30. Suhayb reported hat the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, "Among those
before you there was a king who had a sorcerer. When he was old, he said to the
king, 'I am old, so send me a lad to whom I can teach sorcery.' He sent him a
lad for him to teach. When the boy was on the way, he came upon a monk. He sat
down to listen to his words and liked what he heard. Whenever he went to the
sorcerer, he would pass by the monk and sit with him. When he came to the
sorcerer, the sorcerer would beat him. He complained about that to the monk who
said, 'When you are afraid of the sorcerer, say, "My family kept me." And when
you are afraid of your family, say, "The sorcerer kept me."'
"While all this was going on, he came upon a great beast which was barring the
people's way and said, 'Today I will find out who is better, the sorcerer or
the monk.' He took a stone and said, 'O Allah, if what the monk does is
preferable to You to what the sorcerer does, then turn this beast aside so that
the people can pass.' He threw it and killed the animal and the people went on.
He went to the monk and told him and the monk said to him, 'O my boy, today you
are better than I am. I see the point that your business has reached. You will
be tested and, when you are tested, do not point me out.' The boy used to heal
the blind and the lepers and treat people for all their ailments. A companion
of the king who was blind heard this and brought him many gifts. He said, 'All
that I have gathered for you here is yours if you heal me.' He said, 'I do not
heal anyone. It is Allah Almighty who heals. If you believe in Allah Almighty,
I will pray to Allah to
heal you." So he believed in Allah Almighty and Allah Almighty healed him. He
went to the king and sat with him as he used to do. The king said to him, 'Who
has returned your sight to you?' He said, 'It was my Lord.' He said, 'You have
a Lord other than me?!' He said, 'My Lord and your Lord, Allah.' So he seized
him and did not stop torturing him until he pointed out the boy. The boy was
brought and the king said to him, 'O boy, your sorcery has reached the point
where you heal the blind and the lepers, and you do such-and-such and
such-and-such.' He said, 'I do not heal anyone. It is Allah Almighty who
heals.' He seized him and did not stop torturing him until he pointed out the
monk. The monk was brought and told, 'Renounce your religion.' He refused. He
called for a saw and placed the saw on the centre of his head and split it
until the two halves fell apart. Then the companion of the king was brought and
told, 'Renounce your religion!' He refused,
and the the saw was placed on the centre of his head and split it until the
two halves fell apart. Then the boy was brought and told, 'Renounce your
religion,' and he refused. He handed him over to a group of his companions and
said, 'Take him to such-and-such a mountain, and take him up the mountain. When
you reach its summit, if he has not renounced his religion, throw him off.'
They took him and brought him up the mountain and he said, 'O Allah, save me
from them in whatever way You will.' The mountain shook and they fell. He
walked to the king and the king said to him, 'What has happened to your
companions?' He said, 'Allah Almighty saved me from them.' He handed him over
to a group of his companions and said, 'Take him and put him in a ship and take
him to the middle of the sea. If he does not recant, then throw him into it.'
They took him and he said, 'O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You
will.' The ship capsized and they were drowned.
He walked back to the king and the king said to him, 'What has happened to
your companions?' He said, 'Allah Almighty saved me from them.' He said to the
king, 'You will not kill me until you do what I command you.' He said, 'What is
that?' He said, 'You should gather the people together on one plain and crucify
me on a palm trunk. Then take an arrow from your quiver and put the arrow in
the centre of your bow and say, "In the name of Allah, the Lord of the boy,"
and then shoot it. If you do that, you will kill me.' So he gathered the people
together on one plain and crucified him on a trunk and then took his arrow from
his quiver and placed the arrow in the middle of the bow and then said, "In the
name of Allah, the Lord of the boy," and then shot it and the arrow struck his
temple. He put his hand on his temple and then died. The people said, "We
believe in the Lord of the boy." The king was brought and told, "Do you not see
that, by Allah, your fear
has brought about the very thing you were afraid of! The people have
believed." So he commanded that a trench be dug with openings onto it and had
fires lit in it. He said, 'Throw into it, anyone who does not renounce his
religion or tell him to jump.' They did that until a woman came with one of her
children. She hesitated to jump into it and the child said to her, 'Mother, be
steadf
