Short Stories

**Ansar Al-'Adl** · 02-10-2005

WELCOME TO THE

SHORT STORIES

THREAD

In this thread you are welcome to post any inspiring short stories that you have. I have revised the thread and removed excess posts from it. Please keep the stories islamic and in-line with forum rules. Please make sure that you read the thread before posting as there were cases where the same story was posted at least 3 times. Also, your story may have already been posted elsewhere on the forum if it relates to another topic. Please search the forum using the search feature. If you appreciate someone's story please use the reputation system to express your comments as the thread becomes hard to navigate when filled mostly with comments and few stories.

JazakumAllahu khairan.

**Protected_Diamond** · 11-05-2005

This story is really nice, and teaches a really good lesson...
Poison Your Mother-in-Law ...

A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-Li got married and went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all.

Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticised Li-Li constantly.

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish.

All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it.

Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang thought for a while, and finally said, Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you. Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do."

Mr.Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs.

He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body.

Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr.Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the whole household had changed.

Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.

Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law! She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her."

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitimans to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her."

Unknown Author

**Protected_Diamond** · 11-05-2005

A HOLE IN THE FENCE

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence....

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The day passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.

The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

mg3:

**Protected_Diamond** · 11-05-2005

A wooden bowl for grandpa
by Velma A.Cook

Allah tells us in the Qu'ran: "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attains old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour." (Sura Al Isra' 17:23)
The following is an example of the members of a family who come to grips or fail to come to grips with the reality of aging and each one's responsibilities. Truly, we reap what we sow.

"Grandpa, what are you doing?" asked eight year old Saleem.

"Well, I was watching you," laughed the old man. "I was wondering what you're doing!"

"I'm trying to carve a boat from this bit of wood," remarked Saleem, "but it doesn't seem to be working out very well."

Saleem sat on the grass looking at the piece of wood, that appeared more like an elephant's head, than a boat.

"Would you like me to give it a try. Son?"

"Could you Grandpa?"

"Give it over here," said the old man with a smile.

Grandpa's shaky old hands were covered with little brown spots. His knuckles were still strong and round from years of hard work. In his younger days, he'd been a coal merchant and he and his wife had raised three sons into fine, successful men. His wife had died some years ago and so he'd come to live with his oldest son, who had his own dental clinic. Saleem was the only child.
He sat intrigued as his Grandpa carved the piece of wood into a fine little boat.

"There you go, Saleem. I don't know if it will float but we can try it out in the bathtub. What do you think?"

"I think it will be fine as long as mum doesn't see us."

Grandpa winked at Saleem. "Let's give it a try shall we?"

Grandpa stood on his rickety old legs and Saleem fetched his walking stick and held his arm as they crossed the lawn together and entered the house by the side door. Without anyone seeing, they quietly went into the bathroom and closed the door. Saleem filled the bath and Grandpa placed the boat on the water.

"Grandpa! It floats. Look! You did it!"

They pushed it to each other up and down the bath until there came a loud knocking at the bathroom door.

"Saleem are you in there? I've been looking for you everywhere," called out his mother.

"She's found us Grandpa," said Saleem with a disappointed look on his face.

"Never mind Saleem, you go and see what she wants. She's probably been worried about you." Saleem pulled out the plug and watched the water gurgle down the plughole.

"I'm coming Mum."

"What have you been doing all this time Saleem? I've been looking for you outside and everywhere," said Ranya in a stern tone of voice. Her hands were firmly placed on her hips and she scowled as she looked at the old man sitting on the edge of the bath.

"You people have been messing up my bathroom?"

"No Mum, we just wanted to try out my boat in the water."

"Anyway, run along and wash your hands for dinner."

Ranya gave one final hard, long look at Grandpa, then stomped away.
Grandpa looked down at his slippers. His crooked old toes made strange shapes and configurations under the woolen tops. He was old and he knew it. Soon, he probably wouldn't even be able to use the bathroom himself anymore and he didn't want to think what life would be like then. He snatched onto his independence at every chance, trying to make the best of it but age had already caught up and he was placed here, at the mercy of the woman of the house. His son didn't come home until late in the day and he never saw the hard, unkind looks or heard the sharp comments that emitted from the mouth of Ranya.

Grandpa heard the car pull up and smiled to himself, knowing his son Ahmed had at last returned home.

