“Once upon a time, in the name of Allah, the most exalted and the purest of all, in the presence of His messenger and prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), there lived an old fisherman. He had a wife and three children, and despite being poor, they struggled to secure their daily sustenance. The fisherman would venture to the river daily to catch fish, which he would then sell at the market to feed his family.
Interestingly, he had a peculiar custom. Every time he went fishing, he would only cast his net four times. If he was unsuccessful in those attempts, he would head back home, leaving his family hungry for the day.
One day, he took his fishing gear and set out for the seashore with high hopes. As he waded into the water, he cast his net. To his amazement, when he pulled it out, it was considerably heavy. Excitement coursed through him as he believed he had caught a bountiful haul. However, to his disappointment, he discovered nothing but seaweed and mud.
Undeterred, he cast his net once more, only to find a dead donkey in it. This sight saddened him, and he contemplated his approach, realizing that his sustenance depended on Allah’s divine will.
He humbly recited these verses:
‘O Provider in the dark of night,
With no schemes or strategy in sight,
I place my trust in You, O Razzaq,
Our sustenance is Your benevolent act.’
Having completed this prayer, he disposed of the dead donkey, cleaned his net, and allowed it to dry. Once again, he ventured into the water, making sure to recite ‘Bismillah.’ After a long wait, he pulled out his net and, to his dismay, found it filled with rocks, sand, and more debris. This disheartened him, and he expressed his feelings in a song:
‘Oh, my life, help me comprehend,
If not, then please do amend,
My share has not yet been found,
At times, the wise are confound,
Lost knowledge found in a teacher’s pen.’
He discarded the worthless items he had caught and set out again. This time, when he pulled up his net, he found a small metal bottle sealed with the emblem of Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him). Intrigued and elated, he attempted to retrieve it with one hand but found it strangely heavy.
Puzzled by its weight, he felt compelled to open the bottle and discover its contents. With a knife in hand, he carefully removed the seal from the bottle.”