Islamic Stories - Junaid Baghdadi and Love for Allah

Once at the time of Hajj, there was a gathering inMecca of some
friends ofAllah; the youngest among whom was Junaid Baghdadi (ra). In
that gathering, there was a discussion on the subject of 'Love for
Allah'and as to who is the lover of Allah. Many of them expressed
their views on the subject, butJunaid (ra) kept quiet. He was pressed
to say something.
With his head bowed down and tears in his eyes, he said, "The lover of
Allah is he who forgets his own self, remains engaged in Allah's
remembrance with due regard to all itsrequirements; sees Allah with
the eyes of his heart, which is burnt by the heat of Allah's fear;
Allah's remembrance affects him like a cup of wine, he speaks the word
of Allah as if All-Mighty Allah speaks through his mouth; if he moves,
he does so underthe command of Allah; he gets peace of mind only
through the obedience of Allah; and when such a stage is reached, his
eating, drinking, sleeping, awakening and, in short,all his actions
are for thepleasure of Allah; he neither pays heed to the worldly
customs, nor does he attach any importance to unfriendly criticism by
people."

Islamic Stories - The Pious Man and theShopkeeper

There lived a pious man all by himself, who spentmost of his time in
praying, fasting and praising Allah. Almost all his waking hours were
utilised in meditation and devotions. He was very happy with his
spiritual progress. No wicked thoughts came to his mind and no evil
temptations entered his heart.
One night, he dreamt a rather disturbing dream.He saw that a
shopkeeper in the town was far superior to him in spirituality and
that he must go to him to learn the basics of true spiritual life.
In the morning, the pious man went in search of the shopkeeper. He
found him busy with his customers, selling goods and collecting money
with a cheerful face. He sat there in a corner of the shop and watched
the shopkeeper carefully. No signs of anyspiritual life at all, he
said to himself. His dream could not be true.But then he saw the
shopkeeper disappear topray his Salah. When he returned, he was busy
dealing with money matters again.
The shopkeeper noticed the pious man sitting in the corner and
asked:"As Salamu Alaikum, would you like something, brother?"
"Wa Alaikum As Salam. Oh! No! No!" said the pious man. "I don't wantto
buy anything, but I want to ask you a question." He then related his
dream.
"Well, that is very simple to explain," said the shopkeeper, "but you
will have to do something for me beforeI answer your question."
"I will do anything for you," replied the pious man.
"All right! Take this saucer; there is some mercury in it. Go to the
other end of the street and come back fast within half an hour. If the
mercury falls out of the saucer, you will hear nothing from me. There
you go now."
The pious man took the saucer and started running. The mercury nearly
wobbled out of the saucer. He saved it just in time, and slowed down.
Then he remembered he had to return within half an hour, so he started
walking at a fast pace. Atlong last he returned puffing and
panting."Here is your mercury, safe and sound," he told the
shopkeeper. "Now tell me the true interpretation of my dream."
The shopkeeper looked at the pious man's wearycondition and asked him:
"Well, friend, how many times did you remember Allah while you were
going from this end of the street to the other?"
"Remember Allah!" exclaimed the pious man. "I did not remember Him at
all. I was so worried about the mercury in the saucer."
"But I do remember Him all the time," said the shopkeeper. "When I
amdoing my business, I am also carrying mercury in a saucer. I am
fair, honest and kind to my customers. I never forgetAllah Ta'ala in
my dealings with other men."
"Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the
remembrance of Allaah (with heart and tongue) nor from performing
As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) norfrom giving the Zakaah. They fear a
Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the
torment of the Day of Resurrection).That Allaah may reward them
according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out
of His Grace. And Allaah provides without measure to whom He wills"
[Al Quran, Surah an-Noor 24:37-38]

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Story :- An Important Question

Entering the eastern gateof Cordova the young and beautiful Isabella
took to the road which led straight to the Qasrul Shuhada (Palace of
Martyrs). The Muslim government of the day had lavishly beautified the
whole of Spain. The roads of Cordova were wide and well planned and
beautiful lamps at short distances lighted them and, as Dr Draper
says, one could walk twenty miles in their light. Isabella walked
slowly and gracefully on the wide and bright roadof the Palace of
Martyrs towards her home and her pace today was thoughtful and
dignified.After her evening stroll she used to call on her friends on
the way while returning, but today she was heading straight to her
home and seemed to be absorbed in some thought. In half an hour she
reached her palatial house, where her maidservant was waitingfor her
at the door and greeted her. Giving someoff-hand answer to the maid's
question as to her delayed return; she entered her room and, sitting
in an easy chair, began to read a book. In the meantime the
maidservant laid the dinner table and called her. But she was so
absorbed in the book that she did not respond and continued in her
study. The book she was reading was the Holy Bible and she was
particularly studying Saint Paul's Epistles with great care in which
the religious law was denounced as a curse. She read the letters again
and again but could not find a solution to her doubt, which became
more and more firm as she went on reading. When her mind was tired she
put away the Bible and resolved to ask her father who, she thought,
could explain it.
She did not think that the problem was insoluble. If she could notfind
the solution, her father would easily find it as there was no man
inSpain so learned as her father. So eased in her mind she took her
dinnerand began to read the Bible again. Sometime after she went to
her bed.
Next morning rising earlyshe went to the church, itbeing a Sunday. On
her return her father called her and asked her what chapter of the
Bible she had read last night as shewas engaged in comprehending the
inner meanings of metaphysics. If she had any difficulty in solving
any problem she might ask him.
Isabella (kissing his hand): Father, I have read today 1 John, Chapter
3, and if you permit me I may ask a question as I have not yetbeen
able to solve the problem.
Priest: Surely, surely, my child. Do ask it and I will resolve your difficulty.
Isabella: Our Lord has given us Twelve Commandments in the Old
Testament through Prophet Moses. Are they not about religious law?
Priest: Yes, they all relate to religious law.
Isabella: The next thing isthat Saint Paul has said inone of his
letters that religious law is a curse.
Priest: Yes, religious law is a curse and it was to relieve us from
this curse that Jesus Christ came to the world and was crucified.
Isabella: It is clear that religious law is a curse and so grave a
curse that Jesus Christ came to the world to remove it and was
crucified. It, therefore, means that to follow religious law is also a
curse.
Priest: Surely it is a curse and now Christians, instead of following
the religious law, should have faith in Jesus Christ, as religious law
was effective until our lord was not crucified.
Isabella: Now, is stealing permissible for us?
Priest: What has this got to do with the religious law? My child, you
shouldthink carefully before asking a question as anyone else who
bears this question will take you to be quite foolish.
Isabella: Forgive me. Probably I could not make myself clear. What
Imean is that among the Commandments, which you have just said are
part of religious law, onecommand is that you should not steal and
another that you should not oppress your neighbour and the third that
you should not disobey your parents. Now, these commandments are still
parts of the religious law which, according to SaintPaul, is a curse.
So to obey the Commandmentsof Old Testament (that is not to steal, not
to fornicate) is abominationand not to steal and not to molest your
parents are a curse.
Priest: My child, you have not yet understood the position of the
religious law. But, first tell me whoput this foolish question in your
mind and what devil put this doubt in you?
On this Isabella reported all the talk between Umar Lahmi and Muaz
which she had heard in the garden.
Priest: My child, you know it well that these accursed Muslims are
"unbelievers" and have always been inimical to our sacred religion.
Criticism of our holy books is the result of satanic thinking. My
child, you should repent at once and in future do not give ear to the
talk ofMuslims. They are irreligious and castigate the true religion
of others. Do you know, my child, what is their religion? Bloodshed is
creditable in their religion. Just see, they invaded our country Spain
and killed hundreds of innocent people and are forcibly imposing their
religion. Now, I know that these objections you have heard from
Muslims. If they were from your own mind I would have cleared them,
but what reply can we give to them?
Isabella was sorry to have mentioned Muslims;otherwise her problems
must have been solved. Now I will ask this question, she thought, from
my teacher whom I ask questions which I do not understand in the
course of my studies.
Next day Isabella put the same question to her teacher who also failed
to satisfy her by some convincible answer. Up to this time Isabella
had thought that her difficulty was due to her lack of understanding
and the religious leader will solve it easily, but now she realised
that it was not an easy but an important matter and her doubts were
strengthened and continued to grow.
Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

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1a. An Important Question

1a.
My child, you should repent at once and in future do not give ear to
the talk of Muslims. They are irreligious and castigate the true
religion of others. Do you know, my child, what is their religion?
Bloodshed is creditable in their religion. Just see, they invaded our
country Spain and killed hundreds of innocent people and are forcibly
imposing their religion. Now, I know that these objections you have
heard from Muslims. If they were from your own mind I would have
cleared them, but what reply can we giveto them?
Isabella was sorry to have mentioned Muslims; otherwise her problems
must have been solved. Now I will ask this question, she thought, from
my teacher whom I ask questions which I do not understand in the
course of my studies.
Next day Isabella put the same question to her teacher who also failed
to satisfy her by some convincible answer. Up to this time Isabella
had thought that her difficulty was due to her lack of understanding
and the religious leader will solve iteasily, but now she realised
that it was not an easy but an important matter and her doubts were
strengthened and continued to grow.
Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

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