Islamic Stories

The Carpenter Tell a Friend
A highly skilled carpenter who had grown old was ready to retire. He told his employer-
contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life
with his family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.
The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one
more house as a personal favor. The carpenter agreed to this proposal but made sure that
this will be his last project. Being in a mood to retire, the carpenter was not paying much
attention to building this house. His heart was not in his work. He resorted to poor
workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the job was done, the carpenter called his employer and showed him the house.
The employer handed over some papers and the front door key to the carpenter and said
"This is your house, my gift to you."
The carpenter was in a shock! What a shame! If he had only known that he was building
his own house, he would have made it better than any other house that he ever built!
Our situation can be compared to this carpenter. Allah Ta'la has sent us to this world to
build our homes in paradise by obeying His commands. Now, we have to decide how
well we wish to build the homes where we will live forever.
A World of Smile Tell a Friend

About ten years ago when I was an undergraduate in college, I was working as an intern
at my University's Museum of Natural History. One day while working at the cash
register in the gift shop, I saw an elderly couple come in with a little girl in a wheelchair.
As I looked closer at this girl, I saw that she was kind of perched on her chair. I then
realized she had no arms or legs, just a head, neck and torso. She was wearing a little
white dress with red polka dots.
As the couple wheeled her up to me I was looking down at the register. I turned my head
toward the girl and gave her a wink. As I took the money from her grandparents, I looked
back at the girl, who was giving me the cutest, largest smile I have ever seen. All of a
sudden her handicap was gone and all I saw was this beautiful girl, whose smile just
melted me and almost instantly gave me a completely new sense of what life is all about.
She took me from a poor, unhappy college student and brought me into her world; a
world of smiles, love and warmth.
That was ten years ago. I'm a successful business person now and whenever I get down
and think about the troubles of the world, I think about that little girl and the remarkable
lesson about life that she taught me.
The Sight of Kabah Tell a Friend
One never tires of gazing at the sight of the House of Allah, the Kaa'ba. The site upon
which the mercy and blessings of Allah are constantly descending. There is truly nothing
comparable to the House of Allah on this Earth. People wish time would stand still so
they could keep gazing at the Kaa'ba; their thirst is never quenched, rather it increases.
Once, while on a visit to Washington, people told me that a woman had accepted Islam
and had some questions for me. They told me that many non-practicing Muslim women
had started practicing again due to her. At prayer time she would dress in her best clothes
as if readying herself for someone special, and would become oblivious to everything
around her as soon she started praying.
After a brief question and answer session, I asked her what prompted her to accept Islam.
She sighed and started explaining; "I was a Jew and my husband was a Christian who
was posted in Saudi Arabia for some technical work. Everyday I used to see Muslim men
and women dressed in white on their way somewhere. I asked my husband where they
were going and he told me that they go to perform pilgrimage at the Muslim shrine of
Kaa'ba. I expressed a desire to go but he told me that non-Muslims were not allowed.
However, I was determined and so we both bought white clothes and set out. Fortunately
no one stopped us and we reached Makkah, from where we found directions to the
Kaa'ba. Upon seeing the Kaa'ba our eyes froze and time seemed to stand still. When we
turned to look at each other after some time, we were both crying. With our eyes we told
each other that this was the Truth and we should accept Islam. No one ever told me about
Islam, but there were so many blessings descending on that House that they changed my
life forever."
The blessings of Tawhid descend in Makkah, and the blessings of Prophethood descend
in Madinah. One has seen nothing in life if he has not seen these two holy sites. May
Allah give all Muslims the opportunity to visit to His House.
Hachiko, the Faithful Dog Tell a Friend
In 1934, a bronze statue of a dog called Hachiko was erected at the Shibuya Train station
in Tokyo, Japan. The story of this dog is mentioned below.
Hachiko was born in 1923 and was owned by Eisaburo Ueno, a professor in the
agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. The professor used to take a train from
the Shibuya Station every day to go to the university. Each day Hachiko accompanied the
professor to the train station when he left for work. Upon returning, the professor would
find the dog patiently waiting for his master and wagging its tail. This happy routine
continued until one fateful day in 1925, when the professor was taken ill on the job and
unfortunately died before he could return home. As usual, the dog waited at the train
station that day for his master to return back. However, seeing that he wasn’t coming
back, Hachiko waited till night fell and retuned back home. The next day Hachiko went
back to the train station again, waiting for his master to come back. He patiently waited
till sunset and then retuned back home. The dog was so devoted to the professor that he
continued to visit the train station everyday for the next 10 years! The people who passed
the loyal dog each day were so touched by his story that they erected a statue in his honor
in 1934.
In 1935, Hachiko died at the very same spot where he used to wait for his master.
Dear readers, we should take a lesson from this story for ourselves. By reciting the
kalimah of Tawheed, all of us have taken an oath to be loyal to our Master, Allah Ta’ala.
Now, we should look deep into ourselves and check to see how much love we really have
for Allah in our hearts.
A Thousand Camels Tell a Friend

