Aslam

(7) Abu Darda reported: Whenever the Prophet Abraham stood in prayer, the sound of his breast out of fear of God was heard from a distance of one mile.

(8) Mojahed reported that the Prophet David once wept in prostration for 40 days. He did not raise up his head till grass grew out of his tears and covered his head. Then proclamation came: O David are you hungry that I would give you food? Are you thirsty that I would give you drink? Are you without cloth that I would give you cloth? Then he gave out such a long and hot breath that a dry wood caught fire from it. Then God accepted his repentance and forgave him. Prophet David said: O Lord, imprint my sin on my hands. Thereupon his sins were imprinted on his hands. From that time he began to weep at the time of taking food, drink and other works. He wept so much that if a cup was placed below his eyes, it would have been filled up with tears. It is reported that he did not raise up his head towards the sky till he gave up his life owing to shame of sins.

(9) Prophet David used to say in his Monazat: O God, when I remember sins the world becomes narrow for me inspite of its vastness. When I remember Thy mercy, my life comes within me.

1 went to one who is a physician among Thy servants. I informed him of my sins. He told me to return to Thee. Woe to one who is despaired of Thy mercy. Hazrat Fazil reported that once when Prophet David repented for his sins, he placed his hand over his head and gavesuch a loud shriek that its echo came back from the mountains. The beasts then gathered round him and he said:
Return, I have got nothing to say to you. I want that everybody

138 FEAR AND HOPE Vol-IV

should weep for his sins. Don't come to me without weeping.
When he was rebuked for excessive weeping, he said: let me weep before going out for the day of weeping, before my limbs are crushed into dust and before the angels are ordered to take harsh and stringent measures against me. They don't disobey what they are ordered with.