Hazrat Rabee bin Sulaymaan (R.al) says: “I once went for Fajr together with my brother and a group of other pilgrims. On reaching Kufa. I went into the town to buy some of the necessities required for the journey (of Hajj). On the way in a desolate spot I saw a woman dressed like one of the poor, cutting pieces of meat from a dead mule lying on the ground: having a natural death. She placed the meat in a basket.
I saw all this; and it grieved me to think that possibly this woman was taking meat from a dead animal to feed others. Therefore I felt that I could never remain silent having seen such a thing. I followed her in such a manner that she did not know of my presence.
In the town she came to a big house which had a very big door. There she had knocked, and after she had identified herself; four young girls came to open the door. She went inside and placed the basket in front of the children. The girls by this time were crying, and one could see that they were passing through a state of great want and misfortune. While I listened at the door, I heard the mother say: “Take this and cook it for yourself to eat; and thank Allah; Verily Allah is He Who has power over all; and He has power to turn men’s hearts.”
The girls cut the meat, grilled it and began eating. From where I stood I felt such anguish that I shouted; “O you servants of Allah, do not eat it; for Allah’s sake!’ she shouted back to me; ‘Who are you?’
I answered: “I am stranger around here.”
She said: “O stranger, what do you desire from us? We, ourselves are in a bad state and imprisoned by our predestined fate. For three years now we have had no helper and no earthly maintainer. What do You want from us?”
I said: “in no religion is it permissible for anyone to eat dead animals; except among some Zoroastrians (fire-worshippers).’
She replied: “we belong to a family of Rasulullah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sal’am). The father of my daughters was a noble Sayyid. It was his great desire to get his daughters married among men of his own class and rank. Unfortunately before he could do this, he passed away. And soon what he left for us was exhausted. We know that it is not possible to eat from the carcass of dead animals, but at a time when circumstances force one to do so; it is permissible. For four days we had nothing to eat.’
When I heard her story I was move to tears and, greatly distressed, I returned from there. When I met my brother again I said to him: “Brother, I have now, no more the intention of proceeding for Haj.” Hearing these words from me, my brother did his best to persuade me to carry on. He expounded on the virtues of Haj and told me that a Haji returns as a newborn babe. I told him not to waste more time in trying to make me alter my decision, and took my ihraam clothes and all my goods plus six hundred dir’hams, and bought with it flour for two hundred dir’hams; and clothes for another hundred; and sent all that to the house of the girls, having first hidden the rest of the money in the flour.
When the mother received it she praised Allah greatly and said to me; ‘May Allah forgive all your previous and future sins; May Allah give you the reward of a Haj and grant you a high place in paradise; May Allah give you a good return for this which you have given us-a return that will become known to you.”
The eldest girl said: “May Allah reward you doubly and forgive your sins.” The second one said: ‘May Allah grant you so much more than what you have given us.’ The third one said: ‘May Allah raise you up on the day of Qiyaamah with our grandfather Rasulullah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sal’am). The youngest said: “O Allah the One that has favored us. You favor him abundantly soon; and forgive his previous and future sins.’
Hazrat Rabee (R.al) continues the story: “the Hajis left and I remained in kufa. When they returned after Haj, I went to welcome them, hoping to let them make duaa for me. Perhaps Allah would accept someone’s duaa on my behalf. When a group came into sight I felt a bit of remorse; for having missed Haj; and in this sadness some tears fell from my eyes. When I met them I said; “May Allah accept your Hajj and reward you for what you have spent.” One of them said to me: “Why do you say that?” what kind of prayer is this?” I replied: “It is the well wishing duaa from one who has been deprived of the blessing of being present at His door.” He replied: “What surprising words; how can you now deny having been there?” “Were you not present with us at Arafaat; You were indeed among us as we threw stones at Jamaraat; You performed tawaaf with us” I thought; ‘This must be Allah’s grace.’
While waiting there the Hajis from my own town arrived, and said to one of them: “May Allah accept your Haj and reward you for your exerting yourself and spending in His way.” He too spoke me having been present at Aarafaat, having been at Mina and was surprised now at my denial of that. One of them came forward and said: “Brother, but why do you deny?” You were indeed with us in Mecca and Madina!” at Madina when we came through Baab Jibra’il, you gave this bag to me as a result of the great crowd around us. On it was written
*’Whoever deals with us; shall profit’*.”
‘Here take your money bag.’
Hazrat Rabee (R.al) says: “I swear by Allah that I had never seen the money bag in my life. Anyway greatly amazed, I took it home with me. Having performed Esha salaah and the normal nightly wazeefas, I lay awake wandering about this strange story about me having been in pilgrimage while I knew that I had not been there for Haj. At this thought I fell asleep in a dream I saw Rasulullah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sal’am). I greeted him and kissed his hand. With a radiant smile he answered my salaam and said to me;
“O Rabee! How many more witnesses do you require before you believe that you have performed Haj? Yet you believe not.
Listen! When through the kindness of your heart, you postponed your Haj and instead gave charity to a lady from among ‘my children’ and when you also gave your provisions to them, I prayed to Allah to grant you a reward which shall be better and more profitable in return. Thereupon Allah caused an angel to appear in your form and commanded the angel to perform hajj on your behalf annually and forever; and in the world Allah had granted you a reward of six hundred sovereigns in place of the six hundred dirhams you have spent. *’Whosoever deals with us; shall profit’*.”
When I woke up from this dream I opened the bag and behold, I found therein six hundred gold sovereigns.