THE TALE OF A GOD-FEARING
YOUNG MAN
A tradition relates that in the time of Hadhrat
Umar 
, a pious young man used to engage himself in divine
worship, in the mosque. Hadrat umar used to marvel at his worship.
This youth used to set out to render service to his father, who had become
very old, after Isha prayers. On the way a woman took fancy to him
and she used to entice him daily and try to excite him. One day the
young man accompanied her, and she entered her home. When the young
man came to the door of her house and made up his mind to go inside, the
following verse flashed across his mind:
“Those who guard against evil, when an evil
suggestion from satan assails them, they remember Allah and behold! They
begin to see aright.”
At this moment the fear of Allah so overwhelmed
his heart that he collapsed on the ground and fainted. After a long
while, his father set out from his house to search for him. He found
his son lying senseless, and he had him carried home. When the youth
gained consciousness, the father enquired, “Tell me truthfully what happened
to you.” The young man recited the same verse, shrieked, fell on
the ground and his soul left his body. The people washed and wrapped
his body in a shroud. The following morning somebody related
this incident to Hadhrat Umar . He went to the young
man’s father to condole him and said, “Why didn’t you inform me of his
funeral?” The old man replied: “O Commander of the Faithful! It was
the hour of the night and we did not want to cause inconvenience to you.”
Hadhrat Umar said, “Take me to his grave.” On arrival at the grave
along with his companions, Hadhrat Umar observed: “The man who fears the
day when he will stand before God will be awarded two paradises.”
The young man answered twice from his grave, “O Umar! My Lord has indeed
awarded me two heavens.”
Other Links:
Bewitched? - lustful gazes and their cure
Taqwa - Fear of Allah (Godfearing) - Maulana Rafiq Sufi
Steadfastness in the days of Fitnah - Maulana Riyadhul Haq
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