Appreciating Allah's Blessings

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There were three Israelites, a vitiligo stricken man, a bald man, and a blind man. In order to test them, Allah sent an angel to them."

The angel came to the man afflicted with vitiligo and said, "What would you like most?"

He said, "A good complexion and good skin, and riddance of that for which people have considered me unclean."

Then the angel passed his hand over him, and his uncleanness disappeared from him, and he acquired a good complexion.

Now the angel said, "And what would you like most to have?"


He said, "Camels."

So he was given a she-camel in her tenth month of pregnancy. He said,
"May Allah bless it for you."

Then the angel came to the bald man and said, "What would you like most?"

He said, "Nice hair, and riddance of this condition for which people dislike me."

Then the angel passed his hand over him, and his baldness disappeared as he acquired a full head of hair.

Now the angel said to him, "And what would you like to have?"

He said, "Cattle."

So he was given a pregnant cow. And he said, "May Allah bless it for you."

Then the angel came to the blind man and said, "What would you like most?"

He said, "That Allah may restore my vision so I might see people."

So the angel passed his hand over him and Allah restored his eyesight.

Now the angel said, "And what would you like to have?"

He said, "Sheep." So he was given a pregnant ewe.

The former two animals gave birth, and so did this latter one; eventually one of the men had a valley full of camels, one had a valley full of cattle, and one had a valley full of sheep.

Then the angel came to the man afflicted with vitiligo in disguise and said, "I am a poor man, at the end of my rope on my journey, without recourse this day except to Allah and to you. I ask you by the One who gave you a good complexion, good skin, and wealth for a camel whereby I may make it to the end of my journey."

But the man said, "I have many obligations."

Then the angel said, "I seem to know you. Weren't you a man afflicted with vitiligo, shunned by society as unclean, impoverished? And Allah had given to you?"
He said, "I simply inherited this wealth, grown generation after generation."

The angel said, "If you are a liar. May Allah restore you to your prior condition."

Then the angel came to the man who was bald in disguise and spoke to him as he had to the former man afflicted with vitiligo. And the bald man replied as had the former man afflicted with vitiligo. So the angel said, " If you are a liar. May Allah restore you to your prior condition."

Then the angel also came to the man who was blind and said,
"I am a poor man, on the road, at the end of my rope on my journey, with no resort this day but to Allah and to you. I ask you-by the One who restored your vision-for a sheep to tide me over on my way."

The man said, "I used to be blind, but Allah restored my eyesight. Take whatever you want, and leave what you will. For by Allah I will give you no trouble about anything you take today for the sake of Allah."

The angel said, "Keep what you have; for you were only being tested. Allah is pleased with you, and displeased with the other two."