وَعَنْ صُهَيْبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم قَالَ : « كَانَ مَلِكٌ فيِمَنْ كَانَ قبْلَكُمْ، وَكَانَ لَهُ سَاحِرٌ ،
فَلَمَّا كَبِرَ قَالَ لِلْمَلِك : إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرْتُ فَابعَثْ إِلَيَّ غُلاَماً أُعَلِّمْهُ السِّحْرَ ،
فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ غُلاَماً يعَلِّمُهُ ، وَكَانَ في طَريقِهِ إِذَا سَلَكَ رَاهِبٌ، فَقَعَدَ إِلَيْهِ وَسَمِعَ كَلاَمهُ فأَعْجَبهُ ،
وَكَانَ إِذَا أَتَى السَّاحِرَ مَرَّ بالرَّاهِب وَقَعَدَ إِلَيْه ، فَإِذَا أَتَى السَّاحِرَ ضَرَبَهُ ، فَشَكَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى الرَّاهِبِ
فقال : إِذَا خَشِيتَ السَّاحِر فَقُلْ : حبَسَنِي أَهْلي ، وَإِذَا خَشِيتَ أَهْلَكَ فَقُلْ: حَبَسَنِي السَّاحرُ
. فَبيْنَمَا هُو عَلَى ذَلِكَ إذْ أتَى عَلَى دابَّةٍ عظِيمَة قدْ حَبَسَت النَّاس فقال : اليوْمَ أعْلَمُ السَّاحِرُ أفْضَل أم الرَّاهبُ أفْضلَ ؟
فأخَذَ حجَراً فقالَ : اللهُمَّ إنْ كان أمْرُ الرَّاهب أحَبَّ إلَيْكَ مِنْ أَمْرِ السَّاحِرِ فاقتُلْ هَذِهِ الدَّابَّة حتَّى يمْضِيَ النَّاسُ ،
فرَماها فقتَلَها ومَضى النَّاسُ،
فأتَى الرَّاهب فأخبَرهُ . فقال لهُ الرَّاهبُ : أىْ بُنيَّ أَنْتَ اليوْمَ أفْضلُ منِّي ، قدْ بلَغَ مِنْ أمْركَ مَا أَرَى ، وإِنَّكَ ستُبْتَلَى ، فإنِ ابْتُليتَ فَلاَ تدُلَّ عليَّ ،
وكانَ الغُلامُ يبْرئُ الأكْمةَ والأبرصَ ، ويدَاوي النَّاس مِنْ سائِرِ الأدوَاءِ .
فَسَمعَ جلِيسٌ للملِكِ كانَ قدْ عمِىَ، فأتَاهُ بهداياَ كثيرَةٍ فقال : ما ههُنَا لك أجْمَعُ إنْ أنْتَ شفَيْتني ،
فقال إنِّي لا أشفِي أحَداً، إِنَّمَا يشْفِي الله تعَالى، فإنْ آمنْتَ بِاللَّهِ تعَالَى دعوْتُ الله فشَفاكَ ، فآمَنَ باللَّه تعَالى فشفَاهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ،
فأتَى المَلِكَ فجَلَس إليْهِ كما كانَ يجْلِسُ
فقالَ لَهُ المَلكُ : منْ ردَّ علَيْك بصَرك؟
قال : ربِّي .
