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 planand said to each other that their father
was not awise 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.
Everyoneagreed 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 AllahWills')" (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 ofthem got up and hurried up and "...called
out one toanother as soon as the morning broke, Saying: 'Goto your
tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits.' So they
departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), No Miskin (poor
man) shallenter 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
"blackby the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins)"
(Verse 20). So when they reachedthe 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 hadsaid it is only Allah who would enhance their
fruitsif 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 usonly 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. Wewill
not lose anything by giving away some of our wealth, we will only
gain.

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