Stories of pious people

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‘Abdu Rabbihee Al-Qassaab recounts the following incident:

I once promised Muhammad bin Seereen (rahimahullah) that I would purchase his qurbaani animals for him. Accordingly, we arranged to meet at a certain time and place. Subsequently, I became preoccupied and completely forgot that I had promised to meet him.

Later on, when it was already close to midday, I remembered my meeting with him and thus set out towards the place where we had arranged to meet. On arriving there, I found that he was still waiting for me! I greeted him with salaam. He then raised his head and said, “Listen well! Sins that are smaller than this can sometimes be overlooked and accepted (but this sin, of breaking one’s promise, is very serious).”

I immediately apologised and explained my excuse, that I had forgotten the appointment due to becoming preoccupied in some work. Thereafter, I remarked to him, “When I remembered our arrangement and set out to meet you, my friends began to scold me saying, “Muhammad bin Seereen (rahimahullah) must have departed from the meeting place already, he will not be waiting there until now!”

When he heard this, Muhammad bin Seereen (rahimahullah) mentioned, “Even if you had delayed and only came at the time of sunset, I would have remained waiting here for you. I would have only left briefly to perform salaah or for some other urgent necessity, and I would have returned immediately thereafter.”

(Kitaabus Samt wa Aadaabil Lisaan #461)
 
Bishr ibnul Haarith (rahimahullah), popularly known as Bishr Haafi, was a renowned saint of his era. On one occasion a person asked him, “How did you attain this lofty position of sainthood? We notice that people take your name with extreme reverence and honour!”

In reply, Bishr (rahimahullah) mentioned the following:

What can I say? Whatever I have been blessed with is purely out of the grace and favour of Allah Ta‘ala! I was a man who was leading an extremely sinful life. One day, while walking, I came across a piece of paper that was lying on the road. When I picked it up, I saw that it had ‘Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem’ written on it. I thus wiped the paper clean and placed it in my pocket with respect.

At that time, I only possessed two dirhams (silver coins). I proceeded to the ‘itr (perfume) merchants and used my two dirhams to purchase ‘ghaaliyah’ (a type of exclusive ‘itr). Then I applied the ‘itr to the piece of paper.

That night, when I went to sleep, I had a dream in which I was told, “O Bishr ibnul Haarith! You raised Our name from the road and perfumed it! Thus, I will most definitely cause your name to be raised and revered in this world and the next!”

It was on account of this that Allah Ta‘ala granted me this position.

(Kitaabut Tawwaabeen - Ibnu Qudaamah pg. 216)
 
Abu Hafs, ‘Umar bin Hasan Samarqandi (rahimahullah), narrates the following incident in his kitaab, Rownaq-ul-Majaalis:

There was once a wealthy businessman who resided in the city of Balkh and had two sons. After his demise, his two sons divided his estate between them equally.

Included in the estate were three strands of the blessed hair of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). In winding up the estate, each son took one strand, leaving the third strand belonging to both of them. Hence, the elder brother suggested, “Let us cut the third strand into half so that we can each take our share from the strand.” However, the younger brother did not agree to this saying, “No! By Allah, the respect and honor that we are supposed to show to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is such that it is inappropriate for us to cut the strand of his blessed hair.”

When the elder brother witnessed the love and respect that his younger brother had for the blessed hair of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he proposed, “Why don’t you take all three strands of hair in exchange of your share of the inheritance?” Out of love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), the younger brother agreed. Accordingly, the elder brother took all the wealth of the estate while the younger brother took the three strands of hair.

The younger brother placed them in his pocket with utmost respect. Thereafter, he would continuously take them out of his pocket, gaze at them with love and recite durood upon Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). He would then return them to his pocket.

