He heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mention al-Raqim and say that three men were once in a cave when a boulder fell against the mouth of the cave and sealed them inside.One of them said, "Let each of you recall a good deed he has done, perhaps Allah will have mercy on us through it."One of them said, "I once did a good deed. I had laborers who worked for me, and one day my workers came to me and I hired each man for a set wage. Then a man came to me in the middle of the day, and I hired him for half the wage of his companions. He worked the rest of the day just as each of the others had worked the entire day. So I felt bound by fairness not to give him less than what I had agreed to pay his companions, since he had exerted himself in his work.One of the others said, 'Are you giving this man the same as you gave me, when he only worked half a day?'I said, 'Abdullah, I have not shortchanged you anything of what we agreed upon. This is my own wealth, and I may do with it as I please.'He grew angry and went off, leaving his wage behind. I set his wage aside in a corner of the house, and it remained there for as long as Allah willed. Later, some cattle passed by me, and I bought a calf with that money, and it grew to whatever Allah willed.After some time, an old, frail man whom I did not recognize passed by and said, 'I have a right with you.' He kept reminding me until I recognized him.I said, 'You are the very one I have been seeking. This is your right.' I offered him all of it.He said, 'Abdullah, do not mock me. If you will not give in charity to me, then give me only my right.'I said, 'By Allah, I am not mocking you. All of this is your right. None of it belongs to me.' So I handed all of it over to him.O Allah, if I did that seeking Your face, relieve us."The mountain split open until they could see through it.The second one said, "I once did a good deed. I had abundant wealth, and the people were struck by hardship. A woman came to me seeking a kindness from me.I said to her, 'By Allah, you will get nothing unless you give yourself to me.' She refused and went away. Then she returned and reminded me by Allah, but I refused her and said, 'No, by Allah, only if you give yourself to me.' She refused and went away.She mentioned this to her husband, and he said to her, 'Give him yourself and provide for your family.' She returned to me and implored me by Allah, but I refused and said, 'By Allah, only if you give yourself to me.'When she saw this, she submitted herself to me. But when I uncovered her and was about to take her, she trembled beneath me.I said to her, 'What is the matter with you?'She said, 'I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds.'I said to her, 'You feared Him in hardship, and I did not fear Him in ease?' So I left her and gave her what was due for having uncovered her.O Allah, if I did that seeking Your face, relieve us."The mountain split further until they could make out their surroundings.The third one said, "I once did a good deed. I had two elderly parents, and I had a flock of sheep. I would feed my parents and give them drink, then return to my flock.One day, rain delayed me, and I did not return until evening. I came to my family and took my milking vessel and milked, while my flock stood by. Then I went to my parents and found them asleep. It was hard for me to wake them, and it was hard for me to leave my flock. So I remained sitting with the milking vessel in my hand until the morning woke them, and then I gave them to drink.O Allah, if I did that seeking Your face, relieve us."Numan said, "It is as if I am hearing this from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself." He said, "The mountain was an arch, and Allah relieved them, and they went out."
حدثنا إسماعيل بن عبد الكريم بن معقل بن منبه حدثني عبد الصمد يعني ابن معقل قال سمعت وهبا يقول حدثني
أنه سمع رسول الله ﷺ يذكر الرقيم فقال إن ثلاثة كانوا في كهف فوقع الجبل على باب الكهف فأوصد عليهم قال قائل منهم تذاكروا أيكم عمل حسنة لعل الله عز وجل برحمته يرحمنا فقال رجل منهم قد عملت حسنة مرة كان لي أجراء يعملون فجاءني عمال لي فاستأجرت كل رجل منهم بأجر معلوم فجاءني رجل ذات يوم وسط النهار فاستأجرته بشطر أصحابه فعمل في بقية نهاره كما عمل كل رجل منهم في نهاره كله فرأيت علي في الزمام أن لا أنقصه مما استأجرت به أصحابه لما جهد في عمله فقال رجل منهم أتعطي هذا مثل ما أعطيتني ولم يعمل إلا نصف نهار فقلت يا عبد الله لم أبخسك شيئا من شرطك وإنما هو مالي أحكم فيه ما شئت قال فغضب وذهب وترك أجره قال فوضعت حقه في جانب من البيت ما شاء الله ثم مرت بي بعد ذلك بقر فاشتريت به فصيلة من البقر فبلغت ما شاء الله فمر بي بعد حين شيخا ضعيفا لا أعرفه فقال إن لي عندك حقا فذكرنيه حتى عرفته فقلت إياك أبغي هذا حقك فعرضتها عليه جميعها فقال يا عبد الله لا تسخر بي إن لم تصدق علي فأعطني حقي قال والله لا أسخر بك إنها لحقك ما لي منها شيء فدفعتها إليه جميعا اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك لوجهك فافرج عنا قال فانصدع الجبل حتى رأوا منه وأبصروا قال الآخر قد عملت حسنة مرة كان لي فضل فأصابت الناس شدة فجاءتني امرأة تطلب مني معروفا قال فقلت والله ما هو دون نفسك فأبت علي فذهبت ثم رجعت فذكرتني بالله فأبيت عليها وقلت لا والله ما هو دون نفسك فأبت علي وذهبت فذكرت لزوجها فقال لها أعطيه نفسك وأغني عيالك فرجعت إلي فناشدتني بالله فأبيت عليها وقلت والله ما هو دون نفسك فلما رأت ذلك أسلمت إلي نفسها فلما تكشفتها وهممت بها ارتعدت من تحتي فقلت لها ما شأنك قالت أخاف الله رب العالمين قلت لها خفتيه في الشدة ولم أخفه في الرجاء فتركتها وأعطيتها ما يحق علي بما تكشفتها اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك لوجهك فافرج عنا قال فانصدع حتى عرفوا وتبين لهم قال الآخر عملت حسنة مرة كان لي أبوان شيخان كبيران وكانت لي غنم فكنت أطعم أبوي وأسقيهما ثم رجعت إلى غنمي قال فأصابني يوما غيث حبسني فلم أبرح حتى أمسيت فأتيت أهلي وأخذت محلبي فحلبت وغنمي قائمة فمضيت إلى أبوي فوجدتهما قد ناما فشق علي أن أوقظهما وشق علي أن أترك غنمي فما برحت جالسا ومحلبي على يدي حتى أيقظهما الصبح فسقيتهما اللهم إن كنت فعلت ذلك لوجهك فافرج عنا قال النعمان لكأني أسمع هذه من رسول الله ﷺ قال الجبل طاق ففرج الله عنهم فخرجوا