My dear children,
God Almighty wishes for all His servants to be happy.He sent us prophets in order to teach us how.
The prophets are the guides and teachers of human beings. They teach us the commands of Allah
Almighty and how we should live in this world. This has been so since the first prophet, Adam, to the
last prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon them).
As you already know, the sayings of our Prophet are called hadiths. Our beloved Prophet
(peace be upon him), who brought us the Qur’an or the commands of our Lord, explained to us
these Divine commands through his hadith. He taught us through his sayings what we need to do
in order to be happy both in this life and in the Hereafter.
We should often read the holy sayings of our Prophet if we want to understand the
commands of Almighty God, and if we want to learn our religion in the most perfect way. For
centuries many Muslim scholars have put our Prophet’s sayings together into bouquets of forty
which made them easier to learn.
I also wanted my fortieth book, which I have written for you, to be a collection of forty
sayings of our glorious Prophet. I know that you like very much to read stories, so I have
presented these sayings in the form of tales written around the sayings of the Prophet. My
beloved children, I hope you will enjoy reading this book, and if you like it, would you please
pray for me?
M. Yasar Kandemir
God Almighty wishes for all His servants to be happy.He sent us prophets in order to teach us how.
The prophets are the guides and teachers of human beings. They teach us the commands of Allah
Almighty and how we should live in this world. This has been so since the first prophet, Adam, to the
last prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon them).
As you already know, the sayings of our Prophet are called hadiths. Our beloved Prophet
(peace be upon him), who brought us the Qur’an or the commands of our Lord, explained to us
these Divine commands through his hadith. He taught us through his sayings what we need to do
in order to be happy both in this life and in the Hereafter.
We should often read the holy sayings of our Prophet if we want to understand the
commands of Almighty God, and if we want to learn our religion in the most perfect way. For
centuries many Muslim scholars have put our Prophet’s sayings together into bouquets of forty
which made them easier to learn.
I also wanted my fortieth book, which I have written for you, to be a collection of forty
sayings of our glorious Prophet. I know that you like very much to read stories, so I have
presented these sayings in the form of tales written around the sayings of the Prophet. My
beloved children, I hope you will enjoy reading this book, and if you like it, would you please
pray for me?
M. Yasar Kandemir
Importance of Saying Insha-Allah
During a Jumah Khutbah in a small town, an Imam talked about the significance of saying "Insha Allah" (which means if Allah wills) when planning to do something in the future. After a few days, a man who had also attended the Khutbah was going to buy a cow from the market. On the way, he met a friend who asked him where he was going. He told him about buying the cow but did not say Insha Allah in the end. His friend reminded him about the Khutbah and told him to say Insha Allah. However, this individual said that he had the money he needs and the energy to go to the market, thus, there is no point of saying Insha Allah as he will certainly buy the cow. He thought that saying Insha Allah will not make any difference.
When he reached the market, he found a cow that met his expectations. He burgained with the seller and came to a reasonable price. Finally, he decided to pay for the cow but was dumbfounded when he discovered that his money was missing. A thief had stolen the money while he was walking through the busy market. The cow seller asked him whether he was going to buy the cow or not. "Insha Allah, I will buy it next week," he said. When he reached home, his wife inquired about the cow. He told her about how he forgot to say Insha Allah, and also added, "Insha Allah, I wanted to buy the cow. But Insha Allah, my money was stolen. Insha Allah, I will buy it next week." His wife clarified to him that we should say Insha Allah for things that are yet to happen, not for those things that had already happened. He never forgot his "Insha Allah" again.
During a Jumah Khutbah in a small town, an Imam talked about the significance of saying "Insha Allah" (which means if Allah wills) when planning to do something in the future. After a few days, a man who had also attended the Khutbah was going to buy a cow from the market. On the way, he met a friend who asked him where he was going. He told him about buying the cow but did not say Insha Allah in the end. His friend reminded him about the Khutbah and told him to say Insha Allah. However, this individual said that he had the money he needs and the energy to go to the market, thus, there is no point of saying Insha Allah as he will certainly buy the cow. He thought that saying Insha Allah will not make any difference.
When he reached the market, he found a cow that met his expectations. He burgained with the seller and came to a reasonable price. Finally, he decided to pay for the cow but was dumbfounded when he discovered that his money was missing. A thief had stolen the money while he was walking through the busy market. The cow seller asked him whether he was going to buy the cow or not. "Insha Allah, I will buy it next week," he said. When he reached home, his wife inquired about the cow. He told her about how he forgot to say Insha Allah, and also added, "Insha Allah, I wanted to buy the cow. But Insha Allah, my money was stolen. Insha Allah, I will buy it next week." His wife clarified to him that we should say Insha Allah for things that are yet to happen, not for those things that had already happened. He never forgot his "Insha Allah" again.
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).
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).
Owners of the Garden
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.
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.
Story of a Wrestler Junaid Baghdadi
Junaid Baghdadi earned his livelihood as a professional wrestler. As was the norm, the Leader of Baghdad announced one day, "Today, Junaid Baghdadi will demonstrate his skills as a wrestler, is there anyone to challenge him." An elderly man shakily stood up with his neck quivering and said, "I will enter the contest with him."
Whoever was witness to this scene could not contain themselves, they burst out howling with laughter, clapping their hands. The King was bound by the law. He could not stop someone who of his own free will entered the bout. The elderly man was given the permission to enter the ring. He was about sixty-five years old. When Junaid Baghdadi entered the ring, he was dumbfounded as was the King and all the spectators of the Kingdom who were present. The single thought that occupied their minds was, "How will this old man be able to fight?"
