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SAGA - The word "saga" was originally used for any story of heroic
deeds of a medieval Norwegian hero. Gradually, it came to mean a
long eventful narrative about a family, social group, or dynasty
with several chapters, cantos or even volumes. A saga has several
legends of heroes added to it. These heroes may be real or half-
real and half-imaginary, but on the whole, the frame work of the
main story is based on truth. An epic is a saga in poetry form,
while a saga is in prose.
Months and years passed, and the dervish, who was getting on in
years, kept travelling without any thought of retiring. Strangely
enough, the pattern of his journeys always brought him back to
the village where Shakir lived. This time, it took seven years before
From that time on, the dervish made it a point to visit the
tomb of his friend every year when he would spend a few hours
meditating at Shakir's abode, However, on one of his visits, he
found the cemetery and grave gone, washed away by a flood. Now
the old dervish had lost the only traces left of a man who had
marked the experiences of his life so exceptionally. The dervish
stayed at the ruins of the cemetery for hours, staring at the
ground. Finally, he lifted his head to the sky and then, as if
discovering a greater meaning, nodded his head as a sign of
confirmation and said, "This too shall pass."
Think and do
Vocabulary to Learn
civilization hay livelihood passer-by lodging ranch
reconfirm admiring considerate puzzling meditate prospect
rags status appearance anticipate optimistic remark
compound tradition contemplate pilgrimage modest inscription
loyal staring undertake occasions tomb justify
heir abode conclusion traces riches eventually
wisdom fame enlightened desire settle experience
suggestion hire optimistic reluctantly sigh inscribed
The Hakim tapped around on the patient and listened for more
than half an hour. He checked his pulse, put his head on the man's
chest, turned him onto his stomach and then his side and back,
raised the man's legs and body, opened his eyes, and looked in his
mouth. Finally, with a great deal of conviction the Hakim said, "My
dear woman, unfortunately I must give you sad news. Your
husband has been dead for two days."
Think and do
Vocabulary to Learn
diagnosis bedridden receptive summon stabilize pulse
Sadi replied, "You have not left me a single subject to talk about!"
Think and do
Vocabulary to Learn
rambling merchant pompous correspondent agreeable boisterous
A few hours later, when Habib woke up, he realized that all
the hats from his bag were gone! He started searching for them
and to his surprise found some monkeys sitting on the mango tree
wearing his hats. He was frustrated and did not know what to do,
but then he remembered a story his grandfather used to tell him.
"Oh, I can fool these monkeys!" said Habib. "I will make them
imitate me and very soon I will get all hats back!"
Then, he threw his hat on the ground expecting all the monkeys to
do so, but instead, one monkey jumped down from the mango tree,
walked up to Habib, hit him on the shoulder and said, "Do you
think only you had a grandfather?"
Think and do
Vocabulary to Learn
roam vast plain nap Suddenly cute
yelled decide make faces showered ponder frustrated
hurriedly maintain shade asleep used to blow nose
The king gave the boy the ring and his men presented him
with several gifts. After receiving the gifts, the boy burned his bow
and arrows. The king asked him why he did that and he replied,
"So that my first glory may remain unchanged."
COUPLET:
The sage whose bright mind mirrors truth,
May sometimes wander wide of it:
While by mistake, the simple youth,
Will, with his shaft, the target hit.
The king's heart was so touched by these words; he wept and said,
"It is better for me to perish than to shed innocent blood." He gave
Adil a big hug and sent him home with several gifts. The story
goes, that the king recovered that same week.
"Where shall I from thy hand for succor flee? Against thine own
power I will justice seek from thee."
And then one day, Amyn died. Finding himself beyond this life, and
making his way toward the doors of Paradise, he paused to
examine his conscience. He felt that his opportunity of entering
Paradise were enough.
8- The Frogs
A group of frogs were traveling through the
woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the
other frogs gathered around the pit. When they
saw how deep the pit was, they told the
unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The
two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump
up out of the pit.
The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as
good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other
frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died.
