Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Shibli. narrates
“Once I was travelling to Syria along with a group of other travellers when on the way we were plundered by a gang of thieves. They took all our possessions and put them in front of their gang leader. Amongst the goods were a bag of sugar and almonds, the thieves began to eat them but their leader did not join them.
I asked him why the rest of his gang was eating but he was not, he replied, “I am fasting”. I asked surprisingly, “How is it that you steal from people and fast at the same time?” He replied, “A man should do something to keep the doors of reconciliation open as well”.
Sometime later I saw the same gang leader in a state of “ihram” performing tawaaf [circulating around] of the blessed ka’ba. His face was resplendent with the light of worship and he had weakened himself through devotional practices. I asked surprisingly, “Are you the same man?” he answered,
“Yes, I am, and let me tell you, that very same fast is what caused my reconciliation with Allah".
(Raud-ur Riyaheen, P163, Maktaba-tul-Maymaniyyah Egypt)
do as much good as you can, maybe Allah (swt) will guide you through one small good you once did.
November 12, 2010
November 6, 2010
Sand and stone…
Two friends Ismail and Ibrahim were walking through the desert, as the sun was beating down on their heads, and they were thirsty for water they began to argue. The argument got more and more heated and eventually Ismail struck Ibrahim across the face. Ibrahim felt hurt inside, but without anything to say, he wrote in the sand:“Today, my best friend slapped me in the face.”
They kept on walking, until eventually they came across an oasis, where they decided to stop and bathe. Ibrahim jumped in and began to wash, while Ismail sat back and relaxed. Suddenly Ibrahim began to scream and shout, he had developed a cramp and was having difficulty keeping his head above water, he was drowning.
Ismail dived in after him, and brought him gently to shore.
When Ibrahim recovered from the shock, he scratched a message on a nearby stone:
“Today, my best friend saved my life”
Ismail who had saved and slapped his best friend Ibrahim, asked him, “Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?”
Ibrahim, smiled and replied:
“When a friend hurts us, we should write his deeds in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow it away, and when a friend does something good, we should engrave it in stone, where it shall remain for eternity.”
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant (i.e. don’t punish them). If a suggestion from Satan assails your mind, seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things)” [surah al-A'raf, 7:199-200]
They kept on walking, until eventually they came across an oasis, where they decided to stop and bathe. Ibrahim jumped in and began to wash, while Ismail sat back and relaxed. Suddenly Ibrahim began to scream and shout, he had developed a cramp and was having difficulty keeping his head above water, he was drowning.
Ismail dived in after him, and brought him gently to shore.
When Ibrahim recovered from the shock, he scratched a message on a nearby stone:
“Today, my best friend saved my life”
Ismail who had saved and slapped his best friend Ibrahim, asked him, “Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?”
Ibrahim, smiled and replied:
“When a friend hurts us, we should write his deeds in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow it away, and when a friend does something good, we should engrave it in stone, where it shall remain for eternity.”
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant (i.e. don’t punish them). If a suggestion from Satan assails your mind, seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things)” [surah al-A'raf, 7:199-200]
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