In the times of Umar (Radiallahu Anhu) there was a severe famine. All the people of
Madinah were suffering due to the shortage of food. A caravan made up of a thousand
camels loaded with a large stock of food grains belonging to Uthman (Radiallahu Anhu)
arrived from Shaam (Syria). Several merchants offered to buy all of it. He asked them
what profit they would pay. “Five per cent,” they said. He answered that he could get
higher profit than that. They began to argue with him, saying that they did not know of
any merchant who would offer him more than their quote. He said to them, “I know of
one who repays a profit of more than seven hundred to a dirham (Arabian currency).” He
then recited the verse of the Noble Quran in which Allah Ta’ala mentioned this profit.
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a
grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives
manifold increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures'
needs, All-Knower.” (2:261).
“O traders! Bear witness with me that I donate all this to the poor people of Madinah!”
said Uthman (Radiallahu Anhu).
Source: Related by Shaikh Habibullah Mukhtaar in his book “Bringing Up Children in

Islaam” in the chapter of Generosity.
Dear readers, what ever we give for the sake of Allah is really ours and whatever we keep
with us will one day be someone else’s. Let us follow the footsteps of our Prophet and the
pious Sahabah, with whom Allah was pleased with, by helping the needy ones in this
blessed month of Ramadan.
Better to Give Tell a Friend
A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day taking a walk with a
Professor, who was commonly called the student's friend, from his kindness to those who
waited on his instructions.
As they went along,they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to
belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by,and who had nearly finished
his day's work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his
shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he
cannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves at the
expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by
means of this poor man. Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and
watch how this affects him."
The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor
man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his
coat and shoes.
While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling something
hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder
were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at
it again and again.
He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the
money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was
doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to the heavens and uttered
aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his wife who was sick and helpless,
and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty, from some unknown
hand,would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the
professor, are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the
truth of these words, which I never understood before: "It's more blessed to give than to
receive."
Abdullah bin Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllahu alaiyhi
wassallam) said that encouraging good, prohibiting evil, lifting the burden of the weak
person and removing an offensive thing from a path are all acceptable prayers to Allah.
[ibn Majah]
Reward for Helping Others Tell a Friend