The old man addressed Junaid with these words, "Lend me your ears." He then whispered, "I know it is not possible for me to win this bout against you, but I am a Sayyid, a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). My children are starving at home. Are you prepared to sacrifice your name, your honour and position for the love of Allah's Prophet and lose this bout to me? If you do this I will be able to collect the prize money and thereby have the means to feed my children and myself for an entire year. I will be able to settle all my debts and above all, the master of both the worlds will be pleased with you. Are you, Oh Junaid, not willing to sacrifice your honour for the sake of the children of Rasulullah (peace be upon him)?"
Junaid Baghdadi thought to himself, "Today, I have an excellent opportunity."
In a display of fervour Junaid Baghdadi executed a couple of maneuvers, demonstrating his finesse so that the King does not suspect any conspiracy. Junaid with a great display of antics did not use his strength and allowed himself to be dropped. The elderly man mounted his chest thus entitling him to the prize.
That night, Junaid Baghdadi had a dream of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who said, "Oh Junaid, you have sacrificed your honour, your nationally acclaimed fame, your name and position which was heralded throughout Baghdad in the expression of your love for my children who were starving. As of today, your name is recorded in the register of the Auliya (friends of Allah)."
Thereafter, this great wrestler learnt to defeat his nafs (desires) and became one of the most eminent Auliya of his time!
Junaid Baghdadi earned his livelihood as a professional wrestler. As was the norm, the Leader of Baghdad announced one day, "Today, Junaid Baghdadi will demonstrate his skills as a wrestler, is there anyone to challenge him." An elderly man shakily stood up with his neck quivering and said, "I will enter the contest with him."
Whoever was witness to this scene could not contain themselves, they burst out howling with laughter, clapping their hands. The King was bound by the law. He could not stop someone who of his own free will entered the bout. The elderly man was given the permission to enter the ring. He was about sixty-five years old. When Junaid Baghdadi entered the ring, he was dumbfounded as was the King and all the spectators of the Kingdom who were present. The single thought that occupied their minds was, "How will this old man be able to fight?"
The old man addressed Junaid with these words, "Lend me your ears." He then whispered, "I know it is not possible for me to win this bout against you, but I am a Sayyid, a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). My children are starving at home. Are you prepared to sacrifice your name, your honour and position for the love of Allah's Prophet and lose this bout to me? If you do this I will be able to collect the prize money and thereby have the means to feed my children and myself for an entire year. I will be able to settle all my debts and above all, the master of both the worlds will be pleased with you. Are you, Oh Junaid, not willing to sacrifice your honour for the sake of the children of Rasulullah (peace be upon him)?"
Junaid Baghdadi thought to himself, "Today, I have an excellent opportunity."
In a display of fervour Junaid Baghdadi executed a couple of maneuvers, demonstrating his finesse so that the King does not suspect any conspiracy. Junaid with a great display of antics did not use his strength and allowed himself to be dropped. The elderly man mounted his chest thus entitling him to the prize.
That night, Junaid Baghdadi had a dream of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who said, "Oh Junaid, you have sacrificed your honour, your nationally acclaimed fame, your name and position which was heralded throughout Baghdad in the expression of your love for my children who were starving. As of today, your name is recorded in the register of the Auliya (friends of Allah)."
Thereafter, this great wrestler learnt to defeat his nafs (desires) and became one of the most eminent Auliya of his time!
The Beautiful Story of Abu Ghayth
From the signs of truthfulness is fear of Allah and asceticism in life; for the truthful with conviction fears consuming from what is impermissible and bears poverty and hardship for the sake of Islam. If he commits sin then he does not sleep until he returns to his Lord and repents, in order to free himself from the sin, and its burden.
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari: I was in Makkah during the season of Hajj and I saw a man from Khurasaan calling out to the people: "Oh pilgrims, oh people of Makkah - from those who are present and those far off, I have lost a pouch that contains a thousand dinars. So whoever returns the pouch, Allah will reward them with good, save them from the hell fire, and His bounty and favors will be acquired on the Day of Accounting (Day of Judgment)."
An old man from the people of Makkah approached him and said: "Oh Khurasaani, our city is in a very tough condition, and the days of hajj are few, and its season is appointed, and the doors of profit-making are closed. This money might fall in the hands of a believer who is poor and old in age. Maybe he plans to give it if you make a promise that you will give him a little bit of money that is halal (permissible) for him to use."
The Khurasaani said: "How much does he want?"
The old man said: "He wants one-tenth of the money (a hundred dinars)."
The Khurasaani said: "No. I will not grant him the money and instead I will take my case to Allah, and complain to Him on the day we meet Him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in."
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: "I realized that it was the old man is poor, and he was the one who took the pouch of dinars and wishes to have a little portion of it. So I followed him until he returned to his home. My assumptions were confirmed. I heard him calling onto his wife:"Oh Lubabah."
She said: "I am at your service, O Abu Ghayth."
The old man said: I found the owner of the dinars calling for it, and he does not intend to give any reward to the person who finds it. I said to him "Give us a hundred dinars and he refused and said he would take his case to Allah. What should I do O Lubabah? I must return it, for I fear my Lord, and I fear that my sin is multiplied.
