DECEMBER 26
Losers Can Be Gainers
An elderly holy man living in a small town in northern India, once had the misfortune to witness the constant harassment of an outsider who had come there to take up residence. Just because he belonged to another community, he was subjected to all kinds of unfair treatment. When matters escalated, it became a point of communal prestige. Not wishing their untoward behaviours to be seen by others as such, the townspeople began to twist the story so that the whole blame would fall upon the outsider, while they themselves appeared entirely innocent.
However when the holy man was asked about what had really happened, he simply told the truth, that the townspeople were the wrongdoers and that the outsider was their victim.
At this, all the townspeople became enraged at the holy man, but he uttered no word of reproof, and carried on with his daily routine as if nothing had happened. Finally, one of the townspeople came to him one day and asked him why he was maintaining such a strict silence when so much was being said against him. He wanted to know if he was not worried at the infamy that was being heaped upon him. The holy man replied that there was no just cause for worry. “If I am quite content, it is because these people are distributing my sins among themselves. They are, in fact, taking the burden of my sins upon their ownselves. Thus enabling me to enter into the next world, free of all burdens. Later, he narrated a hadith in which—according to Abu Hurayrah—the Prophet once asked: ‘Do you know who is poor?’ His companions replied that the poor man amongst them was the one who had no money and no possessions. Then the Prophet said: “The poor man in my community (ummah) is one who comes on Doomsday with his prayers, fasts and zakat, but who, despite all his seeming piety, had abused people, made false accusations, appropriated other’s belongings, and acted like a tyrant. Then all his virtues will be given to those he had oppressed. And when all his virtues have been used up without his account having been cleared—there still being some of the oppressed who have to be compensated by his virtues,—then the sins of the oppressed will be transferred to him, whereupon he will be thrown into hellfire.’”
This hadith is a stern warning to all those who treat others with cruelty, who commit acts of misappropriation and usurpation, and who indulge in calumny and defamation. Even the virtues of such individuals will not stand them in good stead on the Day of Judgement. And if, on that day, they can give no evidence of having performed good deeds, they will be fated to bear the burden of others’ sins along with their own.
Conversely, this hadith gives consolation to the oppressed. Those who have been treated unjustly may live in the expectation that their sins will be transferred to their oppressors, while they themselves, rid of all that burden, will be allowed to enter heaven. But it should be borne in mind that this blessing will await only those who remained patient under oppression for the sake of God.
