According to an authentic narration from Imam, as-Sadiq there was a king in The Israelites. His Qadi (judge) had a brother who was very pious and honest. His brother’s wife also belonged to the family of Prophets. She too was very pious. Once the king needed a man trustworthy enough to send out on a job. He told his Qadi to provide him with a reliable and trustworthy man. The Qadi said in my view nobody is more reliable than my brother. So he called his brother and informed him about the king’s wish. But he refused the offer telling him that he could not leave his wife alone. The Qadi insisted saying that the king was in urgent need of his services. His brother said, I have nothing to do with anybody except my wife. So you will have to take care of my wife, see to her needs and take care of any job that needs to be done until my return. The Qadi agreed and his brother left on the king’s job even though his wife was not happy over his departure. Thereafter as desired by his brother the Qadi used to go to his house and do the jobs required by his wife until he fell in love with her to such an extent that he desired that she should indulge in adultery with him. But she rejected.
The passion-blinded Qadi threatened to complain to the king if she did not agree saying that he would tell the king on oath that she had indulged in adultery with him. But she retorted: Do whatever you want but I will not spoil my honor and chastity. The Qadi despaired for fear of what would happen once his brother got to know of his intention so he himself went to the king and informed him that the wife of his brother had indulged in adultery an on making inquiries he had found the allegation to be correct. The king said, Then stone her to death.
The Qadi went and told her that he had complained to the king who had ordered her to be stoned to death and that if she did not fulfill his desire he would see that she was stoned to death. But the woman still said, Do whatever you wish but I cannot fulfill your evil desire. At last the Qadi gathered the people and took her to a forest where he made her sit in a pit and stones were rained on her until he was sure she had died. Then only did they return home. After nightfall, as some life still remained in that woman she removed the stones from all around her, got out of the pit and with much difficulty reached a monastery and fell asleep at its door. The next morning the monk of that monastery opened the door to find a weak and wounded woman lying there. He inquired with her as to what had happened. Hearing her story the monk felt pity on her and took her into the monastery. The monk was very wealthy. He treated the lady and soon all her wounds healed. This monk had a young son and he entrusted his son to that lady for training. The monk also had a slave in his service who fell in love with that chaste woman and asked her to satisfy his passion. He also threatened to kill her if she did not fall in line with his wishes. The oppressed lady replied that he could do whatever he wanted but she would never commit a sin like that. So the salve killed the son of the monk and told him the monk that in response to his kindness the woman had killed his son whom he had entrusted to her for training. The monk called the chaste and faithful lady and asked her about the murder of his son. She told him the full truth about the slave but the monk did not believe her. He told her that now he would not allow her to stay there. He gave her twenty dirhams as traveling expenses and drove her out of the monastery.
The poor lady walked the whole night and reached a village the next morning. There she saw a man hanging on the gallows but still alive. She inquired with him and the half dead man told her that he was indebted to the extent of twenty dirhams and that according to the rules of that place those who were indebted to that extent were to be hung and not released until they paid up their debt. Hearing this, the kind lady gave him her twenty dirhams and he was then released. That man told her: O kind lady! You have been merciful to me and have saved me from sure death. Now I will remain in your service. Walking together they reached seashore where they saw some ships. The man told the lady: Wait here. I am going to do some job for the ship owners to buy us something to eat. Then he went to the shipmen and asked them what goods did they have in their ships. They replied that one of the ships was loaded with very valuable materials like jewels and that the other ship was vacant for their own voyaging. He asked them what was the total value of their goods? They replied that it was so valuable that they could not evaluate it fully.
Then that person said, I have a thing which is even costlier than your valuables. They asked: What is it? He said, A very beautiful slave girl. So beautiful that you might never have seen anyone like her before. They said, Sell her to us. He proposed: First someone must go to see her but in such a manner that she does not know the intention behind it. Then return and pay me her price. Then when I go away you may take her in your control. The seafarers agreed and one of them went to see that lady. He came back to report that he had never seen a more beautiful woman before. So the wicked man sold that chaste woman for ten thousand dirhams and went away with the money. When he disappeared the shipmen came to the lady and said, O slave girl! Come with us on this ship. She asked: Why? They said, We have bought you from your owner. She said, He is not my owner or Lord. They said, Do not make excuses and come along. Otherwise we ill take you forcibly. So she had to accompany them up to the seashore. However each and everyone of them vied for that lady so much so that to settle the dispute they mad her sit in the ship which was full of jewelry and all of them rode in the other vessel.
When the ships reached mid sea Allah sent a storm which overturned the ship which carried the men and all of then drowned. The stormy winds carried the ship in which the lady was sitting to an island. She came out of the ship, tied it on the shore and began to walk on the island. She saw a beautiful house near a water spring. All around were trees bearing fruits. She told herself: I will stay here, eat these fruits and drink this fresh water and pass the rest of my life in worshipping only one Allah. Allah sent a revelation to one of the Prophets of that time to go to the king (by whose order the Qadi had stoned the lady) and tell him: On such and such island is a pious slave girl. Go to her along with all of your people, confess all your past sins and request her to pardon you. If she forgives you I will also forgive you. Otherwise I will chastise all of you severely. On getting this message from the Divine Messenger the king went to that island along with his people where they saw the woman. He approached her respectfully and said, “This Qadi had complained to me that the wife of his brother had committed adultery. I ordered her to be stoned to death without making proper inquiries and without calling for appropriate witnesses. I am afraid I have behaved unjustly in this matter. Kindly pray to Allah to pardon me.” She said, Sit down. Allah will forgive you. Then her husband came before her (she recognized him) and said, I had a very pious wife. I had to leave town on a job for the king and so had to leave my wife on her own even though she did not wish me to do so. I had asked my brother to look after her and to see to her needs. After returning I came to know that my brother had her stoned to death as she had indulged in the misdeed of adultery. I am afraid I was at fault in this matter. So kindly pray that I may be pardoned by Allah.
She said, “May Allah pardon you too. Sit down.” She made him sit by the side of the king. Then came the Qadi who also narrated his mistakes and begged her to pray to Allah for his pardoning. She told him also to sit down and said, May Allah forgive you too. Then she turned toward her husband and said, Listen. Then that monk also submitted his misdeed and she told him too to sit down and told him that Allah will forgive him. Then the slave of the monk appeared before her and narrated his excesses and oppressions and pleaded for her prayers so that he may also get salvation. She said, Sit down. May Allah pardon you also. Thereafter she asked the monk to listen. Last of all came the man who had been freed from the gallows by her. He also confessed his crimes and prayed for pardon for his thanklessness. Then the chaste lady turned toward her husband and said, I am your wife. All that you have heard is related to me. Now I am in no need of a husband. I wish this ship which is full of jewelry to be taken away by you for your requirements and let me remain here only for worship of Allah. You have seen how much torture I have received from the hands of men. Her husband agreed to her wish of staying on that island. He then took charge of the ship and returned with the king and all the people back to the capital.
Reference: Hayat Al-Qulub, Vol. 1, Stories of the Prophets