ﻗﺪ ﻧﺠﺎ

 

Ahmad ibn Maskīn, one of the scholars of the third Hijri century in Basra, said—may Allah have mercy on him:

I was tested with poverty in the year 219 AH. We had nothing, and I had a wife and a small child. We endured a hunger that hollowed out the stomach. I resolved to sell my house and leave it. I went out to look for a way to sell it, and Abu Nasr met me. I told him of my intention to sell the house, so he handed me two thin loaves of bread with some sweets between them and said, “Feed your family with this.”

I went toward my home. On the way, a woman met me with a small boy. She looked at the two loaves and said, “My master, this is a hungry orphan child who cannot bear hunger. Feed him something—may Allah have mercy on you.” The child looked at me with a gaze I will never forget. It was as if Paradise had descended to the earth, offering itself to whoever would satisfy this child and his mother. I handed what was in my hand to the woman and said, “Take it and feed your son. By Allah, I own neither silver nor gold, and in my house there is someone who needs this food more.” Her eyes filled with tears, and the child’s face shone.

I walked on, deeply troubled, and sat by a wall thinking about selling the house. While I was there, Abu Nasr passed by, as if flying with joy, and said, “O Abu Muhammad, why are you sitting here while goodness and wealth are in your house?”

I said, “Glory be to Allah! From where, O Abu Nasr?”

He said, “A man from Khurasan came asking about your father or one of his family. With him were loads of goods and wealth. He is a merchant from Basra to whom your father had entrusted money thirty years ago. He went bankrupt and lost the money, then left Basra for Khurasan. His affairs improved there through trade, and after hardship he became prosperous. He returned to Basra wanting to clear himself, so he brought you the money along with all the profit it had earned over thirty years.”

Ahmad ibn Maskīn said: I praised Allah and thanked Him. I searched for the needy woman and her son, took care of them, and provided them with a regular livelihood. Then I traded with the money, and made its profit acts of kindness, good deeds, and charity. The wealth kept increasing and did not diminish.

I felt pleased with myself, happy that the records of the angels had been filled with my good deeds, and I hoped that I had been written among the righteous with Allah.

Then one night I slept and saw myself on the Day of Resurrection. The people were surging over one another. Their bodies had been expanded, carrying their burdens on their backs in visible, embodied forms—so much so that a corrupt person carried an entire city of disgraces on his back. Then the scales were set up, and I was brought to have my deeds weighed.

My sins were placed in one pan, and the records of my good deeds were cast into the other. The records fluttered, and the sins outweighed them. Then they began adding good deed after good deed from what I had done, but beneath every good deed was a hidden desire of the soul—such as showing off, self-admiration, and love of praise from people. Nothing remained for me, and I was ruined. I heard a voice say, “Is there nothing left for him?”

It was said, “There is this.” I looked to see what remained, and there were the two thin loaves with which I had shown kindness to the woman and her son. I was certain I was doomed, for I used to give a hundred dinars at once and it had not benefited me. I collapsed in utter despair.

The two loaves were placed on the scale, and the pan of good deeds descended slightly and gained some weight. Then the tears of the poor woman—who had cried because of the kindness in her heart and my preferring her and her son over my own family—were placed on the scale. The pan then outweighed the other and continued to do so.

