A pious and intelligent woman from the Banu Israil

Muhammad bin Ka'b relates that there was a great alim and abid in the
Banu Israil. He loved his wife very much. Co-incidentally, she passed
away. This person was so grieved by this that he locked hisdoor and
abstained frommeeting and conversing with people. A woman from the
Banu Israil heard about this so she went to him. She informed those
who were guarding the entrance to his house that she wants to ask him
a mas'ala and that itcan only be asked directly to him. Saying this,
she sat down stubbornly by the door. The person was informed of this
and eventually permitted herto enter. She said: "I want to ask you a
mas'ala." He replied: "Go ahead." She said: "I havea neighbour from
whomI borrowed some jewellery. I am wearing it for quite some time
now. Thereafter she senta person asking for her jewellery. The
question I want to ask you is that do I have to give it back to her?"
The alim replied: "Yes, you have to give it back to her." The woman
replied:"That jewellery was withme for a very long time. How can I
give it?" The alim replied: "In such a case, you should give it even
more happily because it was out of her kindness that she allowed you
to use it for such a long time." When he said this, the woman replied:
"May Allah have mercy on you? Why, then, are you so sad? Allah had
loaned you something and when He wished, He took it back. (Because) it
belongs to Him." Upon hearing this, the alim realized his mistake and
benefited tremendously from this conversation.
Lesson: Look at how this woman put some sense into this man who was a
great 'alim. O women! You should also bear thisin mind when you have
to encounter any difficulty or calamity. You should also explain this
to others.