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An inspiring encounter by Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar
Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar said that one day the heat was so severe in his town that even the birds were seeking shelter under the leaves. No human or creature was seen stirring that afternoon because of the heat and it seemed that the town was being cooked in a furnace.
Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar continued that he had to step outside on an urgent matter and he saw a handicapped young man who did not have the use of his legs, was pushing himself along the street by his hands on a cart. His face was burned red and he was soaked in perspiration.
They greeted each other and Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar asked where he was going in such weather. The young man replied that he had started traveling from his country with the intention of Hajj. Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar said, “Why don’t you rest at my house and then resume your journey in the evening when the weather is cooler?” The young man replied, “Malik ibn Dinar, you enjoy the blessing of being able to walk, but I have to drag myself by my arms on this cart. Therefore I do not want to stop anywhere lest the season of Hajj starts and I am not able to reach my destination.” Saying this he again started on his way and so Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar called after him, “Young man! Rest at my house for a little while and I can arrange for a ride for you so you may travel at ease and reach in plenty of time.” The young man suddenly became angry and said, “Up until now I thought you were an intelligent person, but now I realize that you are not as I had assumed. When a slave angers his master and makes the intention that he needs to win back his master’s pleasure, does it suit him to walk or ride on a carriage in luxury? I am that slave who has angered his Master and is going to beg His forgiveness. It does not become me to ride on any vehicle but to drag myself as I have been doing.” The young man thus continued on his way and Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar was left marveling on the intense level of muhabbah for Allah in this man’s heart.
It so happened that Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar also went to Hajj that year. After the ritual of the stoning of Shaytan, he noticed that a large crowd had gathered nearby and so he asked some people why people were here. He was told that people were listening in awe to a young man’s dua, and so Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar edged through the crowd and noticed the same young man who he had talked with in his hometown.
The young man was dressed in ihram and supplicating thus: “O Allah , I am one of Your handicapped servants whom You have blessed with being able to come to Your House. Most people come walking but I have dragged myself with my arms. Only with Your blessing and mercy did I perform tawaf and kiss the Black Stone; only with Your blessing was I able to cast stones at Shaytan and go to Arafat. Now these people will perform sacrifices to You but You know that I am poor and have nothing except the ihram that I am wearing. O Allah I want to give my life in Your Name.” Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar said that this young man said this with such love and devotion that he recited the kalima and Allah took his life, thus accepting his sacrifice.
When we go to Hajj we become satisfied with sacrificing animals but these special people of Allah present their lives in His Name. We should also desire such muhabbah from Allah so that all forms of worship become easy for us. We should cultivate such muhabbah in our hearts that prostrating before Allah should become joyous for us; waking in the early hours of the morning should become easy for us, and reading the Holy Quran should become easy and pleasurable for us.
Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar continued that he had to step outside on an urgent matter and he saw a handicapped young man who did not have the use of his legs, was pushing himself along the street by his hands on a cart. His face was burned red and he was soaked in perspiration.
They greeted each other and Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar asked where he was going in such weather. The young man replied that he had started traveling from his country with the intention of Hajj. Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar said, “Why don’t you rest at my house and then resume your journey in the evening when the weather is cooler?” The young man replied, “Malik ibn Dinar, you enjoy the blessing of being able to walk, but I have to drag myself by my arms on this cart. Therefore I do not want to stop anywhere lest the season of Hajj starts and I am not able to reach my destination.” Saying this he again started on his way and so Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar called after him, “Young man! Rest at my house for a little while and I can arrange for a ride for you so you may travel at ease and reach in plenty of time.” The young man suddenly became angry and said, “Up until now I thought you were an intelligent person, but now I realize that you are not as I had assumed. When a slave angers his master and makes the intention that he needs to win back his master’s pleasure, does it suit him to walk or ride on a carriage in luxury? I am that slave who has angered his Master and is going to beg His forgiveness. It does not become me to ride on any vehicle but to drag myself as I have been doing.” The young man thus continued on his way and Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar was left marveling on the intense level of muhabbah for Allah in this man’s heart.
It so happened that Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar also went to Hajj that year. After the ritual of the stoning of Shaytan, he noticed that a large crowd had gathered nearby and so he asked some people why people were here. He was told that people were listening in awe to a young man’s dua, and so Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar edged through the crowd and noticed the same young man who he had talked with in his hometown.
The young man was dressed in ihram and supplicating thus: “O Allah , I am one of Your handicapped servants whom You have blessed with being able to come to Your House. Most people come walking but I have dragged myself with my arms. Only with Your blessing and mercy did I perform tawaf and kiss the Black Stone; only with Your blessing was I able to cast stones at Shaytan and go to Arafat. Now these people will perform sacrifices to You but You know that I am poor and have nothing except the ihram that I am wearing. O Allah I want to give my life in Your Name.” Hadrat Malik Ibn Dinar said that this young man said this with such love and devotion that he recited the kalima and Allah took his life, thus accepting his sacrifice.
When we go to Hajj we become satisfied with sacrificing animals but these special people of Allah present their lives in His Name. We should also desire such muhabbah from Allah so that all forms of worship become easy for us. We should cultivate such muhabbah in our hearts that prostrating before Allah should become joyous for us; waking in the early hours of the morning should become easy for us, and reading the Holy Quran should become easy and pleasurable for us.
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