After some period of time had passed, all the wealth of the elder brother had depleted, whereas the younger brother was granted abundant wealth by Allah Ta‘ala. After some time, however, the younger brother passed away.
After he left this world, a pious person had a dream in which he saw the younger brother together with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) addressed the pious person and said, “Tell the people that if anyone has a need from Allah Ta‘ala, he should go to the grave of this person (referring to the younger brother) and make du‘aa to Allah Ta‘ala to fulfill his need. His needs will be fulfilled.” People would thereafter come to the grave of this brother in order to make du‘aa, until even those who would be passing by on their conveyances would dismount and walk on foot out of respect before reaching the grave.

(Al Qowl-ul-Badee pg. 276-277)
 
Shaikh al Itlaaq, Mamba-e-Israar, Sultan-e-Tariqat, Hazrat Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi (RA), was born in Baghdaad in 218 Hijri, in the initial phase of his life was a wrestler under the employment of the king. Such was his renown that people would challenge him for large sums of money and he would wrestle in front of large audiences with the king looking on.

On one such occasion, a very feeble looking man asked the king that he would like to challenge the imperial wrestler. The king was initially reluctant to accept the man’s offer for he felt that the man would pose no challenge to Shaykh Junayd. However after a while the king accepted and the bout began.

Both wrestlers began to warm up with the huge crowd waiting in anticipation. Just before the match started the challenger said to Shaykh Junayd that:

‘I want to say something to you. You and I both know that I cannot beat you. The reason for my challenging you is that I am a Sayidd (descendent of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam).

I and my family have been struck with poverty and we have not eaten for many days. Such are things that we cannot bear the hunger anymore. I beseech you to respect my lineage and let me win this match so that I may get the reward and be able to feed my family’

Shaykh Junayd was shocked by the man’s request but he accepted and to crowd’s great surprise lost the bout. He bore the great disgrace of defeat for the sake of respecting the family of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam. That night when Shaykh Junayd went to sleep he saw the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam in a dream. The Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalam said to him:

O Junayd. For my family you made such a great sacrifice. Because of this I have asked Allah to make you the greatest wali of your time

And it was the blessing of this action and duaa that transformed the wrestler Junayd into the great Shaykh Junayd Baghdadi rahmatullahi alayh.
 
MazharShafiq said:
Shaikh al Itlaaq, Mamba-e-Israar, Sultan-e-Tariqat, Hazrat Shaikh Junaid Baghdadi (RA), was born in Baghdaad in 218 Hijri, in the initial phase of his life was a wrestler under the employment of the king. Such was his renown that people would challenge him for large sums of money and he would wrestle in front of large audiences with the king looking on.On one such occasion, a very feeble looking man asked the king that he would like to challenge the imperial wrestler. The king was initially reluctant to accept the man’s offer for he felt that the man would pose no challenge to Shaykh Junayd. However after a while the king accepted and the bout began.Both wrestlers began to warm up with the huge crowd waiting in anticipation. Just before the match started the challenger said to Shaykh Junayd that:‘I want to say something to you. You and I both know that I cannot beat you. The reason for my challenging you is that I am a Sayidd (descendent of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam).I and my family have been struck with poverty and we have not eaten for many days. Such are things that we cannot bear the hunger anymore. I beseech you to respect my lineage and let me win this match so that I may get the reward and be able to feed my family’Shaykh Junayd was shocked by the man’s request but he accepted and to crowd’s great surprise lost the bout. He bore the great disgrace of defeat for the sake of respecting the family of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam. That night when Shaykh Junayd went to sleep he saw the Prophet sallahu alayhi wasallam in a dream. The Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalam said to him:O Junayd. For my family you made such a great sacrifice. Because of this I have asked Allah to make you the greatest wali of your timeAnd it was the blessing of this action and duaa that transformed the wrestler Junayd into the great Shaykh Junayd Baghdadi rahmatullahi alayh.
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Amru' ibn Thabit said:

When Ali ibn al-Hussain died, people who washed him saw black spots on his back and asked, "What's this?" The reply came:

"He used to carry bags of bread on his back during the night and distribute it among the poor and needy in Madinah."

- Wisdom of the Wise, Page 10 || Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat as-Safwah 2/96.
 
