Treating a Guest

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Once, in one of the villages in Turkey, there used to be a mosque where people of the village used to go.  Once a woman came to the mosque and said that her husband passed away.  She wanted him to be buried, but the people in the mosque did not want to bury him because in some ahadits, it was known that some companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.) did not join the funeral prayer of the people who were hypocrites, who did not believe in Allah (s.w.t.) and did not go to the prayers in the mosque. 

They said, “Your husband has never come to the mosque.” 

The mufti was in the mosque when the people did not accept her request.  He said, “No, we cannot bury him.” 

The woman cried, left the place and went home.  Friday came.  People went to the mosque for Friday prayers.  After the prayers, the mufti sealed the door.  He said to the people, “Wait brothers!  I had a dream last night that disturbed me so I wanted to explain it to you.”  The mufti continued, “You know the man we did not want to bury the other day?  I saw him in my dream.  He was sitting in front of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).” 

One man came forward and said, “I had that dream as well.” 

Another man said, “Me too, me too!”

In the end, it turned out that every one of them had the same dream.  What is the meaning of this?  They went to see the man’s wife.  They knocked on her door.  They said, “Oh sister, we wonder what you did with your husband.” 

She said, “I dragged his body but I couldn't get it so far.  Then a shepherd came.  He said to me, ‘Sister, you are a lady.  You cannot do this.  He is heavy.  Leave him to me.  I will bury him, insha’Allah.’” 

They asked, “Who is this shepherd?” 

She replied, “He is up in that mountain.” 

They said, “We saw your husband in our dreams.  He was sitting in the presence of the Rasul (s.a.w.).  We wish to go and find the shepherd now.” 

The woman said, “I will come with you as well.” 

They kept going until they found the shepherd.  They asked him what he did with the deceased.  He said, “I put him in a sack, and buried him!” 

They said, “You must have done something special.  What did you do?” 

The shepherd said, “I don’t know how to do the funeral prayer.  I have not done anything special.  Believe me, brothers!”  He added, “I am not learned like you.  I don't know many prayers in Arabic.  I put his body on the grave. I buried him, and then I said to Allah, ‘O Allah!  I am a poor servant of Yours.  I live in this small log house.  You Give me food when I work in these mountains.  Thank you, O Allah!  I don’t know many prayers.  I am a poor shepherd.  When people or guests come to my little cabin, I boil eggs for them, and offer them fresh bread and eggs.  I am a poor shepherd, O Allah!  That is what I do to my guests.  That is how I treat them.  This man has died now, and he is Your guest.  Now You Treat Your guest in the Way which You Like, O Allah!’  I prayed like this.  That was only thing different I said on that day.” 

They turned to the woman.  They asked if her husband had done anything different.  She said, “He used not to come to the mosque but he used to do his prayers at home regularly.” 

They said to Allah (s.w.t.), “O Allah!  What did we do?  Forgive us for judging him that way!”