Short Stories

[Peace]

I will share with you a story which shows the clever decision of a youth on how to live this life. This story is only an example.

There was a country long time ago where the people would change a king every year. The person who would become the king had to agree to a contract that he will be sent to an island after his one year of being a king. So, one king finished his term and it was time for him to go to the island and live there. The people dressed him up in expensive clothes and put him on an elephant and took him around the cities to say goodbye to all the people. This was the moment of sadness for all the kings who ruled for one year. After saying goodbye, the people took the king with a boat to the remote island and left him there. On their way back, they discovered a ship that had sunk just recently. They saw a young man who survived by holding on to a floating piece of wood. As they needed a new king, they picked up the young man and took him to their country. They requested him to be a king for a year. First he refused but later he agreed to be a king. People told him about all the rules and regulations and that how he will be sent to an island after one year.

After three days of being a king, he asked the ministers if they could show him the island where all the other kings were sent. They agreed and took him to the island. The island was covered with thick jungles and sound of vicious animals were heard coming out of them. The king went little bit inside to see how it was and discovered the dead bodies of all the past kings. He understood that as soon as they were left in the island, the animals came and killed them. The king then went back to the country and requested the people to provide him with 100 strong workers. He was provided with 100 workers and he took them to the island and told them to remove all the deadly animals and to cut down all the trees. He would visit the island every month to see how the work is progressing. In the first month, all the animals were removed and many trees were cut down. In the second month, the whole island was cleaned out. The king then told the workers to plant gardens in various parts of the island. He also took with himself useful animals like chickens, ducks, birds, goats, cows etc. In the third month, he ordered the workers to build big houses and docking stations for ships. Over the months, the island turned into a beautiful place. The young king would wear simple clothes and spend very little from his earnings. He sent all the earnings to the island for storage. Nine months have passed like this. The king called the people and told them that "I know that I have to go the island after one year, but I would like to go there right now." But the people didn't agree to this and said that he have to wait for another 3 months to complete the year.

3 months passed and now it was a full year. The people dressed up the young king and put him on an elephant to take him around the country to say goodbye to others. However, this king is unusually happy to leave the kingdom. People asked him, "All the other kings would cry at this moment and why are you laughing?" He replied, "Don't you know what the wise people say? They say that when you came to this world as a baby, you were crying and everyone was smiling. Live such a life that when you are dieing, you will be smiling and everyone around you will be crying. I have lived that life. While all the other kings were lost into the luxuries of the kingdom, I always thought about the future and planned for it. I turned the deadly island into a beautiful abode for me where I can stay peacefullly."

We should take a lesson from this story about how we should also live our life. The life of this world is to prepare for the life hereafter. In this life, we shouldn't get lost into the beautiful things of this world and forget about what is to come in the afterlife. Rather, even if we are kings, we should live a simple life like our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and save all our enjoyments for the hereafter. May Allah make it easy for us all.

 

[Peace]

Alexander the Great is known as the most powerful military leader and conqueror of the ancient world. Before he turned 30 years old he conquered an empire stretching over 3,000 miles from Greece to India. He was born in 356 BC in Macedonia, known today as northern Greece.

On his sickbed and during his last hour alive, Alexander the Great told his generals "After my death, when you put my body in the casket, let my arms hang over the edges with my palms wide open, so the public can see my empty hands while I am leaving the world." After he died, many dignitaries came to view the royal funeral and were very surprised to see his arms hanging over the edge of the casket with his palms wide open. They asked questions about this unique scene. A wise man told them “O’ People, Alexander the Great is telling us that when he ruled the world, great treasures of gold, silver and wealth came to be under his possession. Yet, indeed he is leaving the world empty handed."

Source: Partially extracted from the writtings of JC Pinkerton.

Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Three things follow the bier of a dead man, two of them come back and one is left with him: the members of his family, wealth and his good deeds. The members of his family and wealth come back while his deeds alone are left with him. (Sahih Muslim)

 

[Cordoba]

That's very wise of Alexander, and the message is very true.​

Nobody takes their money with them when they leave this world !​

What really counts in The Hereafter is sincere faith in God and good deeds done in this life.​

 

[Peace]

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).

 

[Peace]

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled,his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Allah mentions in Surah Bani-Israil 17:23-24

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.

And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."