Muhammed bin ‘Ali (rahimahullah) narrates the following incident that transpired between his father and a person who bore enmity for Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). He says:

A person once came to my father, ‘Ali bin Husain (rahimahullah), who was famously known as Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah), and said, “Tell me about Abu Bakr.”
Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah) replied, “Are you asking me regarding Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)?”When the man heard Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah) show respect and honor to Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) by referring to him with the title ‘Siddeeq’, the man asked, “Are you calling him ‘Siddeeq’? I don’t regard him to be Siddeeq.”
Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah) realized that this man had an ill opinion of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). He thus addressed him saying, “Woe to you! The people who were better than me all referred to him with the title ‘Siddeeq’! They were Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and his illustrious Sahaabah from among the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) himself honored him with the title Siddeeq then I will definitely call him by this title. If any person does not accept this title and refuses to afford Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) this title of respect, then may Allah Ta‘ala not make such a person true and not accept any of his ‘ibaadaat. Go, and ensure that you love Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) from your heart, and align yourself to them in the friendship of Islam, for I stand guarantee for their great virtue and superiority by Allah.”

(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 4/395)
 
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:

Verily a man continues to be truthful until he is written with Allāh as a true believer (ṣiddīq); and he persists in truthfulness until there is not even the space of a needle for sinfulness left in his heart to settle. And a man lies and persists in lying until there is not even the space of a needle for goodness in his heart to settle.

Wakīʿ b. Al-Jarrāḥ, Al-Zuhd ḥadīth 398.
 
One night Muhammad b. Ismaa’eel [al-Bukhari] rh was praying, when a wasp stung him seventeen times. When he completed his prayer, he (didn’t complain but instead) simply said, ‘Look and see what has harmed me during my prayer.’

According to another account of the same incident, Imam Bukhaaree rh, having just led other in Dhuhr prayer, got up and performed voluntary units of prayer. Upon the completion of those units, he lifted up one of the sides of his shirt and said to someone who was with him, “Look here. Do you see anything below my shirt?”

The man was amazed to see that a wasp had bitten Imam Buhkhaaree (rah) in sixteen or seventeen places; and as a result, his body had become swollen.


(Read on pg 104, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Imam Bukhaaree. Darussalam. Riyadh: 2005.)
 
A man came to the Prophet (saw) and said: O Messenger of Allah, teach me but make it concise. He said: When you stand to pray, pray like a man bidding farewell. Do not say anything for which you will have to apologize. And give up hope for what other people have. Narrated by Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
 
Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, was no ordinary woman. Her strength and her status will forever remain unsurpassed.

She was a woman who never allowed herself to be defined or limited by her painful circumstances, but rather carried in her such a deep faith and sense of self that she was willing to die for what she believed in.

For those who had dared disobey Pharaoh and believe in Moses, was a grave punishment.

Yet despite this persecution, Asiya believed in Moses’ message and held firmly to her faith. That faith was so strong, she was willing to die for it. When Pharaoh found out that she believed, he tortured her severely.

Her belief in God was so strong, it made her an everlasting symbol

Asiya was a queen. She was the wife of one of the most powerful men to walk the earth. She lived a life of unparalleled wealth and luxury. And yet, she knew that her true home was in Paradise.

She had no attachment to this life. Asiya was not defined by the wickedness of the man she married. Her mind and her soul remained independent from her husband. And her heart was not a slave to his beliefs. She refused to submit to the tyranny of her husband, but chose instead to devout her soul and her life to God.

And in the story of Asiya is an everlasting example of a woman who chose the Hereafter over all of the glitter of this world, and whose love for God and the Home with Him inspired her to take on the greatest tyrant of all time and give her life in the process.

(Quranic story)
 
Abdullah bin Mubaarak (R.A), the Ustaad of Imaam Bukhari (R.A), used to perform haj one year and go for jihad the other year. He relates: Once when it was my year for haj, I took five hundred dinars and left for Makkah. At Kufa I stopped and went to the camel market with the intention of buying a camel. On the other side I saw a dead duck. A woman was sitting there. She picked up the duck and started cleaning it by plucking its feathers. Seeing this I approached her and asked her: "What are you doing dear woman?"

