Ibn Qudamah narrated that Ash-Shibli said:
فخرج جراب فيه سكر ولوز فأكلوا منه والأمير لا يأكل فقلت له لم لا تأكل فقال أنا صائم فقلت تقطع الطريق وتأخذ الأموال وتقتل النفس وأنت صائم فقال يا شيخ أجعل للصلح موضعا فلما كان بعد حين رأيته يطوف حول البيت فقلت أنت ذاك الرجل فقال ذاك الصوم بلغ بي هذا المقام
“I was in a caravan in Ash-Shaam (Syria) and it was hijacked by bedouins, so they took it and handed it over to their Amir (leader). They opened a bag and found sugar and almonds. They all started eating, except their Amir. I asked: “Why aren’t you eating?” He said: “I’m fasting”. I said: “You block roads, you steal from people, you kill people and you say you’re fasting????!” He said: “Ya shaykh! We should keep the ways of reconciliation (with Allah) allways open”. So after a while, I saw this person doing tawaaf around the Ka’bah! I said: “You are that same person!” He said: “Because of that fasting (Allah guided me and) brought me here today”.
["At-Tawabeen", 1/276].
Filed under: Heart Softeners