The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were
encouraging him the entire time.
In the first town, no one knew what seeds could do. No one knew
how to plant them. Everyone starved.
In the second town, one person knew what seeds were and how to
plant them, but did nothing about it for one reason or another.
Everyone starved.
In the third town, one person knew what seeds were and
how to plant them. He proposed to plant them in exchange for
being declared the king or ruler. All ate, but were ruled.
In the fourth town, one person knew what seeds were and
how to plant them. He not only planted the seeds, but taught
everyone the art of gardening. All ate, and all were free and
empowered.
"No."
"No. Why?"
“If by that you mean”, said the dervish, “that I should not criticize
a sultan, it is you who should realize your shallowness.”
What had really happened was that the dervish had been peeling
onions.
Within a short space of time the cry had reached the first
street. The adults of both streets were so distressed and fearful,
since each community was related to the other, that they dared
not make complete inquiries as to the cause of the furor.
This rumor, also spread like wildfire, until each street's residents
thought that the other was doomed.
"A bridge is for passing, not for staying!" said the king.
The Palese were a seafaring people who for some reason or other
had become very lethargic. They still had boats, but they never
actually managed to set sail - there was always something better
to do. At the same time, though, the Palese were very proud, and
considered themselves the greatest seafaring nation in the world.
There was one thing, though, that was disturbing about this
teacher: one day he would say that the archipelago consisted of
five islets, another day he would say that there were seven; one
day he would say that they formed an arch, another day, that they
formed a circle, and so on. His descriptions were never consistent;
the only thing consistent about him was the vividness and seeming
authenticity of his talks.
The other teachers were very annoyed with this man, and they
said things like: "Actually, everyone knows that there are six
islands, and they form a rectangle."
They realized that the boats were real, and that they could
leave the shore on them. Some of them traveled in the direction
the teacher had seemed to them to be indicating, and, after a long
and perilous journey, many of them found the islands. They
brought back delicious fruit and shared it with their neighbors.
The young man took it to the market and tried to sell it, but no one
would give him more than 10 cents for it. The young man returned
to Dhul Nun with the news.
"Now, take the ring to the jewellers and see what they price it at,"
said Dhul Nun.
"You know as much about Sufis," Dhul Nun told the young man
when he returned, "as those people in the marketplace know
about this ring."
"If for three hundred years," said Abu Yazid, "you fast by day and
pray by night, you will never realize one atom of this discourse."
"I will so," said the man. "Tell me, so that I may do
as you prescribe."
"Did I not say you would not do it, that you would never obey
me?" said Abu Yazid.
When the truth was known, and when the tea was brought
for all who would taste, the roles were reversed, and the only
people who said things like the great and intelligent had said were
the absolute fools. Such is the case to this day.
In a land far away, there lived a man called, Reza. One night, he
decided to steal some onions and sell them at the
local market for a handsome profit. It was a warm
summer's night with enough light from the moon
to be able to see clearly. He picked up a big basket
and galloped away on his horse to a farm in the
neighboring village.
Inside the farm house, the farmer's wife heard the noise and
got up to see where it was coming from. Looking out the window,
she spotted Reza near his horse and alerted her husband and
children. The entire Mahmood Family rushed outside and caught
the thief before he could get away on his horse.
Reza decided to eat the 100 onions. As he ate the onions his
eyes began to water and he felt miserable. After 25 went down his
throat, he realized that there were still 75 left, so he decided to
take the 100 lashes instead. The village head agreed and Reza
prepared himself for the pain. After 10 lashes, he couldn't take the
torture anymore and begged the man to stop. Finally, he decided
to pay the 100 gold coins, and the village head set him free.
The next morning the three rose as the sun came up and the
first traveler said, "This is my dream: I was carried away to places
such as cannot be described, so wonderful and serene were they. I
met a wise man who said to me, 'You deserve the food, for your
past and future life are worthy and suitable subjects for
admiration.'"
"But you were far from here! One of you was carried away to
far places and the other to another time! How could you hear my
calling?" he replied.
