SINCERITY AND DISLIKE FOR FAME

قصة صاحب النقب

حدّثني أبو حاتم عن الأصمعيّ قال: حدّثنا أبو عمرو الصّفّار قال:

حاصر مسلمة حصناً فندب الناس إلى نقب منه، فما دخله أحد. فجاء رجل من عرض الجيش فدخله ففتحه اللّه عليهم، فنادى مسلمة: أين صاحب النقب؟ فما جاءه أحد، فنادى: إني قد أمرت الآذن بإدخاله ساعة يأتي، فعزمت عليه إلاّ جاء. فجاء رجل فقال: استأذن لي على الأمير. فقال له: أنت صاحب النقب؟ قال: أنا أخبركم عنه. فأتني مسلمة فأخبره عنه، فأذن له فقال له: إن صاحب النقب يأخذ عليكم ثلاثاً: ألاّ تسوّدوا اسمه في صحيفة إلى الخليفة ولا تأمروا له بشيء، ولا تسألوه ممن هو. قال: فذاك له. قال: أنا هو. فكان مسلمة لا يصلي بعدهم صلاة إلا قال: اللهم اجعلني مع صاحب النقب.

*_An Inspiring Incident of the man of the tunnel:_*

Maslamah laid siege to a fort, so the occupants took refuge in a tunnel, which no one wanted to enter. A man appeared from the side of the army and entered it, upon which Allah granted them victory, so 

Maslamah announced: ‘Where is the person of the tunnel?’ No one came forth. So he announced: ‘I grant permission for him to come later and I resolve that he must come.’ 

Later a man came and said: ‘I seek permission to see the Amir.’ He was asked: Are you the Companion of Naqb (The man of the tunnel)?. He said: ‘I will inform you with regards to him.’ 

Maslamah was informed about this person that came, so permission was granted and the man said to him: ‘The man of the tunnel (Naqb) wants three assurances from you under oath;

*a) His name must not be mentioned in the letter to the Caliph.*

*b) Do not order any reward for me.*

*c) Do not enquire further about my family.*

[He made these requests to avoid fame and publicity.]

He said: ‘Agreed.’ The man said: ‘I am him.’ 

From then on Maslamah would make the following suplication after every salah: ‘O Allah keep me [in the hereafter] with the Companion of Naqb’

(Ma’alim Irshadiyyah)

We too ask Allah Ta’ala for this privelage.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us such sincerity and such hatred for fame.