Islamic moral stories

1. Wonderful Stories of Islam: Four Wives Story (Anecdote Illustrating
Real Life)
- Once upon a time. There was a rich merchant whohad four (4) wives.
He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and
treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her
nothing butthe best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's veryproud of her and always
wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always
ingreat fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always
patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the
merchant faced someproblems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she
would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made
great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as
taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the
first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of
her.
One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going
to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I
have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll
be!" Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with
the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm
dying, will you follow meand keep me company?"
"No way!" replied the 4thwife and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife right into themerchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much
for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you followme and keep me
company?"
"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to
remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and
you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. 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 yourgrave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder andthe
merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out:"I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no
matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first
wife. She was so skinny, almostlike she suffered from malnutrition.
Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better
care of you while I could have!"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives. The 4th wife is our body.
No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good,
it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they
all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had
been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us
is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of
material wealth and sensual pleasure.
Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we
go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather
than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Anecdote about Three Friends/
2. Four Wives Story: Why a Woman can't marry morethan one Husband?
- In a delightful report about how Imam Abu Hanifa received his name
(his original name was Numan bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mah), an account
of why the wife is forbidden to take morethan one husband is
recounted. 'Abu Hanifa' isan unusual name because it means 'the father
of Hanifah', and Hanifah was his daughter. It was not the custom in
those days to do this. Normally, the name would be 'the father of the
name of a son.' How this came about is quite edifying.
One day Imam Abu Hanifawas asked a question that, for the first time
in his illustrious career, he was unable to answer. The question was,
" Why were women forbidden to marry more than one husband at a time? "
To make a long story short, Abu Hanifa's daughter said that she knew
the answer and would solve this questionif her father would make a
promise to her that if she succeeded in solving this problem, he would
then assure her a place inhistory. Abu Hanifa agreed.
So she gathered a group of women together and gave each of them a cup.
Then she brought in a large bowl of milk and asked each of them to dip
their cups in the milk and to fill their cups. They did so. She then
asked them to pour back the milk into the bowl. They did this too. She
then asked them to re-filltheir cups taking back only their own milk
that they had poured into the bowl.
This, obviously, was impossible to do. Hanifahhad clearly
demonstratedthe kind of predicament that would be created if a woman
had several husbands. With more than one husband, if she were to
become pregnant, she would have exceptional difficulties determining
who the actual father was? Identifying parentage and lineage would
then be insurmountable for the offspring. Imam Abu Hanifa was so
pleased with her answer that he took the name 'Abu Hanifa', 'the
father of Hanifah', so his daughter did indeed earn a place in
history./
3. Wonderful Stories of Islam: Be careful what you Plant (Anecdote
Illustrating Real Life)
-An emperor in the Far East was growing old andknew it was time to
choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his
children, he decided something different. He called young people in
the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step
downand choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going togive
each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to
plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today
with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the
plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story.
She helped him get a pot andplanting soil, and he planted the seed and
watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to seeif
it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks,
5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about
their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had
killed his seed.
Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling
didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for
his seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their
plants to the emperor forinspection. Ling told his mother that he
wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened,
Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He
took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful
in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many
of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him andjust
said, "Hey nice try."
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young
people. Ling just tried to hide in the back."What great plants, trees
and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will
be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted
Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards
to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm
a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is
Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him.
The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He lookedat Ling, and then
announced to the crowd,"Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"
Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could
he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I
gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed,plant it, water
it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds,
which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees
and plants and flowers. Whenyou found that the seed would not grow,
you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only
one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
If you plant honesty , you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance , you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness , you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, youwill reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you willreap miracles.
But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you willreap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
So be careful what you plant now, It will determine what you will reap
tomorrow, The seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better,
your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will
enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.
Honesty in Islam/

Story - 9, Moons Peak [FINISHED]- The Tree Hutt (chapter 9)