He left his camel outside and went in with his prayer mat and
spent several hours offering thanks to Allah, praying and
promising that he’d be a good Muslim in the future, help the poor
and be an upstanding pillar of his community.
He immediately flew into a violent temper and shook his fist at the
sky, yelling:
“You traitor, Allah! How could you do this to me? I put all my trust
in you and then you go and stab me in the back like this!”
“Listen,” he said, “Trust God but, you know, tie up your camel.”
This is the classic answer for those who believe that their
faith alone will carry them through life. Innocence can indeed be a
valuable shield but there are basic measures that have to be taken
just as a matter of common sense. If you leave the jar of honey
open by morning it may be full of ants. No amount of belief is
going to change the basic facts of living in this world.
A week later, the muazzin returned and said, "Oh Prince, you
did me injustice by sending me from this place for 10 dinars. The
place you sent me to offered to pay me 20 dinars to go somewhere
else, but I will not accept it."
The Prince laughed and said, "Take care not to accept it, for
they will agree to give you even 50 dinars!"
COUPLET:
No mattock can the clay remove from off the granite stone,
So well as thy discordant voice can make the spirit moan.
The angel said, "What if someone were to free you from all this
work and weariness?"
So the angel said, "Then I will transport you to a garden where you
will never have to work, but you must promise that no matter what
you see there, you will not utter a single word."
The man paused and said, "Have you been here long?"
The next instant the woodcutter was back near his village with his
axe, and he began to wail and beat his breast in anguish. Once
again the angel appeared before him and asked what had
happened. When the woodcutter told her, the angel said, "Didn't I
tell you not to speak?"
"I promise I will not say a word if you let me go back," said the
woodcutter. So the angel clapped her hands and the woodcutter
was back in the heavenly garden.
The old man stopped and said, "Have you been here long?"
"Please have pity on me," said the woodcutter, "If you give me one
more chance, may I be cursed if I speak again." The angel agreed,
and in an instant the woodcutter was back in the heavenly garden.
One of the men turned to the woodcutter and said, "Have you been
here long?" And the next instant the woodcutter was back at his
woodpile.
The woodcutter wailed and wailed, and once more the angel
appeared in front of him. The woodcutter begged and pleaded to
return to the heavenly garden, but the angel said, "Your father
Adam only sinned once. You have committed sin upon sin upon sin,
so your place shall be here among the firewood until the end of
your days."
Note: The woodcutter complained about his work and placed the
blame on Adam (God's first human creation according to Jews,
Christians, and Muslims), but when he was given the opportunity
to live a better life, he was made to realize how easy it is to sin. I
think there are lots of morals in this tale from Palestine.
He took his way slowly to the lion, and found him sorely
enraged. In excuse for his tardy arrival he represented that he and
another hare had set out together to appear before the lion, but a
strange lion had seized the second hare, and carried it off in spite
of his remonstrances.
The slave in reply urged that the accidents of good works and
thoughts will in some way bear fruit in the next world, pointing out
that thought is always the precursor of the completed work, as the
plan of the architect precedes the building, and the gardener's
design the perfect fruit resulting from his labors. He added that the
world is only the realized thought of "Universal Reason".
The king then sent away the slave with whom he had held
this discourse, and summoned the other, and told him that his
fellow slave had given a bad account of him, and asked what he
had to say. He replied that his fellow slave was a liar and a rascal,
and the king then dismissed him, observing that, in accordance
with the tradition, "Every man is hidden under his own tongue,"
his tongue had betrayed his inner vileness. "The safety of a man
lies in holding his tongue."
The fact was, that Ayaz had placed in that chamber his old
shoes and the ragged dress which he used to wear before the king
had promoted him to honour, and used to retire there every day
and wear them for a time, in order to remind himself of his lowly
origin, and to prevent himself from being puffed up with pride.
This he did in accordance with the text, "Let man reflect out of
what he was created."
