Three
people from one of the previous communities went abroad
for some business. They were caught in a rainstorm on the
way and took shelter in a cave. However, the floods formed
of the heavy rain dragged a huge rock to the mouth of the
cave and blocked it completely.
Unable
to remove the rock, the three men decided to supplicate
God Almighty to remove the rock for the sake of the most
sincere of the good deeds each had done.
One of them held his hands stretched toward the heavens
and implored:
—
O God! As You know, I was very careful in looking after
my parents. Until we had given them their food, we, the
rest of the family, would not sit at the table.
Once,
I went out to cut and bring wood. As I came back home late,
I found tmy parents sleeping. In order not to disturb their
rest, I waited beside their bed until they awoke up. They
awoke at daybreak and only after I had offered them their
breakfast with my own hands, did the rest of us sit down
to our evening meal. If my serving my parents in that way
is agreeable to You, O God, remove this rock for its sake.
He
had just finished his supplication when the rock moved aside
a little. Then the second man began his supplication:
—
O God! As You know, I had fallen in love with the daughter
of my uncle. However, despite all of my appeals to her,
she would not agree to marry me. Drought broke out and while
all other people suffered great hunger, everything was all
right for me. At that time, the girl I loved came to me.
Hunger had also stricken her people. I agreed to lend them
a hundred gold coins in return for her consent to make love
with me. I had just sat down beside her when she said: 'Fear
God and do not violate me.' I immediately stood up without
doing anything to her, and gave her the gold coins for nothing
in return. If this act of mine is approved by You, O God,
remove this rock for its sake.
The
rock moved a little more, but it was still not possible
yet to get out of the cave. Then the third man stretched
out his hands and prayed:
—
O God! As You know, I was once very rich. I paid the workers
I employed before the sweat had dried on their brows. On
one particular day, one of these workers left without collecting
his wage. I bought a sheep with the money due to him and
bred it on his behalf. The sheep gave birth to a lamb and
eventually there was a big flock. Years later, the worker
returned unexpectedly and demanded the wage due to him.
Showing him the flock and other things his wage had earned,
I said to him: 'All that you see belongs to you.' He did
not believe me, but when I explained to him how it was,
he took his due and departed. If this deed is acceptable
to You, O God, then remove this rock.
The
rock moved a little more and rolled away.
