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The story of the Boy and the King

The story of the Boy and the King

The story of the Monk and the Magician

The people of the ditch

Story of Ashab al Ukhdud in the Quran

The Story of the Boy, the Magician, and the Monk

Hazrat Suhaib (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “In the past, there was a tyrant king who had a magician in his court. As the magician became elderly, he said to the king, ‘I am getting old, so send me a young boy whom I can teach magic.'”The king then sent a boy to fulfill this request.

On his journey to the magician, the boy encountered a monk whose words he found compelling and pleasing. After their first meeting, it became a regular occurrence for the boy to encounter the monk on his way to the magician. He would often spend time with the monk.It causing him to arrive late to the magician’s place. Consequently, the magician would punish him for the delay by beating him.

When the boy complained about this to the monk,then the monk told him, “When you’re afraid of the magician, say, ‘My family delayed me.’ And when you fear your family, say, ‘The magician delayed me.'”

The Boy’s Miracles and Unwavering Faith

One day, a massive beast appeared, obstructing the path of the people. The boy said, “Today, I’ll find out who is superior, the magician or the monk.” Taking up a stone, he prayed, “O Allah, if You hold the monk dearer in higher regard than the magician, let this beast perish, allowing people to move without hindrance.”

He threw the stone at the beast and it died, so people could move freely again. After this, the boy started to heal those who were born blind and those affected by vitiligo. He even began to treat people with various other illnesses.

Upon hearing about him, a blind courtier of the king approached the boy, bearing many gifts. He said, “If you restore my sight, all these treasures will be yours.” He responded, “I am not the one who heals. It is Allah, the Exalted, who alone heals. If you have faith in Allah, I will pray to Him to heal you as well.”

Loyalty to God Tested in Hard Times

The courtier confirmed his belief in Allah, and Allah healed him. He returned to the king and resumed his position beside him as he had done before. The king asked him, “Who restored your eyesight?” The courtier replied, “My Lord.”

To which the king questioned, “Do you serve another master besides me?”The courtier firmly stated, “My Lord and your Lord is Allah.” Enraged, the king subjected him to torture until he revealed information about the boy.

So the boy was called before the king, who addressed him, “Young man, I’ve been told that you’ve become highly skilled in magic, capable of curing blindness and vitiligo, among other feats.” Then the boy replied, “I don’t possess the power to cure anyone; only Allah cures,” and the king seized him, subjecting him to torture until he disclosed information about the monk.

The Boy’s Sacrifice and the Faith of His Followers (The Story of Ashab al Ukhdud)

The king commanded his soldiers to divide (kill) the courtier and the monk into two halves before the boy, aiming to instill fear in him. However, the boy remained steadfast. After trying many times to kill the boy and failing, the boy told the king that if he really wanted to kill him, he should get some people together, say ‘Bismillah’, and shoot an arrow at him. When the king did, the boy was killed. Then, the people exclaimed, “We have faith in the Lord of this boy! We have faith in the Lord of this boy!”

Next, the king ordered trenches to be dug and set on fire. He commanded that anyone who didn’t abandon the boy’s faith should be thrown in or forced to jump into the flames. This continued until a woman came with her child. She was scared to jump into the fire, but her child reassured her, saying, “O “Mother, endure this trial, for you are following the correct path.”The story of Ashab al Ukhdud is mentioned in Surah al Buruj ayat 4. It is also known as the story of the people of the ditch.

Moral

1. Follow the truth once you’ve found it.

2. Lead others to Allah with your actions.

3. Your sacrifices for Allah are never insignificant.

4. Fear no one when Allah holds your life.

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