Ibn Abbas narrated, Once I was in a state of itikaaf in the Prophet's Mosque (Medina). A
certain person came to me and sat down. I said to him, 'O so and so, you look sad'. He
said, 'Yes of course, o fraternal brother of the Prophet. So-and-so has his due on me, and
by the one who lies in eternal peace in the grave (i.e. Prophet Muhammad), I am not able
to pay the debt' I said, 'Should I not talk to him about your debt?' He said, 'You can do so
if you like' There upon I put my shoes on and went out of the mosque. The person asked
him, 'Have you forgotten the state you were in (i.e. itikaaf)?' I replied, 'Not at all, but I
have heard rom the one who lies in eternal peace in the grave [saying this his eyes
became filled with tears], said:
"One who moves to fulfill any need of his brother, and makes effort for it, will find it
better than itikaaf of ten years; and one who performs itikaaf for one day for the pleasure
of Allah, he will create a distance of three ditches between him and the hell - and each
ditch has a width which lies between East and West, or between the heaven and earth."
Source: Al Targhib Vol II p 272.
By the blessings of Allah, we are approaching another Ramadan. For most of us, we feel
a little taste of hunger during this month only. But there are billions for whom it is a
matter of daily life. Let us get immense rewards by helping our needy brothers and sisters
around the world during this month of generosity.
Army of Elephants Tell a Friend
The following incident is mentioned in Surah Feel of the Holy Quran and it happened
during the period of the birth-year of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Abraha
Al-Ashram was the governor of Yemen on behalf of the king of Ethiopia. He (Abrahah)
thought to build a house (like the Kabah at Makkah) in Sana (the capital of Yemen) and
call the Arabs to perform the pilgrimage there in Sana instead of the Kabah in Makkah,
with the intention of diverting the trade and benefits from Makkah to Yemen. He
presented his idea to the king of Ethiopia who agreed to it. So the house (church) was
built and he named it Al-Qullais; there was no church of its like at that time. Then a man
from the Quraish tribe of Makkah came there and was infuriated by it, so he relieved his
nature (stools and urine) in it, soiled its walls and went away. When Abrahah Al-Ashram
saw that, he could not control his anger and raised an army to invade Makkah and
demolish the Kabah. He had in that army thirteen elephants and amongst them was an
elephant called Mahmud which was the biggest of them. So that army proceeded and
none amongst the Arab tribes that faced them (fought against them) but was killed and
defeated, till it approached near Makkah. Then there took place negotiations between
Abrahah Al-Ashram and the chief of Makkah (Abdul Muttalib bin Hashim, the
grandfather of the Prophet), and it was concluded that Abrahah would restore the camels
of Abdul Muttalib which he had taken away, and then he (Abrahah) would decide himself
as regards the Kabah. Abdul Muttalib ordered the men of Makkah to evacuate the city
and go to the top of the mountains along with their wives and children in case some harm
should come to them from the invading oppressors. Then that army moved towards
Makkah till they reached valley Muhassir. While the army was marching towards
Makkah, in the middle of the valley, suddenly it was overtaken by flocks of birds, flocks
after flocks, air-raiding that army with small stones slightly bigger than a lentil seed.
There never fell a stone on a soldier except it dissolved his flesh and burst it into pieces.
So they perished with a total destruction. Abrahah Al-Ashram fled away while his flesh
was bursting into pieces till he died on the way (back to Yemen). Such was the victory
bestowed by Allah, (the All-Majestic, All-Powerful) to the people of Makkah and such
was the protection provided by Him for His House (Kabah in Makkah).
Source: Extracted from Tafsir of Surah Feel (Surah 105) by Ibn Kathir as found in
Translation of the Noble Quran by Muhammad Muhsin Khan.
The Fisherman Tell a Friend

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with
just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The
investment banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how
long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, "Only a little while."
The investment banker then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The fisherman said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."
The investment banker then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my
wife, stroll into the village each evening and spend time with my family, I have a full and
busy life."
The investment banker scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should
spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds
from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of
fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the
processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product,
processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village
and move to a big town and eventually to the the city where you will run your ever-
expanding enterprise."
The fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the investment banker replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the fisherman.
The investment banker laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you
would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich,
you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"
The investment banker said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing
village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your
wife, stroll to the village in the evenings and spend time with your family."
Thirst for Learning Tell a Friend