 

[Cordoba]

A Window to Look Through

She watches through her window, her little girl at play. Memories flood back to her childhood, of her yesterdays

As she tucks her gift into bed, and kisses her precious face
She says a prayer of protection, "Lord keep my child safe."

And as days turn months into years, she sees her little girl grow
She begins to realize that a time will come, the time when she must let go
Suddenly she hears a gentle voice-- saying, "No greater love is this,
Than what you've done for your little girl, go seal it with a kiss."

"Honey I want to kiss your face, but I know I can't by phone
While looking through your bedroom window, I began to feel alone."

"So many days through this very window, I'd watch you laugh and play
And I can almost see you tucked in bed, on those nights we'd talk and pray."

"Mom," her daughter uttered, "There's something I want to say...
You may not know how many times, I saw you watch me play."

"That window that you're looking through, is the same one God looked in ...
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Serif]He saw you by my bed each night, when you'd tenderly tuck me in."

"So mom please don't feel all alone, you know I'll always be there...
Just like God is with you now, no matter the time, or place or where."

Her mother paused and then replied, "Sweetheart I know you're right...
You're grown, married and have a child, that you now tuck in at night."

"Mom, I better go now, I have some things I better do."
Her mom replied, "I know it dear, you've got a window to look through."

* Dedicated to mothers and daughters and the unique and special love they have and will continue to share.
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(Written by Brian G. Jett)

 

[Peace]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Serif]

* Dedicated to mothers and daughters and the unique and special love they have and will continue to share.
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The Mother is a great blessing from Allah, He made her the source of affection and love.

 

[Peace]

Angel Jibrail (as) told Rasulullah (peace be upon him) the follwing incident about a man in the past who worshipped Allah Ta'ala continuously for 500 years. He was granted a shelter on top of a mountain that was surrounded by salty water. However, Allah caused a stream of sweet water to flow through the mountain for that individual. The man would drink from this water and use it to make ablution. Allah Ta'ala also raised a pomegranate tree from which the man would eat one fruit every day.

One day, this person supplicated to Allah that, "Oh Allah, bring my death while I am in the state of prostration." Allah accepted this dua of his. Whenever Jibrail (as) came down to the Earth, he found this man prostrating to Allah. Jibrail (as) said that on the day of Judgement, Allah will tell the angels to take this individual to Paradise through His mercy. However, this man will insist that he should enter paradise through the good deeds that he had performed.

Then, Allah will tell the angels to compare his good deeds with the blessings that were given to him in the world. It will be seen that 500 years of his worship does not even equal to the gift of eye sight that was given to him by Allah. The angels will be asked to take him towards the hell fire. Then the man will plead, "Oh Allah! Enter me into Paradise only through Your mercy." At that point, the following discussion will take place between Allah and that man.

Allah: Oh my servant, who created you?

The worshipper: Oh Allah, You have created me.

Allah: Were you created because of the good deeds you have done or because of My mercy?

The worshipper: Because of Your mercy.

Allah: Who granted you the ability to worship for 500 years?

The worshipper: Oh the Almighty! You have granted me that ability.

Allah: Who placed you on the mountain surrounded by the ocean? Who caused a stream of sweet water to flow in between the salty water? Who caused a pomegranate tree to grow for you? Who granted you death while in the state of prostration?

The worshipper: Oh the Sustainer of the Worlds! You have done all of these.

Then Allah will say, "All these have happened due to My mercy and you too will enter Paradise only through My Mercy."

Source: Obtained from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh Abul Laith Samarkandi.

We can never thank Allah for the blessings that He has given us. Let us use these blessings to recognize Allah before our death.

 

[Peace]

A miser had accumulated, by effort, trade and lending, three hunderd thousand dinars. He had lands and buildings, and all kinds of wealth. He then decided that he would spend a year in enjoyment, living comfortably, and then decide as what his future should be.

But, almost as soon as he had stopped amassing money the Angel of Death appeared before him, to take his life away.

The miser tried, by every argument which he could muster, to dissuade the Angel, who seemed, however, adament. Then the man said: "Grant me but three more days and I will give you one-third of my possessions."

The angel refused, and pulled again at the miser's life, tugging to take it away.

Then the man said:

"If you only allow me two more days on earth, I will give you two hundred thousand dinars from my store."

