Adalah ulama Abu Abdurrahman Abdullah bin al-Mubarak al-Hanzhali al Marwazi ulama terkenal di Makkah yang menceritakan riwayat ini.

Suatu ketika, setelah selesai menjalani salah satu ritual haji, ia beristirahat dan tertidur. Dalam tidurnya ia bermimpi melihat dua malaikat yang turun dari langit. Ia mendengar percakapan mereka,

“Berapa banyak yang datang tahun ini?” tanya malaikat kepada malaikat lainnya.
“Tujuh ratus ribu,” jawab malaikat lainnya.
“Berapa banyak mereka yang ibadah hajinya diterima?”
“Tidak satupun”

Percakapan ini membuat Abdullah gemetar.
“Apa?” ia menangis dalam mimpinya.
“Semua orang-orang ini telah datang dari belahan bumi yang jauh, dengan kesulitan yang besar dan keletihan di sepanjang perjalanan, berkelana menyusuri padang pasir yang luas dan semua usaha mereka menjadi sia-sia?”

Sambil gemetar, ia melanjutkan mendengar cerita kedua malaikat itu. “Namun ada seseorang, yang meskipun tidak datang menunaikan ibadah haji, tetapi ibadah hajinya diterima dan seluruh dosanya telah diampuni. Berkat dia seluruh haji mereka diterima oleh Allah.”

“Kok bisa”
“Itu Kehendak Allah”
“Siapa orang tersebut?”
“Sa’id bin Muhafah, tukang sol sepatu di kota Damsyiq (damaskus sekarang)”

Mendengar ucapan itu, ulama itu langsung terbangun. Sepulang haji, ia tidak langsung pulang kerumah, tapi langsung menuju kota Damaskus, Siria.

Sampai disana ia langsung mencari tukang sol sepatu yang disebut Malaikat dalam mimpinya.
Hampir semua tukang sol sepatu ditanya, apa memang ada tukang sol sepatu yang namannya Sa’id bin Muhafah.
“Ada, ditepi kota” Jawab salah seorang sol sepatu sambil menunjukkan arahnya.

Sesampai disana ulama itu menemukan tukang sepatu yang berpakaian lusuh,
“Benarkah anda bernama Sa’id bin Muhafah?” tanya Ulama itu
“Betul, siapa tuan?”
“Aku Abdullah bin Mubarak”
Said pun terharu, “Bapak adalah ulama terkenal, ada apa mendatangi saya?”

Sejenak Ulama itu kebingungan, dari mana ia memulai pertanyaannya, akhirnya iapun menceritakan perihal mimpinya.
“Saya ingin tahu, adakah sesuatu yang telah anda perbuat, sehingga anda berhak mendapatkan pahala haji mabrur?”
“Wah saya sendiri tidak tahu!”
“Coba ceritakan bagaimana kehidupan anda selama ini”

Maka Sa’id bin Muhafah bercerita.
“Setiap tahun, setiap musim haji, aku selalu mendengar :
Labbaika Allahumma labbaika.
Labbaika la syarika laka labbaika.
Innal hamda wanni’mata laka wal mulka.
laa syarika laka.
Ya Allah, aku datang karena panggilanMu.
Tiada sekutu bagiMu.
Segala ni’mat dan puji adalah kepunyanMu dan kekuasaanMu.
Tiada sekutu bagiMu.
Setiap kali aku mendengar itu, aku selalu menangis
Ya allah aku rindu Mekah
Ya Allah aku rindu melihat kabah
Ijinkan aku datang.
ijinkan aku datang ya Allah.

Oleh karena itu, sejak puluhan tahun yang lalu setiap hari saya menyisihkan uang dari hasil kerja saya, sebagai tukang sol sepatu. Sedikit demi sedikit saya kumpulkan. Akhirnya pada tahun ini, saya punya 350 dirham, cukup untuk saya berhaji.

“Saya sudah siap berhaji”
“Tapi anda batal berangkat haji”
“Benar”
“Apa yang terjadi?”
“Istri saya hamil, dan sering ngidam. Waktu saya hendak berangkat saat itu dia ngidam berat”
“Suami ku, engkau mencium bau masakan yang nikmat ini?
“ya sayang”
“Cobalah kau cari, siapa yang masak sehingga baunya nikmat begini. Mintalah sedikit untukku”

“Ustadz, sayapun mencari sumber bau masakan itu. Ternyata berasal dari gubug yang hampir runtuh. Disitu ada seorang janda dan enam anaknya. Saya bilang padanya bahwa istri saya ingin masakan yang ia masak, meskipun sedikit. Janda itu diam saja memandang saya, sehingga saya mengulangi perkataan saya.

Akhirnya dengan perlahan ia mengatakan
“Tidak boleh tuan”
“Dijual berapapun akan saya beli”
“Makanan itu tidak dijual, tuan” katanya sambil berlinang mata.

Akhirnya saya tanya kenapa?
Sambil menangis, janda itu berkata “daging ini halal untuk kami dan haram untuk tuan” katanya.

Dalam hati saya : Bagaimana ada makanan yang halal untuk dia, tetapi haram untuk saya, padahal kita sama-sama muslim?
Karena itu saya mendesaknya lagi “Kenapa?”
“Sudah beberapa hari ini kami tidak makan. Dirumah tidak ada makanan. Hari ini kami melihat keledai mati, lalu kami ambil sebagian dagingnya untuk dimasak. Bagi kami daging ini adalah halal, karena andai kami tak memakannya kami akan mati kelaparan. Namun bagi Tuan, daging ini haram”.

Mendengar ucapan tersebut spontan saya menangis, lalu saya pulang. Saya ceritakan kejadian itu pada istriku, diapun menangis, kami akhirnya memasak makanan dan mendatangi rumah janda itu.

