514 – ʿAbdullāh narrated to us; my father narrated to me; Ibrāhīm ibn Khālid narrated to us; Umayyah ibn Shibl narrated to us, from ʿAbdullāh ibn Wahb—who, I think, related it from his own father; Abū Muḥammad was uncertain about the link—

He said: “A devout worshipper from among the Children of Israel was secluded in a hermitage, engrossed in worship. A band of corrupt men said, ‘If only we could lure him down somehow.’ They went to a prostitute and said to her, ‘Go and seduce him.’

“So she came to him on a dark, rainy night and said, ‘O servant of Allah, give me shelter with you.’ He was standing in prayer and his lamp was burning brightly, yet he paid her no attention. She repeated, ‘O servant of Allah, it is dark and raining—give me refuge with you.’

“She persisted until he allowed her to enter. She lay down while he remained standing in prayer. She began turning about, displaying the beauty of her form, until his soul inclined toward her. He said, ‘No, by Allah, not until I see how you would endure the Fire.’ Then he approached the lamp, put one of his fingers into it, and kept it there until it burned.

“He then returned to his place of prayer, but his soul tempted him again. He went back to the lamp and placed his finger in it once more until it burned. He returned again to his place of prayer, and yet again his soul prompted him…"