His wife said to him: Oh Man! We have been struggling and suffering from poverty with you for the last 50 years, and you have 4 daughters, 2 sisters, my mother and I, and you are the ninth. Keep all the money and feed us for we are hungry, and clothe us for you know better our situation. Perhaps Allah, the All-Mighty, will make you rich afterwards and you might be able to give the money back after you fed your children, or Allah will pay the amount you owe on the day when the kingdom will belong to the King (Allah).
He said to her: Will I consume haram after 86 years of my life, and burn my organs with fire after I have been patient with my poverty, and become worthy of Allah anger, even though I am close to my grave?! No, By Allah, I will not do so!
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: I left with amazement concerning his condition and that of his wife. At a later point during the day, I heard the owner of the pouch calling out...
Saying: "O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."
The old man said: Oh Khurasaani, I have addressed you the other day and advised you that our land is low on cultivation, so reward the person who found the pouch so that he is not tempted to break the laws of Allah. I have advised you to pay the person who finds it a hundred dinars but you refused. If your money falls into hands of a person who fears Allah the All-Mighty, will you give him 10 dinars at least, instead of a 100?
The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in."
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: The people dispersed and left. Later on during the hours of the day, once again, the Khurasaani made the same call, saying:
"O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."
The old man came again and said: O Khurasaani, I said to you the day before yesterday to reward the finder a hundred dinars and you refused. Then I advised you to give him ten dinars and you refused, so will you give only one dinar so that he can buy with half of it things he needs and with the other half, sheep milk, so that he can give to the people and feed his children?
The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. "
The old man angrily said: Come you, and take your money so that I can sleep at night, for I have not had a good mood ever since I found this money.
Ibn Jarir said: So the old man went with the owner of the money and I followed them until the old man entered his house, dug a hole and pulled out the money and said: Take your money and ask Allah to forgive me and bless me from His bounty.
The Khurasaani took the money and intended to leave, but when he reached the door he said: O old man, my father died, May Allah have mercy on him, and left behind three thousand dinars and said to me: Take out a third of this money and give it to a person from the people who is most deserving of it. Therefore I tied it in a pouch so that I may spend it on someone who is worthy of it. By Allah, I have not seen a person, since I left Khurasaan until now, who is more worthy of it then you. So take it, May Allah's blessing be upon you, and May He reward for the trust you kept, and your patience during poverty. The Khurasaani man left without the money.
The old man wept and prayed to Allah, saying: May Allah bless the owner of the money in his grave, and May Allah bless his son.
Ibn Jarir said: I left after the Khurasaani but Abu Ghayth (the old man) followed me and brought me back. He asked me to sit down, and said: I have seen you following me since the first day; you have come to know of our situation yesterday and today. I have heard that the Prophet said: "If you are gifted from the provision of Allah, without begging or asking, then accept it and do not reject it." So this is a gift from Allah to all those attending.
The old man called: O Lubabah, O so and so, O so and so. He called on his daughters and his sisters and wife and her mother, and sat down and made me sit down. We were 10. He opened the bag, and said spread your clothing over your laps.
So I (Ibn Jarir) did, but the girls did not have proper clothing that would enable them to do that, so they extended their hands. The old man gave dinar by dinar in order until he reached me (Ibn Jarir) and said: "Here is a dinar." The process continued until the bag was empty and I received a hundred dinars.
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: So joy filled my heart because of the provision they received more then the joy I had because I received a hundred dinars.
When I was leaving the old man said: O young man. You are blessed; keep this money with you for it is halal. And know that I use to wake up for Fajr prayer with this wet shirt. After I was done I would take it off, and give it so that my daughters can pray - one by one. Then I would go to work between Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer and then I would come back at the end of the day with what Allah has given me from dates and dry pieces of bread. Then I would take off my clothes for my daughters and they would pray Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer, and the same would happen for the Maghrib and Isha prayers. And we did not ever expect to see this kind of money. So may Allah make us make good use of them, and may Allah bless the person in his grave and multiply the reward for him.
Ibn Jarir said: So I greeted him goodbye, and took the hundred dinars and used them to write knowledge for two years! I used it to buy paper and pay rent and after sixteen years I returned to Makkah and inquired about the old man. I was told that he died a few months after the incident that occurred between us. His wife died, along with her mother, and his 2 sisters. The only ones that remained were the daughters whom, when I asked about, found that they were married to kings and Princes. I dropped by and they honored me as a guest and treated me kindly until they died also. So May Allah bless them in their graves.
{That will be an admonition given to him who believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things. ( surah At-Talaq 65: 2-3)
From the signs of truthfulness is fear of Allah and asceticism in life; for the truthful with conviction fears consuming from what is impermissible and bears poverty and hardship for the sake of Islam. If he commits sin then he does not sleep until he returns to his Lord and repents, in order to free himself from the sin, and its burden.
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari: I was in Makkah during the season of Hajj and I saw a man from Khurasaan calling out to the people: "Oh pilgrims, oh people of Makkah - from those who are present and those far off, I have lost a pouch that contains a thousand dinars. So whoever returns the pouch, Allah will reward them with good, save them from the hell fire, and His bounty and favors will be acquired on the Day of Accounting (Day of Judgment)."
An old man from the people of Makkah approached him and said: "Oh Khurasaani, our city is in a very tough condition, and the days of hajj are few, and its season is appointed, and the doors of profit-making are closed. This money might fall in the hands of a believer who is poor and old in age. Maybe he plans to give it if you make a promise that you will give him a little bit of money that is halal (permissible) for him to use."
The Khurasaani said: "How much does he want?"
The old man said: "He wants one-tenth of the money (a hundred dinars)."
