The Blind Man, the Leper, and the Bald Man: Lessons in Gratitude and Tawheed
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
The hadith of the blind man, the leper, and the bald man is a profound narration found in Kitab At-Tawheed by Shayk Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab (May Allah Have Mercy on him) This hadith, supported by Qur’anic references, emphasizes the importance of gratitude, ascribing blessings to Allah, and acknowledging His ultimate authority over all things.
The Qur’an describes human nature regarding blessings and hardships:
{فَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَاهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ}
“When harm touches man, he calls to Us (for help); then when We have changed it into a favor from Us, he says: ‘Only because of knowledge (that I possess) I obtained it
(Surah Az-Zumar: 49)
This verse highlights a common human trait: during adversity, individuals turn to Allah, but once relief comes, they attribute success to their knowledge or efforts, neglecting the favor of Allah. Such ingratitude reflects a deficiency in Tawheed and improper manners towards Allah.
حَدِيثُ أَبْرَصَ وَأَعْمَى وَأَقْرَعَ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ:”إِنَّ ثَلاَثَةً فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ: أَبْرَصُ وَأَقْرَعُ وَأَعْمَى، أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَهُمْ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلَكًا، فَأَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فَقَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: لَوْنٌ حَسَنٌ، وَجِلْدٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي مَا قَدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ. فَمَسَحَهُ، فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ قَذَرُهُ، وَأُعْطِيَ لَوْنًا حَسَنًا وَجِلْدًا حَسَنًا. قَالَ: فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الإِبِلُ – أَوِ الْبَقَرُ، شَكَّ إِسْحَاقُ – فَأُعْطِيَ نَاقَةً عُشَرَاءَ، فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا.فَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فَقَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: شَعْرٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي مَا قَدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ. فَمَسَحَهُ، فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ، وَأُعْطِيَ شَعْرًا حَسَنًا. قَالَ: فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الْبَقَرُ – أَوِ الإِبِلُ، شَكَّ إِسْحَاقُ – فَأُعْطِيَ بَقَرَةً حَامِلاً، فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا. فَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فَقَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: أَنْ يَرُدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيَّ بَصَرِي، فَأُبْصِرَ بِهِ النَّاسَ. فَمَسَحَهُ، فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ بَصَرَهُ. قَالَ: فَأَيُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الْغَنَمُ، فَأُعْطِيَ شَاةً وَالِدًا. فَأَنْتَجَ هَذَانِ، وَوَلَّدَ هَذَا، فَكَانَ لِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الإِبِلِ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ، قَدْ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي، فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي أَعْطَاكَ اللَّوْنَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْجِلْدَ الْحَسَنَ، وَالْمَالَ، بَعِيرًا أَتَبَلَّغُ عَلَيْهِ فِي سَفَرِي.فَقَالَ: الْحُقُوقُ كَثِيرَةٌ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: كَأَنِّي أَعْرِفُكَ، أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَبْرَصَ يَقْذَرُكَ النَّاسُ، فَقِيرًا فَأَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا وَرِثْتُ هَذَا الْمَالَ كَابِرًا عَنْ كَابِرٍ. فَقَالَ: إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا، فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ. وَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِهَذَا، وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ مَا رَدَّ هَذَا، فَقَالَ: إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا، فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ. وَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ، فَقَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ، وَابْنُ سَبِيلٍ، انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي، فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ شَاةً أَتَبَلَّغُ بِهَا فِي سَفَرِي.فَقَالَ: قَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْمَى، فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيَّ بَصَرِي، فَخُذْ مَا شِئْتَ، وَدَعْ مَا شِئْتَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَجْهَدُكَ الْيَوْمَ بِشَيْءٍ أَخَذْتَهُ لِلَّهِ.فَقَالَ: أَمْسِكْ مَالَكَ، فَإِنَّمَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ، فَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ، وَسَخِطَ عَلَى صَاحِبَيْكَ.”