"Assalam alaikum, how's things Dad?" asked Ahmed. "What's news?" he asked again as they sat down at the table together.

Ranya brought the plates through and handed one to each person. They were brightly colored porcelain plates that she'd received as a wedding present. Grandpa reached out his shaky old hands and grasped the plate as best he could, but it slipped from his grip and fell into pieces on the floor.

"Of all the…" began Ranya.

Grandpa frowned and looked at the mess on the floor. Mashed potatoes, peas and gravy and a nice piece of chicken were splashed over the nice woolen rug that decorated the dining room floor.

"I'm ever so sorry," said Grandpa nervously, as he tried to get up.

"No Dad, don't worry. Accidents happen. I'll get a cloth." Ahmed got up smiling and continued to talk about his day at work, trying to break the tension that he could see forming around his wife's figure. He met Ranya in the kitchen.

"Your father is forever messing up this house Ahmed. I can't stand it."

"You're exaggerating Ranya, things like this don't happen everyday. I'll clean it up."

"What about my plate? Now the set's incomplete."

"I'll get you another one, don't worry," reassured Ahmed.

"Well, he's not getting another one of those plates," she said as she reached into the cupboard and took out a wooden bowl.

"He spent the whole afternoon carving out a boat for Saleem, instead of trying to do something to help around here, so if he likes wood so much, he can eat from this." And she threw it down on the kitchen table.

Ahmed looked at his wife. He saw in her, that day, a side he hadn't seen before and wasn't so sure he liked it. He looked at the wooden bowl and then at his wife and walked out of the kitchen carrying the dustpan and a damp cloth. Ranya served another lot of food onto the wooden bowl and put it in front of Grandpa.

"Yes, yes, I do believe that's better. I'm a bit clumsy sometimes," said the old man, half to himself and half out loud.

Saleem looked at the wooden bowl and started to eat his dinner but tears were forming in his eyes. He wasn't quite sure why he felt like that but he felt really sorry for Grandpa and knew he didn't mean to drop the plate.
The next day Saleem went into the garage and started working on another piece of wood. He was in there all day while Grandpa rested in bed. He wasn't feeling very well. Ahmed had a day off and had just finished weeding the flowerbeds and wanted to return the tools to the garage when he noticed Saleem working away.

"What are you doing son?" asked Ahmed in his kindly voice.

"I'm making something."

"What is it?" asked Ahmed, coming a little closer.

"Well, it's something for you."

"Really? I'd like to see it."

"Ok, I've just about finished. You can come and look."

Ahmed approached Saleem's work place and saw a rather large wooden bowl. He'd made it quite well and it was smooth and even.

"Good work son," commented Ahmed.

"But do you think I need such a thing."

"No, maybe not now. But I thought I'd keep it for you until you get old like Grandpa."

**DaSangarTalib** · 11-07-2005

Baby in the trash

There is a flat in the city, much the same as all the others, that houses eight little orphan girls. Each of them was found in various places in the streets.

A businessman was walking along the street one day and as he walked he heard a sound. What was it that made him stop and listen carefully? It sounded just like a small cat of which there are thousands throughout the city. But this sound was familiar and it struck a chord deep within. Perhaps a sound he made when he was a babe, and which led to his mother's response to reach for him. Now, he in turn reached down with his big, strong hands, pulling away pieces of garbage and uncovered a baby. In surprise and awe, he scattered the insects from its tiny frame, quickly removed his expensive jacket, covering and sheltering the babe in his strong but gentle arms.

Unwanted and too often despised, such babies are taken to the local police station where they are sent on to government orphanages.

A kind woman, decided she wanted to help some of these orphans, so she put eight of them under her custody. She rented a flat and hired four women to care for them. The babies are between three and nine months old, so they will grow up together. Each woman takes care of two babies. The place is spotlessly clean and they are well fed and in better health than they were in the beginning. They will grow up as sisters in Islam, forming bonds which hopefully will last their whole lives through.

This kind lady will ensure they go to decent schools and become educated. She will oversee their care and training, ensuring they are treated with love and fairness in a world that seems to have forgotten what is good and what is bad.

There are many such places scattered like stars through this crowded city. Each little chubby face that turns and looks with tenderness at her care-giver, sheds some light on a world that has forgotten its trust. We are the care-takers of the world, the guardians of truth and justice. The One to Whom these little ones belong, will ask us about our neglected duty.