I FOUND SATCHEL sitting under the willow tree.
I could tell by the way hisjaws clenched and his eyes narrowing to the
side that he could sense I was there, but he refusedto look directly
at me.
I wasn't sure if I was invading his privacy, but turns out this tree
was as much as his safe haven asit was mine.
I guess we both shared that in common. I didn't want to pry so I
stayed silent, standing because I didn't want to ruin my Grams efforts
of buying this pretty dress for me.
I leaned against the tree and watched him watch the lake streaming by,
and by the looks of the gloomy grey color that claimed the sky - made
certain that it promised rain.
For a while he and I said nothing, and just as I thought the elephant
of silence was only going togrow thicker in the air.
I decided my presence wasn't welcome and was about to retreat, Satchel
gave me a side-long glance before I could, however, and I found myself
mesmerized by hiseyes again.
I broke the gaze a little abruptly and decided my feet were a better
advocate. He crooked a smile.
"If you came to just stare at me, the least you coulddo is allow me to
do the same." I pursed my lips toconceal my smile in hopes that he
didn't see that his joke made a dent. He chuckled.
"I really do wish you cut that out though." He said and went back to
staring out in to the water. My eyebrows furrowed.
"Cut what out?" He looked at me accusingly again, as if I'd said
something stupid.
"The staring. I'm not a zoo animal you know, and I'd appreciate if you
could stop making me feel like one."
"Oh. I'm sorry. Its just…" I struggled to explain, since I didn't want
to look like the supposed-stalker-weirdo-type that just stares
aimlessly at people.
I frowned at the mentionof 'animal' and I found myself thinking of the
animal that bit me.
"What were you doing inthe forest?" It was an abrupt subject change,
and I saw on his expression that I'd caught him off guard.
"Hmm?" I shook my head.
"The night I was attacked, what were you doing in the forest?" He
seemed contemplative like he was fishing for anexcuse. He shrugged.
"I told you, I heard someone screaming, and then ran into you." I
nodded absent mindedly.
"You didn't see the animal?" He shook his head. I was relieved when I
thought he was telling the truth, even if half of me was saying that
he wasn't telling all of it. I let it go.
"I'm sorry if I made you feel like a zoo animal, butI can't help it.
Your eyes are amazing." I shut my mouth and was astonished at how bold
I was sounding lately. He blinked.
"Er…" I could tell I had made him uncomfortable, just by his movements
and the fact that he was trying to avoid eye contact.
But then I felt the light pitter patter of raindropsand realized that
maybe he was just uncomfortable from the rain. I started to get
annoyed at the rain too, and the light pitter pattersoon turned into a
torrential downpour.
The leaves provided some temporary cover, but the stubborn surge made
no match for eitherof us, and we both were soaked in seconds.
He guided me up the treeinto the hut, until I was safe from the rain,
while he endured the harshness of it. I wasn't sure if this tree hut
could hold the both of us, with his height and stature, but I scooted
over so he could fit.
He had to dip his head even in a sitting position,but it provided the
cover we needed. I gathered my knees to my chest to keep from
shivering, and we waited it out until therain calmed.
I was aware of the confined space and the warmth of his arm compressed
with mine.
The white shirt he wore clung to his skin, while water dripped
carelessly off the edges of his hair.
We were so close to each other, his breath was almost meddled with
mine. I could make out his level breathing too, and I watched his eyes
roam my face, and restedon my lips.
My breathing was ampedup by his stare, however, and at that moment, I
was anticipating his kiss.
I wanted him to and by the looks on his face; I could tell he wanted
to too. I leaned in to give him an invitation, and just when I thought
he'd meet me half way. He squeezed his eyes shut, and retreated. I
frowned,and felt heat rise to my cheeks at the instant rejection.
"Why didn't you answer my letters?" He whispered. I frowned.
"Letters?" He seemed frustrated.
"I wrote to you every year, on the anniversary of your leaving. And it
was the same question I'd been asking myself forthe past eleven
years." My jaw must have dropped by now, I didn't recall any letters.
"Question? Satchel I don'tknow what you're talking about. Letters?
What letters?"
"Why did you leave? Was it because of me?" He said in a voice that was
barely audible. I shook my head.
"You know why I left. My Grams didn't see my step mother fit to take
care of me. Neither for my father, besides its not as if they seemed
to think my leaving, was of any importance. They were probably
screaming goodriddance." He shook his head.
"Your father mourned your leaving like he'd losta daughter to the
grave. Your step mother also." I frowned.
"I…what? No. They sent me to Grams because they couldn't deal with a
liability in their care. And even if that's true. Why didn't they
contact me? A call Satchel, not even a call, I may as well have been
dead for all they cared."
I felt my eyes sting with salt, and I hated to cry in front of
company. I neverwas the crying type.
"Your father called you every birthday, every holiday, and even just
to say hi, but he'd get the same response that you didn't want to talk
to him."
"He called?" He nodded.
"I was there when he asked to have you for theChristmas holidays. Your
Grams said you didn't want anything to do withhim and to stop calling.
He stopped contacting you after that."
"I didn't know." I looked up at him and the gentle swipe of thumb made
merealize I had been crying.His expression softened and his gaze
taunted my attention again.
"I've got a boyfriend." I blurted. And I felt his hand freeze on my
cheek.He lowered his gaze and let go.
"I should've known you were claimed already." He looked out of the
tree hut and found the downpour had settled. He jumped out and landed
gracefully on his feet.
"I guess you should be packing soon, your Grams says you are leaving
at the peak of dawn, you don't want to leave anything
importantbehind."
I nodded as he helped me down from the hut. His presence so close it
stirred that electric feeling I got when I was around him. I wasn't
surewhat to make of it just yet.
"I never really unpacked anyway; I wasn't planning on staying no more
than a day." He shrugged.
"Figures. Lucky for you, you have nothing to detach yourself from." I
forced a smile.
"I guess not." I found myself saying, but I didn'tknow who I was
trying toconvince. Him or me.
We both departed into different directions, and Ireluctantly found my
feetto walk home.

