The Friend of Hazrat Isa (as)

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Imam Sadiq (as) said: “Stay away from jealousy and do not harbour envy with respect to one another.” Having said this, the Imam (as) continued: “One of the practices which Prophet ‘Isa (as) adopted for himself, was to travel from city to city. During one of these journeys, he took along with him a companion who was of short build and who also happened to be one of his attendants.

After a while, they reached the sea. ‘Isa (as) recited the name of Allah, stepped onto the water and began walking over it effortlessly. Repeating what ‘Isa (as) has performed, the companion recited what the prophet had and began to follow him over the water. In the middle of the sea he thought to himself, “‘Isa is a prophet and walks over water and I am walking over water too, so what superiority does he possess over me?”

These thoughts hardly crossed his mind when he suddenly fell into the water and began to plead to ‘Isa (as) for help.

‘Isa (as) took hold of his hand and pulled him out of the water.

“What did you say that caused you to fall into the water?” he asked. The companion confessed to the thoughts that had passed through his mind.

“You placed yourself in a position other than what Allah had ordained for you, thus becoming the object of His wrath,” remarked ‘Isa (as). “Seek forgiveness so that you regain your previous rank once again.”

As soon as the companion sought forgiveness, he began to follow ‘Isa (as) over the water once again.”

After narrating this incident, Imam Sadiq (as) advised: “Fear Allah and avoid jealousy.”( Shanidani-ha-e-Tarikh, Page 316; Mahajjatul Baiďa, Volume 5, Page 328 ) 

Reference : Anecdotes for Reflection Part 2