The Worms

A king was once passing along his way when he saw some animal droppings. And he saw some worms in those droppings. The thought came to his mind that there is no purpose behind the creation of these worms. They are useless, with no real job.

Very soon thereafter he lost his eyesight. Being rich, he spent thousands of rands trying different treatments to restore his eyesight. All to no avail. Then it was mentioned to him that a certain pious Hakeem (natural medical practioner) was very good. The king sent for him.

The Hakeem refused to go to the king and asked that the king come to him. On examining the king, the Hakeem prescribed a powder that was to be put in the king’s eyes three times a day. Gradually the king’s eyesight returned until he was fully cured.

He went to the Hakeem with lavish gifts which the Hakeem refused. The king said, ‘At least tell me what you used in that wonderful medicine.’ The Hakeem replied that he used the worms which one finds in animal droppings. He dried them out, crushed them into powder and made the king apply that to his eyes. The king bowed his head in submission to Allah, Who created every atom with a definite purpose.

Never look down on any creation of Allah Ta’ala, for everything is there for a reason. The events that happen to us also have definite purpose. Every human is a valuable treasure who can benefit the world.
Source: http://islamicfocus.blogspot.com

The Eagle and Crow

“Anwaar-e-Suhaili is a well known Persian book. In it has been narrated a very thought provoking story:

Once a man saw a crow whose wings were cut. He thought, “poor thing, how is it going to survive? From where shall it get its food?” Hardly a moment had passed when that person spotted an eagle carrying some prey in its beak. The eagle came closer, landed and fed the crow.

On seeing this the man thought “ This is how Allah provides for His creatures, so why should I worry about earning a living. Allah will provide for me.” So he sat down and remained idle. Some days passed but yet the person did not get anything. One wise man said to him “ O servant of Allah, you were shown two birds, one injured crow and an eagle. Why did you prefer to become like the crow? Why did you not think about becoming like the eagle who not only eats himself but also feeds others who are in need?

This story illustrates very well the real nature of ‘Tawakkul’. IF anyone has yet means of livelihood at his disposal, then he should not give up those means. His case is a like that of the eagle. He should not only fulfil his own needs but also look after others. “
Taken from “the World Within” by Mufti Muhammad Shafi (late grand mufti of Pakistan)
Source : Tears of Realisation

Sammy’s big Catch

Sammy was a good-looking young boy who lived in the deep south. His summer days were filled with times of walking through the woods, playing with friends, and fishing in the pond down the dirt road. Fishing was by far his favorite thing to do. Just about every day during his summer vacation, he would dig up some worms and head off, pole in hand, for a day of fishing.

This steamy hot day was like most others during Sammy’s summer break. Waking early, he could hear as though the pond was calling him to come fish. Sammy quietly walked out the front door, grabbed his pitchfork and worm pail from the porch,and walked into the woods to search for bait. He turned over old stumps and dug under leaves hoping to find worms. Under one old stump he hit the jackpot. The ground was writhing. In two minutes he had all the bait he needed, and in 15 minutes he was at the pond.

Reaching into his bait bucket, Sammy pulled out a big worm. He double hooked it and tossed it into the water. He noticed a stinging in his hand, but filled with the excitement of the moment, he paid no attention to it. Within 30 seconds, Sammy had a strike and pulled in a nice catfish. Wow, he thought, a fish in the first minute. This is unbelievable!

He put the catch on his stringer, hurried to re-bait his hook, and tried his luck again. Once again he felt a stinging sensation in his hand as he threw his hook into the pond. He didn’t have time to worry about it. Within just a few seconds, he had another huge fish. He fumbled the next time he baited his hook–his hand felt numb and stiff. But Sammy was too excited about catching another fish to give it much thought.

At the end of only an hour of fishing, Sammy had caught eight large fish. This was definitely his best fishing day ever. He was so proud of his accomplishment that, even though there was plenty of day left to fish, he threw the heavy stringer of fish over his shoulder and dashed down the dirt road toward home to show off his catch to his mom and dad.

The local sheriff happened to drive up alongside Sammy and started to congratulate him on his catch of fish. With a smile and a victory whoop, Sammy held up the stringer. The sheriff gasped, parked his car and strode over to Sammy.