The bird then asked what the grains of wheat were that were
strewed on the trap. The fowler replied that they were the
property of an orphan, which had been deposited with him in
consequence of his known probity.
One day in spring (circa 586 A.D.), Salman's father had some
important business to attend to at one of his country houses. But
before he could go to the country, some merchants arrived in Jiyye
from the ancient city of Balkh and to entertain them he had to stay
in Jiyye itself. He, therefore, asked Salman to go in his stead, and
briefed him on what he had to do at the country house.
The following day Salman left Jiyye for his father's country estate.
When Salman had traveled a few miles from the city, he came
upon a fork in the road, and standing upon the brow of an
The light was now rapidly advancing from the east, and was tinting
the landscape. Presently the sun rose and as Salman was still
basking in the stream of the rays of the rising sun a grey stone
edifice, partly veiled in golden mist, caught his eye. It was some
distance from the road, and Salman decided to find out what it was
and to whom did it belong. He, therefore, went near it to take a
closer look at it.
When Salman was late coming home, his father became very
anxious. His father sat, hacked with nameless fears and dark
forebodings, in the court of his palatial house, surrounded by his
friends who were trying to comfort him. Suddenly, Salman entered
through the gate. His father threw his arms around him and asked
him where he had disappeared.
Mehran was only too glad to give this service to his young master
and he arranged for his escape. After a few days Mehran came to
see Salman and informed him that a caravan was ready to leave
for Syria. The following night Mehran entered his cell, removed the
shackles from his feet, gave him a new set of clothes to wear, and
led him quietly out of the house while everyone was sound asleep.
Salman at this time was in the nineteenth year of his life. He was
rangy and muscular, and he had a powerful build. He was endowed
with a highly retentive memory, and a most penetrating
intelligence. He had a critical and an analytic mind that applied
logic to every situation. In his physical characteristics and his
mental attributes he surpassed all the young men of his age and
generation. Just as he was tall, broad and robust beyond his years,
he was also wise, prudent, and sagacious and his experience. Early
in his life, he had cultivated a temperate personality. In Jiyye - his
hometown - he had riches, luxury, and high status - all within
grasp. But he spurned them all, and he did so not withstanding his
extreme youth. Instead of seeking power and pleasure, as other
young men of his generation did, he made the pursuit of
Knowledge and Truth the "vocation" of his life. He was the idealist
par excellence.
With the passage of time, the specter of doubt began to rear its
head in Salman's thoughts. He felt that Truth - the Ultimate Truth -
was still hidden from his, and this after an effort to find it that had
spanned more than a quarter century. When Salman was
tormented too much by these thoughts, and when he knew he had
come to and impasse, he turned to God, and prayed to Him to give
him deliverance from doubt and skepticism, and lead him to the
destination which He had chosen for him. Little did he know, the
light of guidance that he wished and hoped to see, was soon to
appear on the horizon.
Slavery
The journey was long and arduous. But Salman endured the travail
with stoical courage. While other travelers rode their camels or
horses. Salman walked, a feat of endurance that astonished them.
Uthman and the other Jews had never seen a slave like
Salman. They noted that he didn't talk much but whenever he did,
he spoke words of profound wisdom. His judgment, they noted,
was like the judgment of Solomon himself. His master benefited,
not only from his work but also from his advice and his opinions,
which he sought from him quite frequently. But he was a vicious
and brutal taskmaster, and made Salman work almost non-stop.
One morning when Salman began his descent from the top of
a tree, he noticed that his master, who sat at its foot, was engaged
in talking with a stranger. From this stranger it was gathered that
Muhammad (S.A.W) had come to Yathrib and the Aus and Khazraj
had taken an oath of loyalty to him. Immediately upon hearing this
Salman's mind constantly wondered how he could finally meet
Muhammad (may Allah bless him and his Ahlul-Bayt).
One evening Uthman bin Ashhel was away from the oasis on
some business, and Salman availed of the opportunity to realize
his wish, He put the ripe and fresh dates which he had earned that
day as his wages, in a bag, and went into the city to find
Muhammad (may Allah bless him and his family), and to have
audience with him.
Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah bless him and his family) was
seated in the reception room of the house. A few companions sat
in front of him. Salman's first glance fell upon his face, and all at
once he felt himself dazzled by a thousand sparkling lights. He
heard himself saying quietly: "By God, this cannot be the face of a
man who has ever told a lie. If there is any face that can be the
face of a messenger of God, that is the face of this man."
Salman had been enlisted into the service of Allah by His Own
Messenger - Muhammad Mustafa(S.A.W) - an honor and a
distinction he was to remain proud of all his life, At the same time,
he was also admitted into the ranks of his (Muhammad’s) friends.
Just as they sat down, Hazrat Ali (R.A.) puts out the candle and lit
another one.
"O Ali, we have come on some important business. But why did
you extinguish the first candle?"
The next occasion when he had saved another ten dinars and
had gone to the place to add it to his concealed savings, a trader
who lived in the neighbourhood, found out about the hideout. As
soon as Bahlool had left the hiding place, the neighbour dug up the
money that was concealed beneath the ground.
The next time when Bulool came to the place, he found his
money missing and immediately realized that it was the work of
the trader. Bahlool decided to approach the trader.
"You do not need any advice. You are a well known scholar,"
Bahlool said.
One day Bahlool was sitting at the corner of the river, and he was
making some flower beds like the children were. Abbasid Caliph
Harun Al-Rashid Rashid's wife Zubaydah happened to cross by.
When she came near Bahlool, she asked, "Bahlool! What are you
doing?"
Since Zubaydah wanted to help Bahlool in any way she could, she
immediately ordered her servant to give Bahlool 100 dinars, which
he did.
When she awoke, Zubaydah was very happy and told Abbasid
Caliph Harun Al-Rashid about her dream. As soon as it was
morning, Abbasid Caliph Harun Al-Rashid sent someone to bring
Bahlool.
When Bohlool came, Abbasid Caliph Harun Al-Rashid said, "I want
you to take 100 dinars from me and sell me one of your Gardens,
like the one you gave Zubaydah."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) said: "Do not laugh too much,
for laughing too much deadens the heart." At another place, Holy
Hatim Tai said: I had been traveling in the desert when I came
across a tent. Inside it there was an old lady while behind the tent
a goat lay tied. When the old lady saw me she approached me and
held the reins of my horse so that I could dismount. A little later,
her son arrived and was immensely pleased to have me as their
guest. The old lady said to him: "Commence the preparations to
entertain our guest. Go and slaughter the goat and prepare some
food."
The son said: "First I shall go and collect some firewood," but the
old lady said: "Going to the desert and bringing the firewood shall
consume a lot of time due to which our guest would have to
remain hungry for long, and this would be contrary to social
etiquette."
The old lady said: "Neither do we seek any reward from our guests
nor do we sell bread for money, and she refused to accept
anything from me." Witnessing this generosity, I realized that they
were far more generous and munificent than me.
One of them said, "O' Lord! You are aware that I have an
extremely attractive cousin and that I was infatuated and
obsessed with her. One day, finding her alone, I took hold of her
and wanted to satisfy my carnal desires, when she spoke out to me
saying: O' My cousin! Fear Allah (SWT) and do not harm my
chastity. Hearing this, I crushed my lustful tendencies and decided
against the evil act. O' Lord! If that deed of mine had been out of
absolute sincerity and only for the purpose of acquiring Your
pleasure, deliver us from grief and perdition."
Suddenly they witnessed that the huge boulder had moved away a
little, faintly brightening up the interior of the cave.
At this point the entire boulder moved aside from the mouth of the
cave and all three emerged from it, joyous and ecstatic, and
continued their journey.
Once at the Masjid, the first man asked the man with the lamp to
come in and pray Fajr with him. The second man refused. The first
man asked him a couple more times and, again, the answer was
the same. The first man asked him why he did not wish to come in
and pray.
