snake died. You should also continue to display good and noble behaviour and these are things which protect you from difficulty. At the same time, when others wish to destroy this person, these are the good and noble deeds which come in front of him like a shield as it happened when you were faced by the danger of this snake.” (Al Qalyubi)