A Pious and Intelligent Woman from the Banu Israil

Muhammad bin Ka‘b relates that there was a great ‘alim (learned person) and ‘abid (worshipper) in the Banu Israil (Children of Israil). He loved his wife very much. Co-incidentally, she passed away. This person was so grieved by this that he locked his door and abstained from meeting and conversing with people. A woman from the Banu Israil heard about this so she went to him. She informed those who were guarding the entrance to his house that she wants to ask him a mas'ala (question) and that it can only be asked directly to him. Saying this, she sat down stubbornly by the door. The person was informed of this and eventually permitted her to enter.

She said: "I want to ask you a mas'ala."

He replied: "Go ahead."

She said: "I have a neighbor from whom I borrowed some jewellery. I am wearing it for quite some time now. Thereafter she sent a person asking for her jewellery. The question I want to ask you is that do I have to give it back to her?"

The ‘âlim replied: "Yes, you have to give it back to her." The woman replied: "That jewellery was with me for a very long time. How can I give it?"

The ‘âlim replied: "In such a case, you should give it even more happily because it was out of her kindness that she allowed you to use it for such a long time." When he said this, the woman replied: "May Allah have mercy on you? Why, then, are you so sad? Allah had loaned you something and when He wished, He took it back. (Because) it belongs to Him."




Author unknown (to me)