The Khurasaani said: "No. I will not grant him the money and instead I will take my case to Allah, and complain to Him on the day we meet Him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in."
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: "I realized that it was the old man is poor, and he was the one who took the pouch of dinars and wishes to have a little portion of it. So I followed him until he returned to his home. My assumptions were confirmed. I heard him calling onto his wife:"Oh Lubabah."
She said: "I am at your service, O Abu Ghayth."
The old man said: I found the owner of the dinars calling for it, and he does not intend to give any reward to the person who finds it. I said to him "Give us a hundred dinars and he refused and said he would take his case to Allah. What should I do O Lubabah? I must return it, for I fear my Lord, and I fear that my sin is multiplied.
His wife said to him: Oh Man! We have been struggling and suffering from poverty with you for the last 50 years, and you have 4 daughters, 2 sisters, my mother and I, and you are the ninth. Keep all the money and feed us for we are hungry, and clothe us for you know better our situation. Perhaps Allah, the All-Mighty, will make you rich afterwards and you might be able to give the money back after you fed your children, or Allah will pay the amount you owe on the day when the kingdom will belong to the King (Allah).
He said to her: Will I consume haram after 86 years of my life, and burn my organs with fire after I have been patient with my poverty, and become worthy of Allah anger, even though I am close to my grave?! No, By Allah, I will not do so!
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: I left with amazement concerning his condition and that of his wife. At a later point during the day, I heard the owner of the pouch calling out...
Saying: "O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."
The old man said: Oh Khurasaani, I have addressed you the other day and advised you that our land is low on cultivation, so reward the person who found the pouch so that he is not tempted to break the laws of Allah. I have advised you to pay the person who finds it a hundred dinars but you refused. If your money falls into hands of a person who fears Allah the All-Mighty, will you give him 10 dinars at least, instead of a 100?
The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in."
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: The people dispersed and left. Later on during the hours of the day, once again, the Khurasaani made the same call, saying:
"O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."
The old man came again and said: O Khurasaani, I said to you the day before yesterday to reward the finder a hundred dinars and you refused. Then I advised you to give him ten dinars and you refused, so will you give only one dinar so that he can buy with half of it things he needs and with the other half, sheep milk, so that he can give to the people and feed his children?
The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. "
The old man angrily said: Come you, and take your money so that I can sleep at night, for I have not had a good mood ever since I found this money.
Ibn Jarir said: So the old man went with the owner of the money and I followed them until the old man entered his house, dug a hole and pulled out the money and said: Take your money and ask Allah to forgive me and bless me from His bounty.
The Khurasaani took the money and intended to leave, but when he reached the door he said: O old man, my father died, May Allah have mercy on him, and left behind three thousand dinars and said to me: Take out a third of this money and give it to a person from the people who is most deserving of it. Therefore I tied it in a pouch so that I may spend it on someone who is worthy of it. By Allah, I have not seen a person, since I left Khurasaan until now, who is more worthy of it then you. So take it, May Allah's blessing be upon you, and May He reward for the trust you kept, and your patience during poverty. The Khurasaani man left without the money.
The old man wept and prayed to Allah, saying: May Allah bless the owner of the money in his grave, and May Allah bless his son.
Ibn Jarir said: I left after the Khurasaani but Abu Ghayth (the old man) followed me and brought me back. He asked me to sit down, and said: I have seen you following me since the first day; you have come to know of our situation yesterday and today. I have heard that the Prophet said: "If you are gifted from the provision of Allah, without begging or asking, then accept it and do not reject it." So this is a gift from Allah to all those attending.
The old man called: O Lubabah, O so and so, O so and so. He called on his daughters and his sisters and wife and her mother, and sat down and made me sit down. We were 10. He opened the bag, and said spread your clothing over your laps.
So I (Ibn Jarir) did, but the girls did not have proper clothing that would enable them to do that, so they extended their hands. The old man gave dinar by dinar in order until he reached me (Ibn Jarir) and said: "Here is a dinar." The process continued until the bag was empty and I received a hundred dinars.
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: So joy filled my heart because of the provision they received more then the joy I had because I received a hundred dinars.
When I was leaving the old man said: O young man. You are blessed; keep this money with you for it is halal. And know that I use to wake up for Fajr prayer with this wet shirt. After I was done I would take it off, and give it so that my daughters can pray - one by one. Then I would go to work between Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer and then I would come back at the end of the day with what Allah has given me from dates and dry pieces of bread. Then I would take off my clothes for my daughters and they would pray Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer, and the same would happen for the Maghrib and Isha prayers. And we did not ever expect to see this kind of money. So may Allah make us make good use of them, and may Allah bless the person in his grave and multiply the reward for him.
Ibn Jarir said: So I greeted him goodbye, and took the hundred dinars and used them to write knowledge for two years! I used it to buy paper and pay rent and after sixteen years I returned to Makkah and inquired about the old man. I was told that he died a few months after the incident that occurred between us. His wife died, along with her mother, and his 2 sisters. The only ones that remained were the daughters whom, when I asked about, found that they were married to kings and Princes. I dropped by and they honored me as a guest and treated me kindly until they died also. So May Allah bless them in their graves.
{That will be an admonition given to him who believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things. ( surah At-Talaq 65: 2-3)
The Sight of Kabah
One never tires of gazing at the sight of the House of Allah, the Kaa'ba. The site upon which the mercy and blessings of Allah are constantly descending. There is truly nothing comparable to the House of Allah on this Earth. People wish time would stand still so they could keep gazing at the Kaa'ba; their thirst is never quenched, rather it increases.
