The righteous man, the thief, and the Treasure
(A true story related in Al-Mawaa’idh wal-Majaalis: 85)
A burglar scaled the wall of Malik bin Dinar’s* house one night and easily managed to get inside. Once inside the house, the thief was disappointed to see nothing worth stealing. Malik was busy performing prayer. Realizing he was not alone, he quickly ended his prayer and turned around to face the thief. Without showing any signs of shock or scare, Malik calmly extended greetings of peace and said, “My brother, may Allah forgive you. You entered my home and found nothing worth taking, yet I do not want you to leave without taking away some benefit.”
He went in another room and came back with a jug full of water. He looked into the eyes of the burglar and said, “Make wudhu’ and perform two rakaah of prayer, for if you do so, you will leave my home with a greater treasure than you had initially sought.”
Humbled by Malik’s manners and words, the thief said, “Yes, that is a generous offer indeed.”
After making wudhu’ and performing two rakaah of prayer, the burglar said, “O Malik, would you mind if I stayed for a while, for I want to stay to perform two more units of prayer?”
Malik said, “Stay for whatever amount of prayer Allah decrees for you to perform now.”
The thief ended up spending the entire night at Malik’s house. He continued to pray until morning. Then Malik said, “Leave now and be good”
But instead of leaving, the thief said, “Would you mind if I stayed here with you today, for I have made an intention to fast?” “Stay as long as you wish,” Malik said.
The burglar ended up staying for a number of days, praying during the late hours of each night and fasting in the day. When he finally decided to leave, the burglar said, “O Malik, I have made a firm resolve to make taubah (repent) for my sins and for my former way of life.”
Malik said, “That is in the Hand of Allah.”
The man did mend his ways and began to lead a life of righteousness and obedience to Allah. Later on, he came across another burglar (i.e. his former ‘colleague’) who asked him, “Have you found your treasure yet?”
He replied, “My brother, what I found is Malik bin Dinar. I went to steal from him, but it was he who ended up stealing my heart. I have indeed repented to Allah, and I will remain at the door (of His mercy and forgiveness) until I achieve what His obedient, loving slaves have achieved.”
– Adapted from ‘Stories of Repentance’ published by Darussalam
*Malik ibn Dinar is a tabi’in (a student of the sahabah/companion(s) of the Prophet) and a contemporary of Hasan al-Basri
A burglar scaled the wall of Malik bin Dinar’s* house one night and easily managed to get inside. Once inside the house, the thief was disappointed to see nothing worth stealing. Malik was busy performing prayer. Realizing he was not alone, he quickly ended his prayer and turned around to face the thief. Without showing any signs of shock or scare, Malik calmly extended greetings of peace and said, “My brother, may Allah forgive you. You entered my home and found nothing worth taking, yet I do not want you to leave without taking away some benefit.”
He went in another room and came back with a jug full of water. He looked into the eyes of the burglar and said, “Make wudhu’ and perform two rakaah of prayer, for if you do so, you will leave my home with a greater treasure than you had initially sought.”
Humbled by Malik’s manners and words, the thief said, “Yes, that is a generous offer indeed.”
After making wudhu’ and performing two rakaah of prayer, the burglar said, “O Malik, would you mind if I stayed for a while, for I want to stay to perform two more units of prayer?”
Malik said, “Stay for whatever amount of prayer Allah decrees for you to perform now.”
The thief ended up spending the entire night at Malik’s house. He continued to pray until morning. Then Malik said, “Leave now and be good”
But instead of leaving, the thief said, “Would you mind if I stayed here with you today, for I have made an intention to fast?” “Stay as long as you wish,” Malik said.
The burglar ended up staying for a number of days, praying during the late hours of each night and fasting in the day. When he finally decided to leave, the burglar said, “O Malik, I have made a firm resolve to make taubah (repent) for my sins and for my former way of life.”
Malik said, “That is in the Hand of Allah.”
The man did mend his ways and began to lead a life of righteousness and obedience to Allah. Later on, he came across another burglar (i.e. his former ‘colleague’) who asked him, “Have you found your treasure yet?”
He replied, “My brother, what I found is Malik bin Dinar. I went to steal from him, but it was he who ended up stealing my heart. I have indeed repented to Allah, and I will remain at the door (of His mercy and forgiveness) until I achieve what His obedient, loving slaves have achieved.”
– Adapted from ‘Stories of Repentance’ published by Darussalam
*Malik ibn Dinar is a tabi’in (a student of the sahabah/companion(s) of the Prophet) and a contemporary of Hasan al-Basri
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