ﺃﺣﻤﺪَ ﺑﻦِ ﻣﺴﻜﻴﻦ ؛ ﺃﺣﺪِ ﻋﻠﻤﺎﺀِ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﻥ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻟﺚ ﺍﻟﻬﺠﺮﻱ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺒﺼﺮﺓ ، ﻗﺎﻝ – رحمه الله
ﺍﻣﺘُﺤِﻨﺖ ﺑﺎﻟﻔﻘﺮ ﺳﻨﺔ  219 ، ﻓﻠﻢ ﻳﻜﻦ ﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﺷﻲﺀ ، ﻭﻟﻲ ﺍﻣﺮﺃﺓ ﻭﻃﻔﻠﻬﺎ ، ﻭﻗﺪ ﻃﻮﻳﻨﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺟﻮﻉ ﻳﺨﺴِﻒ ﺑﺎﻟﺠَﻮﻑِ ﺧﺴﻔﺎ ، ﻓَﺠَﻤﻌْﺖُ ﻧﻴّﺘﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺪﺍﺭ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺤﻮّﻝ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ ، ﻓﺨﺮﺟﺖ ﺃﺗﺴﺒﺐ ﻟﺒﻴﻌﻬﺎ ﻓﻠﻘﻴﻨﻲ ﺃﺑﻮ ﻧﺼﺮ ؛ ﻓﺄﺧﺒﺮﺗﻪ ﺑﻨﻴﺘﻲ ﻟﺒﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺪﺍﺭ ؛ ﻓﺪﻓﻊ ﺇﻟﻲ (ﺭُﻗﺎﻗﺘﻴﻦ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺨﺒﺰ) ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ ﺣﻠﻮﻯ ، ﻭﻗﺎﻝ ﺃﻃﻌﻤﻬﺎ ﺃﻫﻠﻚ
ﻭﻣﻀﻴﺖ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺩﺍﺭﻱ ؛ ﻓﻠﻤﺎ ﻛﻨﺖُ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻄﺮﻳﻖ ﻟﻘﻴﺘﻨﻲ ﺍﻣﺮﺃﺓ ﻣﻌﻬﺎ ﺻﺒﻲ ، ﻓﻨﻈَﺮَﺕْ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﺮُّﻗﺎﻗﺘﻴﻦ ﻭﻗﺎﻟﺖ :  ﻳﺎ ﺳﻴﺪﻱ ، ﻫﺬﺍ ﻃﻔﻞ ﻳﺘﻴﻢ ﺟﺎﺋﻊ ، ﻭﻻ‌ ﺻﺒﺮ ﻟﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺠﻮﻉ ، ﻓﺄﻃﻌﻤﻪ ﺷﻴﺌًﺎ ﻳﺮﺣﻤﻚ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ  ، ﻭﻧﻈﺮ ﺇﻟﻲّ ﺍﻟﻄﻔﻞُ ﻧﻈﺮﺓ ﻻ‌ ﺃﻧﺴﺎﻫﺎ ، ﻭﺧُﻴِّﻞ ﺇﻟﻲّ ﺣﻴﻨﺌﺬ ﺃﻥ ﺍﻟﺠﻨﺔ ﻧﺰﻟﺖ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻷ‌ﺭﺽِ ﺗﻌﺮﺽ ﻧﻔﺴﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣَﻦ ﻳُﺸﺒِﻊ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻄﻔﻞ ﻭﺃﻣﻪ ؛ ﻓﺪﻓﻌﺖ ﻣﺎ ﻓﻲ ﻳﺪﻱ ﻟﻠﻤﺮﺃﺓ ، ﻭﻗﻠﺖ ﻟﻬﺎ : ﺧﺬﻱ ﻭﺃﻃﻌﻤﻲ ﺍﺑﻨﻚ ، ﻭﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻣﺎ ﺃﻣﻠﻚ ﺑﻴﻀﺎﺀ ﻭﻻ‌ ﺻﻔﺮﺍﺀ ، ﻭﺇﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺩﺍﺭﻱ ﻟﻤَﻦ ﻫﻮ ﺃﺣﻮﺝ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻄﻌﺎﻡ ، ﻓﺪﻣﻌﺖ ﻋﻴﻨﺎﻫﺎ ، ﻭﺃﺷﺮﻕ ﻭﺟﻪ ﺍﻟﺼﺒﻲ