قَالَ: ولكَ ربٌّ غيْرِي ؟،
قَالَ : رَبِّي وربُّكَ الله ،
فأَخَذَهُ فلَمْ يزلْ يُعذِّبُهُ حتَّى دلَّ عَلَى الغُلاَمِ فجئَ بِالغُلاَمِ،
فقال لهُ المَلكُ : أىْ بُنَيَّ قدْ بَلَغَ منْ سِحْرِك مَا تبْرئُ الأكمَهَ والأبرَصَ وتَفْعلُ وَتفْعَلُ
فقالَ : إِنَّي لا أشْفي أَحَداً ، إنَّما يشْفي الله تَعَالَى، فأخَذَهُ فَلَمْ يزَلْ يعذِّبُهُ حتَّى دلَّ عَلَى الرَّاهبِ ،
فجِئ بالرَّاهِبِ فقيل لَهُ : ارجَعْ عنْ دِينكَ،
فأبَى ، فدَعا بالمنْشَار فوُضِع المنْشَارُ في مفْرقِ رأْسِهِ،
فشقَّهُ حتَّى وقَعَ شقَّاهُ ،
ثُمَّ جِئ بجَلِيسِ المَلكِ فقِلَ لَهُ
ارجِعْ عنْ دينِكَ فأبَى ، فوُضِعَ المنْشَارُ في مفْرِقِ رَأسِهِ ،
فشقَّهُ به حتَّى وقَع شقَّاهُ ، ثُمَّ جئ بالغُلامِ
فقِيل لَهُ : ارجِعْ عنْ دينِكَ ، فأبَى ،
فدَفعَهُ إِلَى نَفَرٍ منْ أصْحابِهِ فقال : اذهبُوا بِهِ إِلَى جبَلِ كَذَا وكذَا فاصعدُوا بِهِ الجبلَ ، فـإذَا بلغتُمْ ذروتهُ فإنْ رجعَ عنْ دينِهِ وإِلاَّ فاطرَحوهُ
فذهبُوا به فصعدُوا بهِ الجَبَل
فقال : اللَّهُمَّ اكفنِيهمْ بمَا شئْت ،
فرجَف بِهمُ الجَبَلُ فسَقطُوا ،
وجَاءَ يمْشي إِلَى المَلِكِ ،
فقالَ لَهُ المَلكُ : ما فَعَلَ أَصحَابكَ ؟
فقالَ : كفانيهِمُ الله تعالَى ،
فدفعَهُ إِلَى نَفَرَ منْ أصْحَابِهِ
فقال : اذهبُوا بِهِ فاحملُوه في قُرقُور وَتَوسَّطُوا بِهِ البحْرَ ، فإنْ رَجَعَ عنْ دينِهِ وإلاَّ فَاقْذفُوهُ ،
فذَهبُوا بِهِ فقال : اللَّهُمَّ اكفنِيهمْ بمَا شِئْت ،
فانكَفَأَتْ بِهِمُ السَّفينةُ فغرِقوا ، وجَاءَ يمْشِي إِلَى المَلِك .
فقالَ لَهُ الملِكُ : ما فَعَلَ أَصحَابكَ ؟
فقال : كفانِيهمُ الله تعالَى .
فقالَ للمَلِكِ إنَّك لسْتَ بقَاتِلِي حتَّى تفْعلَ ما آمُركَ بِهِ .
قال : ما هُوَ ؟
قال : تجْمَعُ النَّاس في صَعيدٍ واحدٍ ، وتصلُبُني عَلَى جذْعٍ ، ثُمَّ خُذ سهْماً مِنْ كنَانتِي ، ثُمَّ ضعِ السَّهْمِ في كَبدِ القَوْسِ
ثُمَّ قُل : بسْمِ اللَّهِ ربِّ الغُلاَمِ ثُمَّ ارمِنِي ،
فإنَّكَ إذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ قَتَلْتنِي . فجَمَع النَّاس في صَعيدٍ واحِدٍ ، وصلَبَهُ عَلَى جذْعٍ ،
ثُمَّ أَخَذَ سهْماً منْ كنَانَتِهِ ، ثُمَّ وضَعَ السَّهمَ في كبِدِ القَوْسِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : بِسْم اللَّهِ رَبِّ الغُلامِ ، ثُمَّ رمَاهُ فَوقَعَ السَّهمُ في صُدْغِهِ ، فَوضَعَ يدَهُ في صُدْغِهِ فمَاتَ . فقَالَ النَّاسُ : آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الغُلاَمِ ، فَأُتِىَ المَلكُ فَقِيلُ لَهُ : أَرَأَيْت ما كُنْت تحْذَر قَدْ وَاللَّه نَزَلَ بِك حَذرُكَ . قدْ آمنَ النَّاسُ . فأَمَرَ بِالأخدُودِ بأفْوَاهِ السِّكك فخُدَّتَ وَأضْرِمَ فِيها النيرانُ وقالَ : مَنْ لَمْ يرْجَعْ عنْ دينِهِ فأقْحمُوهُ فِيهَا أوْ قيلَ لَهُ : اقْتَحمْ ، ففعَلُوا حتَّى جَاءتِ امرَأَةٌ ومعَهَا صَبِيٌّ لهَا ، فَتقَاعَسَت أنْ تَقعَ فِيهَا ، فقال لَهَا الغُلاَمُ : يا أمَّاهْ اصبِرِي فَإِنَّكَ عَلَي الحَقِّ » روَاهُ مُسْلَمٌ .
