A Sinner for 40 Years

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It was narrated, that in the days that Musa (a.s.) wandered with Bani Isra’il, in the desert, an intense drought befell them.  Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rains to come.  Then, to the astonishment of Musa (a.s.) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified. 

It was Revealed to Musa (a.s.) that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Isra’il who had disobeyed Allah (s.w.t.) for more than forty years of his life.  “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” Allah (s.w.t.) Told Musa (a.s.).  “Only then shall I Shower you all with rain.” 

Musa (a.s.) then called out to the tribes, “There is a person amongst us, who has disobeyed Allah (s.w.t.) for forty years.  Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.” 

That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did.  Sweat poured forth from his brow, and he knew that he was the one.  The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation, all would die of thirst, and that if he stepped forward, he would be humiliated by the community.  He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with a humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said, “O Allah, have Mercy on me!  O Allah, Hide my sins!  O Allah, Forgive me!” 

As Musa (a.s.) and the people of Bani Isra’il waited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky, and the rain poured.  Musa (a.s.) was astonished.  He asked Allah (s.w.t.), “O Allah, you Blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward.” 

And Allah (s.w.t.) Replied, “O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I Blessed all of Bani Isra’il with water.” 

Musa (a.s.), wanting to know who this Blessed man was, asked, “Show him to me, O Allah!” 

Allah (s.w.t.) Replied, “O Musa, I Hid his sins for forty years; do you think that after his repentance I would expose him?”