THE
BEAUTY WITHIN
--------------------
Muhammad ibn Sulaiman al-Qurashi says
that he was once walking on the road to Yemen when he came
across a young boy who was standing on the road. He was
singing some couplets in the praise of Allah. Muhammad
continues:
"I
went up to him and greeted."
He replied, "I will not return your greeting until
you fulfil the right I have upon you."
I replied, "What right are you talking about?"
He replied, "I follow the teachings of the friend of
Allah, Ebrahim Alaihis Salaam. I do not have breakfast nor
supper every day until I walk a mile or two in search of
a guest."
I accepted his invitation for a meal. He was exceedingly
pleased and I followed him. We continued walking until we
came to a tent made of animal hair. As we walked up to it
he called out, "O my sister!"
From inside the tent a young girl replied, "Yes. I
am present."
He exclaimed, "Our guest has arrived."
She replied, "Can you please wait a while so that I
can express gratitude to Allah for sending a guest to us."
She
then proceeded to perform two Rakaahs of Salaah expressing
her appreciation to Allah. The young boy then ushered me
towards the tent. I entered and he made me sit down. He
took a knife and proceeded to slaughter a goat. As I was
sitting in the tent my gaze fell upon the young girl. She
was exceedingly beautiful. I continued staring at her stealthily.
She
noticed my glances and said, "Please stop! Do you not
know that the master of Yathrib, the Prophet Sallallahu
Alaihi Wasallam, has mentioned that a lustful gaze is adultery
of the eyes. I do not wish to rebuke you, but I would like
to teach you some etiquette so that you do not cast a gaze
towards me again."
When
it was time to sleep, my young host and I slept outside
while the young girl slept in the tent. But, the entire
night I could hear somebody reciting Quran in a mellodious
and sweet voice.
When
morning dawned upon us I asked the young boy, "Whose
voice was that?"
He answered, "That was my sister. She remains awake
the entire night."
I remarked, "Young boy, you should have remained awake
the entire night instead of her. Being a woman she is naturally
weaker than you."
He smiled and said, "Do you not know that Allah has
blessed her with doing so and has not granted me the same
blessing."
~
Rawdhatul Uqala ~