But the Angel would not listen to him. And the Angel even refused to give the man a solitary extra day for all his three hundred thousand pieces.

The the miser said:

"Please, then, give me just time enough to write one little thing down."

This time the Angel allowed him this single concession, and the man wrote, with his own blood:

"Man, make use of your life. I could not buy one hour for three hundred thousand dinars. Make sure that you realize the value of your time."

Source: Obtained from the book "The Way of the Sufi" by Idries Shah.

 

[Peace]

The Story of Alqamah
At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), there was a young man named Alqamah. He was very diligent in obeying Allah by engaging in prayer and fasting and spending in charity. Then he fell ill and his illness became serious. His wife went to the Prophet and said, ”My husband, Alqamah, is on his deathbed. I therefore came to tell you, Messenger of Allah, about his condition.” The Prophet (then) sent for Ammar or Suhaib and Bilal, and told them to go to him (Alqamah) and have him repeat the Shahadah. Thereupon they went to him and found him in the agony of death. They asked him to say, “La illaha illa Allah (There is no God but Allah),” but his tongue was unable to pronounce it. At that, they came and told the Messenger of Allah that he was unable to repeat the Shahadah.

The Prophet asked, “Is either of his parents alive?” He was told, “Messenger of Allah, his mother is, but she is very old.” The Prophet sent her a message that if it was convenient for her (that is, is she was able to go out), she should come to him; otherwise she should stay in her house and the Prophet would come to her.

The Prophet's messenger came to her and informed her of the Prophet's message. She said, “May my life be a ransom for him, it is my pleasure to go to him!” She then stood up, leaning on her walking stick, and came to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet returned her greeting and said to her, “Umm Alqamah, tell me the truth, for otherwise Allah Most High will reveal the truth to me! What is the situation concerning your son, Alqamah?” She replied, “Messenger of Allah, he prays much, fasts a great deal, and spends a great amount in charity.” The Prophet said, “And what about yourself?” She said, “Messenger of Allah, I am angry with him.” He said, “Why?” She replied, “Messenger of Allah, he has preferred his wife to me and has disobeyed me.” Then Allah's Messenger said, “Umm Alqamah, surely your anger has prevented Alqamah's tongue from pronouncing the Shahadah.”

He then turned to Bilal and said, “Bilal, go out and collect a quantity of firewood.” She said, “Messenger of Allah, what do you plan to do?” He replied, “I will burn him in front of your eyes.” She said, “Messenger of Allah, he is my son! My heart cannot bear your burning him in front of me!” He said, “Umm Alqamah, Allah's punishment is more severe and more lasting! Therefore, if you want Allah to forgive him, be reconciled to him. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the prayer, fasting, and spending in charity (which he has done) are of no benefit to Alqamah as long as you are angry with him! Thereupon she said, “Messenger of Allah, I call upon Allah Most High and His angels and the Muslims who are present to be my witnesses that I am pleased with my son Alqamah.” Allah's Messenger said, “Bilal, go to him and see whether he is now able to say, “La illaha illa Allah” or not. It may be that Umm Alqamah is saying something for my sake which is not in her heart.”

Thereupon Bilal went, and while entering the door he heard Alqamah saying, “La illaha illa Allah (There is no God but Allah).” (Concerning this), Bilal remarked, “It is surely true that while Alqamah's mother was angry with him his tongue was tied, and now that she is pleased with him his tongue is freed.” Alqamah died the same day. The Prophet came to him and gave the order for his washing and shrouding, and then prayed the funeral prayer for him and buried him. He then stood by the side of his grave and said, “You company of Muhajireen and Helpers, if anyone favors his wife over his mother, Allah and His angels and all the people curse him! Allah does not accept his spending (in charity) and his uprightness unless he repents toward Allah, the Glorious and Majestic, and reconciles with her and attains her pleasure, because Allah's pleasure consists in her pleasure and Allah's anger consists in her anger.”

Source: Reported in Tabarani and Ahmed.

We must always be respectful and obedient to our parents. However, we are not to obey them if they order us to disobey Allah and His Prophet. Other than this, they deserve our utmost attention and respect.

 

[Peace]

The following story is mentioned in Surah Qalam, Chapter 68 of the Holy Quran.

Once there was a wealthy and pious man. He had a big garden full of green trees laden with fruits. After the fruits were picked, this rightful man used to distribute some fruits among the poor who would gather at the garden every season to take their share.

