Download PDF: [S] She Fed a Poor Person

Hadrat Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with them – mentions that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – once revealed:

 

There was a female among the Bani Israel whose husband had left on a journey. Her mother-in-law did not like for some reason. The old lady tried to persuade her daughter-in-law to leave and finally, when she realised that the daughter-in-law was not leaving, she drew up a fake Talaq paper and had it privately sent to her daughter-in-law.

 

When daughter-in-law received this fraudulent divorce paper, she took her two young children and went and stayed at her parents house. At that place, there was a strange Ruler who had made it law that no poor and needy person was to be fed or helped by anyone.

 

One day, a poor and needy person passed by this female and asked for some bread. She then asked him whether he was aware that the Ruler of the region had made it law not to help and assist any needy person. He replied that he knew about this, but if she did not help him, he would die of hunger.

 

When she heard this, she felt extremely sorry for the person. She then handed this person two pieces of bread. She also informed him that he should not reveal the name of the person who had given him this help. He then took these pieces of bread and as he was walking past soldiers, they searched him and found these pieces of bread. They asked him where he had received this bread from and he revealed the name of the female who had helped him.

 

They then took the poor person to the house of this female and asked her whether she had helped this person. She admitted that she had helped him. They then asked her whether she was aware that the Ruler of the region had given strict instruction not to help any needy person.

 

She replied that she was aware of it. They then asked her that in spite of knowing this, she had still helped this needy person. What was her reason? She replied, “I felt extremely sorry for the person and I also had hope that he would not reveal the name of the person who helped him.”

 

They then escorted her to the court of the Ruler and revealed to him what the lady had done. The King again asked the female whether she had helped this needy person and she admitted to this. The King asked her whether she knew that he had prohibited everyone in the kingdom from helping a needy person and again she replied that she was well aware of this, but she did it for two reasons. One was she felt extreme pity for the person and she also had hope that the person would not reveal the name of the person who had helped him. At the same time, she also had fear for Allah Almighty that this person would not die of hunger.

 

The Ruler then ordered that both her hands be cut and this was carried out. She then took her children and walked home. As she was returning, she came across a fast flowing river. She asked one of her children to go and fetch some water for drinking. As the child neared the river, he was swept away by the fast current and drowned. She asked her other son to grab his brother. But as he went to grab his brother, he also fell into the river and drowned.

 

This poor lady then sat in deep sadness near the banks of the river thinking about what had just happened. She had lost her husband, she lost both her hands and now she lost both her sons. Suddenly, she saw someone appearing in front of her. The person asked her, “O slave of Allah! What has happened to you?” At first she refused but eventually revealed whatever had happened to her.

 

The person then asked her whether she wanted her children to return or her hands to return. She requested that her sons to be returned to her alive. Not only were her sons returned to her, but her hands also returned to her. The person then informed her that he was sent by Allah Almighty to help and assist her.

 

Due to her immense kindness to the poor and needy person, Allah Almighty had sent him to her. He said, “Therefore, because you had given two pieces of bread to a needy person, you have been rewarded in this way that your hands have returned, your both sons have been returned to you and I wish to also inform you that your husband had not given you Talaq and that you should return to him. He also awaits for you and his mother has also died.” When she returned home, everything in her life came back to normal. (Uyunul Hikaayah)

 

This is merely the reward for feeding someone two pieces of bread! Imagine the reward in store for the Awliyah who used to feed thousands on a daily basis. We cannot even imagine the immense reward and Barakah in store for the Awliyah.