Moral: Do not let Shaitan (Satan) benefit from his actions. Do not
put off a good that you intended to do as you never know how
much reward you might receive from the hardships you encounter
while trying to achieve that good.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good
care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern
quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew
more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the
bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
God said, in the third year there was still nothing from the bamboo
seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing
from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.
God said, and then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the
earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and
insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100
feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots.
God said to me, did you know, my creation, that all this time you
have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I
would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.
I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can
help you see that God will never give up on you. God will never
give up on you!
Moral: In life never lose hope and never give up or quit in life and
Success will come to you later in life.
Evening came and Muniba had to walk home alone, but she wasn't
afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks
away. As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Muniba asked
"Allah (SWT)" to keep her safe from harm and danger. When she
reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, Muniba
decided to take it.
The following day, Muniba read in the paper that a young girl had
been raped in the same alley, just twenty minutes after she had
been there.
Muniba agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen
in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been
identified, he immediately broke down and confessed.
The officer thanked Muniba for her bravery and asked if there was
anything they could do for her, she asked if they would ask the
man one question.
Muniba was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the
policeman asked him he answered, "Because she was not alone.
She had two tall men walking on either side of her."
When night fell, the youth took some meat and proceeded towards
his house. Prophet Musa / Moses (A.S) followed him till they
reached there. Prophet Musa / Moses (A.S) approached the youth
and said, "Would you not like to have a guest?" The youth willingly
agreed and took Prophet Musa / Moses (A.S) inside.
Hearing this, Prophet Musa / Moses (A.S) said, "O' Youth! I give
you glad tidings; Allah (SWT) has accepted your mother's prayers
and Jibril (Gabriel) has informed me that you shall be my
companion in Paradise!"
One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.
"Come and play with me", the tree asked the boy.
"I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more" the
boy replied.
"Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples
and sell them. So, you will have money."
The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and
left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples.
The tree was sad.
"I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need
a house for shelter. Can you help me?"
"Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my
branches to build your house". So the man cut all the branches of
the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but
the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely
and sad.
One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was
delighted.
"I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give
me a boat?" said the man.
"Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be
happy."
So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and
never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the man returned after many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I
do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you",
the tree said.
"No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite" the man replied.
"I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying
roots," the tree said with tears.
"I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all
these years," the man replied.
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest,
come sit down with me and rest." The man sat down and the tree
was glad and smiled with tears.
You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all
of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don't
appreciate all they do for us, until it's too late.
The flower sighed. And then the flower said to the pearl: "Speak to
me about your life! How do you live? How do you feel it? You are
buried in the bottom of the sea."
You will find that: The flower is the unveiled woman (who shows
her charms) and the pearl is the veiled woman (who conceals her
beauties).
The yogi positioned himself one hundred paces from the spot
where he had placed the flower. Facing his target, he asked his
disciple to blindfold him with the embroidered handkerchief.
The disciple did as his teacher requested.
'How often have you seen me practise the noble and ancient sport
of archery?' Raman asked him.
'Every day,' replied his disciple. 'And you have always managed to
hit the rose from three hundred paces away.'
The arrow whistled through the air, but it did not even hit the
tree, missing the target by an embarrassingly wide margin.
'Did I hit it?' said Raman, removing the handkerchief from his
eyes.
'No, you missed completely,' replied the disciple. 'I thought you
were going to demonstrate to me the power of thought and your
ability to perform magic'
'I have just taught you the most important lesson about the power
of thought,' replied Raman. 'When you want something,
concentrate only on that: no one will ever hit a target they cannot
see!
'Go to the village and buy some salt, but pay a fair price
for it: neither too much nor too little.'
His son was surprised.
'I can understand why I shouldn't pay too much for it,
Father, but if I can bargain them down, why not save a bit of
money?'
The only reason a man would sell salt more cheaply than
usual would be because he was desperate for money. And anyone
who took advantage of that situation would be showing a lack of
'If a thief were to spend the night in a room with only a thin
wall separating him from another room full of gold, do you think he
would be able to sleep? He would lie awake all night, scheming.
