Recognise the bounties of Allah - story of three men

Once Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam related that there were
three men from the Banu Isra'eel. One of them was a leper, the other
bald, and the third blind. Allah Ta'ala wanted to test them, so He
sent an angel to them. The angel first went to the leper and asked
him: "What would you like best?" He replied:"I would like a nice
complexion, a beautiful skin, and that this sicknessgoes away from me
whereby people do not allow me to sit with themand which they hate."
Theangel passed his hand over the body of that person. He was
immediately cured and a nice skin and beautiful complexion appeared.
Theangel then asked him:"What type of wealth do you like the most?" He
replied: "Camels." So he gave him a pregnant camel and told him: "May
Allah Ta'ala give you barakah in this."
The angel then went to the bald person and askedhim: "What would you
like best?" He replied:"That my hair grows nicely and that this
sickness which people dislike goes away from me!" The angel passed
hishand over his head, he was immediately cured and beautiful hair
began to grow. He then asked him: "What type of wealth do you like the
most?" He replied:"Cows." So he gave him a pregnant cow and told him:
"May Allah Ta'ala give you barakah in this."
Eventually, the angel went to the blind person and asked him: "What
would you like most?" He replied: "That Allah gives me back my sight
so that I may be able to see everyone." The angel passed his hand over
his eyes and Allah gave him back his sight. He then asked him: "What
type of wealth do you like the most?" He replied:"Goats." So he was
given apregnant goat. The animals of all three delivered their babies.
In a short time, the jungle was filled with his camels,his cows, and
his goats.
Thereafter, under the orders of Allah Ta'ala, thatangel went in his
previousform to the leper and saidto him: "I am a poor person. All my
provisions for my journey are finished. Today I have no means of
reaching home except through Allah and then through your help. In the
name of that Allah who has blessed you witha nice skin and a
beautifulcomplexion, I ask you for a camel which I could rideand reach
my home." He replied: "Get far away from here! I have a lot of other
commitments to fulfil. I do not have anything to spare which I could
give you." The angelsaid: "I think I recognize you. Were you not a
leper,for which people despisedyou? Were you not very poor, and then
Allah blessed you with so muchof wealth?" He replied:"What are you
talking? I inherited this wealth frommy ancestors." The angel said:
"If you are lying, may Allah return you as you were before."
The angel then went to the bald person in his previous form and asked
him the same questions and he also replied in the same way. So the
angel said to him: "If you are lying, may Allah return you as you were
before."
Eventually he went to the blind person in that same original form and
said to him: "I am a traveller and all my provisions are finished.
Today I have no means except Allah and then you. In the name of that
Being who returned to you your eye-sight, I ask you for a goat with
which I could do my workand complete my journey." He replied:"Without
doubt, I was blind. It was only out of His mercy that Allah Ta'alagave
me back my eye-sight. Take as much as you want and leave behind as
much as you want. By Allah, I will not stop you from taking anything."
The angel replied: "Keep your wealth with you, I do not want anything.
I had only come to test you three. Now the test is over. Allahis
pleased with you and displeased with the other two."
Lesson: Just imagine, that because of the ungratefulness of those two,
all those bounties were taken away and they were left as they were
before. Allah became displeased with them and they are forsaken both
in this world and in the hereafter. Due to his gratefulness, that
person'sbounties remained intact, Allah was pleased with him, and he
is contented both in this world and in the hereafter.

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