It was after midnight. Umm Salama turned in bed to find the Holy Prophet (s) not there. She got up to find out and saw him (s) standing in a corner of the house weeping, with hands raised in prayer. She heard the following: ‘O Creator of the universe! Please do not deprive me of the blessings that You have bestowed upon me. Lord! Protect me from the evil of my enemies and the envious. O, Master of the universe! Let not the vices that You have kept me away from contaminate me. O, Sovereign of both worlds! Be not annoyed with me for even a moment.’
Hearing his (s) prayer, Umm Salama started to shiver with fear for herself. She sat down and started weeping. Her sobs got out of control and the Holy Prophet (s) heard her. He (s) came to her and asked tenderly, ‘Umm Salama, why are you sobbing so bitterly? What is the matter?’
‘Why should I not weep?’ she cried. ‘You enjoy a most eminent and honorable position in the eyes of the Almighty. You are close to Him being His Chosen Messenger (s). Despite this, you fear and beg Him not to be annoyed with you even for a moment. Tell me, what should be the level of fear in commoners like me?’
The Holy Prophet (s) replied, ‘Umm Salama! How can I be complacent about the position He has chosen for me? Prophet Yunus was left on his own for a moment, and you know what dire problems he got into.’
Reference : Anecdotes of The Ahlul Bayt (Daastaan e Raastaan ) by Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari