STORY - ~ Kindness Pays! (Kindness and Compassion)

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his
way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was
hungry.
He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost
hisnerve when a lovely youngwoman opened the door. Instead of a meal
he asked for a drink of water.
Young woman thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass
of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"You don't owe me anything," she replied"Mother has taught us never to
accept payment for a kindness." He said..."Then I thank you from
myheart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt; stronger
physically, but his faith in God and mankind was strong also. He had
been ready to give up and quit.
Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors
were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called
in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called
in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came
from, a strange light filled his eyes.Immediately he rose and went
down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her
at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his
best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the
case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Howard Kelly requested
the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He
looked at it, and then wrote something on the edge and the bill was
sent to her room.
She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her
life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught; her
attention on the side as she read these words.....
"Paid in full with one glass of milk" (Signed - Dr. Howard Kelly)
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."
Moral: When a flower blooms, its colour and scent first touch the
gardennear it, and then spread. In the same way, a Muslim's acts of
human kindness should first touch those nearest to him, his family and
his neighbors./- ~ - ~ -

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Sin and repentance

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IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL
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One of the reasons for people's detachment from the morality of the
religion is that they consider themselves unforgivable out of the deep
distress they feel because of the sins they have committed. Satan
attempts repeatedly to instil such groundless thoughts in human
beings.To one who has committed a sin, he stealthily whispers the
message, "You are wicked and rebellious against Allah." If he has
committed only a few sins,satan tempts him to sin still more. Towards
his purpose, satan employs the feeling of embarrassment man feels
towards Allah, but manipulates this feeling inorder to draw man
furtherdistant from Allah.
However, like all others, this trick of satan's is a feeble one. The
fact that someone committed a sin does not mean that he hasbeen cursed
by Allah, and that he will never be able to follow the straight
pathagain. Not just one simple sin, but even if he were to commit the
greatest sins, over and over again, he will always have the
opportunity to repent and turn towards Allah. Allah informs us in the
Qur'an that He will forgive each person who sincerely repents of his
sins, that is, asks for forgiveness and remains firm in not committing
the same sin again:
But if anyone repents after his wrongdoing and puts things right,
Allah will turn towards him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Surat al-Ma'ida:39)
Allah is infinite in mercy. In a verse of the Qur'an, Heprovides the
good news toHis servants, "...I am the Ever-Returning, the Most
Merciful" (Surat al-Baqara: 160). Every individual has the opportunity
to repent. Allah even accepted the repentance of some Jews, who went
astray and worshipped an idol they made out of gold, after having
believed in Him, and forgave them:
And when Moses said to his people, "My people, You wronged yourselves
by adopting the Calf so turn towards your Maker and kill your own
(guilty) selves. That is the best thing for you in your Maker's
sight." And He (Allah) turned towards you. He is the Ever-Returning,
the Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara: 54)
After repentance and asking for Allah's forgiveness, a person may well
again become heedless, committing the same sin again. In fact, thismay
happen many times over. However, provided that that person repents
once and for all, and is committed to not sin again, he may hope for
Allah's mercy.
Nevertheless, as it is in every issue, the important factor is
sincerity. An insincere action is unacceptable in Allah's sight. If
one is not resolved to ending his sinning, and says, "I will repent
eventually," he is clearly insincere, which is likely to bring sorrow
to man. Allah warns those who hold such rationale asfollows:
Allah only accepts the repentance of those whodo evil in ignorance and
then quickly make repentance after doing it. Allah turns towards such
people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. There is no repentance for
people who persist indoing evil until death comes to them and who then
say, "Now I make repentance," nor for people who die unbeliever. We
have prepared for them a painful punishment. (Surat an-Nisa': 17-18)/
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Not losing hope for Allah's mercy

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IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL
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In many verses of the Qur'an, Allah mentions that Muslims—even those
with the most fear of Allah—– may make mistakes. In one verse, Allah
reveals;
Say [from Me]: 'My servants, you who have transgressed against
yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Truly Allah
forgivesall wrong actions. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Merciful.' " (Surat az-Zumar; 53)
It surely brings relief to their hearts, for a believer who errs could
feel great regret, sorrow and guilt.
Allah has made the scope for error so wide in humanbeings that He has
promised to forgive a person's errors without exception, if that
person issorry and repents of what he has done.
But despite of the many consolations in the Qur'an that refresh the
spirit and give hope, many human beings do not admit that they make
mistakes. In spite of the glad tidings announced in the Qur'an, after
making a mistake they become wrapped in despair and become anxious and
downhearted.
An individual who refuses to acknowledge errors he has committed out
of pride and arrogance is greatly saddened by what he has done. He has
trouble accepting that he is a creature prone to making mistakes and
faulty decisions, and whose actions and words may be wrong.
He does not consider that perfection and freedom from error belong
only to Allah. He wants to be perfect himself. But he cannot, and the
fact that some of his attitudes are wrong (despite his desire that
they not be), draws him into despair.
A believer experiences deep peace by accepting his imperfections and
helplessness in relation to Allah and never claims to be free from
error.
It should be remembered that the tendency to err and sin—even though
onemay be a firm believer—makes him more aware of Allah's perfection.
One can conceive of perfection only when he had experienced
imperfection.
Consciousness of his own failures and weaknesses lets him better
appreciate the absolute perfection of Allah./
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STORY - ~ May I never get too busy

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IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL
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It was a bitter, cold evening. The old man's beard was glazed by
winter's frost while he waited for a ride across theriver. The wait
seemed endless. His body became numb and stiff from the frigid north
wind. He heardthe faint, steady rhythm of approaching hooves galloping
along the frozen path.
Anxiously, he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend. He let the
first one pass by without an effort to get his attention. Then another
passed by... and another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot
where the old man sat like a snow statue.
As this one drew near, the old man caught the rider's eye and said,
"Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There
doesn't appear to be a passageway by foot."
Reining his horse, the rider replied, "Sure thing. Hop aboard."
Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen body from the
ground, the horseman dismounted and helped the old man onto the horse.
The horseman took the old man not just acrossthe river, but to his
destination, which was justa few miles away.
As they neared the tiny butcozy cottage, the horseman's curiosity
caused him to inquire, "Sir, I notice that you let severalother riders
pass by without making an effort to secure a ride. Then I came up and
you immediately asked me for a ride. I'm curious why, on such a bitter
winter night; you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had
refused and left you there?"
The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the
rider straight in the eyes, and replied, "I've been around here for
some time. I reckon I know people pretty good."
The old-timer continued, "I looked into the eyes of the other riders
and immediately saw there was no concern for my situation. It would
have been useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into
your eyes, kindness and compassion were evident. I knew, then and
there, that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give
me assistance in my time of need."
Those heartwarming comments touched the horseman deeply.
"I'm most grateful for whatyou have said," he told the old man. "May I
never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to
theneeds of others with kindness and compassion."
Ya Allah, Make me among those about whom the Noble Qur'an has said:
"Andthey give them preference over their own selves even though they
are in need". (Hashr 59:9)
Moral: Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a
kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act
of caring, all ofwhich have the potential to turn a life around./- - -
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