Abdullah Ibn Mubarak and the Slave - Story by Dr. Hatem Al-Haj

 

The entire story, translated into English:

Ibn al-Mubarak said: "I arrived in Mecca, and I found that the people were suffering from a drought, and they were praying for rain in the Masjid al-Haram. I was among the people near the Bani Shaybah gate when a young black boy came carrying two pieces of cloth, one of which he had wrapped around himself, and he placed the other one on my shoulders. He stood in a hidden spot next to me, and I heard him saying: 'Oh my God, you have created faces with numerous sins and flaws, and the rain from the heavens has been withheld from us to discipline the creatures for their deeds. I ask you, O Most Gracious, O He who knows His servants better than anyone else, to send down rain upon them at this very hour.'"

Ibn al-Mubarak said: He continued to say, "Send down rain upon them at this very hour," until the sky became overcast.

With clouds gathering, raindrops began to fall like the mouths of pitchers, and he remained in his place, glorifying Allah. I began to weep, and he continued to pray. Eventually, he stood up, and I followed him until I knew his location.

I came to Fudayl ibn 'Ayyad, and he asked me, "Why do I see you looking sad?" I replied, "Others preceded us to him, and he preferred them over us." He asked, "Why is that?" So, I narrated the story to him, and he fell to the ground, saying, "Woe unto you, Ibn al-Mubarak, take me to him." I said, "Time is running short; I will inquire about his whereabouts."

The next day, I prayed the morning prayer and went out in search of the place. I found an old man at a door, sitting with a mat spread out for him. When he saw me, he recognized me and said, "Welcome, Abu Abd al-Rahman, what do you need?" I said, "I am in need of a boy." He replied, "Yes, I have several. Choose whichever one you like." He then called out, "O boy!" and a young man named Mahmood al-Aqibah came forward. He offered him to me, but I said, "This is not what I need."

He continued to bring out one after another until he finally presented the boy I was looking for. When I saw him, tears filled my eyes. He asked, "Is this the one?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "I have no other way but to sell him to you." I asked, "Why?" He said, "He has been blessed with a special place in this house." I then inquired, "Where does he get his food?" He answered, "He earns half a dinar or less or more by sewing cloth edges. That is his sustenance if he sells it in a day, otherwise, he folds it away."

The young men told me that he does not sleep during the long nights and does not associate with any of them. He is focused on himself, and my heart has grown fond of him.

I said to him, "Go back to Fudayl ibn 'Ayyad and Sufyan al-Thawri without any pressing need," then I returned to him and asked insistently. He said, "Your walk to me was quite long; take him for whatever you wish."

He continued, "So, I purchased him and walked with him towards Fudayl's house. After about an hour, he said to me, 'O my master!'"

I said to him, "Here I am."

He replied, "Do not say 'Here I am,' for a servant is more deserving of saying that to his master."

I asked, "What do you need, my dear?"

He said, "I am physically weak and cannot bear the labor, and you have the means to acquire someone more robust and reliable than me. You could have chosen someone better. I said to him, "May Allah not see me using you, and my reason for buying you was to elevate your status to that of a child of mine, and I will marry you and personally attend to your needs."

He began to cry, and I asked, "Why are you crying?"

He replied, "You did not do this except that I have seen some of my connections with Allah. Otherwise, why would you have chosen me instead of those other young men?"

I told him, "You have no need except for this."

He said, "I ask you by Allah to inform me."

I told him, "By granting your request."

He said to me, "I believe, by the will of Allah, that you are a righteous man. Indeed, Allah, the Almighty, has chosen from His creation those whom He unveils their affairs only to those He loves among His servants and makes them apparent only to those He is pleased with."

Then he said to me, "Do you mind if I stand for a while? I have a few more Rak'ahs left from last night."

I said, "This is Fudayl's place."

He replied, "No, this place here is dearer to me."

He continued, "The command of Allah, the Exalted, is not delayed." He entered the mosque and kept praying until he achieved what he intended. Then, he turned to me and asked, "O Abu Abd al-Rahman, do you have any needs?"

I said, "No."

He said, "Because I intend to depart."

I asked, "Where to?"

He replied, "To the Hereafter."

I said, "Please don't do that; I can benefit from you."

He told me, "The sweetness of life lies where my relationship with Allah, the Exalted, is. But as soon as you see it, others will see it too, and there's no need for me in that." Then he turned his face down and began to say, "O my God, take me now, this very hour." I approached him, and he had passed away. I swear by Allah, whenever I remember him, my grief prolongs, and the world diminishes in my eyes, and my deeds seem insignificant.

May Allah have mercy on him and have mercy on us through him.

Book reference: https://shamela.ws/book/2506/46