Once, while on a visit to Washington, people told me that a woman had accepted Islam and had some questions for me. They told me that many non-practicing Muslim women had started practicing again due to her. At prayer time she would dress in her best clothes as if readying herself for someone special, and would become oblivious to everything around her as soon she started praying.
After a brief question and answer session, I asked her what prompted her to accept Islam. She sighed and started explaining; "I was a Jew and my husband was a Christian who was posted in Saudi Arabia for some technical work. Everyday I used to see Muslim men and women dressed in white on their way somewhere. I asked my husband where they were going and he told me that they go to perform pilgrimage at the Muslim shrine of Kaa'ba. I expressed a desire to go but he told me that non-Muslims were not allowed. However, I was determined and so we both bought white clothes and set out. Fortunately no one stopped us and we reached Makkah, from where we found directions to the Kaa'ba. Upon seeing the Kaa'ba our eyes froze and time seemed to stand still. When we turned to look at each other after some time, we were both crying. With our eyes we told each other that this was the Truth and we should accept Islam. No one ever told me about Islam, but there were so many blessings descending on that House that they changed my life forever."
The blessings of Tawhid descend in Makkah, and the blessings of Prophethood descend in Madinah. One has seen nothing in life if he has not seen these two holy sites. May Allah give all Muslims the opportunity to visit to His House.
Source: Excerpt from a speech of Shaikh Zulfiqar -
One never tires of gazing at the sight of the House of Allah, the Kaa'ba. The site upon which the mercy and blessings of Allah are constantly descending. There is truly nothing comparable to the House of Allah on this Earth. People wish time would stand still so they could keep gazing at the Kaa'ba; their thirst is never quenched, rather it increases.
Once, while on a visit to Washington, people told me that a woman had accepted Islam and had some questions for me. They told me that many non-practicing Muslim women had started practicing again due to her. At prayer time she would dress in her best clothes as if readying herself for someone special, and would become oblivious to everything around her as soon she started praying.
After a brief question and answer session, I asked her what prompted her to accept Islam. She sighed and started explaining; "I was a Jew and my husband was a Christian who was posted in Saudi Arabia for some technical work. Everyday I used to see Muslim men and women dressed in white on their way somewhere. I asked my husband where they were going and he told me that they go to perform pilgrimage at the Muslim shrine of Kaa'ba. I expressed a desire to go but he told me that non-Muslims were not allowed. However, I was determined and so we both bought white clothes and set out. Fortunately no one stopped us and we reached Makkah, from where we found directions to the Kaa'ba. Upon seeing the Kaa'ba our eyes froze and time seemed to stand still. When we turned to look at each other after some time, we were both crying. With our eyes we told each other that this was the Truth and we should accept Islam. No one ever told me about Islam, but there were so many blessings descending on that House that they changed my life forever."
The blessings of Tawhid descend in Makkah, and the blessings of Prophethood descend in Madinah. One has seen nothing in life if he has not seen these two holy sites. May Allah give all Muslims the opportunity to visit to His House.
Source: Excerpt from a speech of Shaikh Zulfiqar -
The Righteous Beggar
The following incident took place in Dhaka which is the capital city of Bangladesh.
There was a beggar in the city who used to beg beside a Masjid on Fridays after Jumah prayer. Begging was permissible for him due to his adverse condition. Though he was a beggar, he would pay attention to the sermons that were delivered during the Khutbah. One such sermons was about the importance of earning halal income. He learnt that supplications (dua) will not be accepted from those people whose income are from forbidden sources. He immediately decided to accept money from only those individuals that he knew had halal income. His daily earnings decreased as a result but he was committed to his decision.
Then came a day when the beggar died. Eventhough he lived as a beggar, his funeral was like that of a king. Many dignitaries of the area attended his funeral because they knew of that great sacrifice he used to make daily in order to keep up with the commandment of Almighty Allah.
Dear readers, we too should sincerely adopt the commandments of Allah in our lives regardless of our social status. In this way, Allah will elevate us in this world and in the hereafter.
The following incident took place in Dhaka which is the capital city of Bangladesh.
There was a beggar in the city who used to beg beside a Masjid on Fridays after Jumah prayer. Begging was permissible for him due to his adverse condition. Though he was a beggar, he would pay attention to the sermons that were delivered during the Khutbah. One such sermons was about the importance of earning halal income. He learnt that supplications (dua) will not be accepted from those people whose income are from forbidden sources. He immediately decided to accept money from only those individuals that he knew had halal income. His daily earnings decreased as a result but he was committed to his decision.
Then came a day when the beggar died. Eventhough he lived as a beggar, his funeral was like that of a king. Many dignitaries of the area attended his funeral because they knew of that great sacrifice he used to make daily in order to keep up with the commandment of Almighty Allah.
Dear readers, we too should sincerely adopt the commandments of Allah in our lives regardless of our social status. In this way, Allah will elevate us in this world and in the hereafter.
THE ‘MEANIE’
It was a beautiful summer day and children were playing on the shore of a stream.
Among them was a boy named Gaffar, but all the children called him ‘Meanie’ because of his cruel treatment to animals. Gaffar was bored with the game they were playing; he wanted to play something that was more exciting and interesting. The other children made some suggestions, but he thought they were all boring. Gaffar called aside some of his friends who thought like him. Soon they announced that
they had come up with a fun game. The other children wondered what this game could be. Gaffar and his friends sneaked behind their friend Ali, who was new in town, and didn’t know how to swim. They caught his hands and legs and threw poor Ali into the stream! Ali panicked. He struggled hard to swim, but the harder he tried the more he sank. He started screaming for help. Gaffar and his friends were laughing as he screamed.
