Mishkat al-Masabih

Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he said: "Three men were traveling during a certain period, rain came, and they took shelter in a cave in a mountain. Meanwhile, a rock fell from the mountain and closed the mouth of their cave. So they said to each other: Review your deeds which you have done purely for the sake of Allah, then supplicate to Allah through them, perhaps He will remove this distress (the rock). One of them said: O Allah! I had elderly parents and small children, and I was responsible for their sustenance. When I would return in the evening with the livestock, I would milk the animals and present the milk to my parents before my children. Once, I went far into the forest, so I returned home late in the evening and found both of them asleep. As usual, I milked the animals, then brought the vessel of milk and stood by their heads. I did not consider it appropriate to wake them, nor did I want to give it to my children before them, while the children were crying with hunger at my feet. This situation remained until morning. (O Allah!) If You know that I did this for Your pleasure, then make a way for us so that we may see the sky. Allah opened a way for them until they could see the sky.

The second said: O Allah! I had a cousin whom I loved as much as any man can love a woman. I expressed my desire to commit an evil act with her, but she refused, until I gave her one hundred dinars. I worked hard and collected one hundred dinars and brought them to her, and when I sat between her legs (to commit the evil act), she said: O servant of Allah! Fear Allah and do not break the seal unlawfully. (Upon hearing this) I stood up from her. O Allah! If You know that I did this for Your pleasure, then open a way for us! Allah opened some of the way for them.

The third person said: O Allah! I had hired a laborer for a measure (six ratls) of rice as his wage. When he completed his work, he said: Pay me my due. When I offered him his due, he considered it insignificant and left it and went away. I invested it in agriculture until I gathered cows and a herdsman from it. He came to me and said: Fear Allah and do not wrong me, and give me my right. I said: Take these cows and the herdsman. He said: Fear Allah! Do not mock me. I said: I am not mocking you, take these cows and the herdsman. So he took them and went away. If You know that I did this to seek Your pleasure, then open the remaining way for us. So Allah opened the way for them (and removed their distress)." __QUR_N__ Agreed upon.