The Donkey man

From ‘Awwam ibn Hawshab (rahimahullaah) who said :

‘One time I stopped by a village which was adjacent to a graveyard.

So when it was time of ‘Asr prayer; a grave from among the graves split open and came out from it: A man whose head was like the head of a donkey, while his body was like that of a [normal] human!

And he brayed [the sound which a donkey makes]- three times , then [fell back into] the grave covering him once again!!!

Beside that graveyard there was an old woman who was either plaiting her hair or some wool. [Seeing me shocked] So one woman said to me: ‘Do you see that old woman? ’

I replied: ‘What is with her?’

She said: ‘She is the mother of this one [ i.e. the man from the grave].’

So I said: ‘And what is his story?’

So she said : ‘He used to drink alcohol upto where he gets fully intoxicated, and his mother would say to him : ‘O my son, fear Allaah. Until when are you going to drink this alcohol?’

So he would reply to her: ‘Indeed you are just braying, just like how the donkey brays.’

Thus [after some time] he passed away; and his death was the time after ‘Asr.

Hence his grave opens up – after Asr- every day, and he brays three times, and then his grave swallows him back !”

Source : 2517 in Saheeh at-Targheeb wa Tarheeb of Imaam Al-Albaanee who said it is hasan, and said : It was narrated by Imaam Al-Asbahaani and others, and he Al-Asbahani said: Abul-Abbaas Al-Aswamm narrated it in Naysaapur infront of the huffadh [Great memorizers of hadeeth] and none of them denied it.

The story is also mentioned in : Az-Zawaajir of Allaamah Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, and also in Ghidha al-Albaab fi sharh mandhoomatil-Aaadab of Allaamah as-Safaareeni .

Lessons & Benefits :

1. Kindness & Obedience & Humility to the Parents.

2. Obedience to the parents in the good matters is a must. But if they order you to what is wrong, then remember the hadeeth: “Obedience is only in righteousness.”

3. Remember , Your Mother, Your Mother , Your Mother; then your Father.

4. A transgression is re-paid in the same manner. And punishment starts in the world, and in the grave, then in the here-after.

5. Alcohol ; the destroyer of a persons Deen, etiquettes, and even worldly affairs.

6. From the most important things is : Asking Allaah to make you live upon His obedience and to ask Him for a good end.

7. Allaah shows us signs for us to ponder and benefit.

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