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259.
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said,
"None spoke in the cradle
but only three (persons), Isa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), the second one was the companion of Juraij who was a
pious person. Juraij took a secluded monastery for worship and confined himself in it. His mother came to him as he
was busy in prayer and she called: `Juraij.' He said: `My Rubb, my mother (is calling me while I am engaged in) my
prayer.' He continued with the prayer. She returned and she came on the next day and he was (still) busy in prayer.
She called: `Juraij.' And he said: `My Rubb, my mother (is calling me while I am engaged) in prayer, and he
continued with the prayer,' and she returned. Then on the next day she again came while he was busy in prayer and
called: `Juraij.' And he said: `My Rubb, my mother (is calling me while I am engaged) in my prayer.' And he
continued with the prayer. She said: `My Rubb, don't let him die until he has seen the faces of the prostitutes.' The
story of Juraij and that of his meditation and prayer spread amongst Banu Israel. There was a prostitute who had
been a beauty personified. She said (to the people): `If you like, I can lure him to evil.' She presented herself to him
but he paid no heed (to her). She came to a shepherd who lived near the temple and she offered herself to him. He
(the shepherd) had sexual intercourse with her and so she became pregnant. When she gave birth to a baby she said:
`This is from Juraij.' So they came and asked Juraij to get down and demolished the temple and began to beat him.
He asked them what the matter was. They said: `You have committed fornication with this prostitute and she has
given birth to a baby from you.' He said: `Where is the baby?' They brought him (the baby) and then he said: `Just
leave me so that I should perform prayer.' He performed prayer and when he finished, he lifted the baby in his
stomach and asked him: `O boy, who is your father?' The baby answered: `He is such and such a shepherd.' So, the
people turned towards Juraij, kissed him and touched him (for seeking blessing) and said: `We are prepared to
construct your temple with gold.' He said, `No just, rebuild it with mud as it had been,' and so they did".
(The
Prophet (PBUH) continued:)
"Then there was a baby who was sucking at his mother's breast when a person dressed
in fine garment came on a priceless riding animal's back. His mother said: `O Allah, make my child like this one.' He
(the babe) left sucking and looked at him, and said: `O Allah, don't make me like him.' He then returned to the breast
and resumed sucking.'
' He (Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: As though I can see Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) as he is illustrating the scene of his sucking milk with his forefinger in his mouth and sucking that.
He (Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)) further reported Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as saying,
"There
happened to pass by them a slave girl who was being beaten and they were saying: `You have committed fornication
and theft.' She was saying: `Allah is enough for me and He is my Good Protector, and his mother said: `O Allah,
don't make my child like her.' He left sucking looked at her and said: `O Allah! Make me like her.' It was followed
by a conversation between the mother and the child. She said: `A good looking man happened to pass by and I said:
O Allah, make my child like him, and you said: O Allah, don't make me like him, and there passed a girl while they
were beating her and saying: You committed fornication and theft, and I said: O Allah, don't make my child like her,
and you said: O Allah, make me like her.' The child said: `That man was a tyrant, and I said: O Allah don't make me
like him; and they were saying about the girl: You committed fornication, whereas in fact she had not committed
that and they were saying: You have committed theft, whereas she had not committed theft, so I said: O Allah, make
me like her".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
This Hadith tells us of three babies who spoke in the cradle. All the three babies were from Banu
Israel and their story is mentioned in Sahih Muslim in the story of Ashab-ul-Ukhdud. This Hadith proves the
following points:
1. When a person is called by his parents while he is engaged in voluntary prayer, he should give priority to the call
of parents.
2. A true Muslim has to pass sometimes through great trials. He must face them with patience and steadfastness
because ultimately Almighty Allah helps the true believers.
3. One must avoid copying haughty people no matter how attractive their appearance is. One should try to emulate
the virtuous people because true success lies in their conduct.
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