His eyes hadn’t deceived him–Sammy’s arms really were red and swollen to about twice their normal size. Exactly where have you been and what bait did you use to catch all those fish?” the sheriff asked Sammy, already guessing the answer.

I found some special bait under an old stump,” Sammy boasted. “These worms really wiggle good,” he commented, handing up the bait bucket for inspection. After a close look at the worms, the sheriff went into fast-forward. Securing the bucket in his truck, he then scooped Sammy and his stringer of fish into the back seat of his patrol car. Spinning a U-turn on the gravel road, he sped off to the hospital, but Sammy was already dead.

What the sheriff had discovered was that Sammy had been fishing with baby rattlesnakes. Sammy’s deadly bait brought him a good morning’s fishing but cost him his life. Had Sammy stopped fishing after that first sting, he could have been saved. One bite from a baby rattler won’t kill a person who gets treatment in time. But Sammy was having fun and didn’t bother himself with the “small voice of pain” in his hand. Then, as his hand grew numb, even that small voice was silenced.

Playing around with sin is like using baby rattlesnakes for bait. Sinning seems harmless to people who don’t recognize sin and are unaware of its deadly consequences. The more sin you get into, however, the more numb you become to its sting. In the excitement of the moment, you ignore the still small “voice of the Creator” warning you of danger and encouraging you to choose good rather than that which is evil.
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Hadhrat Abu Hurairah(R.A.) narrates that the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said: When a mu’min(believer) sins, a black spot appears in his heart and then when he does taubah(repentance) and istighfaar(forgiveness) his heart is cleansed (of the black spot). And when he sins more, the spot enlarges till it covers the entire heart. Hence this is the rust which Allah has mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an thus: “Kaallaa barRaana ‘Alaa quloobihim maa kaanoo yaksiboon” Translation:” By no means! But what they have earned is rust upon their hearts”.(Surah 83 Ayah14). (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)-Masnad Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
When the heart has a strong attachment to the life of this world, and the bearer of this heart is immersed in sin, “Raan” (a black covering) overcomes the heart. Because, every sin is a black stain on the heart. These black stains accumulate until the “Raan” is total and prevents the penetration of light to the heart.

When the heart is darkened, things no longer appear as they truly are, for Truth is confused and its face no longer apparent. The heart is inverted and sees Truth as falsehood and falsehood as Truth.
Hadrat ‘Auf bin Maalik(R.A.) used to say: I know the taubah(repentance) of every sin. He was asked: What is the taubah(repentance) of this sin? He said : The sin which one abandons and never goes back to it.
Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood (R.A.) narrates that the Prophet(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said: “A sincere repenter of sins is like one who has not committed sins.” (Baihaqi).

Source: Al Islaah publications

The Scholar and the Ferryman

A scholar of language and grammar undertook a journey. A river had to be crossed. As was the custom in those days, the scholar hired the boat of a waiting ferryman who took people across the river.

During the journey, the scholar asked the ferryman, with obvious pride and mockery, if he knew anything about grammar and the rules of language.

The ferryman simply replied, “I don’t.”

“Alas!” retorted the rude scholar of grammar, “You have wasted half of your life.”

At this, the sailor was terribly hurt and aggrieved. But he kept quiet. Suddenly the boat was extremely nervous in the high waves and gushing water. “Do you know how to swim, learned Sir?” asked the sailor.

“No!” said the scholar.

The ferryman remarked, “Alas! You have wasted your whole life for the boat is sure to capsize in a few minutes.”

Moral: Knowledge in one branch is not enough to be proud about. 

Are we this foolish?

There lived in a town a very rich man, who was given every comfort and luxury by Allah. He had a servant who was slightly foolish. One day the rich man called him and presented him with a gift saying: “Keep this in a safe place until you find someone more foolish than yourself. When you do, give it to Him.”

The servant replied: “Very good, Sir!”

After some time, the rich man became very ill. Many doctors treated him but there was no sign of recovery. He finally lost hope and called for his servant and said to Him: “I am leaving now. If I have caused you any grief, please forgive me.”

Servant: “Sir, where are you going?”

Rich Man: “Where everyone has to go.”

Servant: “When wil you return?”

Rich Man: “I am going to a place from where there is no return.”

Servant: “I see…Have you made your preparations for your comfort there, sir?”

Rich Man: “No.”

Servant: “Sir, have you made arangements to safeguard yourself from heat and cold?”