Allah liked this act of the man. By the grace of Allah the garden used to give rich harvest every season. Truly, one who spends for the sake of Allah gets the reward in the hereafter as well as in this life.

This man had many sons who were not so pious as him. When their father died, they discussed a plan and said to each other that their father was not a wise man. He did not know how it was difficult to earn livelihood. They did not like the habit of distributing some of the fruits among the poor. They felt as if all their efforts would go to vain if the poor had some share.

One of the sons had a concern. What will they tell the poor people when they gather to take their fruits next time? They thought over its implications, as they were worried about losing their prestige. However, they were not afraid of Allah's wrath. One of them suggested removing all the fruits in the night and thus clearing the garden before dawn so that nobody could come and ask for his share. Everyone agreed to this suggestion. Since they were not even afraid of Allah, they forgot to say 'Insha-Allah', which means if Allah Wills, "…they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning, without saying Insha-Allah ('if Allah Wills')" (Verses 17-18). If a Muslim does not say Insha-Allah before doing something Allah may not fulfill his wish. But those who have no faith in Allah fail to remember this and get stuck up in their act.

Allah is all Powerful. He knows no bounds in His Governance. All the brothers went to sleep with a view to getting up early in the morning and gather the ripe fruits. In the meantime, with the Will of Allah "…there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep." (Verse 19)

In the early morning, all of them got up and hurried up and "…called out one to another as soon as the morning broke, Saying: 'Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits.' So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today." (Verses 21-24)

As they were proceeding towards the garden, they were quite unaware that Allah had willed otherwise. Because the garden had become "black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins)" (Verse 20). So when they reached the garden, they said this was not their garden, and that they had strayed away from the right path to the garden. But when they saw there was no other way around, they were wonder struck! Soon they realized the situation and yelled: "Verily, we have gone astray," "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!" The best among them said: "Did I not say to you 'Why not glorify (Allah)'?" (Verses 26-28). He had been advising them earlier against this act, for he had said it is only Allah who would enhance their fruits if they continued to give away some of them in charity.

All of them felt regretful over their misdeed. They turned, to one another, in reproach and said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong. Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!" All of them, then, sought Allah's pardon and said: "We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord (wishing for good that He may forgive our sins, and reward us in the Hereafter)." (Verses 31-32)

It is very beloved to Allah that we share with the less fortunate whatever we have. While some of us only feel hungry during the month of Ramadan, there are many who are hungry everyday. Let us be more generous with our wealth and help all those who are in need. We will not lose anything by giving away some of our wealth, we will only gain.

 

[Peace]

In the sixth year after the hijrah, the Prophet, peace be upon him, decided to expand the scope of his mission. He sent eight letters to rulers in the Arabian peninsula and surrounding areas inviting them to Islam. One of these rulers was Thumamah ibn Uthal.

Thumamah was one of the most powerful Arab rulers in pre-Qur'anic times. This is not surprising since he was a chieftain of the Banu Hanifah and one of the rulers of al- Yamamah whose word no one dared to challenge or disobey.

When Thumamah received the Prophet's letter, he was consumed by anger and rejected it. He refused to listen to the invitation of Truth and goodness. More than that, he felt a strong desire to go and kill the Prophet and bury his mission with him.

Thumamah waited and waited for a convenient time to carry out his design against the Prophet until eventually forgetfulness caused him to lose interest. One of his uncles, however, reminded him of his plan, praising what he intended to do.

In the pursuit of his evil design against the Prophet, Thumamah met and killed a group of the Prophet's companions. The Prophet thereupon declared him a wanted man who could lawfully be killed on sight.

Not long afterwards, Thumamah decided to perform umrah. He wanted to perform tawaf around the Ka'bah and sacrifice to the idols there (The people of Makkah, before becoming Muslims, placed hundreds of idols in the Holy Ka'bah. These idols were later destroyed by the Prophet). So he left al-Yamamah for Makkah. As he was passing near Madinah, an incident took place which he had not anticipated.

Groups of Muslims were patrolling the districts of Madinah and outlying areas on the lookout for any strangers or anyone intent on causing trouble. One of these groups came upon Thumamah and apprehended him but they did not know who he was. They took him to Madinah and tied him to one of the columns in the mosque. They waited for the Prophet himself to question the man and decide what should be done with him.