**m_2005** · 11-07-2005

About Struggling...
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a
small opening appeared. He sat and watched the
butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its
body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop
making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten
as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took
a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit
of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a
swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because
he expected that, at any moment, the wings would
enlarge and expand to be able to support the
body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the
rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body
and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not
understand was that the restricting cocoon and
the struggle required for the butterfly to get
through the tiny opening were Allah's way of
forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into
its wings so that it would be ready for flight
once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in
our lives. If Allah allowed us to go through our
lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could
have been. We could never "fly"!

**m_2005** · 11-07-2005

A Lesson from Disabled People

Once, a visitor was being shown around a leper colony in India. The colony was built to provide a shelter for those people who were poor and had various physical disabilities. At noon a gong (a metal disk that produces a sound when hit with a hammer) sounded to gather the inhabitants for the midday meal. People came from all parts of the compound to the dining hall. Suddenly, everyone started laughing at seeing two young men, one riding on the other's back, pretending to be a horse and a rider. They were having lots of fun. As the visitor watched, he was told that the man who carried his friend was blind, and the man being carried was lame (who couldn't walk). The one who couldn't see used his feet; the one who couldn't walk used his eyes. Together they helped each other and reached their destination.

Let us use each other's strengths to make up for the weaknesses of others. Our strength is in unity, not in division.

**Protected_Diamond** · 11-09-2005

Old Lady and the Athiest -

An old Muslim woman lived next dooor to an atheist. Every day she would stand on
her front porch and yelled "Allahu Akbar! Oh Allah! I believe in You!"; and the
atheist would stick his head out the window and say "There is no Allah! Allah
doesn't exist!" The old Muslim woman would turn away and walk inside.
This went on for years.
One day, She went outside and said "Oh Allah! I know that You will provide my
food for the week. I have no money, but I believe in You!"
The next day, she came outside and found four large bags of groceries, she took
them inside and came out again and said, "Thank you Allah! Thank you for the
gift and the provisions! Oh Allah I believe in You!"
The atheist was hiding in the bushes, and jumped out and said "Aha! Allah didn't
put those groceries there! I did! That proves that there is no Allah!"
The old woman looks upward with a smile on her face and says "Oh Allah! Not only
did You provide my food, but you made Shaitan pay for it!"

**Rabi'ya** · 11-10-2005

JazakAllah for posting....

was thinkig where id seen this before but i had it in an email...nice to have the reference here

Rabi'ya:rose:

**MetSudaisTwice** · 11-10-2005

salam
mashallah such a touching story
wasalam

**Ameeratul Layl** · 11-10-2005

Awwww...mashAllah....thats was so sweet!! The slapping part was a bit...ouch!!!

Nice story bro.

Allah ma3ak

**Rabi'ya** · 11-10-2005

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another. He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant, and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her! One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, "I ! now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!", replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!" His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." Her answer came like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was so skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

In truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives: Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was send to me via email by Fenix-Angels sister....

Rabi'ya:rose:

**meknesi** · 11-10-2005

mashallah i love that i want to be of that character.....

**Protected_Diamond** · 11-12-2005

warhmatulahi wabarakthu

masha Allah excellent story with a beautiful moral!

warhmatulahi wabarakthu

**dmazna** · 11-13-2005

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the
present "Seven Wonders of the World."
Though there were some disagreements, the following received the
most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had
not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having
trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't
quite make up my mind because there were so many."

The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can
help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the
World' are:
1. to see

2. to hear

3. to touch

4. to taste

5. to feel

6. to laugh

7. and to love."

The room was Silent. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary
and that we take for granted are truly wondrous! A gentle
reminder -- that the most precious things in life cannot be built by
hand or bought by man.

**Protected_Diamond** · 11-13-2005

A Feast for Clothes
Once upon a time in the Iranian city of Shiraz, there lived the famous poet Sheikh Saadi. Like most other poets and philosophers, Sheikh Saadi was not a rich man. He led a very simple life. A rich merchant of Shiraz invited Sheikh Saadi along with a lot of other big businessmen of the town on the occasion of his daughter’s marriage which was to be a grand affair. Sheikh Saadi accepted the invitation and decided to attend.