Rich Man: “No.”

Servant: “What have you done about your food and drink, sir?”

RichMan: “Nothing.”

Hearing this, the servant laughed and said: “Sir, this is most surprising. In your temporary home, you have made all sorts of arrangements of joy and comfort; buildings and bungalows, gardens and parks, servants and maids, beautiful cars, shops, factories and all sorts of luxuries, but for your permanent home, you have made no preparations whatsoever.
Now tell me sir! Where will I find someone more foolish than you? Hence I am giving this gift to you.”

The moral of the story is that we should take time out and review frequently whether our actions are solely for the life of this world or for the eternal life in the hereafter.

Paid in Full

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and he handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: $0.50
Babysitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $0.25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he’d written on, and this is what she wrote:

For 9 months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge.
For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge.
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years: No Charge.
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge.
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge,
Son. When you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said,

“Mom, I sure do love you”.

And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: “PAID IN FULL”

Moral:  Don’t be too consumed in yourself and what you are doing to ignore the good others do for you and the countless blessings that Almighty Allah has already granted you.

Burnt Toast

burnt toast

“When I was a little Boy, I remember one day in particular when she had made breakfast. She must have been very tired. My mom placed a plate of eggs, and rather burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed. Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how was I ready for school. I don’t remember what I replied, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jam on that toast and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I’ll never forget what he said: ‘Baby, I love burned toast.’

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, ‘Your Momma works hard day after day and she’s real tired. And besides a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!’ You know, life is full of imperfect things…..and imperfect people. I’m not the best football player either.

What I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults – and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences – is the one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

We should learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of Allah. Because in the end, He’s the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt toast isn’t a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact – as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!!”

Source: MuftiSays forum

Only for Allah

There was a pious man among the Banu Israel who always remained busy in the worship of Allah.  A group of people came to him and told him that a tribe living nearby worshipped a tree. The news upset him, and with an axe on his shoulder he went to cut down that tree.

On the way, Satan met him in the form of an old man and asked him where he was going.  He said he was going to cut a particular tree.  Satan said, “You have nothing to be concerned with this tree, you better mind your worship and do not give it up for the sake of something that does not concern you.” “This is also worship,” retorted the worshipper. Then Satan tried to prevent him from cutting the tree, and there followed a fight between the two, in which the worshipper overpowered the Satan.

Finding himself completely helpless, Satan begged to be excused, and when the worshipper released him, he again said, “Allah has not made the cutting of this tree obligatory on you. You do not lose anything if you do not cut it. If its cutting were necessary, Allah could have got it done through one of his many Prophets.” The worshipper insisted on cutting the tree. There was again a fight between the two and again the worshipper overpowered the Satan.

“Well listen,” said Satan, “I propose a settlement that will be to your advantage.” The worshipper agreed, and Satan said, “You are a poor man, a mere burden on this earth. If you stay away from this act, I will pay you three gold coins everyday. You will daily find them lying under your pillow. By this money you can fulfil your own needs, can oblige your relative, help the needy, and do so many other virtuous things. Cutting the tree will be only one virtue, which will ultimately be of no use because the people will grow another tree.”

This proposal appealed to the worshipper, and he accepted it. He found the money on two successive days, but on the third day there was nothing. He got enraged, picked up his axe and went to cut the tree. Satan as an old man again met him on the way and asked him where he was going. “To cut the tree,” shouted the worshipper. “I will not let you do it,” said Satan. A fight took place between the two again but this time Satan had the upper hand and overpowered the worshipper.

The latter was surprised at his own defeat, and asked the former the cause of his success. Satan replied, “At first, your anger was purely for earning the pleasure of Allah, and therefore Almighty Allah helped you to overpower me, but now it has been partly for the sake of the gold
coins and therefore you lost.”
Source: From the book “Ihyaa-ul Uloom Ud Deen” by Imam Ghazzali (ra)

A Pond of Milk

Once there was a king who told some of his workers to dig a pond. Once the pond was dug, the king made an announcement to his people saying that one person from each household has to bring a glass of milk during the night and pour it into the pond. So, the pond should be full of milk by the morning. After receiving the order, everyone went home. One man prepared to take the milk during the night. He thought that since everyone will bring milk, he could just hide a glass of water and pour inside the pond. Because it will be dark at night, no one will notice. So he quickly went and poured the water in the pond and came back. In the morning, the king came to visit the pond and to his surprise the pond was only filled with water! What has happened is that everyone was thinking like the other man that “I don’t have to put the milk, someone else will do it.”