When the Prophet was about to enter the mosque, he saw Thumamah and asked his companions, "Do you know whom you have taken?"

"No, messenger of God," they replied.

"This is Thumamah ibn Uthal al-Hanafi," he said. "You have done well in capturing him."

The Prophet then returned home to his family and said, "Get what food you can and send it to Thumamah ibn Uthal." He then ordered his camel to be milked for him. All this was done before he met Thumamah or had spoken to him.

The Prophet then approached Thumamah hoping to encourage him to become a Muslim. "What do you have to say for yourself" he asked.

"If you want to kill in reprisal," Thumamah replied, "you can have someone of noble blood to kill. If, out of your bounty, you want to forgive, I shall be grateful. If you want money in compensation, I shall give you whatever amount you ask."

The Prophet then left him for two days, but still personally sent him food and drink and milk from his camel. The Prophet went back to him and asked, "What do you have to say for yourself" Thumamah repeated what he had said the day before. The Prophet then left and came back to him the following day. "What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked again and Thumamah repeated what he had said once more. Then the Prophet turned to his companions and said, "Set him free."

Thumamah left the mosque of the Prophet and rode until he came to a palm grove on the outskirts of Madinah near al-Baqi' (a place of luxuriant vegetation which later became a cemetery for many of the Prophet's companions). He watered his camel and washed himself well. Then he turned back and made his way to the Prophet's mosque. There, he stood before a congregation of Muslims and said:

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger." He then went to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and said:

"O Muhammad, by God, there was never on this earth a face more detestable than yours. Now, yours is the dearest face of all to me."

"I have killed some of your men," he continued, "I am at your mercy. What will you have done to me?"

"There is now no blame on you, Thumamah," replied the Prophet. "Becoming a Muslim obliterates past actions and marks a new beginning."

Source: "Companions of The Prophet", Vol.1, By: Abdul Wahid Hamid.

 

[Peace]

The following incident is mentioned in Surah Feel of the Holy Quran and it happened during the period of the birth-year of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Abraha Al-Ashram was the governor of Yemen on behalf of the king of Ethiopia. He (Abrahah) thought to build a house (like the Kabah at Makkah) in Sana (the capital of Yemen) and call the Arabs to perform the pilgrimage there in Sana instead of the Kabah in Makkah, with the intention of diverting the trade and benefits from Makkah to Yemen. He presented his idea to the king of Ethiopia who agreed to it. So the house (church) was built and he named it Al-Qullais; there was no church of its like at that time. Then a man from the Quraish tribe of Makkah came there and was infuriated by it, so he relieved his nature (stools and urine) in it, soiled its walls and went away. When Abrahah Al-Ashram saw that, he could not control his anger and raised an army to invade Makkah and demolish the Kabah. He had in that army thirteen elephants and amongst them was an elephant called Mahmud which was the biggest of them. So that army proceeded and none amongst the Arab tribes that faced them (fought against them) but was killed and defeated, till it approached near Makkah. Then there took place negotiations between Abrahah Al-Ashram and the chief of Makkah (Abdul Muttalib bin Hashim, the grandfather of the Prophet), and it was concluded that Abrahah would restore the camels of Abdul Muttalib which he had taken away, and then he (Abrahah) would decide himself as regards the Kabah. Abdul Muttalib ordered the men of Makkah to evacuate the city and go to the top of the mountains along with their wives and children in case some harm should come to them from the invading oppressors. Then that army moved towards Makkah till they reached valley Muhassir. While the army was marching towards Makkah, in the middle of the valley, suddenly it was overtaken by flocks of birds, flocks after flocks, air-raiding that army with small stones slightly bigger than a lentil seed. There never fell a stone on a soldier except it dissolved his flesh and burst it into pieces. So they perished with a total destruction. Abrahah Al-Ashram fled away while his flesh was bursting into pieces till he died on the way (back to Yemen). Such was the victory bestowed by Allah, (the All-Majestic, All-Powerful) to the people of Makkah and such was the protection provided by Him for His House (Kabah in Makkah).

Source: Extracted from Tafsir of Surah Feel (Surah 105) by Ibn Kathir as found in Translation of the Noble Quran by Muhammad Muhsin Khan.