She replied: "Why do you enquire about such things which do not concern you ?" This set me thinking. However I insisted on an answer. Then she said: "Your persistence has forced me to open my heart. I am a lady from among the Sayyids – the family of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam - I have four young daughters whose father passed away. This is now the fourth day that we have not even tasted a thing and in such dire need are we that the eating of dead animals has become permissible. I am taking this dead duck to feed my daughters."

ANGEL PERFOMING HAJ

Abdullah bin Mubaarak (R.A.) says, her story filled me with sorrow. I told her to stretch fourth her hand and in it I placed the five hundred dinars. She took it and went home. I postponed my intention for haj and returned home. After haj I was so amazed that whenever I met any of the returning hujjaaj and wished them a "haj maqbool" they would wish me the same. Then, when I said anything further, they would remind me about having met me at such and such place. I could not understand this. That night I saw a dream, wherein Rasulullah r said to me: "O son of Mubaarak, there is no need to be astonished. You have assisted a distressed one from among my children, whereupon I begged of Allah to appoint one such angel to perform haj in your form and on your behalf until Qiyaamah and now you have a choice. You may perform haj or you may leave it." (Rushfa)
 
Laith bin Sa’d (rahimahullah) was an illustrious Imaam of his era. He was born in Egypt during the year 94 A.H. and passed away on a Friday in the month of Sha’baan during the year 175 A.H.

Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) was not only renowned for being an Imaam in the various fields of Islamic knowledge, but was also renowned for his piety, and particularly his generosity and big-heartedness. He had an annual income of approximately twenty thousand dinars (gold coins), yet his generosity was such that from the time he became baaligh, zakaat never once became obligatory on him (as he would spend all his wealth on people). He would give charity to approximately three hundred people daily!

Below are a few incidents that highlight his willingness to spend on others.

On one occasion, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) wrote to him saying, “I will soon be sending my daughter off to her husband’s home. Please send some safflower to me (to dye some of her clothing).” In response, Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) sent him thirty loads of safflower! The safflower was so abundant that Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) sold a portion of it for five hundred dinars.

Similarly, a woman once came to Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) and addressed him saying, “O Abul Haarith! My son is ill and wishes to eat some honey!” (Although the woman was only requesting a small amount of honey for her son to eat,) Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) called out to his attendant and instructed him to give her the equivalent of almost 48kg of honey!

When Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) went to Madeenah Munawwarah, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) sent a platter of fresh dates to him as a gift. When returning the platter, Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) first placed one thousand dinars on it and then sent it back to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah).

On one occasion, the house of the hadeeth scholar, Ibnu Lahee‘ah (rahimahullah) caught alight and burnt down, causing all his books to be destroyed. The following day, Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) sent 1000 dinars to him.

(Siyaru Aa’laamin Nubalaa vol. 8, pgs. 137-158)
 
During the Khilafat of Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattabرضي الله عنه, Hazrat Sa'eed bin 'Amirرضي الله عنهwas the governor of Hims, a city in Shaam. When Hazrat Umarرضي الله عنهvisited Hims to see how things were going there, he was met by a large group of people who began to complain to him about Hazrat Sa'eedرضي الله عنه.

They found fault with him in four matters. First, they said, he would not come out to them until mid-morning. Second, he would refuse to answer any caller during the night. Third, once a month, he would stay away from the people. And fourth, once in a while, Sa'eed رضي الله عنهwould faint and lose consciousness for no apparent reason.

Hazrat Umarرضي الله عنهasked Hazrat Sa'eedرضي الله عنه to respond to their complaints.

In regard to the first complaint, Hazrat Sa'eedرضي الله عنهexplained that he had no servant and that, every morning, he had to crush his own wheat in order to make bread. As soon as he would finish making his bread, he said, he would then go out to serve the people.

