Recognise the bountiesof 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 thirdblind. 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 sickness goes away from me
whereby people do not allow me to sit with them and which they hate."
The angel passed his hand over the body of that person. He was
immediately cured and anice skin and beautiful complexion appeared.
The angel then asked him: "What type of wealth do you like the most?"
He replied:"Camels." So he gave hima pregnant camel and told him: "May
Allah Ta'ala give you barakah in this."
The angel then went to the bald person and asked him: "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 his
hand 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 toldhim:
"May Allah Ta'ala give you barakah in this."
Eventually, the angel went to the blind personand 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 angelpassed his hand over
his eyes and Allah gave him back his sight. He then asked him: "What
type of wealth do you like themost?" He replied:"Goats." So he was
givena pregnant goat. The animals of all three delivered their babies.
Ina short time, the jungle was filled with his camels, his cows, and
hisgoats.
Thereafter, under the orders of Allah Ta'ala, that angel went in his
previous form to the leper and said to him: "I am a poor person. All
myprovisions for my journey are finished. Today I have no means of
reaching home exceptthrough Allah and then through your help. In the
name of that Allah who has blessed you with a nice skin and a
beautiful complexion, I ask you for a camel which I could ride and
reach my home." He replied: "Get far away from here! I have a lot
ofother commitments to fulfil. I do not have anything to spare which I
could give you." The angel said: "I think I recognize you. Were younot
a leper, for which people despised you? Were you not very poor, and
then Allah blessed you with so much of wealth?" He replied:"What are
you talking? I inherited this wealth from my 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
askedhim the same questions and he also replied in the same way. So
the angel said to him: "If youare 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 work and complete my journey." He replied:"Without
doubt, I was blind. It was only out of His mercy that Allah Ta'ala
gave 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 hadonly come to test you three. Now the test is over.
Allah is 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's bounties remained intact, Allah was pleased with him, and he
is contented bothin this world and in the hereafter.