The Man Worshipping between Two Graves

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It is related that, one day, Jesus (a.s.) passed a man standing between two graves, who was bowing and worshipping.  He saluted him and said, “I see you between these two bowing and worshipping.” 

He replied to him, “They are my parents who were kind and gentle to me; so, when they died, I took an oath on myself that I would worship God between their graves until I died.” 

Jesus (a.s.) asked him, “How long have you been doing this?” 

The man replied, “Three hundred years.” 

Jesus (a.s.) said, “Has any news come to you from God that He has Forgiven you, or have you any request to Him, or have you prayed to Him about anything?” 

He replied, “No news has come to me; but I have had a request to Him: I prayed to Him that He should let me meet Jesus, but I do not know whether He has Accepted my prayer or not.” 

Then, Jesus (a.s.) said to him, “Be of good cheer; He has Accepted your prayer. I am Jesus.” 

He said to Jesus (a.s.), “O Jesus, by Him who has Accepted my prayer, would you not stretch out your leg that I might place my head on it?” 

So, Jesus (a.s.) stretched out his leg, and he put his head on it and lifted his eyes to Heaven and said, “O God, by the honour of this prophet with You, as You have Accepted my prayer and Caused me to meet him, I beseech You to Take my spirit in his bosom.”  He had not come to the end of his prayer before he died with his head in the lap of Jesus (a.s.). 

Then, Jesus (a.s.) looked for something in which to shroud him, but found nothing for him except his worn cloak and a brick which he used to use when he wished to sleep.  So, Jesus (a.s.) said, “O Lord, when You have Gathered the first ones and the last ones, and Ask them about what they have gained, about what will You Ask this servant?” 

Then, God Revealed to him, “O Jesus, by My Greatness and My Majesty, I will Ask him about this cloak, whence he acquired it, and about this brick, from what ground he made it, or from what wall he took it.  Verily I have sworn by Myself, if an oppressor comes near Me, I will be an Oppressor.  By My greatness and My majesty, I will make him who mixes water with bricks separate the water from the bricks.” 

Then, Jesus (a.s.) prayed, “O God, Forgive us by Your Mercy, and Favour us with Your Kindness and Your Paradise; and Pardon us all and make us die muslim and Join us to the upright.  And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!”  The term “muslim” here does not mean an adherent to the religion of Islam, since Jesus (a.s.) preceded Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) by 600 years.  Here, it reverts to the original meaning of being someone who has submitted to Divine Decree.