Welcome to the 4th episode of our special Hajj series on the occasion of the annual pilgrimage.

The companions of Abu Saeed had gathered around him. Abu Saeed narrated hadith from Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). As people around him listened attentively, a caravan alighted and the travelers were in agony. Abu Saeed asked the reason of their grief. They said: We have returned from the Hajj pilgrimage. On the way our caravan was waylaid by highway robbers who took away all our possessions. We have nothing now. How can we continue our journey? Abu Saeed asked how much was their property worth, and they said everything was taken and it is difficult to estimate.

Abu Saeed addressed the gathering asked who can help the member of this caravan. A voice of a woman was heard saying: O Sheikh, I will help them and arrange for their provisions. Everyone was surprised and admired her.

The woman left and soon returned with a box. She brought all her gold and jewelry and gave them to Abu Saeed. Abu Saeed kept the jewelry for three full days. He said to himself: Perhaps this woman has done this in haste and a state of emotion, and might soon regret what she had done. This jewelry is very valuable and maybe she will reconsider her decision and come to me to take it back.

Three days later the woman came to Abu Saeed and placing her bracelet in front of him, said: What have you done with the gold and the jewelry that I handed to you for helping the distressed Hajj pilgrims?

Abu Saeed said: I was afraid that you might reconsider your hasty decision and then come to me to take back what you have given.  

The woman replied: I seek refuge in God. This is not the case. Give to the caravan member this gold and jewelry, along with the bracelet that I have now brought to you, in order to fully fulfill my promise. This bracelet is more important and valuable to me than the gold and jewelry that I gave you three days back, since this bracelet is the inheritance from my departed mother, whose memory I cherish. Last night I dreamed that I was in paradise and had a bright and beautiful face. I understood that God the Compassionate has given me the reward for helping the Hajj pilgrims. In my dream I saw all the gold and jewelry that I had given you, was with me, while there was no bracelet on my wrist. When I enquired, an angel said that by the command of God Almighty whatever you had given for the distressed Hajj pilgrims has been compensated to you in paradise. Whatever you gave away for the sake of God in the world is restored to you in afterlife, and whatever you didn’t give, is naturally not present here in paradise.

This is the reason, said the woman that I have brought this valuable bracelet to you to be given to cover the expenses of the Hajj pilgrims, in view of the hadith of the Prophet of Islam that the Hajj pilgrim enjoys the protection of God, while going or returning from Mecca. Whatever sufferings they undergo on the Hajj journey, their sins are forgiven by God, Who grants reward for every step they take and raises their position in paradise a thousand degrees to the extent that every drop of rain that falls on the Hajj pilgrims, the reward of a martyr is written for him or her .

That was the end of our 4^th episode, goodbye and God bless you until we meet again tomorrow.

FK/AS/SS