It is narrated from Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as) that there were four pious persons (Mu’mins) during the period of the bani Israel. Three of them were one day having a tete a tete when the fourth knocked at the door. The slave of the house came out. The Mu’min asked him if his lord was at home. When the slave replied in the negative, theMu’min went away. The master asked the slave of the identity of the caller. The slave replied that it was so-and-so and that he had told him that the master wasn’t home. The master and the other two Mu’mins did not object to the slave’s act. The next day the Mu’min visited the place when the three of them were emerging from the house. He greeted them and said that he visited the place the previous day too. The three of them laughed and didn’t even express regrets for not being able to meet him. They then proceeded towards their farm. On the way a cloud hovered over the heads of the three persons. The angel Jibraeel called,’ O lightening of the cloud! Fall on the heads of the three persons and render them to ashes!’ Lightening emerged from the cloud and burnt them to ashes.
The fourth Mu’min expressed deep sorrow and anguish for the tragedy that had befallen their friends. He went to the prophet (S) of those times, Prophet Yusha (as) and narrated the happening to him. He said that ‘Allah dislikes one Mu’min belittling and making a laughing stock of another. Your three friends did that to you. You visited them the frst day, they were at home and their slave had lied to you that they were not at home. They silently approved of what the slave did. On your second visit they didn’t express any regret for the inconvenience caused to you. To the contrary, they belittled by laughing at you! You were not aware of their intentions, but Allah knows everything and He didn’t like their behavior. They have been punished for their misbehavior!’
The Mu’min said, ‘O prophet of Allah! I have pardoned my friends!’ Prophet Yusha (as) replied,’ There is scope for pardon only before the arrival of Allah’s Retribution! But there is no possibility of pardon after the Retribution has visited the sinners! It is possible that your friends may not be asked to account for this misdeed of theirs.’