The Hadith about a Leper, a Bald Man, and a Blind Man
Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):
“I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying: “Allah willed to test three (people) from the children of Israel who were a Leper, a blind man, and a bald-headed man. So, he sent them an angel who came to the leper and said, ‘What thing do you like most?’ He replied, ‘Good color and good skin, for the people have a strong aversion to me.’ The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given a good color and beautiful skin. The angel asked him, ‘What kind of property do you like best?’ He replied, ‘Camels (or cows).’
(The narrator is in doubt, for either the leper or the bald-headed man demanded camels and the other demanded cows). So he (i.e. the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said (to him), ‘May Allah bless you in it.’ The angel then went to the bald-headed man and said, ‘What thing do you like most?’ He said, ‘I like good hair and wish to be cured of this disease, for the people feel repulsion for me.’ The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given good hair. The angel asked (him), ‘What kind of property do you like best?’ He replied, ‘Cows,’ The angel gave him a pregnant cow and said, ‘May Allah bless you in it.’ The angel went to the blind man and asked, ‘What thing do you like best?’ He said, ‘(I like) that Allah may restore my eye-sight to me so that I may see the people.’ The angel touched his eyes and Allah gave him back his eye-sight. The angel asked him, ‘What kind of property do you like best?’ He replied, ‘Sheep.’ The angel gave him a pregnant sheep. Afterward, all three pregnant animals gave birth to young ones and multiplied and brought forth so much that one of the (three) men had a herd of camels filling a valley, one had a herd of cows filling a valley, and one had a flock of sheep filling a valley.
Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a leper, went to the leper and said, I am a poor man, who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the Name of Him Who has given you such nice color and beautiful skin, and so much property, I ask you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination. The man replied, ‘I have many obligations (so I cannot give you).’ The angel said, ‘I think I know you; were you not a leper to whom the people had a strong aversion? Weren’t you a poor man, and then Allah gave you (all this property).’ He replied, ‘(This is all wrong), I got this property through inheritance from my forefathers.’
The angel said, ‘If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before. ‘ Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a bald man, went to the bald man and said to him the same as he told the first one, and he too answered the same as the first one did. The angel said, ‘If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.’ The angel, disguised in the shape of a blind man, went to the blind man and said, ‘I am a poor man and a traveler, whose means of livelihood have been exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and after Him, you yourself.
I ask you in the Name of Him Who has given you back your eye-sight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may complete my journey.’ The man said, ‘No doubt, I was blind and Allah gave me back my eye-sight; I was poor and Allah made me rich; so take anything you wish from my property. By Allah, I will not stop you from taking anything (you need) of my property which you may take for Allah’s sake.’ The angel replied, ‘Keep your property with you. You (i.e. the three men) have been tested, and Allah is pleased with you and is angry with your two companions.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3464)
Key Lessons from the Hadith
- Gratitude to Allah
Gratitude is a cornerstone of Tawheed. The blind man exemplified true gratitude by acknowledging Allah’s blessings and using them in a manner pleasing to Him. The Qur’an emphasizes:
{لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ}
“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor].”
(Surah Ibrahim: 7) - Ascribing Blessings to Allah Alone
The arrogant denial by the leper and bald man reflects a deficiency in Tawheed. Attributing blessings to oneself, rather than to Allah, is both a sin and bad manners. Allah says:
{وَمَا بِكُم مِّن نِّعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّه}
“And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah.”
(Surah An-Nahl: 53) - Wealth as a Test
Blessings, such as health and wealth, are trials. Allah tests His servants to see their response:
{وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ}
“And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us, you will be returned.”
(Surah Al-Anbiya: 35) - Acknowledgment Brings Allah’s Pleasure
Simple acts of acknowledgment, such as saying Alhamdulillah, can bring immense reward. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْضَى عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ الأَكْلَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا، أَوْ يَشْرَبَ الشَّرْبَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا”
“Allah is pleased with a servant who eats something and praises Him for it, or drinks something and praises Him for it.”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2734)
Conclusion
This story teaches us profound lessons about gratitude, reliance on Allah, and the trials of blessings. It is a reminder that all good comes from Allah, and acknowledging this is a fundamental aspect of Tawheed.
May Allah grant us the ability to recognize His favors, show gratitude, and use His blessings in ways that please Him. Ameen.
وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ
“And peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and companions.”