ﻭﻣﺸﻴﺖ ﻭﺃﻧﺎ ﻣﻬﻤﻮﻡ ، ﻭﺟﻠﺴﺖ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺣﺎﺋﻂ ﺃﻓﻜﺮ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺪﺍﺭ ، ﻭﺇﺫ ﺃﻧﺎ ﻛﺬﻟﻚ ؛ ﺇﺫ ﻣﺮّ ﺃﺑﻮ ﻧﺼﺮ ، ﻭﻛﺄﻧﻪ ﻳﻄﻴﺮ ﻓﺮﺣًﺎ ، ﻓﻘﺎﻝ : ﻳﺎ ﺃﺑﺎ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ، ﻣﺎ ﻳُﺠﻠﺴﻚ ﻫﺎ ﻫﻨﺎ ، ﻭﻓﻲ ﺩﺍﺭﻙ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ ﻭﺍﻟﻐﻨﻰ ؟
ﻗﻠﺖ : ﺳﺒﺤﺎﻥ الله
ﻭﻣﻦ ﺃﻳﻦ ﻳﺎ ﺃﺑﺎ ﻧﺼﺮ ؟
ﻗﺎﻝ : ﺟﺎﺀ ﺭﺟﻞ مِن ﺧﺮﺍﺳﺎﻥ ﻳﺴﺄﻝ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻋﻦ ﺃﺑﻴﻚ ﺃﻭ ﺃﺣﺪٍ ﻣِﻦ ﺃﻫﻠﻪ ، ﻭﻣﻌﻪ ﺃﺛﻘﺎﻝٌ ﻭﺃﺣﻤﺎﻝٌ ﻣِﻦَ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ ﻭﺍﻷ‌ﻣﻮﺍﻝ
ﻓﻘﻠﺖ : ﻣﺎ ﺧﺒﺮﻩ ؟
ﻗﺎﻝ : ﺇﻧﻪ ﺗﺎﺟﺮ ﻣِﻦَ ﺍﻟﺒﺼﺮﺓ ، ﻭﻗﺪ ﻛﺎﻥ ﺃﺑﻮﻙ ﺃﻭﺩَﻋﻪ ﻣﺎﻻ‌ً ﻣِﻦ ﺛﻼ‌ﺛﻴﻦ ﺳﻨﺔ ، ﻓﺄﻓﻠﺲ ﻭﺍﻧﻜﺴﺮ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﻝ ، ﺛﻢ ﺗﺮﻙ ﺍﻟﺒﺼﺮﺓ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺧﺮﺍﺳﺎﻥ ، ﻓﺼﻠﺢ ﺃﻣﺮﻩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺎﺭﺓ ﻫﻨﺎﻙ ، ﻭﺃﻳﺴَﺮ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﻨﺔ ، ﻭﺃﻗﺒﻞ ﺑﺎﻟﺜﺮﺍﺀ ﻭﺍﻟﻐِﻨﻰ ، ﻓﻌﺎﺩ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﺒﺼﺮﺓ ﻭﺃﺭﺍﺩ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺘﺤﻠّﻞ ، ﻓﺠﺎﺀﻙ ﺑﺎﻟﻤﺎﻝ ﻭﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻣﺎ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﺮﺑﺤﻪ ﻓﻲ ﺛﻼ‌ﺛﻴﻦ ﺳﻨﺔ
ﻳﻘﻮﻝ ﺃﺣﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺴﻜﻴﻦ  : ﺣﻤﺪﺕُ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻭﺷﻜﺮﺗﻪ ، ﻭﺑﺤﺜﺖ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺘﺎﺟﺔ ﻭﺍﺑﻨﻬﺎ ، ﻓﻜﻔﻴﺘﻬﻤﺎ ﻭﺃﺟﺮَﻳﺖُ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺭِﺯﻗﺎ ، ﺛﻢ ﺍﺗّﺠﺮﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﻝ ، ﻭﺟﻌﻠﺖ ﺃﺭﺑﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﻤﻌﺮﻭﻑ ﻭﺍﻟﺼﻨﻴﻌﺔ ﻭﺍﻹ‌ﺣﺴﺎﻥ ﻭﻫﻮ ﻣﻘﺒﻞ ﻳﺰﺩﺍﺩ ﻭﻻ‌ ﻳﻨﻘﺺ
ﻭﻛﺄﻧﻲ ﻗﺪ ﺃعجبتني ﻧﻔﺴﻲ ، ﻭﺳﺮّﻧﻲ ﺃﻧﻲ ﻗﺪ مُلأَﺕْ ﺳِﺠِﻼ‌ﺕُ ﺍﻟﻤﻼ‌ﺋﻜﺔِ ﺑﺤﺴﻨﺎﺗﻲ ، ﻭﺭﺟﻮﺕ ﺃﻥ ﺃﻛﻮﻥ ﻗﺪ ﻛُﺘِﺒﺖُ ﻋﻨﺪ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺼﺎﻟﺤﻴﻦ
