In his book “Reflections on Miracles,” Hujviri writes that one day the Prophet’s disciples asked him to talk about the people of bygone days. Here's what he said:
Three travelers, tired from the road, decided to spend the night in a cave. In the middle of the night, thunder roared, and the cave was blocked, and the travelers were trapped. The travelers decided that only a miracle could save them and that they should cry out to God, demonstrating their altruism to prove that they were worthy of liberation from a place that would otherwise become the grave for them all.
The first of them said:
“All I had in this world was a goat, and I milked it to feed myself and my parents, and I also collected brushwood in the forest to sell. One day, returning home late at night, I saw that my parents were already sleeping, and I, having prepared food and milk for them, waited all night until they woke up, and only in the morning I sat down and ate with them. O Almighty, if I speak the truth, save us and free us from here!
After these words, the rock moved slightly, and light entered the crack.
The second one began his story:
“Once I was deeply in love with a beautiful girl who was blind from birth. She refused to become my wife, and then I began to collect money. Having collected a significant amount, I sent it to the girl in exchange for one night with her. And when she came, the fear of God struck me, I was afraid and sent her back, allowing her to keep the money. Oh Lord! If I didn't lie, set us free!
The rock moved a little more, but the gap was still too narrow to crawl through.
The third of them spoke:
“Once I hired people to do work for me, but when the time came for payment, one of the workers for some unknown reason did not come. I saved his money and bought a sheep with it. Time passed and the sheep gave birth until a small flock was formed. And when a few years later the worker came for payment, I pointed to the sheep and told him that they belonged to him by right. Lord! I told the honest truth, help us in our trouble!
And with these words the stones parted and the people came out to freedom.
The story concerns three people who practiced Sabr (patience), Taubat (repentance) and Khidmat (service). It shows in the same way how three different practices, applied in the proper order, create an overall effect.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru