As for his strength, he asked the shepherds to give him a bucket, which they did, and he drew it up alone, although it took ten men—or, according to another account, forty—to draw it up. He prayed for its contents to be blessed, and it sufficed for both women’s livestock. This is what Allah, exalted, says:

“So he watered their flocks for them, then withdrew into the shade and said, ‘My Lord, I am truly in need of whatever good You send down to me.’” [al-Qasas: 24]

It is also said that he single-handedly lifted a rock covering the mouth of the well, although it took ten men—or, according to another account, forty—to lift it.

As for the trustworthiness she ascribed to him, peace and blessings be upon him, when she walked ahead of him, he feared that the wind might lift her garment and expose some part of her body that should remain covered, for it was a windy day. He therefore told her to walk behind him, saying, “Show me the way and describe it to me.” Shuayb said:

“I wish to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you, on condition that you work for me for eight years. If you complete ten, that will be of your own accord.” [al-Qasas: 27]

That is, on condition that you tend my livestock for eight years.

“If you complete ten, that will be of your own accord. I do not wish to make things difficult for you. You will find me, if Allah wills, among the righteous.” [al-Qasas: 27]

It is related that Ibn Mas'ūd said: “When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed us to give charity, one of us would go to the market and work as a porter—that is, carry loads on his back—and earn a mudd of grain. Yet today one of them possesses a hundred thousand.” The narrator who related this from him said: “I think he meant none other than himself.”

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abū Bakr hired a man from Banū al-Dīl as an expert guide, although he followed the religion of the disbelievers of Quraysh. They entrusted their two riding camels to him and arranged to meet him at the Cave of Thawr after three nights. He came to them with their two camels on the morning after those three nights.”

He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Your likeness and that of the Jews and Christians is that of a man who hired some people to work for him for a day until nightfall, for an agreed wage. They worked for him until midday, then said, ‘We have no need of the wage you stipulated for us, and we forgo payment for the work we have done.’ He said to them, ‘Do not do that. Complete the rest of your day and receive your wage in full.’ But they refused and left. He then hired others after them and said, ‘Complete the remainder of this day, and you shall receive what I stipulated