We have come to Prophet Hud (a.

We have come to Prophet Hud (a.s.) to request him to pray for the rains.” The wife of Hud (a.s.) remarked, “If his prayers had been answered, he would have prayed for himself; his own crops are withering away due to lack of water.” They persisted, “Where is he at present?” She informed them of his whereabouts whereupon the group approached him and placed their request before him.

Prophet Hud (a.s.) offered prayers and then supplicated, after which he turned to them and said, “ You may return for it has rained over your city.” But as they sought to take his leave, they asked him, “When we approached your house we had come across a lady, who said: ‘If the prayers of Hud were to have been answered, would he not have prayed for himself?’ Prophet Hud (a.s.) said, “That woman is my wife and I pray to God to grant her a long life.” “Why do you pray so?” asked the people.

He replied, “God has not created a Mu'min except that He has also ordained an enemy for him to trouble him. This woman is my enemy and an enemy of whom I am the master, is better than an enemy, who happens to be my master.” [^6] Muhammad Ibn Abi U’mair Served Three Imams Muhammad Ibn Abi U'mair had the opportunity of serving Imam Kadhim, Imam Ridha and Imam Jawad (a.s.) and both, the Sunnites and the Shiites, have attested to his trustworthiness and uprightness.

He was a cloth-merchant by profession and financially very well off. He wrote ninety-four books on traditions and jurisprudence. Due to his stateliness, and his knowledge of the names of the Shiites, he used to be greatly troubled during the period of Haroon Al-Rashid and Mamun; he would be abused, imprisoned and his property would be seized.

He was asked to become a judge, but he declined the offer; since he was familiar with the Shiites of Iraq, he was asked to reveal their names, but he refused to comply so they flung him into prison and, on numerous occasions, he was whipped so severely that he was barely left alive. Once, upon the orders of Haroon Al-Rashid, Sindi Ibn Shaahak subjected him to a hundred and twenty lashes and he had to purchase his freedom by paying one thousand dirhams.

Financially, he suffered a loss of a hundred thousand dirhams and his captivity extended for a period of four years. His sister ( Sa’eedah or Minnah) gathered all his books and concealed them, but it so happened that one day it rained and all his books were ruined.