It was narrated that in the days that Musa alayhis salaam wandered with Bani Israeel in the desert, an intense drought befell them ... 

Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come ... 

Then, to the astonishment of Musa alayhis salaam and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished ... T
he heat poured down ... 
And the drought intensified ...

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israeel who had disobeyed Allah subhaanahu wa ta 'aala for more than forty years of his life ... 

"Let him separate himself from the congregation" 
Allah subhaanahu wa ta 'aala told Musa alayhis salaam ... 
"Only then shall I shower you all with rain"

Musa alayhis salaam then called out to the throngs of humanity:

"There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years ... 
Let him separate himself from the congregation 
And only then shall we be rescued from the drought"

That man waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did ... 

Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one ... 
The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst ...
And that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity ...

He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before ... 
With humility he had never tasted ... 
And as tears poured down on both cheeks he said: 

O Allah, have mercy on me ... 
O Allah, hide my sins ... 
O Allah, forgive me ...


As Musa alayhis salaam and the people of Bani Israeel waited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured ... 

Musa alayhi salaam asked Allah subhaanahu wa ta 'aala: 

"O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward"

And Allah subhaanahu wa ta 'aala replied: 

"O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israeel with water"

Musa alayhis salaam, wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked: 

"Show him to me O Allah"

Allah subhaanahu wa ta 'aala replied: 

"O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years ... Do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him" ???