The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH)) said:
“Three people from among those who came before you were traveling when it suddenly began to rain. So, they took shelter in a cave. Unexpectedly, a large rock rolled down from the mountain and completely blocked the mouth of the cave, trapping them inside.
They said to one another, ‘By Allah! Nothing can save us except our truthful and sincere deeds. Therefore, let each of us supplicate to Allah by virtue of a deed he believes he performed with absolute sincerity.’
The First Man’s Prayer: Honesty and Integrity
One of them prayed:
‘O Allah! I hired a laborer for a specific wage—a faraq (a measure) of rice. After completing his work, he left without taking his wage. I took that faraq of rice, sowed it, and cultivated it. From its profits, I eventually bought many cattle.
A long time later, he returned to me and asked for his wage. I pointed and said, “Go there and drive those cattle away; they are yours.” He said in astonishment, “All I am owed by you is a single faraq of rice!”
I replied, “Take those cattle, for they are the harvest and profit grown from that very faraq of rice you left behind.” So, he drove them all away. O Allah, if You know that I did this out of fear of You, then remove this rock from us!’
Upon this, the rock shifted slightly, but not enough for them to escape.
The Second Man’s Prayer: Devotion to Parents
The second man prayed:
‘O Allah! I had elderly parents, and every night I used to bring them milk from my flock. One night, I was delayed and reached home late, only to find them already asleep.
At that time, my wife and children were crying at my feet out of hunger. Yet, I could not bring myself to feed them before my parents had their share. At the same time, I did not want to wake my parents from their sleep, nor did I want to leave them without giving them their milk, should they wake up expecting it.
So, I stood by their bedside, holding the milk bowl, waiting for them to wake up until the dawn broke. O Allah, if You know that I did this solely out of fear of You, then widen this opening for us!’
The rock shifted further, allowing them to see the sky, but they still could not get out.
The Third Man’s Prayer: Self-Restraint and Chastity
The third man prayed:
‘O Allah! I had a cousin (my uncle’s daughter) whom I loved more passionately than any other person. I desired her and asked her to submit herself to me. She refused unless I brought her one hundred dinars.
I worked hard until I gathered the money and brought it to her. When she finally yielded to me and I was on the verge of intimacy, she said, “Fear Allah! Do not break the seal unlawfully (without marriage).”
Hearing this, I immediately stood up and moved away from her, leaving the hundred dinars with her, even though she was the dearest person to me. O Allah, if You know that I did this out of fear of You, then remove the remaining hardship from us!’
So, Allah shifted the rock completely away from the mouth of the cave, and they all walked out safely.”
(Source: Sahih al-Bukhari)
Conclusion and Reflection
Every good deed done by a human being never goes to waste. In times of distress and adversity, the rewards of these righteous actions become the means of our deliverance.
Furthermore, when a supplication (du’a) is backed by sincere good deeds, it becomes highly acceptable in the court of Allah. Opportunities to perform good deeds are scattered abundantly throughout our daily lives. Truly, righteous actions bring immense rewards in both this world and the Hereafter.