As for not answering any callers during the night, he said that he dedicated his days to serving the people and his nights to worshipping Allah :swt:.

As for not going out to the people once a month, he explained that he had only one garment and that he washed it once a month and had to then wait until it dried.

As for passing out every so often, he gave this explanation:

"When I was a mushrik, I witnessed the brutal execution of Hazrat Habib al-Ansaari رضي الله عنه‎ in Makkah. I saw how Quraish cut up his flesh little by little. They said to Habib ‎رضي الله عنه, 'Do you now want Muhammad :saws: to take your place?' He said, 'By Allah :swt:, I would not want to be safe with myself, my family and my children if Muhammad :saws: were even to be pricked by a thorn.' Every time I remember that day and how I refrained from helping Hazrat Habibرضي الله عنه, for I was a mushrik and did not believe in Allah, the All-Mighty- I begin to think that Allah Ta’ala, the Possessor of Might and Majesty, will never forgive me. It is then that I faint, O Leader of the Believers."

Hazrat Ibrahim bin Bashaarرحمة لله علیھ narrates this story:

"While I was walking towards Kufah with Hazrat Ibrahim bin Adham رحمة لله علیھ, he stopped beside a grave and invoked Allah to have mercy on its dweller. "Whose grave is this,' I asked.

'It is the grave of Humaid bin Jaabirرحمة لله علیھ,' said Hazrat Ibrahimرحمة لله علیھ 'He was once the leader of all the townships that are in this area.'

'What was so special about him?' I asked. Hazrat Ibrahimرحمة لله علیھ told me that he was a very rich leader who would spend his nights enjoying foolish games and entertainment.

'One night he fell asleep and saw a dream in which a man was standing over his head,' said Hazrat Ibrahimرحمة لله علیھ. 'The man had a book in his hand, which Humaid grabbed and tore open. The words inside were written with gold [ink]. They ran as follows:

Do not prefer my Fire over my Light, and do not be deceived by what you own in this world, for what you own is preventing you from getting what is saved for you in the afterlife. True, what you have might have been called a kingdom, had it not been for the fact that it will all soon perish. And your life might have been called a life of happiness and joy, had it not been for the fact that it will be followed by anxiety and misery. So beware of falling under the spell of these worldly ornaments, or you will join the ranks of the destroyed ones
وَ سَارِعُوۡۤا اِلٰی مَغۡفِرَۃٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَ جَنَّۃٍ عَرۡضُہَا السَّمٰوٰتُ وَ الۡاَرۡضُ ۙ اُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ

And march forth in the way [which leads to] forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, it has been prepared for the Allah fearing.

[Aal-Imraan : 133]

Humaid then woke up in a terrified state,' continued Hazrat Ibrahimرحمة لله علیھ.
'Resigning from his post as leader, Humaid betook himself to this mountain, where he led a simple life, doing menial work to maintain his physical upkeep, but dedicating most of his time to the worship of Allah. I came here once and met him. By keeping company with him, I found him to be a noble man. I would thereafter continue to visit him until he passed away.' "
 
Zaazaan ‎رحمة لله علیھ was a saint and a scholar of hadeeth. He was blessed to meet ‘Umar ‎رضي الله عنه, ‘Ali ‎رضي الله عنه‎ and many other Sahaabah ‎رضي الله عنه, and was one of the special students of ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه.

Before he became a great saint and scholar, Zaazaan ‎رحمة لله علیھ was ‘living the life’ and was involved in sin. However, Allah Ta‘ala inspired him to repent and change his life at the hands of ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه.

The following is the personal story of Zaazaan رحمة لله علیھ in which he describes how Allah Ta‘ala guided him and inspired him to reform himself. He says:

When I was a youngster, I had a melodious voice and was talented in playing the drum. Once, I was with a group of friends who were listening to me singing songs. While we were enjoying our party, ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه‎ happened to pass by. When he heard the singing and music, he came towards us and kicked the jugs of wine, causing all the wine to spill. He then snatched the drum from me and threw it on the ground, breaking it. Finally, he turned to me and said, “O youngster! If you used your melodious voice to recite the Quraan Majeed, you would really become something!” After saying that, he suddenly left.

