هَلْ جَزَآءُ الإِحْسَـنِ إِلاَّ الإِحْسَـنُ
(Is there any reward for good other than good)(55:60), copied from Balarabe Yazid
Sheikh Anas Bin Mesfr once narrated a true story of a family who had broken down on the way to Riyadh. The owner of the car informed the Sheikh that near the halfway point of his journey, his car broke down. His wife and children were travelling with him. He tried to fix the car but was unable to.
He mentions that as he stood in the sun, many cars passed him by, except one man. He saw him and stopped. He came over to the owner and asked if everything was ok? The man informed him of the issue and it turned out that the person who stopped had experience in fixing cars so he asked to take a look. He examined it and unfortunately concluded that the issue could not be fixed on the spot.
Yet, instead of exchanging greetings and walking away, the man turned to the owner of the car, a person he’d never met before, and said: “You’re here with your family, I don’t have anyone with me, why don’t you take my car and I’ll wait here. Once you arrive in Riyadh, drop your family off and send a tow truck, I’ll be here.”
Shocked, the owner of the broken-down car replied: “I don’t know you and you don’t know me, how are you offering me your car?!”
The man assured him and told him it was not an issue as they’ll both have each others’ cars and to put his trust in Allah.
Surprised and happy, the owner transferred his luggage and family to the new car and headed to Riyadh. He says he arrived in Riyadh late at night and sent a tow truck to the man. It was the following afternoon that the man and car arrived in Riyadh.
When he arrived, they greeted each other and the owner asked the man if there was something he could give him to reward him for what he had done. The man simply replied by saying he did it for the sake of Allah and he didn’t want anything from him. In the end, they exchanged numbers and went their way.
Some time went by and the owner of the car was sitting at a gathering where people were mentioning good deeds done for others. The owner recalled what this man had done for him and then he remembered that he had not called him for a while so he decided to check up on him.
When he called the man, his wife answered the phone and he asked: where’s so and so? She informed him he was not here, and, not knowing who was calling, she mentioned, what else do you want from him? You put him in jail and now he’s imprisoned.
The owner of the car was taken aback and asked why he was in jail. The wife informed him because of creditors like you. Every day somebody came and asked for him until he was put in jail.
Surprised, and without telling her who he was, he simply asked the name of the prison and ended the call.
The next day the owner took 100 thousand riyals and headed to the prison. Upon arrival, he went to the admin office and confirmed that so and so was a prisoner there. Upon confirmation, he asked the reason for imprisonment and was told debt. Upon hearing this, he said here’s 100 thousand riyals to pay his debt, please release him from jail but do not tell him who I am. I am just a good-doer doing this for the sake of Allah.
Upon this, the prison manager called the imprisoned man and said I have good news for you, somebody came and paid 100 thousand for you, here it is, insha’Allah it’ll benefit you. Use it to pay off your debts.
The man thanked the manager and asked him who the person was. He informed him we don’t know, he didn’t even tell us his name. The man then said 100 thousand wouldn’t help him. His debt is much bigger. He had entered into a trade deal which lost money and thus ended up with a debt of 3 million.
Then he paused and said, but you know what? For those prisoners with smaller debts like 5 thousand, 10 thousand etc, 100 thousand will get them out of jail!
How beautiful is this man’s character that here he was with 100 thousand given to him yet instead of thinking of giving it to his family, etc. for personal benefit, he thought of those around him he could help and benefit. With the 100 thousand, he managed to free 7 people from prison that day for the sake of Allah.
The sheikh mentions that the prison manager is amazed by what has just happened. He said: I don’t know which of them I was more amazed by. The man who gave a 100 thousand without even telling us his name or this man who gave away that 100 thousand when he has nothing to his name.
Two or three weeks later the owner of the car decided to call the man’s house again. To his surprise, the wife answered once more and when asked where he is, she again mentioned jail!
He hung up and headed to the prison one more time. He met the prison manager and asked him, didn’t I give you 100 thousand for it to facilitate this man’s release? So how is he still locked up?
The manager informed him that his debt was much larger, 3 million riyals and then said, by Allah, I don’t know which of you amazed me the most. Your generosity and ehsaan that you gave 100 thousand without giving your name and then for you to come back to check up on him or him and what he did. He then proceeded to inform him of what the man had done with the 100 thousand.
At this, the owner of the car was stunned. He thought this is not an ordinary person. He asked the prison manager to give him documents showing his 3 million debts. After obtaining these, the owner of the car, who was well connected, went to princes and rich individuals and managed to collect 3 million within 3 months. Then he went back, paid the money and had him freed from jail.
As Allah (swt) says in the Noble Qur’an:
هَلْ جَزَآءُ الإِحْسَـنِ إِلاَّ الإِحْسَـنُ
(Is there any reward for good other than good)(55:60)?
