Narrated Abu Huraira (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):
That he heard Allah's Apostle (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) saying, "Allah
willed to test three Israelis who were a Leper ( کوڑھی )-, a blind man and a
bald-headed man. So, he sent them an angel who came to the leper and said,
'What thing do you like most?' He replied, "Good color and good skin, for
the people have a strong aversion to me.' The angel touched him and his
illness was cured, and he was given a good color and beautiful skin. The
angel asked him, 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied,
'Camels (or cows).' (The narrator is in doubt, for either the leper or the
bald-headed man demanded camels and the other demanded cows.) So he (i.e.
the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said (to him),
'May Allah bless you in it.'
The angel then went to the bald-headed man and said, 'What thing do you
like most?' He said, 'I like good hair and wish to be cured of this
disease, for the people feel repulsion for me.' The angel touched him and
his illness was cured, and he was given good hair. The angel asked (him),
'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Cows.' The angel
gave him a pregnant cow and said, 'May Allah bless you in it.'
The angel went to the blind man and asked, 'What thing do you like best?'
He said, '(I like) that Allah may restore my eye-sight to me so that I may
see the people.' The angel touched his eyes and Allah gave him back his
eye-sight. The angel asked him, "What kind of property do you like best?'
He replied, 'Sheep.' The angel gave him a pregnant sheep.
Afterwards, all the three pregnant animals gave birth to young ones, and
multiplied and brought forth so much that one of the (three) men had a herd
of camels filling a valley, and one had a herd of cows filling a valley,
and one had a flock of sheep filling a valley. Then the angel, disguised in
the shape and appearance of a leper, went to the leper and said, 'I am a
poor man, who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none
will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the Name of Him Who has
given you such nice color and beautiful skin, and so much property, I ask
you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination.' The man
replied, 'I have many obligations (so I cannot give you).' The angel said,
'I think I know you; were you not a leper to whom the people had a strong
aversion? Weren't you a poor man, and then Allah gave you (all this
property).' He replied, '(This is all wrong), I got this property through
inheritance from my fore-fathers.' The angel said, 'If you are telling a
lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.'
Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a bald man, went
to the bald man and said to him the same as he told the first one, and he
too answered the same as the first one did. The angel said, 'If you are
telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.'
The angel, disguised in the shape of a blind man, went to the blind man and
said, 'I am a poor man and a traveler, whose means of livelihood have been
exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and
after Him, you yourself. I ask you in the Name of Him Who has given you
back your eye-sight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may
complete my journey.' The man said, 'No doubt, I was blind and Allah gave
me back my eye-sight; I was poor and Allah made me rich; so take anything
you wish from my property. By Allah, I will not stop you for taking
anything (you need) of my property which you may take for Allah's sake.'
The angel replied, 'Keep your property with you. You (i.e 3 men) have been
tested and Allah is pleased with you and is angry with your two
companions.'
Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 670
Comment: whatever we get in life, we get with the blessing of Allah SWT. So we should always try to give the share to the less fortunate people of society. It is advisable that we allocate 2 to 5 % of our earnings (on monthly basis etc) for poor people of society so that they can also enjoy better food, better clothes and other necessaties. Allah SWT will give barakah in our earnings if we try to please His people. May Allah SWT guide me and all of us to the right path.
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