Download PDF: [S] Sustenance provided by Allah

Hadrat Sayyiduna Ebrahim Khawwas – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates:

 

There was a time when people used to ask me questions about some of the strange incidents which I had seen in my travel. I mentioned to them one of the following.

 

Once, I lived near a river as much as Almighty Allah wanted me to and during this time, I used to make little boats and allow them to float in the river. These little boats used to then travel downstream as the current took them along. One day I decided to see where these little boats were travelling to and how far they went downstream. I began to walk along the river. I noticed an old lady who was sitting next to the river and she was also weeping. I asked her the reason for this and she replied, “I have five daughters and their father passed away. At the same time, there is great hunger in the house and one day, I decided to come to the river. As I reached the river, I noticed that there were little boats floating in the river and I decided to take these little boats and sell them in the market place. In this manner, we managed to buy some food and continue to survive. However, for a few days now, there are no boats which can be seen on the river and therefore there is no food in the house”.

 

When this Saint heard these words he said, “O Allah Almighty! If I knew that these boats were creating a means of survival to these people, I would have continued to make more of them.”

 

I then stayed with them for a few days and taught them how to make these little boats. After I was satisfied that they could manage on their own, I then decided to leave this place.

 

One day, I was sleeping under a tree when I saw the Satan. He then commanded me to leave this place and I told him to get out as I was having a small rest. He then informed me, “O Ebrahim! I have both Halaal and Haraam. I suggest that you go towards the mountain where you will find some pomegranate and this would be mubah or permissible for you. As for the Haraam which I have, it is the fish which one fisherman has stolen from another. Therefore, leave the Haraam and go towards the Halaal.” I then brought this pomegranate for these family and they were extremely shocked at how sweet this fruit was. I then took care of them a little. In the same town, I also met a young man who made Taubah in front of me and passed away in this state. (An Nawaadir- Alqalyubi)