Dear friends, when it comes to help the Religion of Allah, do not think that others will take care of it. Rather, it starts from you, if you don’t do it, no one else will do it. So, change yourself to the way of Allah to serve Him and that will make the difference.

Ch 19: Islam, the Perfect and True Religion

Isabella did not say anything after this and all those present were struck dumb. The Christian women put their heads down in humility, while Muslims seemed to be pleased in their minds. The Christian woman herself sat silent and found no word to say. When Isabella noticed her helplessness she spoke again.

Isabella: Well, you must be tired now. Let us put off the discussion till tomorrow. Now, say at what time will you be able to come?

Christian woman: I will not rise without finally deciding about truth and falsehood right now. But probably you are tired.

Isabella: From me you are at ease to continue the talk day and night and do not go till truth and falsehood are sorted out. What I said was for your convenience.

Christian woman: In fact, I am resolved to carry the discussion till the last point. Now, just say what was the need of Islam when Christianity prevailed.

Isabella: If Islam had not come, truth would not have been brought here to the world. It was Islam which revived the teachings of Apostles and taught people purity and cleanness. I tell you briefly a few reasons for the coming of Islam :

(1) Islam by its advent perfected religion, for teaching of previous revealed Books were suited for their own time and had no universal appeal. The Quran filled the gap.

(2) True teachings of Prophets were corrupted by their followers which the Quran purified. For instance, Christians, by deifying Jesus Christ, had built up the rotten structure of assigning partners to Allah which was pulled down first. Islam brought the light of the sun of God’s unity and presented the true form of God’s Glory and Mercy to the world.

(3) Ahl-i-Kitab (People of the Book) had attributed many shameful acts to Prophets, calling some of them liars, cheats and adulterers and thus making all Prophets sinners. Islam strongly refuted these charges and restored the real nobility and dignity of Prophets.

(4) Ahl-i-Kitab (People of the Book), by interpreting their sacred Books, had manipulated them and so people’s trust on all revealed Books was lost. The Quran exposed their mischief and fraud and presented all the real teachings of previous Books anew, and now we have no need of any other book as the Quran includes teachings of all the Books revealed to Prophets.

(5) Since previous Prophets and their revealed Books were for particular periods and particular people, so they did not contain laws which were needed by men till the last day. The gap was filled by the Quran and, after completing the code of religion, proclaimed that needs of all humanity are served in it by which men will be benefited till the Day of Judgment.

Do you now realise why Islam came to the world?

Christian woman: All these are mere claims without arguments, you neither mentioned any miracle of your Prophet nor proved his Prophet-hood. The question of his teachings comes after these problems are resolved.

Isabella: You asked me to say what was the need of the advent of Islam and I briefly narrated some of the needs. Now it is for you to meet these arguments. I have already given you the proof of miracles and have put up to you such a living miracle which can be seen by all the world today, that is, the Quran and its challenge. If the Quran is not the” Word of Allah, then bring just one verse to compare with it. But it is just this which the world could not accomplish. As to the Prophet being a Messenger of Allah its proof is in this very miracle. When not even one verse can be produced to compare with it, then it is established that it is the Word of Allah and the person who brought it can only be True Apostle of Allah. Another proof is that the Prophet, after his getting Prophethood, gave such a reform to the world and in his own lifetime made entire Arabia to bow before Allah. Can an example of this type be found in any false prophet? Just name even one fraudulent man who would have performed this great reforming task.

Christian woman: Whatever you say, your Prophet is not fit to be obeyed. How can a person who had shed blood all his life and married so many women be ever a reformer? Look at the purity of our Lord, that he never married all his life.

Isabella: Well, your lord was God and did not need married life, for it is man who needs marriage. As our Prophet was a human being like others, he contracted marriages. But just name any other Prophet who, in spite of being a human being, had not married.

Christian woman: The perfect man is one who is distinguished from others.

Isabella: But you believe your Lord to be God, Son of God.

Christian woman: But along with this our Lord was also a perfect man.

Isabella: Did he eat and drink ?