One of the other children quickly took off his clothes. It was Ismail. Ismail was a brave
kid and only he could stand up to Gaffar. As soon as he saw what they had done to Ali, he rose up against them. In a few minutes, he brought Ali safely to shore.
The other children congratulated Ismail. A man passing by had seen everything. The
well-dressed, kind-faced man went up to Ismail, and putting his hand on his shoulder, said:“My dear boy, you have acted just as the way our beloved Prophet has ordered. MayAllah be pleased with you.
Our Prophet said in one of his hadiths:
“A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor leaves him in evil hands.”
*********************************************************************************************************************************
It was a beautiful summer day and children were playing on the shore of a stream.
Among them was a boy named Gaffar, but all the children called him ‘Meanie’ because of his cruel treatment to animals. Gaffar was bored with the game they were playing; he wanted to play something that was more exciting and interesting. The other children made some suggestions, but he thought they were all boring. Gaffar called aside some of his friends who thought like him. Soon they announced that
they had come up with a fun game. The other children wondered what this game could be. Gaffar and his friends sneaked behind their friend Ali, who was new in town, and didn’t know how to swim. They caught his hands and legs and threw poor Ali into the stream! Ali panicked. He struggled hard to swim, but the harder he tried the more he sank. He started screaming for help. Gaffar and his friends were laughing as he screamed.
One of the other children quickly took off his clothes. It was Ismail. Ismail was a brave
kid and only he could stand up to Gaffar. As soon as he saw what they had done to Ali, he rose up against them. In a few minutes, he brought Ali safely to shore.
The other children congratulated Ismail. A man passing by had seen everything. The
well-dressed, kind-faced man went up to Ismail, and putting his hand on his shoulder, said:“My dear boy, you have acted just as the way our beloved Prophet has ordered. MayAllah be pleased with you.
Our Prophet said in one of his hadiths:
“A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor leaves him in evil hands.”
*********************************************************************************************************************************
THE BIRDS
One day, a hunter set his net on the banks of a stream. Many
birds, which got lured by the
grain in the net, fell into his trap. When the hunter came to
gather his net, the birds suddenly flew
away with the net.
The hunter was astonished by their cooperation and coordination when he saw all the
birds flying together with the net. He decided to follow them to see what was going to happen.
A man, whom he met on his way, asked him where he was rushing to.
Pointing the birds in the sky, the hunter said he was going to catch the birds.
The man laughed and said:
“May God grant you some sense! Do you really think you can catch birds on the wing?”
The hunter said:
“If there was only one bird in the net I wouldn’t stand a chance. But wait and see; I will
catch them.”
“The hunter was right. When the night fell, the birds all wanted to go to their own nests.
Some of them pulled the net to the woods, others headed toward the lake. Some wanted to fly to
the mountains, others to the bushes. None succeeded and finally all of them crashed down with
the net. The hunter came and caught all of the birds.
Poor birds! If only they had known the following saying of our Prophet they would have
always flown in the same direction, and then they would not have gotten caught by the hunter
“Do not separate from one another! The lamb that abandons its herd will
be eaten by the wolf.”
*****************************************************************************************************************************
One day, a hunter set his net on the banks of a stream. Many
birds, which got lured by the
grain in the net, fell into his trap. When the hunter came to
gather his net, the birds suddenly flew
away with the net.
The hunter was astonished by their cooperation and coordination when he saw all the
birds flying together with the net. He decided to follow them to see what was going to happen.
A man, whom he met on his way, asked him where he was rushing to.
Pointing the birds in the sky, the hunter said he was going to catch the birds.
The man laughed and said:
“May God grant you some sense! Do you really think you can catch birds on the wing?”
The hunter said:
“If there was only one bird in the net I wouldn’t stand a chance. But wait and see; I will
catch them.”
“The hunter was right. When the night fell, the birds all wanted to go to their own nests.
Some of them pulled the net to the woods, others headed toward the lake. Some wanted to fly to
the mountains, others to the bushes. None succeeded and finally all of them crashed down with
the net. The hunter came and caught all of the birds.
Poor birds! If only they had known the following saying of our Prophet they would have
always flown in the same direction, and then they would not have gotten caught by the hunter
“Do not separate from one another! The lamb that abandons its herd will
be eaten by the wolf.”
*****************************************************************************************************************************
A THORN
Once upon a time there was a terrible punishment under way in
a certain country. They were feeding the criminals to the
hungry lions. People would gather to watch this horrifying
scene.The criminal that day was a slave who had escaped from
his owner. He was left in the middle of an arena surrounded by
high walls. They let a hungry lion into the arena. At first the
lion got ready to pounce on the poor man, but suddenly it
stopped and started to lick the slave’s hands!
The spectators were astonished. They asked the slave why the
lion had not attacked him.The slave said:”One day, I saw this lion in the forest. A thorn had lodged
itself in its paw, and it was in great pain. I pulled out the thorn and since that day we have been good
friends.”People got touched by this story. They set both the lion and the slave free. To the people’s
amazement the lion was following the slave as if it was his pet cat.
What a wonderful saying of our Prophet:
“God shows his mercy to those who are merciful. Have compassion to
creatures on earth so that those in heaven may have mercy upon you.”