I turned to my friend and asked him, “Who was this person?” He replied, “That was ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه.” At that moment, Allah Ta‘ala inspired me to repent. I ran after ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه‎ with tears streaming down my face. He had just arrived at the door of his home and was about to enter when I reached him and held onto his clothing. He turned to me and asked, “Who are you?” I replied, “I am the person who was playing the drum.” ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه‎ realized that I had come to repent and change my life, and so he hugged me and cried in joy and happiness. He then said, “Welcome to the one whom Allah Ta‘ala loves (and thus inspired to repent). Sit here!” ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood ‎رضي الله عنه‎ then entered his home and brought some dates for me to eat saying, “Eat from these dates. If I had any food besides this, I would have served that to you as well.”
 
Ibn Jowzi رحمة لله علیھ narrates that once he went to Egypt and saw an amazing sight. I saw a blacksmith who would take the glowing iron out of his furnace using his bare hands! He would even place the iron on his anvil and turn it with his hands, not feeling any pain from the heat of the glowing iron!

When I saw this extraordinary sight, I thought to myself, “This must be a very pious man! After all, the fire is unable to burn him!” I then went up to him and greeted him with salaam. I thereafter said, “O my master! I ask you in the name of that Being who blessed you with this miracle to please make du‘aa for me!” Hearing my request, the blacksmith began to cry and exclaimed, “My brother! By Allah! I am not the pious person that you think I am!” I replied, “O my brother! This miracle which I saw you perform is something that only pious people are able to do.” The blacksmith answered, “There is a strange incident behind this miracle.” The blacksmith thereafter narrated the following incident:

I was once busy in my business when I suddenly realized that there was a woman in front of me. When I looked up, I saw that her face was the most beautiful face that I had ever seen before. The woman began to beg me saying, “O my brother! Do you have anything to give us for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala?” I was captivated by her sight and infatuated by her beauty. I replied, “Why don’t you come to my home? There I will give you something and see to your needs.” On hearing my suggestion, she looked at me in silence for some time. Eventually, she turned and left. After some time, however, she returned and said, “Desperation has forced me to accept your offer,” So I locked my business and took her home.

When we reached my home, she begged me saying, “I have children that I left in starvation. Please give me something and allow me to go and feed them! I will return after they have eaten.” After making her promise that she would return, I gave her some silver coins and watched as she left to feed her children. When she returned, I led her into my home and turned to lock the door. “Why are you locking the door?” she asked. “I fear the people.” I replied. “And why do you not fear the Lord of all the people?” she asked. “He is Forgiving and Merciful.” I said. I then made advances towards her and found that tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was trembling, just as palm leaves tremble in the wind. “Why are you trembling and crying?” I asked. “Out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala.” she answered.

The woman then turned to me and begged, “If you leave me for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala, I will stand guarantee that Allah Ta‘ala will not punish you with fire in this world and in the next.” When I heard her say this, I was shaken. I immediately stood and gave her all my wealth saying, “I have left you because I fear Allah Ta‘ala!”

After some time, I fell asleep and had a dream. In the dream, I saw a woman wearing a crown of red rubies. She had the most beautiful face that I had ever seen. She said to me, “May Allah Ta‘ala give you a good reward on our behalf.” “Who are you?” I asked. “I am the mother of the girl whom you left out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala. May Alah Ta‘ala never punish you with fire, neither in this world nor the next.” I next said to her, “Please tell me who she is and which family she is from.” The woman replied, “She is from the family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).”

When I awoke from my sleep, I found that the fire of this world could not harm me. I have hope that the fire of the Hereafter will not harm me as well.
 