« ذرْوةُ الجَبلِ » : أعْلاهُ ، وَهي بكَسْر الذَّال المعْجمَة وضمها و « القُرْقورُ » بضَمِّ القَافَيْن : نوْعٌ منْ السُّفُن و « الصَّعِيدُ » هُنا : الأرضُ البارزَةُ و «الأخْدُودُ»: الشُّقوقُ في الأرْضِ كالنَّهْرِ الصَّغيرِ و « أُضرِمَ » أوقدَ « وانكفَأَت» أي : انقلبَتْ و « تقاعسَت » توقَّفتْ وجبُنتْ .
Narrated by Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
There was a king among the people before you, and he had a magician. When the magician became old, he said to the king:
“I have grown old, so send me a boy whom I can teach magic.”
So the king sent a boy to him to teach him magic. On his way to the magician, the boy used to pass by a monk. He sat with him and listened to his words, and he liked what he heard.
Whenever he went to the magician, he would pass by the monk and sit with him. When he reached the magician, the magician would beat him. The boy complained about this to the monk.
The monk said to him:
“When you fear the magician, say: ‘My family kept me.’
And when you fear your family, say: ‘The magician kept me.’”
While he was continuing like this, he came upon a huge beast that had blocked the people’s path. The boy said:
“Today I will find out whether the magician is better or the monk is better.”
So he took a stone and said:
“O Allah, if the matter of the monk is more beloved to You than the matter of the magician, then kill this beast so that the people may pass.”
He threw the stone and killed it, and the people were able to pass.
Then he went to the monk and told him what had happened.
The monk said to him:
“My son, today you are better than I am. Your affair has reached a stage that I can see. You will soon be tested, and when you are tested, do not reveal my identity.”
After that, the boy began to cure those born blind and those suffering from leprosy, and he treated people from other diseases.
A courtier of the king who had become blind heard about the boy. He came to him bringing many gifts and said:
“All of these are yours if you cure me.”
The boy said:
“I do not cure anyone. It is only Allah who cures. If you believe in Allah, I will pray to Allah and He will cure you.”
So the man believed in Allah, and Allah cured him.
Then he went to the king and sat near him as he used to sit before. The king asked him:
“Who restored your sight?”
He replied:
“My Lord.”
The king said:
“Do you have a lord besides me?”
He said:
“My Lord and your Lord is Allah.”
So the king seized him and continued to torture him until he revealed the boy’s identity.
The boy was then brought before the king.
The king said:
“My son, your magic has reached such a level that you cure the blind and the leper and you do such and such.”
The boy said:
“I do not cure anyone. It is only Allah who cures.”
So the king seized him and continued torturing him until he revealed the monk’s identity.
The monk was brought and told:
“Abandon your religion.”
But he refused.
So the king called for a saw. It was placed on the middle of his head and he was cut in two until the two halves fell apart.
Then the king’s courtier was brought and told:
“Abandon your religion.”
But he refused.
So the saw was placed on the middle of his head and he was split in two until the two halves fell apart.
Then the boy was brought and told:
“Abandon your religion.”
But he refused.
So the king handed him over to some of his soldiers and said:
“Take him to such-and-such mountain. Climb to its top, and if he abandons his religion then let him go; otherwise throw him down.”
They took him and climbed the mountain with him.
The boy said:
“O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You wish.”
The mountain shook, and they all fell down.
The boy returned walking to the king.
The king asked him:
“What happened to those who were with you?”
The boy said:
“Allah saved me from them.”
The king then handed him over to another group of soldiers and said:
“Take him in a boat, go far into the sea, and if he abandons his religion then let him go; otherwise throw him into the sea.”
They took him away.
The boy said:
“O Allah, save me from them in whatever way You wish.”
The boat overturned and they all drowned.