--

- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

Jinn, witchcraft , evil eye - The jinn

Who are the jinn? How did Allaah create them?
Praise be to Allaah.
The jinn are part of the creation of Allaah. He created them from fire
before He created Adam,as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, We createdman from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.
And the jinn, We createdaforetime from the smokeless flame of fire"
[al-Hijr 15:26-27]
Just as Adam had descendents, so Iblees had descendents too, as
Allaah says of Iblees (interpretation of the meaning):
"Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspringas protectors and
helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is
the exchange for the Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc)"
[al-Kahf 18:50]
Allaah created the jinn and mankind to worshipHim. Whoever obeys
Himwill enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Him will enter Hell:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone).
I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provisionfor themselves or
for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me(i.e. feed
themselves or My creatures).
Verily, Allaah is the All Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation]
All of the jinn, like mankind, are accountable. Among them there are
believers and kaafirs, those who obey Allaah and those who disobey
Him, as Allaah tells us that they said:
"'There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary;
we are groups having different ways (religioussects)'"
[al-Jinn 72:11 – interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn will be rewarded or punished inthe Hereafter just like
mankind. Allaah tells us that they said:
"'And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after
listening to this Qur'aan), and of us someare Al-Qaasitoon
(disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)'. And
whosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting
to Allaah), then such have sought the Right Path.'
And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated from the Right
Path), they shall be firewood for Hell"
[al-Jinn 72:14-15 – interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn and mankind will all be brought to account on the Day of
Resurrection before the Lord of the Worlds. Noneof them will be able
to postpone that or flee from it.
"O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to pass beyond the
zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! But you
will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allaah)!"
[al-Rahmaan 55:33 – interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever among the jinn or mankind tries to flee from the Reckoning
will never be able to do so, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"There will be sent against you both, smokeless flames of fire and
(molten) brass, and you will not be able to defend yourselves
[al-Rahmaan 55:35]
When the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wasin
Makkah, a group of the jinn came to him; they heard the Qur'aan and
were moved by it:
"And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad) a group (three to
ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the Qur'aan. When
they stood in the presence thereof, they said: "Listen in silence!"
And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners"
[al-Ahqaaf 46:29 – interpretation of the meaning]
Some of the jinn believed when they heard the Qur'aan, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): 'It has been revealed to me that a group (from
threeto ten in number) of jinnlistened (to this Qur'aan). They said:
"Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'aan)!
It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and weshall
never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allaah)"'"
[al-Jinn 72:1-2]
Both Adam and Iblees fell into sin, but Adam regretted it and
repented, and Allaah accepted his repentance:
"Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him
(accepted his repentance). Verily, He isthe One Who forgives (accepts
repentance), the Most Merciful"
[al-Baqarah 2:37 – interpretation of the meaning]
But Iblees refused and was arrogant, so he was one of the disbelievers:
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: 'Prostrate yourselves
before Adam.' And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused
and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)"
[al-Baqarah 2:34 – interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever disobeys Allaahout of pride and arrogance, among the jinn and
mankind, is following the Shaytaan and will be gathered with him in
the Fire of Hell if he does not repent, as Allaah said to Iblees:
"(Allaah) said: 'The truth is — and the truth I say
That I will fill Hell with you [Iblees (Satan)] and those of them
(mankind)that follow you, together'"
[Saad 38:84-85 – interpretation of the meaning]
The friends of the Most Merciful (Allaah), among the jinn and mankind,
co-operate in righteousness and piety, and the friends of the
Shaytaan, among the jinn and mankind, co-operate in sin and
transgression. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies — Shayaateen
(devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned
speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so
willed, they would not have done it; so leave them alone with their
fabrications"
[al-An'aam 6:112]
The jinn used to have places near the heavens where they would sit to
eavesdrop (on the inhabitants of the heavens), but when Allaah sent
His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
theywere no longer allowed to do that. Whoever among them tries to
listen is burned with a flaming fire, as Allaah tells us that the jinn
said:
" 'And we have sought toreach the heaven; but found it filled with
stern guards and flaming fires.
And verily, we used to sitthere in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but
anywho listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush'"
[al-Jinn 72:8-9 – interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn are with us on this earth, but by the mercy of Allaah they
see us and we do not see them, as Allaah says of Iblees and his tribe
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe)
see you from where you cannot see them"
[al-A'raaf 7:27]
Whoever can see you when you cannot see him, and he is your enemy, is
more dangerous. So you must always beware of him and protect yourself
from the devils among the jinn and mankind.

Jinn, witchcraft , evil eye - Spiritual paths

Could you please let me know the status of tariqah - spiritual Paths- in Islam.
Praise be to Allaah.
If what is meant is summoning the spirits ofjinn or others, this is
not permitted, because it can only be achieved by means of shirk. If
what ismeant is nourishing the soul by believing in Allaah, His
Messengers, His angels, His Books, theLast Day and in the divine
decree, both good and bad, then this is what Islam requires of every
Muslim and asks him to nourish this belief. And Allaah knows best.