It was narrated that in thedays that Musa (Alahi salaam) wandered with
Bani Israel in the desert an intense drought befell them. Together,
they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed
rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Musa (Alahi salaam) 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 that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of
Bani Israel whom had disobeyed Allah (Subhanahu wa ta�ala) formore
than forty years of his life. �Let him separate himself from the
congregation,� Allah (Subhanahu wa ta�ala) told Musa (Alahi salaam).
�Only then shall I shower you all with rain.�
Musa (Alahi salaam) then called out to the throngs of humanity, �There
is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah 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 for
all eternity.
He raised his hands with asincerity 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 (Alahi salaam) and the people of Bani Israel awaited for the
sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the skyand the rain poured.
Musa(Alahi salaam) asked Allah(Subhanahu wa ta�ala), �OAllah, you
blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward.� And
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta�ala) replied, �O Musa, it is for the repentance
of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel with water.�
Musa (Alahi salaam), wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked,
�Show him to me OAllah!� Allah (Subhanahu wa ta�ala) replied, �O Musa,
I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance
Ishall expose him?
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