On the day of the wedding, the host and his family were receiving the guests at the gate. They were ushering all the guests towards the dining hall. All the rich people of the town attended the wedding. They had come out in best of their attires. Sheikh Saadi wore simple clothes which were neither grand nor expensive. He waited in a corner for someone to approach him but no one gave him as much as even a second glance. Even the host did not acknowledge him and looked away. Seeing all this, Sheikh Saadi quietly left the party and went to a shop from where he could hire clothes. There he chose a richly brocaded dress which was embroidered in gold on the margins. He selected a fancy turban and a waist-band to go with it. As he put on the hired dress and looked into the mirror, he found himself a changed person.

With this, he entered the dining hall and this time was welcomed with open arms. The host embraced him as he would do to an old friend and complimented him on the clothes he was wearing. On seeing him, he said, “And here comes our favourite poet. What took you so long, friend? We have been waiting for you for ages! How good of you to have come. The gathering surely would have been incomplete without your gracious presence!” Saadi did not utter a word and allowed the host to lead him to the dining room where other guests had assembled. Tasty dishes had been laid out on grand carpets. Saadi was offered a seat with soft cushions. The food was served in fine crockery and cutlery made out of silver.

The host led Sheikh Saadi by hand and himself served out the chicken soup and the fragrant rice to him. After this, something strange happened. Sheikh Saadi dipped the corner of his waist-coat in the soup and sprinkled some rice on it. Addressing the clothes, he said: “This is a feast for you, you should enjoy it.”

All the guests were now staring at him in surprise. The host said, “Sir, what are doing? How can your colthes eat? And why should they? To this query, Sheikh Saadi very calmly replied: “My dear friend, I am indeed surprised with the question coming from you.”

“Aren’t you the same person who did not even throw a look at me when I came dressed in simple clothes. I can guess that it is my clothes and appearance that matter with you, not my individual worth. Now that I have put on grand clothes, I see a world of difference in reception here. All that I can now say is that this feast is meant for my clothes, not for me.”

**Umm Yoosuf** · 12-03-2005

You have no where to turn to but Allah!

A man entered the mosque when it was not the time for preyer., and he found a ten-year old boy praying with proper focus and humaility. He waited until the boy had finished praying, then he came, greeted him and said; “Whose son are you?” The boy lowered his head and a tear rolled down his cheek, then he raised his head and said; “O uncle, am an orphan who as no farther or mother.” The man felt sorry for him and said: “Would you like to be my son?”

The boy said: “If I get hungry will you feed me?”

“Yes.”

“If I am naked will you cloth me?”

“Yes.”

“If I fall sick will you heal me?”

“I am not able to do that, my son.”

“If I die will you bring me back to life?”

“I am not able to do that.”

The boy said, ”Then leave me, my uncle, to the One Who created me, for He will guide me and He is the one who gives me food and drink. If I fall sick He heals me and He is the One Who, I hope, will forgive me on the Day of Judgement.”

The man fell silent and went on this way, saying, “I believe in Allah, whoever puts his trust in Allah, Allah will suffice him.”

**hidaayah** · 12-06-2005

Sports Car vs. Quraan - a nice story
A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man waited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Quran. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said "With all your money you give me a Quran?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Quran, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Quran and began to turn the pages.

As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Quran. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss ALLAH blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

**hidaayah** · 12-06-2005

Three Dates
A’ishah RA , the Blessed Prophet’s wife, was a very hospitable person. She loved to entertain guests, and spend happy hours chatting to them.
Once a woman came to visit ‘A’ishah RA, bringing her two daughters with her. ‘A’ishah received her, smiling and welcoming and very soon the two women were deep in conversation. However, ‘A’ishah was faced with a certain difficulty..

At that time, things were very hard in Madina. Often the people went hungry, and in the Prophet’s house (pbuh), no fire was made for days and food was scarce, even dates were short in supply.
‘A’ishah RA decided to search the house thoroughly in order to find something to offer her guest. The room in which she had welcomed her guest was so small that when ‘A’ishah stood up, her head almost touched the ceiling. It did not take ‘A’ishah RA very long to search it, and she quickly realized that she did not have much to offer. Eventually she managed to find three dates. ‘A’ishah gave them to her guest who looked at her gratefully.
The woman gave one date to each of her daughters. They were very hungry and had not eaten for several days. The mother kept one date for herself, but she did not eat it and held it in her hand as she talked to ‘A’ishah.RA
After the two little girls had gobbled up their dates, they began to eye the last one that was held in their mother’s hand. Their mother saw them out of the corner of her eye and smiled. She divided the last date into two pieces and gave half to each of the girls.
‘A’ishah was very moved by the great love and self-sacrifice shown by this mother, and as soon as the Blessed Prophet came home, she told him what had happened.
“Indeed”, the Prophet (pbuh) said. “The woman has entered Paradise because of the love and kindness she showed to her little daughters. Allah will show her mercy because she showed mercy to them.”