“Ini masakan untuk mu”
“Uang peruntukan Haji sebesar 350 dirham pun saya berikan pada mereka.”
“Pakailah uang ini untuk mu sekeluarga. Gunakan untuk usaha, agar engkau tidak kelaparan lagi”

Ya Allah disinilah Hajiku
Ya Allah disinilah Mekahku.

Mendengar cerita tersebut Abdullah bin Mubarak tak bisa menahan air matanya.

Fi kitab irsyadul ibad ila sabiila rosyad.

Tak bosan membaca kisah ini berulang utk mengingatkan diri sendiri.

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Seeing this today brought tears to my eyes! Compassion has NOT gone out of style.

Today I made a quick stop at McDonald’s after work. As I waited in line to order, an elderly handicapped gentleman wheeled himself over to the cashier in front of me. From what I perceived, the gentleman may have had a case of quadriplegia, the same medical condition my uncle has.

The man politely tried to ask the cashier something and it took him a few tries before either of us could understand he was saying “Help me please”. Neither of us knew what help he needed, and the cashier suggested a few things before he figured out the gentleman needed help cutting and eating his meal.

To be honest, I thought the cashier wasn’t going to help, especially during rush hour in downtown Chicago, but to my shock, he shut down his register and disappeared from view….

Not to get away from helping him, but to wash his hands and put gloves on! I had to stick around and see how this would play out, especially since it hit me so close to home with my own uncle.

The cashier came out from the kitchen, sat down, and began cutting the man’s meal and helped him eat.

At that point, the tears started to gather in my eyes. My heart was so appreciative for what he did. I couldn’t contain my emotions in the crowded restaurant.

This employee, who put everything on hold for this man, went above and beyond his responsibilties to help this handicapped customer out. That was the kindest and most humble thing I had ever seen.

How many shares and likes can Kenny the cashier get for his awesome service for those in need?

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This evening as I was leaving Best Buy, I noticed this man going through the garbage can outside of the store. As I walked to my car I watched him as he reached in the garbage can and pulled out fast food trash bags and inspected all that was in the thrown away bags. He did this for several minutes. He would find a few fries in one bag and a bite or two of a hamburger in another bag. You can see the hamburger wrapper by his knee where he was placing the food items he’d found.

He never bothered anyone or tried to stop and beg for money as people entered and left the store. After he went through the entire trash can he neatly cleaned up the area and wrapped up the food he found in the dirty hamburger wrapper. My heart literally hurt for him. I am not someone who just hands out money or even helps homeless people because so many are not truly homeless. I don’t guess I’ve ever seen someone actually go through a garbage can to try to find food to eat.

I knew I had to help him. I got out of my car and asked him if I could buy him something to eat. He told me he would appreciate anything I could get him. He was on a bike and I told him if he’d follow me I’d buy him a meal at the fast food place around the block. He followed me and I bought him the biggest meal they had on the menu. The only request he gave me for his order was if I could get him a big glass of sweet tea to go with his meal!
When I brought him his food, he was so thankful. He told me his name was Steve and he’d been homeless ever since his sister died last September. He was trying to get off the streets, but it was so hard. I told him God loved him and I would pray for him. He told me again how much he appreciated the meal.

When I got back in my car, I drove off with such a heaviness in my heart for this man. I drove down the road and felt compelled to go back to help this man. When I came back he had finished his meal and was riding away. I pulled up beside him and asked him if there was any way I could help him. He told me not really. He never asked me for money. I asked him if I could buy him a few meals and put it on a gift card for him. He told me that would be so kind. I drove to McDonalds and bought him some meals and gave him a gift card.

He broke down crying. He told me that he prayed for me today! I wasn’t sure what he meant (I was assuming he was praying for me for what I did for him) so I thanked him. He said, “No, you don’t understand. I prayed that God would send someone to buy me a hot meal today…and he sent you!” I didn’t know what to say…I was speechless! Praying for a hot meal wasn’t a prayer I had prayed today! Come to think of it, that’s not a prayer I’ve ever prayed! I always pray over my food, but I’ve never prayed for a meal…its expected! I’ve never doubted that I wouldn’t be able to eat…Tears began to fill my eyes! Oh my…how blessed am I… Maybe God used me to answer this man’s prayer…to let him know that He cares for Him and knows what goes going through! But, maybe God used this man to show me just how blessed I am and what I take for granted…

He said, “You see, I have cancer!” He pulled up his shirt and pointed to a huge mass that was poking out from his stomach. He said said he knew it wouldn’t be much longer. I asked him if knew Jesus. He told me that he did. I asked if I could pray for him and he said that I could. We prayed right there on the sidewalk of McDonalds. Tears just poured from his eyes. He told me he knew that he was going to die and that he was ready to die. He was tired of being in pain and he would be better off dead because this was no life – living this way. I stayed and encouraged him for a few minutes trying to fight back my tears. My prayer is that I showed him the love of Jesus today…that something I said gave him a hope.

You see, everybody has a story! I know Steve’s story now…all because I felt compelled to help him…he ended up touching me today!

When I left him, I knew I had done what God wanted me to do! God put him in my path today…I know he did! I’ve never felt such a feeling to help someone as I did today. I was reminded again of how blessed I am! I have a vehicle that gets me from place to place, I have a roof over my head, clean clothes, money to buy a hot meal, running water, electricity, my health, a job, family, and friends! Sometimes God sends situations our way to remind us of how blessed we are! If you’ve read this far, please remember Steve in your prayers!

Yes, I have been blessed, God’s so good to me! Precious are His thoughts of you and me! There’s no way I could count them, there’s not enough time, so I’ll just thank Him for being so kind. God has been good, so good! I have been blessed!

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