The Spiritual Power Of Hadeeth
One of the children of al-Qa’nabi رحمه الله narrates: My father was an alcoholic who had friends of evil repute. One day, he invited them and sat down in front of his door, awaiting their arrival. Incidentally, Shu’bah رحمه الله passed by on his donkey, with a number of people following close behind.
“Who is that?” asked al-Qa’nabi رحمه الله
“That is Shu’bah,” he was informed.
“And who is Shu’bah?” he asked.
“A scholar of Hadeeth,” was the reply.
Al-Qa’nabi رحمه الله, despite being inappropriately dressed in a pair of red trousers, stood up and approached Shu’bah رحمه الله, saying, “Narrate to me a Hadeeth!”
Shu’bah رحمه الله replied, “I only narrate Hadeeth to those in the field of Hadeeth and you are not one of them.”
Al-Qa’nabi رحمه الله produced a knife and demanded, “Narrate to me a Hadeeth or I will hurt you.”
Shu’bah رحمه الله replied, “Mansoor رحمه الله reported to us from Rab’i رحمه الله from Abu Mas’ood رضي الله عنه, who said that Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘If you have no shame, then do as you please.'”
Al-Qa’nabi رحمه الله threw the knife to the ground and returned home. He took all the wine bottles he had in his possession and emptied them onto the floor. He then said to his mother, “When my friends arrive, allow them to enter and serve them food. When they have completed their meal, tell them what I have done with the wine, so they may leave.”
Al-Qa’nabi رحمه الله immediately left for Madeena, where he studied at the feet of Imam Malik رحمه الله. He eventually began to narrate Ahaadeeth from the Imam رحمه الله and then returned to Basra.
A single hadeeth of Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم has the power of converting an ardent sinner into a righteous scholar.
[Pearls from the Path]
