Islamic Exemplary Stories

The story of Tsabit being told to marry for an apple

A righteous man named Tsabit bin Ibrahim was walking in the outskirts of Kufa. Suddenly he saw an apple fall out the fence of a orchard. Seeing the red apple lying on the ground made Tsabit's saliva rise, especially on a hot and thirsty day. So without thinking about the delicious apple he picked and ate, but only half of it in the meal he remembered that the fruit was not his and he had not received the permission of the owner. 

       So he immediately went into the orchard to meet the owner to ask for the fruit he had eaten. In the garden he met a man. Then he said, "I've eaten half of these apples. I hope you justify it". The man replied, "I am not the owner of this garden. I'm Khadamnya assigned to look after and take care of his garden". 

       In a sorry tone Tsabit asked again, "Where is the owner's house? I'm gonna go see him and ask him to get rid of this apple I've been eating." The manager of the garden told him, "If you want to go there, you have to travel a day and night". 

       Tsabit bin Ibrahim was determined to go to the owner of the garden. He said to the old man, "It's okay. I'll still go see him, even though his house is far away. I have eaten apples that are not halal for me because without the permission of the owner. Has not the Prophet warned us by his word: "Who whose body grows from the unclean, is more worthy of the bait of the fire of hell" 

Tsabit went also to the gardener's house, and upon arrival he knocked on the door. After the owner of the house opened the door, Tsabit greeted him politely, saying, "Your generous lord, I already ate half of the master apples that fell out of the master's garden. Because that's why you want to justify what I've eaten?" 

       The old man in front of Tsabit watched him closely. Then he said suddenly, "No, I can't justify it except on one condition." Tsabit was worried about the condition for fear that he would not be able to fulfill it. So he immediately asked, "What are the conditions, sir?" The man replied, "You must marry my daughter !" 

       Tsabit ibn Ibrahim did not understand what the man meant and intended, so he said, "Is it because I ate only half of your apples that came out of your garden, I have to marry your daughter?" 

But the owner of the garden did not care about Tsabit's question. He added, "Before the marriage begins you must know first the shortcomings of my daughter. He was blind, mute, and deaf. More than that, he was also a cripple!" 

       Tsabit was very surprised by the description of the owner of the garden. He thought in his heart, should such a woman should she be married for half an apple that was not cut off to her? Then the owner of the garden declared again, "In addition to that condition I must not justify what you have eaten !" 

       The marriage was also carried out. The owner of the garden presented two witnesses who will witness their marriage contract. After the marriage was over, Tsabit was welcome to go and see his wife. As Tsabit was about to enter the bridal chamber, he thought that he would still say hello even though his wife was deaf and mute, because the angel of God wandering in her house was certainly not deaf and dumb as well. Then he said hello, "Assalamu"alaikum..." 

Unexpectedly at all the woman in front of him and now officially so his wife answered his greetings well. When Tsabit came in to approach the woman, he reached out to welcome her hand. Once again Tsabit was surprised because the woman who is now his wife welcomed his hand. 

       Tsabit was shocked to see this reality. "His father said she was a deaf and mute woman but it turned out that she welcomed his greetings kindly. If that means the woman in front of me can hear and not be mute. His father also said that he was blind and paralyzed but it turned out that he welcomed my arrival in a friendly manner and extended a friendly hand as well", Tsabit said in his heart. Tsabit thought, why did his father deliver the news that contradicts the truth ? 

       After Tsabit sat down beside his wife, he asked, "Your father told me that you are blind. Why?" The woman then said, "My father is right, for I have never seen anything that Allah forbids". Tsabit asked again, "Your father also said that you are deaf, why?" The woman replied, "My father is right, because I never want to hear the news and stories of people who do not make the pleasure of Allah. 

My father also told you that I was mute and paralyzed, didn't he?" Ask the woman to Tsabit who is now her rightful husband. Tsabit nodded slowly at his wife's question. Then the woman said, "I am said to be mute because in many ways I only use my tongue to call Allah Ta'ala asthma. I am also said to be paralyzed because my feet never go to places that may provoke the wrath of Allah Ta'ala". 

       Tsabit was very happy to find a wife who turned out to be very kind and a woman who cared for herself. He proudly said of his wife, "When I saw her face... Subhanallah, he's like a full moon on a dark night". 

       Tsabit and his beautiful wife lived together and were happy. Not long after they were given a son whose knowledge radiated wisdom to all corners of the world, He was Al Imam Abu Hanifah An Nu'man bin Tsabit.