 

[Peace]

It was the month of Ramadan, when all good Muslims were trying very hard to keep the fast. This meant that they did not eat anything during the hours of daylight. From sunrise to sunset no food or drink must pass their lips, they should be good and try and read more Qur'an, and become better Muslims.
Fasting is difficult, especially when it is a hot day. It was on such a hot day that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) sat down to rest. He had not eaten since it was dark, and the sun was now high in the sky. He wanted a few moments of peace.
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had only been sitting down for a few moments when the peace was broken.
Someone was shouting loudly, just a little way down the street. A woman was obviously very angry. Her voice was loud, and the angrier she became the louder and shriller her shouting became.
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) decided to investigate.
As he came closer, he saw one of the richest women in the town, berating a servant for something he should have done, but had not. She was furious! Her face was red, she was shaking her fist, and it seemed as if she was fit to burst.
The servant was standing uncomfortably, his head bowed low, not daring to move or reply. The woman was so busy with her anger that at first she did not notice Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) standing beside her.
Slowly she became aware that someone was standing beside her. She turned, saw that it was the Prophet Muhammad, and calmed down a little. “Why don’t you go indoors, and have something to eat?”
The woman was shocked. She did not know what to say. She always kept the fast. She wondered if Muhammad (Peace be upon him) realised what he was saying. “But I always keep the fast,” she said. “I have not eaten anything today.”
The prophet spoke quietly. “If you were keeping the fast properly,” he said, “you would be kind to others. You would be trying hard to do Allah’s will. Getting angry with your servant is as bad as eating during the fast. You might as well go and eat.”


Based on a hadith, teaching: One of the Pillars of Islam, fasting & what breaks the fast, kindness, treatment of others, adab and tarbiyyah.

 

[Peace]

Once upon a time there lived a poor man named Ali. He worked hard for his living and was contented with whatever he had. Now Ali had a neighbour Kasim who was as stingy as he was rich. It never gave him pleasure to see others, specially his poor neighbour, happy. He was always on the look out for an excuse to get Ali into trouble.
One day, Kasim held a feast in his house. The aroma of all the delicacies cooked in his house wafted in the wind and spread all over the neighborhood. Kasim, of course never cared to invite his poor neighbour. Instead, he peeped over from his balcony into his neighbour’s courtyard. To his consternation, he saw the poor man sitting and enjoying the delicious smell coming from his kitchen. Kasim’s heart almost stopped in shock.
“What!” thought he, “How dare that pauper inhale the aroma from my kitchen? My Kitchen! The aroma from the food cooked with my money! The rascal! I will make him pay for this! I will take him to the Qazi and demand justice!”
Seething with anger, Kasim marched to Ali’s house. Without so much as a greeting, he shouted to his neighbour.
“You robber, you thief! How dare you steal from my house!”
Poor Ali could not understand what theft he was being accused of. Without enlightening him, Kasim dragged the poor man to the Qazi. Word spread like wildfire and a great crowd gathered to watch the proceedings.
Kasim stood before the Qazi and presented his case in a loud and pompous voice.
“Your Honour, this man had the audacity to sit in his backyard and without so much as lifting a finger, enjoy the delicious aroma of food coming from my kitchen. I demand payment for the pleasure that he enjoyed at my expense. Your Honour, you have always been just and I am sure that you will mete out justice in this case too.”
Indeed the Qazi was a just man - as honourable and witty as he was just. He listened quietly - the shock on his face was slowly replaced by a twinkle in his eyes. Now he turned to Ali.
“ Is what this man says true? Did you enjoy at his expense?”
“Yes, your Honor, but I could not help it.”
“Ali, you have to pay Kasim for the favour enjoyed. The court orders both of you to come here tomorrow at the same time. By God, justice will be done!”
Kasim gave Ali a scornful look and walked out of the place with a victorious smile on his lips. Poor Ali was bewildered. Just as he was leaving, the Qazi caleed to him to a corner and whispered something in his ear. Ali’s face lit up and he hurried to his house.
Next day, the court was overflowing. The whole town, which knew about the low character of Kasim and the innocent nature of Ali, were curious as to how their Qazi would solve this problem. Both Kasim and Ali were brought before the Qazi.
Ali carried with him a big box. Kasim’s face glowed with anticipation as he recognized Ali’s money box.
‘All my money, your honour, said Ali.
“Okay. Now, shake the box so that all of us can be sure your box contains money”.
Ali shook the money box vigorously and there was a loud jingling noise. The Qazi turned to Kasim.
“Oh Kasim, doesn’t that sound lovely?”
“Aah, yes, yes, Your honour”.
“Ali, shake the box once more”, the Qazi commanded. Ali obeyed.
“Kasim, don’t you feel happy to hear the sound of so many coins?” the Qazi queried.
His eyes glittering, Kasim exclaimed, “Oh your honour, the sound of that money gives me utmost pleasure!” so saying, the greedy man was about to grab the money box from Ali.
“Don’t you dare touch it!” The grim voice of the Qazi rang out. “Ali has paid you in full measure. Just as the aroma of your food gave him pleasure, so did the sound of his money gave you pleasure. You have been paid back in the same coin- Justice has been done.”
The court room rang with thundering applause for the Qazi for his keen wit and intelligence. The Qazi, his voice still grim, pronounced further: “Kasim, pay Ali one hundred gold coins and punishment for harassing your neighbour and disturbing peace of his household” Ali returned home happy man and Kasim a wiser man.

