The Cobbler’s Hajj – Inspiring Hajj Story of Abdullah bin Mubarak and the Cobbler.
Abdullah ibn Mubarak (RH) was an early, pious Muslim Scholar who was known for his memory and zeal for knowledge . It is related that Once he had a dream while he was sleeping near the Holy Kaaba in Makkah. This incident is a Very famous incident and the Scholars often cite this incident to relate the Sincerity of intention and Ikhlas.
So,It so happened that One day Abdullah ibn Mubarak was sleeping near Holy Kaaba that he had a dream in which he saw two angels’ descend from the sky . The angels started talking to each other.
One of the angels asked the other: “Do you know how many people have come for Hajj this year?”
The other angel replied: “Six hundred thousand have come for Hajj.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak had also gone for Hajj that year.
The first angel asked: “How many people’s Hajj has been accepted?”
The second angel replied: “I wonder if anyone’s Hajj has been accepted at all.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak was grieved to hear that. He thought, “So many people have come from all over the world, crossing so many obstacles like rivers, jungles, desert and mountains, suffered so many hardships, and meeting so many expenses. Would their effort be wasted? Allah (SWT) does not let anyone’s effort go to waste.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak had thought only so far when he heard the other angel speak: “There is a cobbler in Damascus. His name is Ali bin al-Mufiq. He could not come for Hajj, but Allah (SWT) has accepted his intention of Hajj. Not only will he get the reward for Hajj, but because of him, all the Hajjis will be rewarded.”
When Abdullah bin Mubarak woke up, he decided he would go to Damascus and meet that cobbler whose Hajj intentions carried such a lot of weight.
On reaching Damascus, Abdullah bin Mubarak inquired if anyone knew a cobbler named Ali bin al-Mufiq. The town people directed him to a house. When a man appeared from the house Abdullah bin Mubarak greeted him and asked his name. The man replied “Ali bin al-Mufiq.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak asked: “What do you do for a living?”
Ali bin al-Mufiq replied: “I am a cobbler.” Then Ali bin al-Mufiq asked the stranger’s name that had come looking for him.
Abdullah bin Mubarak was a very well-known scholar of Islam, when Abdullah bin Mubarak introduced himself, the cobbler was anxious to find out why such a well known scholar was seeking him out.
When Abdullah bin Mubarak asked Ali bin al-Mufiq to tell him if he had made any plans to go for Hajj. Ali bin al-Mufiq replied, “For thirty years I have lived in the hope of performing the Hajj. This year I had saved enough to go for Hajj, but Allah (SWT) did not will it, so I couldn’t make my intention translate into action.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak was eager to find out how could this man’s Hajj be accepted and blessed for all the people who went for Hajj that year when he didn’t go for Hajj in the first place. While talking to the cobbler he could feel certain purity in his heart. Islam regards greatness not in wealth or in power, but in civility, in good manners and the goodness of heart.
Abdullah bin Mubarak further asked: “why could you not go on Hajj?” In order not to disclose the reason, Ali bin al-Mufiq again replied “it was Allah’s (SWT) will.”
When Abdullah bin Mubarak persisted, Ali bin al-Mufiq revealed: “Once I went to see my neighbour’s house. His family was just sitting down for dinner. Although I was not hungry I thought my neighbour would invite me to sit down for dinner out of courtesy but I could see that my neighbour was grieved about something and wanted to avoid inviting me for dinner.”
After some hesitation the neighbour told me: “I am sorry I cannot invite you for food. We were without food for three days and I could not bear to see the pain of hunger of my children. I went out looking for food today and found a dead donkey. In my desperation I cut out some meat from the dead animal, and brought it home so that my wife could cook this meat. It is Halal (lawful or permitted) for us because of our extreme condition of hunger, but I cannot offer it to you.”
Ali bin al-Mufiq continued: “On hearing this, my heart bled with tears. I got up and went home, collected the three thousand dinars I had saved for Hajj, and gave my neighbour the money. I too had to go hungry but that was to save money for Hajj, but I thought helping my neighbour during his difficult times was more important. Although I still desire to go for Hajj if Allah (SWT) wills.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak was greatly inspired by the cobbler’s story and told the cobbler of his dream. Subhan Allah !
Such is the Sincerity of Intention and Allah’s Mercy . The act of compassion on the part of the cobbler was so pleasing to Allah (SWT) that it not only earned him the reward of Hajj but was extended to all the people who came for Hajj.
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