The Jewels of a Saintly Lady
Once, an Ustaad sent one of his students to the river to fetch water. The boy drowned in the river. The grief-stricken Ustaad reported the drowning to Hazrat Sirri Saqati (Rahmatullahi alaih), the renowned Buzrug (saint) of the time. Hazrat Saqati, with a group of his companions, went to break the sad news to the boy’s mother who was a saintly lady.
Hazrat Saqati firstly gave her a long discourse on the virtue of sabr (patience) and ridha (contentment with the Decree of Allah). At length, the lady said: “What is the aim of this discourse?”
Saqati: Your son has drowned.
Lady: My son?
Saqati: Yes, your son.
Lady: Never! Allah did not do so.
Saqati: Yes indeed, your son has drowned. There is no doubt about it.
Lady: If this is true then take me to the place where my son is alleged to have drowned.
The mother was taken to the river and the spot where her son drowned was indicated. She then exclaimed: “My son Muhammad!”
An immediate response came from the river: “Mother, I am here!”
As the mother heard her son’s response, she dived into the water and soon thereafter emerged with him. Mother and son set off for home.
Hazrat Saqati (Rahmatullahi alaih) narrated this amazing episode to Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmatullahi alaih) who commented: “This lady has adorned herself with the jewels of Allah’s commands and obedience. As a result of her closeness to Allah, whenever something pertaining to her happens to her, she is informed thereof by way of kashf (divine inspiration). On this occasion of her son’s drowning, she received no intimation from Allah, hence she was convinced that her son had not drowned. She, therefore, could refute the news with conviction.”
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said that there are many forlorn poor servants of Allah with dishevelled hair, whose proximity to Allah is such that if they, in a moment of emotion, swear an oath by Allah that a certain thing is so or it will happen so, then Allah will honour their oath. Allah upheld the claim and the honour of this pious lady who had adorned herself with the jewels of His obedience.
(The Majlis Archives)