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
"After the passing away of the Prophet (peace be upon him), I said to an Ansari friend of
mine: ‘The Prophet is not now with us. But a large number of Sahabah are still among us.
Let us go to them and get knowledge of the Islamic practices.’ He said: ' Who is going to
approach you for learning a regulation in the presence of these eminent Sahabah?' I was
not discouraged. I kept up my quest for knowledge and approached every person who
was supposed to have heard something from the Prophet. I managed to gather substantial
information from the Ansar. If on my visit to someone of the Sahabah, I found him
asleep, I spread my shawl at the gate and sat waiting. Sometimes my face and body
would get covered with dust, but I kept sitting till they woke and I was able to contact
them. Some of them said: 'Abdullah you are the cousin of the Prophet; you could have
sent for us. Why did you take the trouble of coming to our places?' I said to them: 'I must
come to you, for I am a student and you are my teachers.' Some people for whom I had
waited said: 'Since when have you been waiting for us?' I informed them that I had been
sitting there for a pretty long time. They said: 'What a pity! You could have awakened us
from our sleep.' I said: 'I did not like to disturb you for my own sake.' I thus carried on
my pursuits, till there came a time when people began to flock to me for learning. My
Ansari friend realized this at that time and remarked: 'This boy has surely proved himself
more sensible than us.'"
Source: From the book "Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad Zakariyya
Kaandhlawi.
Besides our quest for knowledge to earn a livelihood in this world, we must as well gain
sufficient knowledge of Islam. No matter what age group we belong to at this moment,
we should atleast have that much Islamic knowledge with which we can turn our 24
hours life into worship. Those with knowledge and practice will be exalted in this world
and in the hereafter.
Prayer of a Sick Person Tell a Friend

Imam Baihaqi has stated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (ra) who stated: "Once, I was
present with the Prophet (peace be upon him). At that time, I had fallen so much sick that
I prayed to Allah Almighty to grant me death if I am destined to die so that I may get
relief from the sickness, otherwise, I may be restored to normal health from the sickness
if I have to live for sometime. I, also, prayed for being granted patience if this sickness is
a test for me from Allah Almighty." Hearing that, the Prophet beat Ali with his foot and
observed: "Oh Ali! repeat what you were saying." Ali (ra) repeated his prayer. Then the
Prophet prayed to Allah Almighty: "O Allah! Heal him from the sickness." Ali (ra) stated
that he became healthy the same day and the pain never appeared again.
Source: From the book "The Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad" by Shaikh Ahmed
Saeed Dehalvi.
The Righteous Beggar Tell a Friend

The following incident took place in Dhaka which is the capital city of Bangladesh.
There was a beggar in the city who used to beg beside a Masjid on Fridays after Jumah
prayer. Begging was permissible for him due to his adverse condition. Though he was a
beggar, he would pay attention to the sermons that were delivered during the Khutbah.
One such sermons was about the importance of earning halal income. He learnt that
supplications (dua) will not be accepted from those people whose income are from
forbidden sources. He immediately decided to accept money from only those individuals
that he knew had halal income. His daily earnings decreased as a result but he was
committed to his decision.
Then came a day when the beggar died. Eventhough he lived as a beggar, his funeral was
like that of a king. Many dignitaries of the area attended his funeral because they knew of
that great sacrifice he used to make daily in order to keep up with the commandment of
Almighty Allah.
Dear readers, we too should sincerely adopt the commandments of Allah in our lives
regardless of our social status. In this way, Allah will elevate us in this world and in the
hereafter.
A Sheet for the Prophet Tell a Friend

