WHO IS THE OLD MAN IN RAUDAH?

WHO IS THE OLD MAN IN RAUDAH?

AFTER embracing Islam in 1984 and studying at the Pondok Pasir Tumbuh, Kelantan, I always wanted to learn more about the teachings of Islam in Mecca al-Mukarramah. When I managed to get enough money to cover the expenses in 1993, I finally had the opportunity to go there with Mat Salleh, a friend of mine.

     Upon arriving in Jeddah, with boarded a taxi headed for Medina. It was the month of Syaaban and the weather that afternoon was very hot. As I was tired, I kept falling asleep during the journey. A few kilometres from Medina, my sleepiness suddenly jolted when a long bearded old man wearing a white turban appeared next to me.

     His face was clean and radiant. He broke into a smile and offered to spoon some liquid into my mouth. When I swallowed it, it tasted like ghee. But in the blink of an eye, the old man disappeared from my sight. Startled, I awaken from my daydream. Looking right and left, I eventually realised that there was nobody around me except for my friend and the taxi driver.

     I remained silent and never told the story to anyone. Yet my heart was racing with the question: Who was that old man?

     I spent a lot if time in the Nabawi Mosque praying with the congregation when I was in Medina. Onto the third night, the old man appeared in front of me again. Although we had met a couple of times already, he did not introduce myself. This time, he asked whether I could fetch something that he had placed on the other side of pillar in a Raudah, which was located between the pulpit of Nabawi Mosque and the Prophet's grave. I was so tongue-tied that I completely forgot to ask him what the time was.

     The old man taught me a verse from the Quran. I listened carefully. Soon after he finished the verse, the old man left. My heart was beating faster. Who was this old man really and why he did ask me to fetch something that he had left behind?

     The next day after Fajr prayer, I rifled through the Quran to look for the verse that he wanted me to check out. After studying it carefully, I found the verse in Surah Al-Baqarah: 26.

     The meaning of Allah's decree: "Indeed, Allah is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allah intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient."

     I still could not understand why he wanted me to know that verse. Considering the fact that it was all very strange, I decided to tell Mat Salleh about it.

     "Mat, when we boarded the taxi that day, did you notice an old man with a long beard wearing a white turban?" I asked.

     "And old man? No, there was't anybody, Li. It was just the two of us in the taxi. What nonsense!" Mat Salleh chuckled. 

     "It's true, Mat. There was an old man who came to see me. He gave me a spoonful of ghee," I said.

     Mat Salleh still did not believe me. Because of that, I was reluctant to tell the story to anybody else. However, I was convinced that the old man wanted to show me something. I really hoped it was something good.

     My heart was urging me to fulfill the old man's request. So, I went to Raudah. When I got there my heart felt so calm. I had never felt as good as this before. I took the opportunity to carry out some solat sunat and du'a.

     It is difficult to explain just how pleasurable and humbling it was to carry out my religious duties in Raudah. The cool and tranquil environment made my body felt really light. From that day on, every time I went to the mosque, I prayed in Raudah. Right up to the eighth day, I managed to perform 40 solat fardu in a congregation. However, I still could not find the thing that the old man had told me about.

     The next day, Mat Salleh and I departed for Mecca to perform our Umra. There, I stayed with two other students in a lodging belonging to Tuan Guru Haji Salleh Penanti who originated from Pulau Pinang. After several days in the Holy Land, one night, the same old man appeared again. This time his message was much clearer. "You must go to Raudah. There is a pond there where I have accidentally left my umbrella. Please go and retrieve it for me," the old man said several times.

     Then, he disappeared, leaving me on my own. At the beginning, it was difficult to believe what he said about the existence of a pond in Raudah. I had not accross one as had been claimed by the old man through out the whole time that I had been praying there. However, as he had already made an appearance three times and really wanted me to fulfill his request, I quickly left for Medina that very night.

     His words were proven to be correct. As soon as I arrived there, I was captivated by the sight of a wide open pond. The water was so clear and I could see right to the bottom. True as the man had said, the umbrella was indeed in the pond.

     It so happened that a boy of 10 was standing there. So, I offered him five riyal to retrieve the umbrella. The child was so happy to accept it. Without wasting any time, he quickly dived to the bottom and brought it up. After thanking him, I immediately took the umbrella back with me to Mecca.

     Several moments later, I was jolted from my reverie. I searched around me. I was shocked to discover that the umbrella was no longer with me. For several moments, I pondered about the incident. Just like my meeting with the old man several times before this, my journey to Medina that night actually happened while I was semi-conscious.

     However, despite that, I was still grateful that I could fulfill the old man's request. From that day on, he never appeared again. In fact, to this day, I still don't know who he was. Suffice to say, the one thing that left an indelible mark on me was the existence of a pond in Raudah. Its beauty remains etched in my mind. There's never been a pond as beautiful as that in the world.

     It is not my intention to brag by telling this story. What had happened, to a large extent,  made me accept one of the Prophet's sayings. In one of the Hadiths, he had said: "Between the pulpit and my house is a garden from the garden of heaven. And my pulpit is above my well." (Al-Haud)

     It was after that incident that I began to understand why the old man read to me verse 26 from the surah al-Baqarah. That verse closely related to the power of Allah. On the surface, there was, of course, no pond in Raudah, but in reality, it had long existed. I was convinced with what the Prophet had said about the pulpit of the Nabawi Mosque being erected on pond in the garden of heaven.

     This is because Allah is able to create anything including that, which cannot be seen by the human eye. Thus, we must accept that happens can be rationalized. Even I, a person who is still 'ignorant', will accept and obey the truth of the Quran and hadith even though there are those who claim that it is outdated. 

     I believe in the unseen things because it is a part of an obedient Muslim's character. What happened further increased my faith and belief in Islam.

     In fact, the incident only served to make me realised just how lucky I was to have the opportunity to perform my worship and duties in Raudah. Because it is there that the garden of heaven and Prophet's are found standing.

     "...who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salat as well as spend out of what we have provided for them." (Al-Baqarah: 3)

N / F : FROM "THE BEST COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM MECCA", BY MASTIKA.