 

[Peace]

There was a young man who went overseas to study for quite a long time. When he returned, he asked his parents to find him a religious scholar or any expert who could answer his Three Questions.

Finally, his parents were able to find a Muslim scholar.

"Who are you? Can you answer my questions?," asked the young man
"I am one of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)'s slaves and Insha'Allah (God willing) I will be able to answer your questions," replied the Scholar.
"Are you sure? A lot of Professors and experts were not able to answer my questions," replied the young boy
"I will try my best, with the help of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)"
"I have 3 questions," began the boy
1. Does God exist? If so, show me His shape.
2. What is Qadar (fate)?
If shaitan (Devil) was created from the fire, why at the end he will be thrown to hell that is also created from fire. It certainly will not hurt him at all, since Shaitan (Devil) and the hell were created from fire. Did God not think of it this far?
Suddenly, the Scholar slapped the young man's face very hard!
The young man, who was shocked and hurt by the slap became confused, "Why do are you angry at me?" he asked
"I am not angry," answered the scholar, "The slap is my answer to your three questions."
"I really don't understand," the young man said. He was really confused.
The scholar began to explain, "How did you feel after I slapped you?," he asked
"Of course, I felt the pain. it hurt," he replied
"So do you believe that pain exists?" the scholar asked
"Yes."
"Now Show me the shape of the pain!" said the wise Scholar
"I cannot," the young man replied
"That is my first answer. All of us feel God's existence without being able to see His shape... Last night, did you dream that you will be slapped by me?," the ascholar replied
"No"
"Did you ever think that you will get a slap from me, today?," the scholar continued
"No."
"That is Qadar (fate)........" The scholar continued, "My hand that I used to slap you, what is it created from?"
"It is created from flesh," replied the young man
"How about your face, what is it created from?"
"Flesh, as well" replied the young man
"How did you feel after I slapped you?"
"In pain."
"Even though Shaitan (satan) and Jahunnum (Hell-fire) were created from fire, if Allah wants, insha'Allah (God willing), the Hell-fire will become a very painful place for Shaitan (Devil)" ended the wise Scholar. The wise Scholar had answered all three of the tough questions by one slap.

 

[Peace]

A'isha, the Blessed Prophet's wife, was a very hospitable and generous person. She loved to entertain guests, and spend happy hours chatting to them.

Once, a woman came to visit A'isha, bringing her two daughters with her. A'isha received her, smiling and welcoming, and very soon, the two woman were deep in conversation.

However, A'isha was faced with a certain difficulty. SHe wanted to entertain her guest, but at that time, things were very hard in Madinah. Often, the people went hungry, and in the Blessed Prophet's house, no fire was made for days on end. It was difficult to come by the simplest food, and even dates were in short supply.


A'isha decided that she must search the house throughly in the hope of finding something to offer her guest. The room in which she had welcomed her guest was so small that when A'isha stood up, her head almost touched the ceiling.
It did not take A'isha very long to search it, and she quickly realised that she did not have very much to offer her guest. Eventually though, she managed to find three dates. A'isha gave them to her guest, who looked at her very gratefully.


