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 plan and said to each other that their father
was not a wise 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 inthe night and thus clearing the garden
before dawn so that nobody could come and ask for his share. Everyone
agreed 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 Allah Wills')" (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 failto 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 of them got up and hurried up and "...called
out one to another as soon as the morning broke, Saying: 'Go to your
tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits.' So they
departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), No Miskin (poorman)
shall enter upon you into it today." (Verses 21-24)
As they were proceedingtowards the garden, they were quite unaware
that Allah had willed otherwise. Because the garden had become "black
by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins)" (Verse
20). So when they reached the 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 therewas no other way around, they were
wonder struck! Soon they realized the situation and yelled:"Verily, we
have gone astray," "Nay! Indeed weare 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 had said it is only Allah who would enhance their
fruits if they continued to give away some of them in charity.
All of them felt regretful over their misdeed. Theyturned, to one
another, in reproach and said:"Glory to our Lord! Verilywe 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 Allahthat we share with the less fortunate
whatever we have. While some of us only feel hungry during the month
of Ramadan, there are many who are hungry everyday. Let us be
moregenerous with our wealth and help all those who are in need. We
will not lose anything by giving awaysome of our wealth, we will only
gain.
No comments:
Post a Comment