The boy returned walking to the king.
The king asked him:
“What happened to your companions?”
The boy said:
“Allah saved me from them.”
Then the boy said to the king:
“You will not be able to kill me unless you do what I command you.”
The king asked:
“What is that?”
The boy said:
“Gather all the people in one place. Crucify me on a tree trunk. Then take an arrow from my quiver and place it in the bow. Then say: ‘In the name of Allah, the Lord of the boy.’ Then shoot me. If you do that, you will be able to kill me.”
So the king gathered the people in one place and crucified the boy on a tree trunk.
He took an arrow from the boy’s quiver, placed it in the bow, and said:
“In the name of Allah, the Lord of the boy.”
Then he shot the arrow.
The arrow struck the boy at his temple. The boy placed his hand on the spot where the arrow struck, and he died.
The people then said:
“We believe in the Lord of the boy.
We believe in the Lord of the boy.
We believe in the Lord of the boy.”
The king was told:
“Do you see what you feared? By Allah, what you feared has now happened. The people have believed.”
So he ordered trenches to be dug at the entrances of the roads.
Fires were lit in them.
He said:
“Whoever does not abandon his religion, throw him into the fire.”
Or it was said to them:
“Jump into it.”
They did so until a woman came carrying her child. She hesitated to fall into the fire.
The child said to her:
“O my mother, be patient, for you are upon the truth
Vocabulary from the Hadith
الراهب
A monk devoted to worship and faith.
الصعيد
An open ground or plain where people gather.
الأخدود
Deep trenches dug in the earth.
تقاعست
She hesitated out of fear.
The Incident of the Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ narrated this story about a nation before Islam.
A powerful king ruled the land. To control people, he relied on a magician who influenced the masses.
As the magician grew old, he asked the king to appoint a boy who could inherit his knowledge.
The boy began training.
But on his way to the magician he encountered a monk — a man devoted to worship and truth.
The boy noticed a clear difference.
The magician used deception.
The monk spoke about faith in Allah.
Slowly the boy’s heart inclined toward the truth.
Allah then honored the boy with miracles. Sick people were cured and the blind regained sight — not through magic, but through the power of Allah.
The king soon realized that belief in Allah was spreading.
Fearful of losing control, he began to torture those who believed.
The monk refused to abandon his faith and was killed.
A courtier who believed was also killed.
The boy himself was repeatedly tortured but refused to deny Allah.
Finally he revealed to the king a way to kill him.
The king gathered the people and said:
“بسم الله رب الغلام”
“In the name of Allah, the Lord of the boy.”
When the arrow struck the boy, he died.
But something unexpected happened.
The people witnessed the miracle and proclaimed:
“We believe in the Lord of the boy.”
Instead of eliminating faith, the king had caused it to spread.
Lessons and Reflections
Truth Can Begin with a Single Person
This story begins with just one curious boy listening to a monk.
Yet from that small beginning, an entire nation came to know the truth.
Great changes often begin quietly.
One sincere heart can transform many others.
Faith Requires Courage
Every believer in this story faced immense pressure.
The monk was threatened.
The courtier was tortured.
The boy was persecuted.
Yet none of them abandoned their faith.
True faith is not merely words — it is commitment even during hardship.
Tyranny Fears the Truth
The king had power, soldiers, and authority.
Yet he feared the belief of a single boy.
History repeatedly shows this pattern.
Oppression fears truth because truth awakens people.
Sacrifice Can Inspire Generations
The boy knowingly accepted death for the sake of Allah.
Yet his death was not defeat.
It became the reason thousands believed.
Sometimes a single sacrifice becomes a turning point in history.
Living the Message of This Hadith
Today believers may not face the same trials described in this story.
But the hadith still carries important guidance.
We live in a world where pressure to compromise values is common.
Sometimes people fear standing for truth because they feel alone.
This story reminds us that faith often begins with one courageous person.
When a believer holds firmly to the truth, Allah can bring guidance to many others through that example.
A Moment for Reflection
The boy in this story was young, yet his faith shook an entire kingdom.
The question for us is simple:
If we are tested in our beliefs, will we stand firm like the people of this story?
Or will we abandon the truth to avoid difficulty?
Faith grows strongest when it is tested.