Banī Isrāˈīl. In summary, when Prophet Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم was commanded by Allah to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Allah also instructed him to take the sacred body of Prophet Yūsuf عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم with them.

Prophet Yūsuf عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم had passed away centuries before and was buried in the middle of the River Nile. After so many centuries, no one knew the exact location of his grave except for an old woman. Prophet Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم asked her, “Do you know the location of Yūsuf’s grave?”

She replied, “Yes, I do.”

“Do tell me!”, he declared.

“By Allah!”, she exclaimed, “I will not disclose it until my request is fulfilled.”

Prophet Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم then asked, “What is your request? It shall be granted to you.”

The wise old woman replied, “I ask to be your neighbour in Paradise.”

Prophet Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم said, “Just ask for Paradise.”

“No! By Allah, I will not be satisfied with anything less”, she said.  “I don’t want just Paradise; I want to be your neighbour in Paradise.”

Prophet Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم tried to persuade her further, but she was firm in her request. At that moment, Allah sent a revelation to him, declaring, “O Mūsā! What harm is there for you? Grant her what she asks.”

Thus, Prophet Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم fulfilled her request and continued his journey, taking the blessed body of Prophet Yūsuf عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم with him.^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers! This is the way to ask!

Consider the wisdom of the old woman and how grand her request was.