The woman gave one date to each of her daughters, and the girls grabbed tem eagerly. They were very hungry and had not had enough to eat for several days. Their mother kept one date for herself, but she did not eat it. Instead, she held it in her hand while she went on talking to A'isha.


Because they were hungry, the two little girls gobbled up their dates very quickly. When they had finished, they began to eye the last date, the one which their mother held in her hand.

Their mother saw them out of the corner of her eye, and she smiled. She knew exactly what they wanted, and what she muct do. So, she divided the last date into two pieces and gave half to each of the girls.


A'isha was very moved by the great love and self-sacrifice shown by this mother, and as soon as the Blessed Prophet came home, she told him what had happened.

"Indeed", the Blessed Prophet said. "The woman had entered Paradise because of the love and kindness she showed to her little daughters. Allah will show her mercy because she showed mercy to them."

 

[Peace]

Once upon a time there was a king and he was a wise man too. In his kingdom used to live many other wise men. Now some of these would not agree to believe that God did exist, while others not only agreed but argued to the satisfaction of the King that there was 'God'. The King, being a wise man, arranged for a discussion.
The date and time for discussion was fixed. The king held his court at the appointed time on the appointed date. The non-believers assembled in his presence but the believing wise man did not come at the appointed time
The people waited and waited till they lost their patience and uttered the words: "He has no arguments to advance in support of his conviction, so he will not come. He has lost, we have won."
At last, the wise man arrived and there was an uproar in the court of the king. The people cried: "Why are you late? You have lost".
The king asked him to explain the cause of his delay. The believing wise man explained, saying: "I started from my home in time, but when I came by the side of the river which I had to cross before reaching here, I did not find a single boat, by which I could cross and reach the opposite bank".
Upto this point the disbelieving men heard him patiently and did not say a single word. The believing man then continued:

"I waited and waited till at last I saw some planks of wood coming out of the river".
And the unbelieving men began to shout "O, It is a lie. It is unbelievable. It is unthinkable".
Continued the believing wise man: "Plank by plank came out of the river and then I saw the planks were cut to proper size and shape and joined to each other with nails by themselves until they formed a boat. And then I took my seat in it and came over to the other bank. I am late because of the delay in the availability of the boat".
Amid a roar of the non-believing men, the believing wise man tried to convince them of the cause of the delay; but the opponents would not believe him. Then he said:
"You do not believe what I say. It appears the story of the boat forming by itself is something impossible for you to believe. Now in the name of justice, I ask you. Do you see the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars and the skies? Every thing is set according to a plan. But you say it came into existence without a Creator. In other words you deny the existence of God. How far is your statement reasonable and justified?
This silenced them all and there was no answer to this. So the non-believers lost and the believer won.

 

[Peace]

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: .50
Babysitting my kid brother while you went shopping: .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, "Mum, I sure do love you".

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


"Your Lord has decreed that you should worship nothing except Him, and show kindness to your parents, whether one or both of them attain old age (while they are) still with you, never say to them 'Shame! nor scold either of them. Speak to them in a generous fashion. Protect them carefully and say: 'My Lord, show them mercy, just as they cared for me as a little child'"
[Surah 17:23-24].

 

[Peace]

Two friends Ismail and Ibrahim were walking through the desert, as the sun was beating down on their heads, and they were thirsty for water they began to argue. The argument got more and more heated and eventually Ismail struck Ibrahim across the face. Ibrahim felt hurt inside, but without anything to say, he wrote in the sand: "Today, my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept on walking, until eventually they came across an oasis, where they decided to stop and bathe. Ibrahim jumped in and began to wash, while Ismail sat back and relaxed. Suddenly Ibrahim began to scream and shout, he had developed a cramp and was having difficulty keeping his head above water, he was drowning.

Ismail dived in after him, and brought him gently to shore. When Ibrahim recovered from the shock, he scratched a message on a nearby stone:

"Today, my best friend saved my life"

Ismail who had saved and slapped his best friend Ibrahim, asked him, "Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?"

Ibrahim, smiled and replied:

"When a friend hurts us, we should write his deeds in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow it away, and when a friend does something good, we should engrave it in stone, where it shall remain for eternity."

"Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant (i.e. don't punish them). If a suggestion from Satan assails your mind, seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things)"
[Surah al-A'raf 7:199-200]