When I was young, I desired God as ardently as a thief would
desire that gold, and it took me a long time to learn that the
greatest virtue in the spiritual search is patience.'
A woman one day said something that hurt (insult) her best friend.
She regretted it immediately, and would have
done anything to have taken the words back.
But they were said, impulsively, in a moment
of thoughtlessness, and as close as she and
her friend were, she didn't consider the
effects of her words beforehand.
The young woman hurried home to prepare for her chore. All
night long she laboured alone in the cold. She went from doorstep
to doorstep, taking care not to overlook a single house. Her fingers
were frozen, the wind was so sharp it caused her eyes to water,
Just as the sun rose, she returned to the older woman. She
was exhausted, but relieved that her efforts would be rewarded.
"My pillows are empty. I placed a feather on the doorstep of each
home."
Now, said the wise woman, "Go back and refill your pillows. Then
everything will be as it was before."
Once upon a time there was a water-bearer in India who had two
large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried
across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the
other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water
at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full.
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only
half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out
all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you
have to do all of this work and you don't get full value from your
efforts, " the pot said. The water-bearer felt sorry for the old
cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the
master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along
the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of
the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path,
and this cheered it some.
But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had
leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for
its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were
flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's
side?
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and
flaws we each have that make our lives together so very
interesting and warding. You've just got to take each person for
what they are and look for the good in them.
"Thank you and May God bless you," the grateful child told the
stranger.
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that
goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the
battle is between two (2) wolves inside us
all."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his
grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
Unfortunately, the donkey slipped and fell into the river and
noticed that the bags of salt loaded on his back became lighter.
The gardener smiled and said, "Since you have now realized
your mistake, I will forgive you but remember that God has given
all his servants brains so every person's deeds are in his own
hands." Then the gardener untied him and let him go free.
A'bdullah Ibn Masud had been one of the close companions of the
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and had developed into being
a distinguished and zealous personality of Islam.
During the caliphate of Hazrat U'thman, he suffered
a bout of illness, which eventually resulted in his
death.
My sins, he answered.
The caliph asked, if you permit, I could call for the doctor.
If you want, I could present you with gifts from the Public
Treasury.
Ibn Masud retorted, at the time when I was in need, you did not
give me a thing and now that I am not in need, you wish to shower
me with presents!
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I
told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."
That night...I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass
of water. My mom was crying there, so quietly, as if she was afraid
that she might wake me. I took a look at her, and then turned
away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was
something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I
hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told
myself that I would grow up and become successful, because I
hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty.
She wrote:
My son...
I think my life has been long enough now. And... I won't visit
Seoul anymore... but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you
to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much. And I was so
glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided
not to go to the school.... For you... I'm sorry that I only have one
eye, and I was an embarrassment for you. You see, when you were
very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother,
I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with only one
eye... so I gave you mine...I was so proud of my son that was
seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was
never upset at you for anything you did. The couple times that you
were angry with me. I thought to myself, 'it's because he loves
me.' I miss the times when you were still young around me.
I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me.
My world shattered!!!
They asked: "What are those ten issues?" Ibrahim Adham replied:
01: First and foremost you have accepted Allah (SWT) but have not
repaid His claim.
02: You have recited the Noble Qur'an but have not practiced it.
03: You profess your love of the Holy Prophet of Islam (saw), but
are opposed to his Household (as).
04: You claim to have enmity with Shaitan (Satan) but in practice
you are in agreement with him.
05: You say that you are fond of heaven but in order to enter
heaven you have not done anything.
06: You said that you were afraid of the Hell Fire, but have thrown
your bodies in to it.
07: You were busy slandering and criticizing people but were
ignorant of your own shortcomings and faults.
08: You said that you didn't like the world but are greedily
following it.
09: You confess to the reality of death but don't prepare yourself
for it.
10: You have buried the dead but haven't taken a lesson or
guidance from it.