Malik bin Dinaar was walking and he passed a child playing in the dirt. As he passed the child he thought to himself that I should've greeted him because Rasul Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم use to greet children.
So he went back and greeted the boy, the boy replied, and from his reply Malik bin Dinaar sensed maturity and competence. He decided to seize the moment and test the child.
He asked "ما الفرق بين النفس و العقل /
what is the difference between the ego and the intellect?"
The boy replied "النفس التي منعتك عني السلام و العقل الذي حرض عليك/
your ego is what caused you to walk pass me without saying salam, and your intellect is what caused you to return and greet me because Rasul Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم use to greet children."
Malik bin Dinaar was amazed by the reply, so he further questioned him
"why do you play in dirt?"
The boy replied "because Allah says we have been created from dirt and one day we shall return to this dirt."
Malik bin Dinaar went on to ask "why is it that at times you smile and at times you cry?"
He replied "when I remember the mercy of Allah, I smile.
When I remember the punishment of Allah I cry."
In those days the children had more taqwa than the so called pious of today.
Today we are miserable because of not of our own agony, rather we are miserable because we can not bear the happiness of others.
Our egos are so high and we are in love with ourselves, that we feel the need to make our selves look better in front of others, even if it causes harm to them.
Allah says: "O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful." [Qur'an 49:6]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that, “A believer is a mirror of the believer.” [Abu Dawud, from Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him); sound (hasan)] So what you see in your brethren is a reflection of what is within you–so beware.
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