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Model Stories Part-I
Contents
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) too carried the stones over his shoulders. And his shoulders too began to ache. His uncle, who was seeing the hardship his nephew under went, said to him, “Myson! You too unite your waist-cloth and coil it over your shoulders, so that the burden be less painful”. In compliance with the advice of his uncle, the beloved prophet (p.b.u.h.) wanted to divest his waist-cloth, but was too modest to bear his nakedness. So sensitive was he in this matter that he swooned the moment he was bout to loosen his garment in accordance with his uncles advice. On observing his extreme bashfulness, the uncle regretted the plain caused to the Holy Prophet by his unscrupulous advice.
EXERCISES 2. TO GREET The answer to the Islamic salutation,’Assalam O Alaikum’ [peace be with (or upon) you] is, Wa Alaikum As-Salam’ [and with you (be) the peace, too]. Such mutual greeting begets love. Hadrat Abdullah, the son of the great Caliph, Hadrat Umar, was well aware of this fact. He used to observe that the Apostle of Allah greeted every big and small person he came across. He used to greet even the children whom he met on the way while they played about happily. How could Hadrat Abdullah miss the thing which the prophet (pbuh) was doing habitually? He too showed his utmost zeal in greeting others. So much was Hadrat Abdullah impressed by the winsome mode of greeting of the Holy prophet (pbuh) that in later life he made it his practice to go to the bazaar, only to find an opportunity to greet people. He greeted every shop-keeper, every destitute person and every passerby whom he came across on the way. One day a person asked him: “Hadrat! Every day you come to the bazaar, but, you do not buy anything, nor you sit anywhere. Why do you come out at all, if one could know? He said:”I come out only to greet the people.” According to Hadrat Abdullah, visiting bazaar merely for the sake of greeting people was in no way less important than any purposeful visit to bazaar to make purchases. He said: “I come out only to greet the people.” According to Hadrat Abdullah, visiting bazaar merely for the sake of greeting people was in no way less important than any purposeful visit to bazaar. EXERCISES
Hadrat Sharfuddin was revered as a man of great piety (May Allah’s Mercy be upon him). He respected his father and mother very much. He always obeyed them and showed his ever-readiness to be on attendance on them. It so happened that one day when he was yet a small child, his mother was resting on a bedstead and suddenly felt thirsty. She told her son: “My beloved son! I am feeling thirsty. Please get me a glass (katora) of water. “He ran to fetch some water. By the time he returned with a cup of water, he found his mother asleep. He was in a fix as to what to do then! If he awakened her she would be disturbed. He therefore thought it proper not to wake her up. With the cup of water in hand, he stood by her, thinking that any moment she might wake up and ask for water. At last his mother, woke up from sleep, and, to her amazement, saw her beloved son waiting with the glass of water in hand, all the night through. The mother asked; “My son! Have you been waiting all this while?” Yes dear Mother! I have been waiting, so that the moment you wake up I may offer you water you asked for, “the son replied. His mother was immensely pleased when she heard the reply. She prayed unto Allah for the welfare of her noble son. Accordingly he grew in moral stature to be a great saint, in his later life. EXERCISES
1. Narrate this story in your own words. Haroon Al rashid was renowned king. He had two sons-Ameen and Mamun. Once their teacher had to leave for some urgent work while giving lessons to the two pupils. Each of them wanted to bring the slippers of their teacher to him. The teacher asked them to bring one slipper each. Haroon Al Rashid, on hearing this, was immensely pleased with his sons. He called and rewarded them richly. These very youngsters later on, became kings.
EXERCISE
One day Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar were seated by the side of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). He asked them, “What is the tree that resembles Muslims in excellence of virtue, bears fruits every year, and on which the autumnal wind never blows to make the leaves fall off?” Both the esteemed wise men could not solve the riddle. Hadrat Abdullah, son of Hadrat Umar was also present there. The answer to this riddle at once flashed in his mind. It was the date-tree. But as his father and the other great revered man were silent, he thought it impudent on his part to speak it out, and thus remained quiet. Later on, Hadrat Umar came to know that his son had the answer to the riddle. He said, “My son ! When you knew it why did you not speak out ? If you had revealed it at that time, I would have been immensely pleased. The riddle which no one could solve was guessed rightly by my little boy ” Hadrat Abdullah said,”Dear father! How could I utter the answer to the riddle in your presence and that of Abu Bakr, specially when both of you were silent? I chose to remain quiet for fear of impudence to you.” Hadrat Umar was extremely pleased with the answer of his wise son.