It is reported that there was once a king who, at a certain moment during his rule, came to the realization that no matter how rich he was, his pleasures were of the fleeting kind and his end was going to be death. These thoughts lingered in his mind, until one day he secretly left his castle and made his way towards the seaside. There, he spent his days earning his keep by working with bricks, and his nights worshipping Allah :swt:. Although he had travelled far away from his homeland, he could not remain unrecognized for long, and soon news of his story reached the king of the land that he was in. That king summoned him, but he refused to go; and when he was summoned for a second time, he made it clear that he didn’t want to meet the king.

The king of the land was too curious about the former king’s story to let the matter rest there. And so he went to him in person, but when the former king saw him approaching, he began to run away. The king of the land chased him as he called out, “O slave of Allah :swt:, fear not,” but the former king continued to flee from him. This continued until the king of the land was able to convince him that he just wanted to talk to him for a few moments. When the two were face to face, the king of the land asked the former king, “What made you come to this land?”

He said, “I found that my heart desired separation from the children of Adam.”

The king of the land asked, “How can you bear living a life of loneliness?”

He said, “Whoever finds comfort with Allah finds unwholesome the company of anyone else.”

The king of the land asked, “And why did you leave your kingdom?”

He answered, “I thought about my outcome, my final destination on this earth, and I realized that my end here was near at hand. And so I decided to turn away from that which is temporary and to instead turn towards that which will abide forever. Turning to my Lord, I then fled from my sins.”

The king of the land said “You do not have more reason to fear Allah than I do.”

The king of that land then abdicated his throne, after which he followed his new companion on the path of simplicity, repentance, and worship.

(Stories of repentance)
 
During one of his journeys, Hazrat Sirri as-Saqati رحمة لله علیھ passed by a cave, from which he heard continuous sobbing. Aroused by curiosity, he entered the cave and saw a young man whose body seemed to be wasted away by grief and sadness. Having immediately perceived that the man was a righteous worshipper, Hazrat Sirri رحمة لله علیھ humbly asked, “O young man, how is safety achieved?”

He said, “By performing all prescribed acts of worship, by not wronging others, and by repenting to Allah.”

Sirrri رحمة لله علیھ asked, “Can you please deliver a sermon to me?”

The young man said, “The best sermon you can receive is by looking into your own self. But I will say this: be obedient to Allah :swt: when you are alone, for doing so will atone for your sins, and Allah :swt: will then display you to the inhabitants of the heavens.”
(ibid)
 
Rashid, a first century ruler, once said to Hazrat Fudayl bin Iyaad ‎رحمة لله علیھ, "Admonish me."
"O Leader of the believers!" said Hazrat Fudayl ‎رحمة لله علیھ. "Indeed your grandfather, Hazrat Abbaas ‎رضي الله عنه, ‏ once went to the Nabi :saws: and said, 'O Messenger of Allah :saws: appoint me to be a leader.' Nabi :saws: said, 'My uncle, indeed, being a leader leads to sorrow, and regret on the Day of Resurrection. If you are able to go without ever being a leader, then do so!'"

Moved to tears, Rashid said, "Give me more."

Hazrat Fudaylرحمة لله علیھ looked at Rashid and said, "O One who has a handsome face, if you are able to protect that face from the Hell-fire then do so. And beware of ever cheating or betraying your people."

Being much moved by Hazrat Fudayl' ‎رحمة لله علیھs words, Rashid wanted to reward him.
"Do you have any debts?" he asked.

"To my Lord, yes, and He will hold me accountable for them," said Hazrat Fudaylرحمة لله علیھ.

"I am of course referring to debts to other human beings," said Rashid.
After Hazrat Fudaylرحمة لله علیھ answered in the negative, Rashid said to one of his assistants, "Give him 1000 dinars, which he can use to help his family."
Hazrat Fudaylرحمة لله علیھ was greatly offended by these words and said, "How perfect Allah is! I am guiding you to safety and you want to reward me with this worldly sum!"

He then left, having refused to take anything.
(ibid)
 

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