Jesus (a.s.) & the Fuller

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Once, Jesus (a.s.), son of Mary (a.s.), passed by a village in which was a fuller.  A fuller is a person who fulls wool, a process in cloth making.  The people of the village said, “O Jesus, verily this fuller tears our clothes for us and keeps them; so, pray to God that He should not let him come back with his bundle.” 

So, Jesus (a.s.) said, “O God, do not let him come back with his bundle.” 

Then, the fuller went away to clean the clothes, and he had three loaves with him.  A person, who was practising devotion in those hills. came to the fuller and said to him, “Have you any bread to give me to eat, or to show me that I may smell its odour?  For I have not eaten any bread for such and such a time.” 

So, he gave him a loaf, and he said, “O fuller, God Forgive you your sins and purify your heart!”  Then, he gave him the second, and the mystic said, “O fuller, God Forgive you your past and your future sins!”  So, he gave him the third to eat, and he said, “O fuller, God Build you a palace in Paradise!” 

The fuller returned safe in the evening and the villagers said, “O Jesus, this fuller has come back.” 

Jesus (a.s.) said, “Call him.”  Then, when he came to Jesus (a.s.), Jesus (a.s.) said, “O fuller, tell me what you did to-day.” 

The fuller replied, “One of the pilgrims of those hills came to me asking for food and I gave him three loaves to eat, and with every loaf I gave him he offered up prayers for me.” 

Jesus (a.s.) said, “Bring your bundle that I may look at it.”  He gave him it and he opened it, and there was in it a black snake curbed with an iron curb.  Jesus (a.s.) said, “O black one!” 

It replied, “At your service, O prophet of God!” 

He said, “Have you not been Sent to this man?” 

It replied, “Yes, but a pilgrim from those hills came to him and asked him for food, and with every loaf he gave him to eat, he offered up a prayer for him, and an angel was standing and saying, ‘Amen!’  Then, God Sent an angel to me and he curbed me with an iron curb.” 

Then Jesus (a.s.) said, “O fuller, recommence your work, for God has Forgiven you by the blessing of your almsgiving.”