What Reward for My Good Deeds?
Sa’sa’ bin Najiya of Bani Tamim was a man of great virtue. His grandson FARAZDAQ was a renowned poet of Islam, and in one of his eulogies, describing heroic deeds of his grandfather he says:
“My grandfather is the one who prevented mothers burying their new-born girls, and he gave new life to the babies…….”.
Sa’sa’ himself relates a beautiful story of his first encounter with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.). He says: “I came to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and he immediately invited me to Islam. After listening to what he said, I accepted. Then he taught me certain verses from the Qur’an. I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Will Allah accept and reward my good deeds performed in the past?” He asked; ‘What are these good deeds?”
“I related to him an incident in which I saved a new born girl from being buried alive. I had to offer a heavy price everytime I saved an infant, and that way I was able to rescue more than three hundred.”
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) smiled and expressed his delight. “This is indeed a good deed; Allah has graciously rewarded you by blessing you with Islam.”
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 