*********************************************************************************************************
THE COAT
Ahmad the shepherd was very sad. He had lost almost everything he owned during the
terrible years of war. His wife had died and he had also lost his son. When he lost his job in
town, he began to work as a shepherd in the countryside.
One day, as his sheep grazed near the road, he saw a group of people taking a young man
to the hospital in town. It was obvious that this young man was even poorer than him. He was
shivering in his thin jacket. Ahmad the shepherd immediately took off his own coat, which he
had owned for years, and put it on the young man.
As the young man was waiting in the hospital to be examined, he was surprised to hear
someone calling him “Dad.” He looked up but he couldn’t recognize the young man standing in
front of him. The latter, who had called him dad, was surprised as well.
He apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, sir. I had mistaken your coat for my father’s, whom I
haven’t seen for many years. I thought you were my father.”
The sick man asked him who his father was. After talking for a few minutes, he realized
that the young man was the lost son of Ahmad the shepherd. He told the young man that he did
not make a mistake and that the coat had really belonged to his father. After being examined at
the hospital, he returned to the village, accompanied by shepherd Ahmad’s son.
How true is the saying of our beloved Prophet,
“Every kindness will be rewarded tenfold.”
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Ahmad the shepherd was very sad. He had lost almost everything he owned during the
terrible years of war. His wife had died and he had also lost his son. When he lost his job in
town, he began to work as a shepherd in the countryside.
One day, as his sheep grazed near the road, he saw a group of people taking a young man
to the hospital in town. It was obvious that this young man was even poorer than him. He was
shivering in his thin jacket. Ahmad the shepherd immediately took off his own coat, which he
had owned for years, and put it on the young man.
As the young man was waiting in the hospital to be examined, he was surprised to hear
someone calling him “Dad.” He looked up but he couldn’t recognize the young man standing in
front of him. The latter, who had called him dad, was surprised as well.
He apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, sir. I had mistaken your coat for my father’s, whom I
haven’t seen for many years. I thought you were my father.”
The sick man asked him who his father was. After talking for a few minutes, he realized
that the young man was the lost son of Ahmad the shepherd. He told the young man that he did
not make a mistake and that the coat had really belonged to his father. After being examined at
the hospital, he returned to the village, accompanied by shepherd Ahmad’s son.
How true is the saying of our beloved Prophet,
“Every kindness will be rewarded tenfold.”
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
THE MIRROR
Once upon a time, a vizier was walking around the market with his high officials. He
came across the slave market. Pitiful people who had lost their freedom were being sold one by one.
The vizier approached the slaves. He wanted to see them more closely. Just then, an old
slave said to the vizier:“There is a stain on your turban, sir.”The vizier took off his turban and examined it. The slave was right. This meant that hehad been walking through the market with a stained turban for hours and everybody had seen it. How embarrassing! Then he looked at his companions sadly and said to them: “You saw the stain on my turban, yet you closed your eyes and didn’t tell me anything about it. I just realized that my real friend was that poor slave. I cannot let my true friend be sold as a slave! Buy him immediately and set him free.” Later, the vizier had the following hadith of the Prophet framed and sent it to his men so that they would never forget this incident:
“A Muslim is the mirror of another Muslim.”
*************************************************************************************************************************************
Once upon a time, a vizier was walking around the market with his high officials. He
came across the slave market. Pitiful people who had lost their freedom were being sold one by one.
The vizier approached the slaves. He wanted to see them more closely. Just then, an old
slave said to the vizier:“There is a stain on your turban, sir.”The vizier took off his turban and examined it. The slave was right. This meant that hehad been walking through the market with a stained turban for hours and everybody had seen it. How embarrassing! Then he looked at his companions sadly and said to them: “You saw the stain on my turban, yet you closed your eyes and didn’t tell me anything about it. I just realized that my real friend was that poor slave. I cannot let my true friend be sold as a slave! Buy him immediately and set him free.” Later, the vizier had the following hadith of the Prophet framed and sent it to his men so that they would never forget this incident:
“A Muslim is the mirror of another Muslim.”
*************************************************************************************************************************************
Ammar and the Tortoise
One day, Ammar was reading one of his favorite stories, "The Hare and the Tortoise." He laughed at what happened to the hare and learned from the tortoise how important it is to use one's head and that cleverness is more than a match for physical superiority. While he was thinking about these things, he suddenly realized that the tortoise in the book had come alive on the page and had started talking to him:
The tortoise began by saying: "Hi Ammar! It's great that you are so young and clever enough to learn a lesson from the story about the hare and me."
Ammar asked "How old are you?"
The tortoise replied: "I'm not as young as I look; I am actually 45 years old. Tortoises live for about 60 years; and there's even one kind of tortoise called the 'Testudo' that can live as long as 189 years."
"What's your favorite season?" asked Ammar.
The tortoise replied: "Warm weather is very important for our survival. Our body temperature changes with the temperature of the air around us and is usually between 32.2 and 32.4 Fahrenheit (0.1 and 0.2 degrees Celcius) lower than that of the air. Our digestive system speeds up as the temperature becomes hotter. When Allah created us, He gave us this characteristic to make it easier for us to survive when it is very hot. We need all the gifts that Allah gives us, but He is Rich Beyond Need."
Ammar then wondered: "What's your favorite food?"
"We love yellow squash. Our eyes are very sharp, and they see yellows best. That means we can easily find our favorite food," responded the tortoise.
Everything in the heavens and everything in the Earth belongs to Him. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surat al-Hajj: 64)
Ammar had another question for the tortoise: "Do you hibernate in winter?"
