tablecloth to eat food. Meanwhile, a shepherd (one who grazes goats) arrived. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said: ‘Come! Take some food.’ He replied: ‘I am fasting.’ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said: ‘Are you keeping an optional/voluntary fast on this day of severe heat, where you are grazing goats in these mountains?’ He replied: ‘Oath on Allah Almighty! I am fasting so that I can recompense for the days of my life that have passed.’ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ wanted to test his piety and asked: ‘Will you sell us 1 goat from your goats? We will pay you its price and also give you its meat so you can break your fast with it.’ He replied: ‘These goats are not mine; they are of my owner.’ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ wanted to test him again and asked: ‘Tell your owner that a wolf has taken 1 of the goats.’ The slave replied: ‘So then where is Allah Almighty?’ (I.e. Allah is watching). He knows the truth and will hold me accountable for this.) When Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ returned to Madinah, he bought the slave and goats from the owner. He then freed the slave and gave him the goats as a gift.^[1]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                          صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Who are the pious people of Allah?

Dear Islamic brothers! We learn from the above narration that: The pious people of Allah are those who always speak the truth and remain engrossed in the fear Allah. They do not act against Shari’ah. They follow the rules of Islam.

Would that we too could become those who follow in the footsteps of the pious people of Allah َّ. I also hope that we perform actions for the pleasure of Allah rather than this world and follow Shari’ah rather than creation.

اٰمِیْنْ بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہ ِوَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                          صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد