Reward for Prioritizing others Need

• Last Updated on July 25, 2024 @ 8:15 am by Islaminlife Admin

Shaikh Mawlana Abrarul Haq (R) relates this interesting story, which could be found in several authentic books:

Once during Hajj a pious man heard an announcement from the unseen, “Hajj of the people who are present here, have been accepted and Hajj of a person who is not present here, have also been accepted.”

The pious realized that Allah Taala is informing him about some nobleman; the pious man, therefore, prayed that he may be granted the ‘tawfeeq’ (ability) to meet such a person, whose Hajj had been accepted although he hadn’t been present in Hajj.
By the Grace of Allah Taala, the pious man was informed of the man’s name and living place. The pious man traveled there and met him. To his surprise, he witnessed that the man led a very simple life. The pious informed the man that you are someone who hadn’t been to Hajj this year, but I had come to know that your Hajj have been accepted! He asked the reason for it. The story, which the man then related to the pious was astonishing! The man said:

I have been collecting money for a long time to perform Hajj. At one midnight, my wife informed me that there is something being cooked in our neighbor’s house and a very good smell of the food is coming; she insisted me on bringing some food for her from our neighbor’s house, so that she could also have some from what they have cooked. We had a very good relationship with our neighbor and for this, it was very easy and usual to ask each other for something in need and necessity.

Therefore, I went straight to our neighbor’s house. He opened the door; I mentioned him about our desire and asked him give a portion to us from their delicious meal being cooked. Listening to my request, the neighbor became quiet. I was surprised at his silence! When I pleaded again and again, he replied, “The fact is, we have been in need of food for a few days and the situation became so worse that you know that Shariah permits to have dead animals at such a grave condition! We are actually cooking a dead chicken and have carefully selected this midnight-time to do so for seclusion.”

I was spellbound at his message. I repented seriously for my unconcerned state! I thought that I should have known about my neighbor’s poor situation much earlier. Therefore, I instantly donated my neighbor the money that I have collected to perform Hajj*.

This was the reason why Allah Taala rewarded the man with Hajj, although he could not perform it!