EXERCISES
1. What was the dialogue between Hadrat Umar
and his son? In the distant past men were sold in the bazaar like cattle. Once, some evil men caught a small boy and put him in the market for sale. Bibi Khadija learnt about this and her heart was filled with sympathy for the child. She purchased him and brought him before the beloved Prophet (pbuh). The beloved Apostle of Allah (pbuh) loved children very much. But this child particularly attracted his greatest attention because some evil men had separated him from his parents. Now, the only guardian of this child was the Prophet (pbuh). He engaged him in sweet and lovely talk. The child soon became familiar with him. The Prophet (pbuh) brought him up with tender love and care. After a few days the real father got the news about the whereabouts of his child. Searching for his son he came to the (pbuh). He wanted to give to the prophet the amount paid by Bibi Khadija and take back his child. It was inconceivable that the beloved Prophet(pbuh) could ever accept money like that. He set the child free without accepting any money and said: “The child is free to go wherever he wants to.” The beloved Apostle (pbuh) had nursed the child with tender care, taught him fine and virtuous things, and showered his affection on him. How could the child then leave him and go anywhere else? Where on earth could he find such a loveable person? He clung to him fast and was least prepared to go home with his parents. Ultimately the father was compelled to leave him and go away without him. Of course, the father felt inwardly happy that after all his son was being trained and brought up in a home which was far better than his own.
EXERCISE A companion of the Prophet (pbuh), came across a thicket during his journey. He heard some chirping of birds and discovered that the young ones of sparrows were squeaking. They were yet wingless chicks. Amused by the young ones of sparrows, he caught them and hid them in a sheet of cloth. He stepped out of the shrub and saw the mother-bird come with food in its beak for its young ones. The chickens were chirping from inside the coverlet, and mother-bird understood that the stranger had stealthily taken away her young ones. She became restless and started hovering over the head of the companion of the Prophet (pbuh). He took no notice of her frantic screechings. He straight came to the prophet (pbuh). On seeing the young ones of the sparrow in the pangs of separation from their mother, the heart of the prophet (pbuh) was filled with deep compassion. He asked his companion: “Where did you find these young ones of sparrow?” Thereupon he narrated the whole story. The beloved Apostle of Allah (pbuh) was by nature highly compassionate. How could he tolerate the snatching away of young ones from their mother, causing distress and harassment to the mother, causing distress and harassment to the mother and its young ones? He said, “Go! Leave the young ones at the same place from where you brought them.” The companion of the Prophet (pbuh) complied with the command of the Prophet (pbuh). He went and placed the chicks in the thicket from where he had stolen them.
EXERCISES
1. How did the companion of the Prophet (pbuh)
catch the young ones of the sparrow? 8. HOW TO TEACH ‘DEEN’ TO ELDERS It is an event in the lives of Hadrat Hasan and Hadrat Hussain, when they were yet minors. A Bedouin visited their house. A villager’s roughness was evident in him. He did not know the correct way of ‘Wudhu’ (ablution). It was time for ‘Namaz’ (prayer). The Bedouin sat down for performing ablution. He knew not the procedure. He fumbled and did it in a wrong way. Both the boys noticed it. It was a matter of ‘Deen’ (way of life as ordained by Allah). It was necessary to object to a wrong practice. But the Bedouin was elder to them in age. To object to elders meant disrespect and impudence. Even the Bedouin could take it otherwise. Finally they thought to demonstrate to him without letting him feel what they were up to. They took water in a jar and sat down to perform ablution. Very politely they told the Bedouin: “Sir, ! We are both going to perform ablution. Observe us and tell us if we are doing it correctly or not. In case were are wrong anywhere, please point out to us. Then both of them performed ablution its correct way. The Bedouin was observing them with close attention. He understood by himself as to what the correct way of ablution was.In this way, these sensible boys, though minor in age, taught an item of religion to an elderly person in a decent way, and the Bedouin did not take it ill too. EXERCISES
There have been many caliphs amongst Muslims whose eminence and stature is more towering than any of the present-day kings, ministers and generals. But they led very simple life and spent least on their own personal comforts. One such Caliph was Hadrat Umar Abdul Aziz. He was the greatest servant of ‘Deen’ on one summer night he was reclining on a sofa. A maid-servant was waving a hand-fan. But she fell asleep incidentally. In the mean time he got up and saw her fall asleep. He picked up the fan from her hand and himself started fanning the maid-servant. After a short while the maid-servant awoke. She felt much ashamed and perplexed when she found that the Caliph himself was fanning her. Seeing her in a perturbed state, the Caliph said: "Why are you afraid? You too are a human being like me? When I was perturbed with the sweltering heat, you comforted me by fanning me. When you felt the heat, I waved the fan for you. What is wrong in it?”
EXERCISES The good companions of the beloved Prophet(pbuh) are called ‘Sahabas’ (the faithful companions). There was a companion of the Holy Prophet named Hadrat Abdullah. He was very pious and extremely obedient to Allah and His messenger (pbuh). One day a goat was sacrificed in the house of Hadrat Abdullah. His next door neighbour was a Jew. By chance Hadrat Abdullah had gone out of the town that day. When he returned by evening, he asked his inmates: “Did you send meat to our neighbour?” “He is a Jew. Why should we send meat to him?” Was the curt reply of the inmates of his house. “So what? If he happens to be Jew, how does it matter?” said Hadrat Abdullah: “He is, after all, our neighbour: The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) had recurrently expressed: “Be king to your neighbour ; it matters little whether he is a Jew or a Muslim.” Then he did not eat the meat till it was sent to the Jewish neighbour.
