Inspiration story 82 – Finding a Killer There was a man in the Bani Israel who once murdered his wealthy cousin (for the sake of inheritance) and left his body outside the city at night. In the morning, he pretended not to know about it and announced to the residents that a murder had just taken place and that they should waste no time in finding the one who did it! For this reason, the Bani Israel proceeded to Hadrat Musa alaihis salam saying, “Ask اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال to reveal to us what happened.” In reply, اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال ordered through his prophet that a cow should be slaughtered and a piece of its meat used to strike the man’s corpse. In doing so, the man would come alive and explain to them all that had happened. The Bani Israel were taken aback by the unconventionality of this solution and asked, “Is this some kind of a joke?” Hadrat Musa replied, “اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال forbid! Would I relate silly things to you? I’m speaking only the truth.” “Okay. Then tell us, what type of cow should it be?” “Allah says it should be neither too old nor too young.” “Ask اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال what colour it needs to be.” “He says it should be a yellow cow that fills the eyes with tears and brings happiness to the one who sees it.” Unsatisfied with this information, the Bani Israel persisted, “Ask اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال to explain everything about it to us so that we don’t make a mistake and slaughter the wrong one.” Hadrat Musa replied, “He says it should be a faultless cow that has never been used for either ploughing or irrigation.” The people then went out in search for such a cow, but after finding one proved to be difficult, they recalled hearing about a cow that had all of the qualities they were looking for in it. It belonged to an orphan; and the story about it is as follows: There was an upstanding man of the Bani Israel who had nothing in his possession except a yellow calf. He once marked it and entrusted it to the protection of اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال , saying to Him, “O Allah! I leave this in Your care and ask that You deliver it to my son when he’s no longer a minor.” The man then passed away, and the calf that he’d left behind began to grow up all by itself in the wilderness. In time, his son too grew up to be a virtuous individual, always dutiful to his mother. She said to him, “Your father left a cow for you in a certain area. Now that you’re mature, go there and make dua to اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال that He return to you what was once entrusted to Him.” The son did this, and when he saw the cow and recognized it by all of the signs his mother had told him to look for, he took the name of اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال and called out to it, upon which the cow saw him and immediately ran in his direction. He then returned home and was told, “Now go and sell it in the market, but don’t take anything more than three dirhams for it before coming and seeking permission from me first.” (At that time, three dirhams was the usual amount paid for cows). The boy then left and began offering his cow in the marketplace. While there, an angel (in the form of a human) approached him and offered to pay six dirhams for it on condition that he not consult his mother about it. The boy refused and said, “I’ll never do that.” He then went home and related the entire story to her. She agreed with the price but, again, told him that if it went any higher, he should let her know about it first. When the boy returned to the market, the angel approached him again, this time offering twelve dirhams in exchange for the cow (also on condition that he not speak to his mother about it), but the boy refused and again proceeded to his mother to inform her of the new offer. The mother soon realized that this was not a man but an angel sent as a test. So, she said to her son, “Go to the market again, but this time, when the man arrives, ask him if he’s going to allow us to sell the cow or not.” The boy then re-entered the market and asked the ‘man’ this question when he arrived. He simply said in reply, “Just keep the cow here with you.” Moments later, the Bani Israel entered the bazaar, saw the cow they were looking for and offered to pay the boy its skin’s weight in gold for it! Not forgetting his promise, the boy again proceeded to his home to confirm the sale to his mother; and after she agreed and the transaction was complete, the Bani Israel took the cow, slaughtered it, and used a piece of its meat to strike the body of the murdered man. As promised, the man then awoke, explained to them what had truly happened, and his cousin (who murdered him) was quickly apprehended and dealt with by them. – Holy Quran, Chapter 1, Ruku 7 & Roohul-Bayaan, Vol. 1, Pg. 109 Lesson We learn that no matter how far one goes in hiding one’s crimes, he or she will be caught and punished eventually – if not in this world, then surely in the Hereafter. We also see that obeying one’s parents brings great benefit to a person. See! If the boy hadn’t sought the permission of his mother for the man’s first offer, he would’ve only made 6 dirhams out of the sale (instead of the great amount of gold the Bani Israel gave to him)! Also, note that only اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال is worthy of worship, not anyone or anything else. Because the Bani Israel worshipped the gold cow of Sāmiri, اَللَّه سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَال ordered that they now slaughter a cow to understand that something so helpless can never be taken as something worthy of worship.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 07:42:45 +0000
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