“Prove You are a Muslim”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

A man from a respectable background came to Balkh which is situated in the south of Iran, accompanied by his wife and daughters.  Shortly after their arrival, the man fell ill and later passed away, leaving his wife and daughters.  Without his support, they became poor and suffered.  So fearing the mockery of enemies, she fled Balkh with her daughters to Samarkand. 

On the day she arrived the weather was very cold, so she left her daughters in a mosque and went out in search of food.  She passed by two groups of people.  One was gathered around a Muslim who was a shaykh and the other group around a Zoroastrian who was the security officer of the city. 

She first went to the shaykh and described her situation, saying, “I am a woman of a respectable family, with daughters whom I have left in the local mosque, and I have come in search of food.” 

He told her, “Bring me proof that you are from a respectable family.” 

She replied, “I am a stranger in this town and therefore do not know anyone to testify for me.” 

She departed from him broken-hearted.  She then went to the Zoroastrian and explained her situation to him, telling him about her noble background and her orphaned daughters who were, waiting her return in the local mosque.  She also mentioned to him how the shaykh, a Muslim had treated her.  The Zoroastrian stood up and sent some womenfolk to bring her daughters and took all of them to his house.  There he showered them with honour and generosity.  He fed them fine food, and clothed them in rich garments. 

That night, the shaykh saw in a dream, the Day of Resurrection and the banners were unfurled around the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).  Ahead of him, was a green palace made of emeralds, its balconies of pearls and rubies and domes of pearls and corals.  He asked Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), “O Messenger of Allah, for whom is this palace?” 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) replied, “For a Muslim.” 

The shaykh replied, “I am a Muslim!” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Prove to me that you are a Muslim.”  At that, the shaykh was dumbstruck.  Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) then said, “You asked a woman to produce proof of her respectability, and therefore my question to you is, can you produce proof that you are a Muslim?” 

At this point the shaykh felt remorse about his treatment towards the woman and her orphaned daughters. 

In the morning, he immediately set out to find the woman.  He learnt she was staying with the Zoroastrian security officer and so called for him.  When the security officer arrived, the shaykh requested that he sends the woman and her daughters to him.  The security officer replied, “Under no circumstance!  I have received great blessings from her.” 

The shaykh said, “Take a thousand dananir from me and bring them to me.” 

The security officer shouted, “Impossible!  The one who showed you the palace in your dream has made it for me.  Are you surprised because I am not a Muslim?  By Allah, I did not sleep last night, before I and my family accepted Islam at that noble woman’s hand and I dreamt something similar to what you dreamt; the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) asked me, ‘Is that noble woman and her daughters with you?’ 

I replied, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, ‘This palace is for you and your family.  Allah Created you a believer in Eternity.’” 

At that, the shaykh remained sorrowful and grieved for the missed opportunity of earning a lofty position in Paradise, due to his neglect of the widowed woman and her daughters. 

As recorded in Swahih al-Bukhari and Swahih Muslim, our Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “The one who strives on behalf of the widow and the needy is like a warrior in the Path of Allah (s.w.t.).”