Narrated Abu Hazim: I heard Sahl bin Saad saying, "A woman brought a Burda (i.e. a
square piece of cloth having edging). I asked, 'Do you know what a Burda is?' They
replied in the affirmative and said, "It is a cloth sheet with woven margins." Sahl went
on, "She addressed the Prophet and said, 'I have woven it with my hands for you to wear.'
The Prophet took it as he was in need of it, and came to us wearing it as a waist sheet.
One of us said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Give it to me to wear.' The Prophet agreed to give it to
him. The Prophet sat with the people for a while and then returned (home), wrapped that
waist sheet and sent it to him. The people said to that man, 'You haven't done well by
asking him for it when you know that he never turns down anybody's request.' The man
replied, 'By Allah, I have not asked him for it except to use it as my shroud when I die."
Sahl added; "Later it (i.e. that sheet) was his shroud."
Source: Sahih Al Bukhari (Volume 3, Hadith# 306)
The person wanted to have the sheet for his shroud because he hoped that Allah will
show mercy towards him after death as he is covered in a sheet that was worn by the
Prophet. We can also hope for the same by dressing ourselves with the lifestyle of the
Prophet (peace be upon him) as his simple lifestyle is the most beloved to Allah.

Source: Extracted from Tafsir of Surah Feel (Surah 105) by Ibn Kathir as found in
Translation of the Noble Quran by Muhammad Muhsin Khan.
The Fisherman Tell a Friend

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with
just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The
investment banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how
long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, "Only a little while."
The investment banker then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The fisherman said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."
The investment banker then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my
wife, stroll into the village each evening and spend time with my family, I have a full and
busy life."
The investment banker scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should
spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds
from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of
fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the
processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product,
processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village
and move to a big town and eventually to the the city where you will run your ever-
expanding enterprise."
The fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the investment banker replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the fisherman.
The investment banker laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you
would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich,
you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"
The investment banker said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing
village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your
wife, stroll to the village in the evenings and spend time with your family."
Story of a Wrestler Tell a Friend

Junaid Baghdadi earned his livelihood as a professional wrestler. As was the norm, the
Leader of Baghdad announced one day, "Today, Junaid Baghdadi will demonstrate his
skills as a wrestler, is there anyone to challenge him." An elderly man shakily stood up
with his neck quivering and said, "I will enter the contest with him."
Whoever was witness to this scene could not contain themselves, they burst out howling
with laughter, clapping their hands. The King was bound by the law. He could not stop
someone who of his own free will entered the bout. The elderly man was given the
permission to enter the ring. He was about sixty-five years old. When Junaid Baghdadi
entered the ring, he was dumbfounded as was the King and all the spectators of the
Kingdom who were present. The single thought that occupied their minds was, "How will
this old man be able to fight?"
The old man addressed Junaid with these words, "Lend me your ears." He then
whispered, "I know it is not possible for me to win this bout against you, but I am a
Sayyid, a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). My children are
starving at home. Are you prepared to sacrifice your name, your honour and position for
the love of Allah's Prophet and lose this bout to me? If you do this I will be able to collect
the prize money and thereby have the means to feed my children and myself for an entire
year. I will be able to settle all my debts and above all, the master of both the worlds will
be pleased with you. Are you, Oh Junaid, not willing to sacrifice your honour for the sake
of the children of Rasulullah (peace be upon him)?"
Junaid Baghdadi thought to himself, "Today, I have an excellent opportunity."
In a display of fervour Junaid Baghdadi executed a couple of maneuvers, demonstrating

his finesse so that the King does not suspect any conspiracy. Junaid with a great display
of antics did not use his strength and allowed himself to be dropped. The elderly man
mounted his chest thus entitling him to the prize.
That night, Junaid Baghdadi had a dream of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
who said, "Oh Junaid, you have sacrificed your honour, your nationally acclaimed fame,
your name and position which was heralded throughout Baghdad in the expression of
your love for my children who were starving. As of today, your name is recorded in the
register of the Auliya (friends of Allah)."
Thereafter, this great wrestler learnt to defeat his nafs (desires) and became one of the
most eminent Auliya of his time!
Source: From the book "Tajalliat-e-Jazb" by Shaikh Hakim Muhammad Akhtar.
Story of Alexander the Great Tell a Friend

