It is related that during the time intervening between I’sa—t. w. s.—and Muhammad—bl., etc.—a learned, intelligent, and abstemious youth appeared, whose name was Jarib. He became addicted to solitude [already] in the thirteenth year of his life, which he spent in obedience and prayer. His mother was distinguished by modesty, piety, retirement, and sedateness. She was in the habit of bringing food and drink to his cell, and when she once arrived at the door of it in a rainy night he failed to reply to her call, as he was absorbed in his devotions. When the pious woman became tired of standing at the door, she exclaimed: ‘May God show thee the countenances of the notorious ones!’ meaning courtesans and wicked females.
On account of the crime committed by Barssissa the people had become exasperated against monks, and injured them by words and deeds; they were likewise hostile to Jarih for his asceticism and piety. They concocted various stratagems for the purpose of ruining him, and at last took hold of a prostitute, whom they induced on the promise of a large sum of money to asperse Jarih with the suspicion of profligacy. This woman they instructed how to obtain admission to the cell, and conveying her to the door of it, they sat down in the ambush of deceit and fraud. This woman, who was extremely handsome, shook the ring of the door of Jarih, whereon the latter asked: ‘Who art thou?’ She replied: ‘I am a poor woman coming from a distant place, and I dread to spend the night in the desert for fear of robbers and wild beasts; if thou allowest me to spend it at the threshold of thy cell I shall consider it as a great favour.’ Jarih took pity on the woman, admitted her, and continued his devotions. After he had terminated them, the adulteress began her arts of dalliance, and courted closer intercourse with him. But the hermit replied: ‘I shall not be guilty of such an act,’ and continued his prayers. It is related that [nevertheless] the inspirations of Satan took such effect on Jarih that he became willing to commit adultery with her, but, fearing the fire of hell, exclaimed: ‘O my soul! if thou canst bear to be scorched in the flames I shall satisfy thy concupiscence.’ Then he put his hand into the fire, and when one of his fingers was burnt his lust abandoned him. Satan, however, continuing to tempt him, he again tried to stifle his passion, stretched his hand forth into the fire, and struggled with himself till the morn dawned. At daybreak he opened his door and let the woman out, who was immediately assailed with questions from all sides by the evil-doers, who wanted to know what had taken place, and she spoke as follows: ‘It is a long time since Jarih has had intercourse with me, and I am with child by him; nay, the time of my confinement is near at hand.’ The malefactors then immediately threw a halter on the neck of Jarih, and dragged him to the residence of the king, to whom they represented the case. Jarih was condemned to be killed and crucified; but when his mother heard of the sentence she obtained access to him, and said: ‘I know that thou hast not committed adultery; but what has happened took place in consequence of my imprecation.’ She then left him and hastened to the king, whom she implored not to precipitate this matter, because she would bring proofs of her son’s innocence. The king asked how she could do so, whereon she demanded that the profligate woman should be produced. Orders having been issued to that effect, she made her appearance, and the mother of Jarih placed her hand on the abdomen of the woman, uttering a prayer that truth might be discerned from falsehood, and innocence from guilt. Then she exclaimed: ‘O tenant of the womb!’ Whereon the embryo answered from the uterus: ‘I await thy orders!’ in such a manner that all persons present heard the voice. Then Jarih’s mother asked: ‘Who is thy father?’ And the voice was heard: ‘Such and such a shepherd—the relative of such and such persons.’ These words the embryo repeated thrice. The king, with the whole assembly, was much astonished, and Jarih was liberated.
It is said that when, three days after, the confinement of the adulteress had taken place, the wicked and obstreperous people again assembled, and machinated the destruction of Jarih, whilst some denied that the embryo in the womb had spoken anything at all. The mother of Jarih having been apprised of this, said to the king: ‘God, who had vouchsafed the gift of speech to the infant whilst in the womb, is able to do so out of it likewise.’ Accordingly she requested the mother to be brought forward with her child, and this having been done she exclaimed: ‘O boy, who is thy father?’ The infant replied in a loud voice: ‘Such and such a shepherd.’ When the people who were in the assembly heard this statement they ceased to persecute Jarih.
In some traditions it is narrated that a shepherd who pastured his flock in the vicinity of Jarih’s hermitage had intercourse with the adulteress, but that the owner of the cell prohibited the shepherd from there associating with the woman, and that the shepherd thus offended, had instructed his paramour to accuse Jarih of having committed adultery with her. When this rumour had been heard by the governor he issued orders for the execution and crucifixion of the hermit; and on the latter’s meeting the woman on the road and smiling, the people asked him for the reason, whereon he replied: ‘I have fallen into this trial on account of the imprecation of my mother, who once said to me: May God show thee the countenances of the notorious ones.’ After that the monk asked the infant in an assembly: ‘Who is thy father?’ And God the Most High and Glorious caused the infant to say: ‘A certain shepherd,’ which words he repeated thrice. The people heard them, were astonished, and released Jarih; God, however, is most wise!