Christian woman: Why not? His eating and drinking was not in his capacity of God but in the capacity of man.

Isabella: Then, how was your Lord distinguished? What is the definition of perfect man?

Christian woman: The perfect man is one in whose obeying there is no difficulty.

Isabella: Quite right. Now, you yourself have clarified the point. How can a Christian who has wife and children follow his Lord in his home life? Similarly, how can Christians who are fighting against Muslims and idolaters follow their Lord in military matters?

Christian woman: Our Lord neither fought any battle nor married. So the question does not arise.

Isabella: You have defined perfect man as one in following whom no difficulty arises. But here a great difficulty has arisen, for a man with a wife and children has no model for him in your Lord because he remained unmarried all his life. In the same way for the man staking his life in a battle, for him Christ cannot be a model.

Christian woman (after some silence): Our Lord is the model for spiritual life. What concern he has with physical life?

Isabella: Quite right, Jesus Christ can be a model in spiritual life and not in physical life. So for physical life another guide should be found. In this aspect your Lord is wanting. But the being who can be a model both for spiritual and physical life is only one. Man is neither only physical that he needs just a worldly guide. Just as man is a combination of spirit and body, he needs a guide who can rightly guide him in both the spheres of life and whose life can be a model in the whole life of man. There is no doubt that Prophet Moses’ life was of Dignity, while the life of Jesus Christ was of Grace, but the life of the Last Prophet, Muhammad, was of Perfection. Just as his life was a model for the prayerful, pious and for sufi, so also for a man of the world, a merchant and even for a king, The Prophet Muhammad grazed goats in early life, then retired to the seclusion of the cave of Hira for meditation.

He traded in Syria, then married Khadijah and, taking to household life, preached from the top of mount Faran and in the lanes of Mecca, went to preach in Taif and among the tribes of Hejaz and suffered at the hands of enemies and opponents, served the starving people, looked after orphans and widows of the community, migrated from Mecca to Medina, made pacts with Jews of Medina, built mosques, settled disputes between parties, led prayers, delivered speeches at different places, trained armies in the battles of Badr and Uhud and led them as a commander, exhibited the highest military skill, and then prayed at night and for so long a time that his feet swelled and cracked. So, in fact, all the ways and means and models of life’s requirements are found in the sacred, perfect life of our Holy Prophet Muhammad. Just as for one who grazes goats as well as for a great trader his life is a model, so also for a preacher and for a traveller and an emigrant his sacred life is worth following, so also for a retired devotee he is a good guide and his teaching a model for worldly men of homely life.

And his teaching provides perfect regulations, for international life as also for the need of the dweller of forests. Just as his plan of work is a guide in the battlefield, so also he is a good model for people in the days of peace and security. In short, in household life, preaching, trading, leadership, sermonising and leading prayers, retired life, tending cattle, formulating laws, ruling as king, and in happiness and mourning, marriage and divorce, life and death, teaching and training children and whatever tasks come in man’s civilised life there is nothing for which there is not a model in the perfect life of the Prophet. Thus perfection of life and all embarrassing needs of life are found neither in the life of Prophet Moses, nor in Prophet Jesus. So in justice and honesty we are bound to say that the Last Prophet Muhammad embodies in him all spiritual and physical codes of human life and of glory as well as grace. Any man of the world who is in search of a correct plan of actions for this world or the next for him in all honesty there is no other course but to take cover under the vast and merciful shade of the Last of the Prophets, Muhammad, and his sacred and complete life, his code of conduct.

The entire assembly was struck dumb after this speech of Isabella and even the Christian woman with all her claim of performing miracles was entranced. When Isabella found the Christian woman sunk in humility and remorse, she apologised to all guests and said good-bye to them.

It is reported by Abu Hafs that the effect of this speech was that many of the Christian women present at the meeting accepted Islam and after some years even that Christian woman also accepted Islam at the truthful hands of Isabella. But it did not happen all at once ; it took a few years for the amenable souls to come under the shade of Divine Grace and Mercy.

So long as Isabella lived she continued to render magnificent services to Islam. On the one hand she silenced Christians and on the other hand poured an ocean of learning in traditions and interpretation of the Holy Quran, and thousands of Muslim divines were benefited by her learning. She lived up to the age of eighty. All Spain mourned her death and millions offered her funeral prayer.

THE END

Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

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