EXERCISES
In a crusade Hadrat Ali had an encounter with
an infidel. Hadrat Ali was known for his valour. The infidel was a champion
too but could not match Hadrat Ali in bravery? At last in the encounter
Hadrat Ali threw him on the ground and mounted on his chest. Hadrat Ali was
about to unsheathe his sword and sever his neck, when the infidel spit on
his face. “Go! You are free. Now I cannot kill you. A moment ago I was fighting for ‘Deen’(religion), exclusively. Now if I kill you, there would be an element of personal anger and vengeance in it. The sanctity of my noble cause to earn the exclusive pleasure of Allah would be lost. Very likely Allah may Punish me for my personal revenge. You have humiliated me. I do not want to have my vengeance on you. “It is not bravery but cowardice to shed someone’s blood out of personal ill-will.” The infidel was much impressed with this magnanimous treatment and at once accepted Islam.
Exercises
Hadrat Anas was a great ‘Sahabi’ (companion of prophet). He was exceedingly noble and virtuous even from his very childhood. One day he was playing with other children of his age. The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) happened to pass by. He greeted the children. He called Hadrat Anas and sent him on some errand. By chance he was delayed in completing the assigned job. When he returned home, his mother asked him: “Anas ! Where were you’ all this time?” Hadrat Anas replied: “The Holy Prophet (pbuh) had sent me one urgent mission……” The mother asked him as to what it was. He said: “It is a secret.” Then the mother said: “Look here, my son! Do not divulge his secret to any one.” Hadrat Anas bofore this advice and never in life did he reveal the secret to any one. Hadrat Thabit was his fast friend. One day he narrated this incident to him and said: “Thabit! If I could divulge that secret to any one, surely I would have done it to you.”
EXERCISES
13. REFRAIN FROM PARTAKING OF PROPITIATORY OFFERINGS
One day the beloved Prophet(pbuh) got dates which were offered as a sacrifice to propitiate God. People often sent to the Prophet (pbuh)gifts which were propitiatory offerings, but he never partook of them neither for himself nor for the members of his family. In fact, he distributed all such offerings among the destitute. The dates, once received, were not yet distributed were placed on the window-sill. Per chance Hadrat Hussain happened to come there. He did not even know that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had forbidden the members of his family to partake of any such offerings. He was but a child. He climbed the window and took a date and put it into his mouth. When the Prophet saw this, he at once told him: “My son! Throw it off. It is not permissible for us to partake of these propitiatory offerings.” Hadrat Hussain took it out of his mouth and threw it away.
Exercises
You might have heard from your mother the name of ‘Bade Peer Saheb’ (the great saint, Ghaus ‘Azam, Hadrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani . Jeelan was place of his birth, that is why, ‘Jeelani’ is suffixed to his name. May Allah be Merciful on him! He was a great divine and a God-fearing person. He was yet a small child when his father passed away. Even when he was a child he loved reading and writing. He used to hear that there were erudite scholars of religion in Baghdad. After completing his preliminary education, he longed to go to Baghdad. He said to his mother: “Please send me to Baghdad to continue my further studies.” Accordingly she consented to send him to Baghdad. In those old days journey from one place to another was hazardous. They had either to walk on foot or ride on animal. There was lurking danger of loot and plunder on the way. So, the people used to go in caravans. It was decided that he should accompany a caravan meant for Baghdad. While he was departing, his mother stitched forty pieces of ‘Dinars’ in his robe, concealed under his arm, so that they may be safe from theft or robbery. She advised her son: "My son! Never tell a lie, however great a misfortune may befall you, even if it be entailing a risk on your life.” The caravan departed. He accompanied the caravan. They may have gone a distance not too far when their caravan was plundered. The bandits looted the entire caravan. One dacoit asked him: “Do you have anything?” “Yes, forty dinars”,-the boy said. The dacoit saw the boy was too simply dressed to own such a bounty; at best he might be jesting. But the boy told even the other inquisitive members of the band the same thing. The leader of the dacoits then enquired,” Where are the dinars?” “They are under my arm, sewn up in my dress.” To his amazement the discovered the forty dinars on tearing open the dress. “Why did you so easily disclose the hidden treasure that you wanted to save from us?” “My mother had advised me to speak truth in all circumstances”, the boy replied. “How could I betray my mother?” The leader was impressed by the ideas of the boy. The boy cared so much for what his mother had told him whereas he himself was robbing people against the command of Allah and his Prophet (pbuh). The whole party of robbers became noble, gave away the looted property to their owners and asked forgiveness from Allah. Exercises
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