The Boy and the Robbers

There once was a young boy who prepared himself to travel to Baghdad to receive his education there. His mother gave him 40 dinars for his education costs and said to him, “Son, promise me that you will never lie, no matter what the circumstances.’’ 

He gave her his word.

He traveled with a caravan through the desert. On the way, a gang of robbers attacked the caravan and stole everything they found. Then one of the robbers turned to the boy and said, “Do you have anything?” 

He replied, “Yes, I have 40 dinars.” 

The robber laughed, thinking that the boy was either kidding or mad. The gang took him with them to their leader. 

The leader asked the boy, “Why did you tell the truth?’’ 

He answered, “I promised my mother that I would never lie, and I cannot fail her.”

The leader was so impressed by his words that he said, “Boy, you sacrifice your money in order not to break your promise to your mother. You are afraid to fail her, while we are not ashamed of failing Allah.’’ 

The leader ordered the robbers to give back what they stole from the caravan. He then turned to the boy and said, “I turn to Allah in repentance thanks to you.” 

The gang then said to their leader, “You have been our example in robbery, and now you are ours in repentance.” So, they all declared their repentance.