Abdullah Ibn Umar Ibn Al-Khattab narrates: I heard the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam saying: “Three men from among those who were before you, set out together until they reached a cave at nightfall and entered it. A big rock rolled down the mountain and closed the mouth of the cave trapping them within. They said (to each other): “Nothing can save you from this rock except making Dua to Allah by referring to the righteous deeds which you have done.”

So, one of them said: “O Allah! I had old parents and I never fed my family (wife, children etc.) with milk before them. One day, I was delayed in returning due to my efforts in searching for pastures, and I came back home late at night while they had already fallen asleep. I milked the sheep for them and took the milk to them, but I found them sleeping. I disliked giving the milk to my family before them. I waited for them and the bowl of milk was in my hand. I kept on waiting for them to get up till the day dawned and my children began crying at my feet out of hunger. They then got up and drank the milk. O Allah! If I did that for your pleasure only, please relieve us from our critical situation caused by this rock.” So, the rock shifted a little but they could still not get out.

The second man said: “O Allah! I had a cousin who was the dearest of all people to me and I wanted to have sexual relations with her but she refused. A while later she was in difficulty due to a famine and she came to me. I gave her one-hundred-and-twenty Dinars on the condition that she would not resist my desire, and she agreed. When I was about to fulfill my desire with her, she said: ‘Fear Allah! It is illegal for you to destroy my chastity except by legitimate marriage. So, I left her though she was the dearest of all the people to me, and also I left the gold I had given her. O Allah! If I did that for your pleasure only, please relieve us from this calamity we find ourselves in.’ So, the rock shifted a little more but still they could not get out from there.”

Then the third man said: “O Allah! I employed a few labourers and I paid them their wages with the exception of one man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and it increased substantially. After some time he came and said to me: ‘O slave of Allah! Pay me my wages.’ I said to him: ‘All the camels, cows, sheep and slaves you see, are yours.’ He said: O slave of Allah! Don’t make fun of me.' I said: I am not making fun of you. So, he left driving with him all of the herd and left nothing. O Allah! If I did that for your pleasure only, please relieve us from our present suffering.’ So, the rock shifted completely and they could finally walk out of the cave. (Bukhari and Muslim)

MORAL: Doing things for the pleasure of Allah Azza Wajal should be the basis of a Muslim's actions. Actions done for show, name and fame only bring disgrace. Actions done for the pleasure of Allah Azza Wajal stand the test of time and are greatly loved by Allah Azza Wajal.