Mukhtasar Muslim

Narrated from Sayyiduna Suhaib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Among the people before you, there was a king and he had a magician. When the magician grew old, he said to the king, "I have grown old, so send me a boy so that I may teach him magic." The king sent a boy to him, and he used to teach him magic. On the way to the magician, there was a monk (a Christian ascetic, i.e., a priest who had renounced the world). The boy sat with him and listened to his words, and he liked what he heard. Now, when he went to the magician, he would pass by the monk and sit with him, and then when he went to the magician, the magician would beat him (for coming late). Eventually, the boy complained to the monk about the magician's beating, so the monk said, "When you fear the magician, say that my family kept me back, and when you fear your family, say that the magician kept me back."

The boy continued in this state until one day he came across a large beast that had blocked the people's way. The boy said, "Today I will find out whether the magician is superior or the monk is superior." He took a stone and said, "O Allah, if the way of the monk is more beloved to You than the way of the magician, then kill this animal so that the people may pass." Then he struck it with the stone, and the animal died, and the people were able to pass. Then the boy came to the monk and told him what had happened. The monk said, "Son, you have surpassed me. Surely your rank has reached what I see, and you will soon be tested. If you are tested, do not reveal my name."

The boy's condition was such that he would cure the blind and the leper and treat all kinds of illnesses. When the king's companion, who had become blind, heard of this, he brought many gifts to the boy and said, "All this wealth is yours if you cure me." The boy said, "I do not cure anyone; curing is the work of Allah the Exalted. If you believe in Allah, I will pray to Allah, and He will cure you." The minister believed in Allah, and Allah cured him. He went to the king and sat with him as he used to. The king asked, "Who restored your sight?" The minister replied, "My Lord did." The king said, "Who is your Lord besides me?" The minister said, "My Lord and your Lord is Allah." The king seized him and began to torture him until he revealed the boy's name.

The boy was summoned. The king said to him, "O son, have you reached such a level in magic that you cure the blind and the leper and do great things?" He replied, "I do not cure anyone; rather, Allah cures." The king seized him and continued to beat him until he revealed the monk's name. The monk was captured. He was told, "Renounce your religion." When he refused, the king sent for a saw, placed it on the middle of his head, and sawed him until he fell in two pieces. Then the minister was summoned and told, "Renounce your religion." He also refused, so the saw was placed on the middle of his head and he was sawn until he fell in two pieces. Then the boy was summoned and told, "Return from your religion." He also refused. The king handed him over to some of his companions and said, "Take him to such-and-such a mountain, and when you reach the top, ask him to renounce his religion. If he does, well and good; if not, throw him down." They took him and climbed the mountain. The boy prayed, "O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You will." The mountain shook, and they all fell down, and the boy returned to the king.

The king asked, "Where are your companions?" He replied, "Allah saved me from their evil." Then the king handed him over to some other companions and said, "Take him in a boat to the middle of the river. If he renounces his religion, well and good; if not, throw him into the river." They took him. The boy said, "O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You will." The boat overturned, and all his companions drowned except the boy, who returned alive to the king.

The king asked him, "Where are your companions?" He replied, "Allah the Exalted saved me from their evil." Then the boy said to the king, "You will not be able to kill me until you do what I tell you." The king asked, "What is that?" He said, "Gather all the people in an open field, and crucify me on a trunk. Then take an arrow from my quiver, place it in the bow, and say, 'In the name of Allah, the Lord of this boy,' and shoot the arrow. If you do this, you will kill me." The king gathered all the people in an open field, crucified the boy on a trunk, took an arrow from his quiver, placed it in the bow, and said, "In the name of Allah, the Lord of this boy," and shot the arrow. The arrow struck the boy in his temple. He placed his hand on the spot and died.

When the people saw this, they said, "We believe in the Lord of this boy, we believe in the Lord of this boy, we believe in the Lord of this boy." Someone said to the king, "By Allah, what you feared has happened—the people have believed." The king ordered trenches to be dug at the crossroads. Trenches were dug, and fires were kindled in them. It was said, "Whoever does not turn back from this religion (i.e., the boy's religion), throw him into the trenches, or tell him to jump into them." The people did so, until a woman came with her child. She hesitated to jump into the fire, so the child said, "O mother, be patient, for you are on the truth (after death there is only peace, so why do you fear the hardship of this world?)."

Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This hadith proves the miracles of the friends of Allah (awliya), and it also shows that it is permissible to lie in times of necessity, and likewise for the sake of benefit.