The tortoise explained: "Yes. When the weather gets colder, from October on, and food becomes harder to find, our bodies slow down and we protect ourselves by going to sleep for several months. Our heartbeat and our breathing slow down. We hibernate between October and March. Because Allah created us in this way, we don't have to stay awake in winter with nothing to eat, which would be fatal to us. Allah has protected us for generations by sending us to sleep at just the right time."
Ammar had more to ask: "I know you live on dry land, but I also think some of you live in the water. Can you tell me about them?"
The tortoise smiled: "You're right, Ammar. There are tortoises, fresh water turtles and sea turtles among us. I live on dry land, for example. I prefer fields, soft soil and grapevines. Fresh water turtles, the kind you keep in aquariums, like lakes and river banks. Sea turtles live in the warm seas and come onto land to lay their eggs. Let me tell you something interesting about the Caretta sea turtle:
Caretta carettas go to warm beaches to lay their eggs. Allah inspires the young turtles that hatch from the eggs to head toward the light reflected off the sea, in other words, to go straight toward where they will live. How do these baby turtles know that the sea is the best place for them to live in? It must be because our Lord inspires that knowledge in them."
Ammar said: "You're right. Everyone with a mind to think with must know that the world is full of Allah's wonders. We must always remember that you and I, all animals and trees and everything else are a sign of Him. It was nice to talk to you. Thanks for telling me so much. Bye-bye."
"Good-bye, you clever boy," said the tortoise
****************************************************************************************************
One day, Ammar was reading one of his favorite stories, "The Hare and the Tortoise." He laughed at what happened to the hare and learned from the tortoise how important it is to use one's head and that cleverness is more than a match for physical superiority. While he was thinking about these things, he suddenly realized that the tortoise in the book had come alive on the page and had started talking to him:
The tortoise began by saying: "Hi Ammar! It's great that you are so young and clever enough to learn a lesson from the story about the hare and me."
Ammar asked "How old are you?"
The tortoise replied: "I'm not as young as I look; I am actually 45 years old. Tortoises live for about 60 years; and there's even one kind of tortoise called the 'Testudo' that can live as long as 189 years."
"What's your favorite season?" asked Ammar.
The tortoise replied: "Warm weather is very important for our survival. Our body temperature changes with the temperature of the air around us and is usually between 32.2 and 32.4 Fahrenheit (0.1 and 0.2 degrees Celcius) lower than that of the air. Our digestive system speeds up as the temperature becomes hotter. When Allah created us, He gave us this characteristic to make it easier for us to survive when it is very hot. We need all the gifts that Allah gives us, but He is Rich Beyond Need."
Ammar then wondered: "What's your favorite food?"
"We love yellow squash. Our eyes are very sharp, and they see yellows best. That means we can easily find our favorite food," responded the tortoise.
Everything in the heavens and everything in the Earth belongs to Him. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surat al-Hajj: 64)
Ammar had another question for the tortoise: "Do you hibernate in winter?"
The tortoise explained: "Yes. When the weather gets colder, from October on, and food becomes harder to find, our bodies slow down and we protect ourselves by going to sleep for several months. Our heartbeat and our breathing slow down. We hibernate between October and March. Because Allah created us in this way, we don't have to stay awake in winter with nothing to eat, which would be fatal to us. Allah has protected us for generations by sending us to sleep at just the right time."
Ammar had more to ask: "I know you live on dry land, but I also think some of you live in the water. Can you tell me about them?"
The tortoise smiled: "You're right, Ammar. There are tortoises, fresh water turtles and sea turtles among us. I live on dry land, for example. I prefer fields, soft soil and grapevines. Fresh water turtles, the kind you keep in aquariums, like lakes and river banks. Sea turtles live in the warm seas and come onto land to lay their eggs. Let me tell you something interesting about the Caretta sea turtle:
Caretta carettas go to warm beaches to lay their eggs. Allah inspires the young turtles that hatch from the eggs to head toward the light reflected off the sea, in other words, to go straight toward where they will live. How do these baby turtles know that the sea is the best place for them to live in? It must be because our Lord inspires that knowledge in them."
Ammar said: "You're right. Everyone with a mind to think with must know that the world is full of Allah's wonders. We must always remember that you and I, all animals and trees and everything else are a sign of Him. It was nice to talk to you. Thanks for telling me so much. Bye-bye."
"Good-bye, you clever boy," said the tortoise
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THE THIRSTY DOG
A man was once passing through a jungle. He began to feel very thirsty, so he went down a well to quench his thirst, by drinking some water. When he came out, he saw a very thirsty dog panting and licking the mud. The man felt very sorry for the dog, but had nothing with which to draw water from the well. He decided that the only way to help the dog, would be to use his leather socks and go down the well to fetch water. This is exactly what he did.
As he came up, he held the socks filled with water in his mouth. He then gave the water to the dog to drink.
What a happy ending to this of a brave man, isn’t it ? But that’s not all – Allah was pleased with this man’s deed and forgave him.
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A man was once passing through a jungle. He began to feel very thirsty, so he went down a well to quench his thirst, by drinking some water. When he came out, he saw a very thirsty dog panting and licking the mud. The man felt very sorry for the dog, but had nothing with which to draw water from the well. He decided that the only way to help the dog, would be to use his leather socks and go down the well to fetch water. This is exactly what he did.
As he came up, he held the socks filled with water in his mouth. He then gave the water to the dog to drink.
What a happy ending to this of a brave man, isn’t it ? But that’s not all – Allah was pleased with this man’s deed and forgave him.
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