Stories from Quran & Hadees - Stories of the Prophets, Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh): Value of one tumbler of water

One day Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) was passing through a barrenhill.
He noticed a pious person busy in prayer sitting in a cave of the
hill. Prophet Musa / Moses(pbuh) felt the urge to meet and talk to the
pious person. Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) went near and greeted him.
The pious person asked disinterestedly,"Who are you?" Prophet Musa /
Moses (pbuh) said,"I am Musa!"
The pious person asked,"Are you the Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh)?"
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) said, "Yes!"
The pious person said,"Then ask Allah (SWT) to Grant my wish!"
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) asked, "What is it that you want?"
The pious person said,"Since the last one hundred years I am sitting
here praying to Allah (SWT). I don't do anything other than the
Prayer. Ask Allah (SWT), what He will give me for my efforts?"
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) said, "I shall find about it immediately."
Heimmediately climbed up the hill and called aloud,"O Sustainer Allah!
This person wants to know about the reward for his prayers! Tell me,
what shall I inform him?"
He heard the sound, "O Musa! Tell him, we shall inform him about his
reward tomorrow."
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) went to the pious person and conveyed
themessage to him. The pious person said, "Its fine! Tomorrow is not
much of a time!"
The pious person was in the habit of going to a nearby canal early
every morning for bathing and fetching some water for his use.
Therefore, the next morning too he started for the canal but he lost
his way and reached somewhere else.Because of the sun's heat he became
very thirsty and tired. He sat on a lonely boulder and started
thinking about his death. At that time he found another person coming
from the other direction. He waved to the person to come to him. When
the person came nigh, he asked him to help him with some water.
The visiting person said,"Where is any water in this wilderness?
Whatever little I have is only for me."
The pious person started crying. The other person said, "Fine! What
will yougive me if I give you a tumbler of water?"
The pious person said, "I don't have anything. I have been busy in the
cave praying for the last one hundred years."
The other person said, "Ifyou agree to transfer to me the Rewards for
your prayers of one hundred years, I shall give you a tumbler of
water."
The pious person thought, if he lived, he could pray for a further
period to get the Rewardfrom Allah (SWT). He said,"I am ready to
transfer toyou my reward for the hundred years' of my prayers.
The other person gave him a tumbler full of water and the pious person
returned to his cave.
In the morning Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) got a revelation that the
pious person transferred his hundred years of prayer to another
personin exchange for a tumbler of water. Ask theman to settle the
value ofthe tumblers of water that he had been drinking during the
last hundred years!
Therefore, Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) went to the cave and told to
the person that he had a message for him from Allah (SWT).
The pious person said, "O Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh)! I have already
sold my hundred years ofpenance!"
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) said, "Yes! I know.But Allah (SWT) has
said that when the value of one hundred years of prayer is one tumbler
of water, then he must settle the value of the water he had been
drinking over the last hundred years."
When the pious person heard this, he was shocked and shouted, "O
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh)! Recommend to Allah (SWT) to forgive my
sins! Allah (SWT) is Beneficent and Merciful!"
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) got the Revelation, "tell the piousperson!
Your penitence of this moment pleased us more than your prayers of a
hundred years and we have given to you rewards for a thousand years of
prayers!"
Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you deny? Noble Qur'an (55:13)
Imam Ali (as) says: "The sin that makes you sad and repentant is more
liked by Allah (SWT) than the good deed which turns you arrogant."