ﻓﻨﻤﺖُ ﻟﻴﻠﺔً ؛ ﻓﺮﺃﻳﺘُﻨﻲ ﻓﻲ ﻳﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﺎﻣﺔ ، ﻭﺍﻟﺨﻠﻖ ﻳﻤﻮﺝ ﺑﻌﻀﻬﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻌﺾ ، ﻭﺭﺃﻳﺖ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻭﻗﺪ ﻭُﺳِّﻌَﺖْ ﺃﺑﺪﺍﻧُﻬﻢ ، ﻓﻬﻢ ﻳﺤﻤﻠﻮﻥ ﺃﻭﺯﺍﺭﻫﻢ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻇﻬﻮﺭﻫﻢ ﻣﺨﻠﻮﻗﺔ ﻣﺠﺴّﻤﺔ ، ﺣﺘﻰ ﻟﻜﺄﻥ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺳﻖ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻇﻬﺮﻩ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻛﻠﻬﺎ ﻣﺨﺰﻳﺎﺕ ، ﺛﻢ ﻭﺿﻌﺖ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺍﺯﻳﻦ ، ﻭﺟﻲﺀ ﺑﻲ ﻟﻮﺯﻥ ﺃﻋﻤﺎﻟﻲ ، ﻓﺠُﻌِﻠﺖ ﺳﻴﺌﺎﺗﻲ ﻓﻲ ﻛِﻔﺔ ، ﻭﺃﻟﻘَِﻴﺖ ﺳِﺠﻼ‌ﺕُ ﺣﺴﻨﺎﺗﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻷ‌ﺧﺮﻯ ، ﻓﻄﺎﺷﺖ ﺍﻟﺴﺠﻼ‌ﺕ ، ﻭﺭﺟﺤﺖ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺌﺎﺕ ، ﺛﻢ ﺟﻌﻠﻮﺍ ﻳﻠﻘﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻨﺔ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻨﺔ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻛﻨﺖ ﺃﺻﻨﻌﻪ
ﻓﺈﺫﺍ ﺗﺤﺖ ﻛﻞ ﺣﺴﻨﺔٍ  ﺷﻬﻮﺓٌ ﺧﻔﻴﺔٌ  ﻣِﻦ ﺷﻬﻮﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻨﻔﺲ ، ﻛﺎﻟﺮﻳﺎﺀ ،ِ ﻭﺍﻟﻐﺮﻭﺭِ ، ﻭﺣﺐِ ﺍﻟﻤَﺤْﻤﺪﺓ ﻋﻨﺪ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ، ﻓﻠﻢ ﻳﺴﻠﻢُ ﻟﻲ ﺷﻲﺀ ، ﻭﻫﻠﻜﺖُ ﻋﻦ ﺣﺠﺘﻲ ، ﻭﺳﻤﻌﺖُ ﺻﻮﺗًﺎ : ﺃﻟﻢ ﻳﺒﻖ ﻟﻪ ﺷﻲﺀ ؟
ﻓﻘﻴﻞ :   بقي ﻫﺬﺍ ، ﻭانا ﺃﻧﻈﺮ ﻷ‌ﺭﻯ ﻣﺎ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺑﻘﻲ ، ﻓﺈﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺎﻗﺘﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻠﺘﺎﻥ ﺃﺣﺴﻨﺖ ﺑﻬﻤﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓ ﻭﺍﺑﻨﻬﺎ ، ﻓﺄﻳﻘﻨﺖ ﺃﻧﻲ ﻫﺎﻟﻚ ، ﻓﻠﻘﺪ ﻛﻨﺖ ﺃُﺣﺴِﻦُ بمئةِ ﺩﻳﻨﺎﺭٍ ﺿﺮﺑﺔً ﻭﺍﺣﺪﺓ ، ﻓﻤﺎ ﺃﻏﻨَﺖْ ﻋﻨﻲ ، ﻓﺎﻧﺨﺬﻟﺖ ﺍﻧﺨﺬﺍﻻ‌ً ﺷﺪﻳﺪًﺍ ، ﻓﻮُﺿِﻌَﺖ ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺎﻗﺘﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﻴﺰﺍﻥ ، ﻓﺈﺫﺍ ﺑﻜﻔﺔ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻨﺎﺕ ﺗﻨﺰﻝ ﻗﻠﻴﻼ‌ً ﻭﺭﺟﺤﺖ ﺑﻌﺾَ ﺍﻟﺮﺟﺤﺎﻥ ، ثم ﻭُﺿﻌﺖ ﺩﻣﻮﻉ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻜﻴﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺑﻜﺖ ﻣﻦ ﺃﺛﺮ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺮﻭﻑ ﻓﻲ ﻧﻔﺴﻬﺎ ، ﻭﻣﻦ ﺇﻳﺜﺎﺭﻱ ﺇﻳﺎﻫﺎ ﻭﺍﺑﻨﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺃﻫﻠﻲ ، ﻭﺇﺫﺍ ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻔﺔ ﺗﺮﺟُﺢ ، ﻭﻻ‌ ﺗﺰﺍﻝ ﺗﺮﺟُﺢ ﺣﺘﻰ ﺳﻤﻌﺖ ﺻﻮﺗًﺎ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