**hidaayah** · 12-06-2005

Kindness surely pays back
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart."

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. The woman feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all.
Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
She read these words..... "Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

**hidaayah** · 12-06-2005

A Wise Young Muslim Boy

Many years ago, during the time of the Tâbi'în (the generation of Muslims after the Sahâbah), Baghdâd was a great city of Islam. In fact, it was the capital of the Islamic Empire and, because of the great number of scholars who lived there, it was the center of Islamic knowledge.

One day, the ruler of Rome at the time sent an envoy to Baghdad with three challenges for the Muslims. When the messenger reached the city, he informed the khalîfah that he had three questions which he challenged the Muslims to answer.

The khalîfah gathered together all the scholars of the city and the Roman messenger climbed upon a high platform and said, "I have come with three questions. If you answer them, then I will leave with you a great amount of wealth which I have brought from the king of Rome." As for the questions, they were: "What was there before Allâh?" "In which direction does Allâh face?" "What is Allâh engaged in at this moment?"

The great assembly of people were silent. (Can you think of answers to these questions?) In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam was a man looking on with his young son. "O my dear father! I will answer him and silence him!" said the youth. So the boy sought the permission of the khalîfah to give the answers and he was given the permission to do so.

The Roman addressed the young Muslim and repeated his first question, "What was there before Allâh?"

The boy asked, "Do you know how to count?"

"Yes," said the man.

"Then count down from ten!" So the Roman counted down, "ten, nine, eight, ..." until he reached "one" and he stopped counting

"But what comes before 'one'?" asked the boy.

"There is nothing before one- that is it!" said the man.

"Well then, if there obviously is nothing before the arithmetic 'one', then how do you expect that there should be anything before the 'One' who is Absolute Truth, All-Eternal, Everlasting the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden?"

Now the man was surprised by this direct answer which he could not dispute. So he asked, "Then tell me, in which direction is Allâh facing?"

"Bring a candle and light it," said the boy, "and tell me in which direction the flame is facing."

"But the flame is just light- it spreads in each of the four directions,

North, South, East and West. It does not face any one direction only," said the man in wonderment.

The boy cried, "Then if this physical light spreads in all four directions such that you cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you expect of the Nûr-us-Samâwâti-wal-'Ard: Allâh - the Light of the Heavens and the Earth!? Light upon Light, Allâh faces all directions at all times."

The Roman was stupified and astounded that here was a young child answering his challenges in such a way that he could not argue against the proofs. So, he desperately wanted to try his final question. But before doing so, the boy said,

"Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one who is giving the answer to these challenges. It is only fair that you should come down to where I am standing and that I should go up where you are right now, in order that the answers may be heard as clearly as the questions."

This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down from where he was standing and the boy ascended the platform. Then the man repeated his final challenge, "Tell me, what is Allâh doing at this moment?"

The boy proudly answered, "At this moment, when Allâh found upon this high platform a liar and mocker of Islam, He caused him to descend and brought him low. And as for the one who believed in the Oneness of Allâh, He raised him up and established the Truth. Every day He exercises (universal) power (Surah 55 ar-Rahmân, Verse 29)."

The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and return back to his country, defeated. Meanwhile, this young boy grew up to become one of the most famous scholars of Islam. Allâh, the Exalted, blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the deen. His name was Abu Hanîfah (rahmatullâh 'alayhi- Allâh have mercy on him) and he is known today as Imâm-e-A'dham, the Great Imâm and scholar of Islam.

Adapted into English from "Manâqib Abî Hanîfah" written by Imâm Muwaffaq Ibn Ahmad al-Makki (d. 568 Hijri). Dar al - Kitâb al-'Arabiy, Beirut, 1981/1401H