Alexander the Great is known as the most powerful military leader and conqueror of the
ancient world. Before he turned 30 years old he conquered an empire stretching over
3,000 miles from Greece to India. He was born in 356 BC in Macedonia, known today as
northern Greece.
On his sickbed and during his last hour alive, Alexander the Great told his generals
"After my death, when you put my body in the casket, let my arms hang over the edges
with my palms wide open, so the public can see my empty hands while I am leaving the
world." After he died, many dignitaries came to view the royal funeral and were very
surprised to see his arms hanging over the edge of the casket with his palms wide open.
They asked questions about this unique scene. A wise man told them “O’ People,
Alexander the Great is telling us that when he ruled the world, great treasures of gold,
silver and wealth came to be under his possession. Yet, indeed he is leaving the world
empty handed."
Source: Partially extracted from the writtings of JC Pinkerton.
Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) said: Three things follow the bier of a dead man, two of them come back
and one is left with him: the members of his family, wealth and his good deeds. The
members of his family and wealth come back while his deeds alone are left with him.
(Sahih Muslim)
Only for Allah Tell a Friend
There was a pious man among the Banu Israel who always remained busy in the worship
of Allah. A group of people came to him and told him that a tribe living nearby
worshipped a tree. The news upset him, and with an axe on his shoulder he went to cut
down that tree. On the way, Satan met him in the form of an old man and asked him
where he was going. He said he was going to cut a particular tree. Satan said, "You have
nothing to be concerned with this tree, you better mind your worship and do not give it up
for the sake of something that does not concern you." "This is also worship," retorted the
worshipper. Then Satan tried to prevent him from cutting the tree, and there followed a
fight between the two, in which the worshipper overpowered the Satan. Finding himself
completely helpless, Satan begged to be excused, and when the worshipper released him,
he again said, "Allah has not made the cutting of this tree obligatory on you. You do not
lose anything if you do not cut it. If its cutting were necessary, Allah could have got it
done through one of his many Prophets." The worshipper insisted on cutting the tree.
There was again a fight between the two and again the worshipper overpowered the
Satan. "Well listen," said Satan, "I propose a settlement that will be to your advantage."
The worshipper agreed, and Satan said, "You are a poor man, a mere burden on this
earth. If you stay away from this act, I will pay you three gold coins everyday. You will
daily find them lying under your pillow. By this money you can fulfil your own needs,
can oblige your relative, help the needy, and do so many other virtuous things. Cutting
the tree will be only one virtue, which will ultimately be of no use because the people
will grow another tree." This proposal appealed to the worshipper, and he accepted it. He
found the money on two successive days, but on the third day there was nothing. He got
enraged, picked up his axe and went to cut the tree. Satan as an old man again met him on
the way and asked him where he was going. "To cut the tree," shouted the worshipper. "I
will not let you do it," said Satan. A fight took place between the two again but this time
Satan had the upper hand and overpowered the worshipper. The latter was surprised at his
own defeat, and asked the former the cause of his success. Satan replied, "At first, your
anger was purely for earning the pleasure of Allah, and therefore Almighty Allah helped
you to overpower me, but now it has been partly for the sake of the gold coins and
therefore you lost."
Source: From the book "Ihyaa-ul Uloom Ud Deen" by Imam Ghazzali (ra).
Owners of the Garden Tell a Friend

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 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 in the 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 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 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
(poor man) shall enter 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 "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 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 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. 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 us only 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. We will not lose anything by giving away some of our wealth, we will only gain.
The Patched Robe Tell a Friend

There was a Jew of Damascus who was reading a holy book one day when he came
across the name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) written in it. Not liking
this, he removed the name. But the next day he found it there again. Again he took out
the name; but on the third day it had appeared again. He thought: "Perhaps this is a sign
that a true Emissary has come. I will journey southwards to Madinah."
And he forthwith started out, not tarrying until he reached the city of the Prophet. When
he arrived there, knowing nobody, he was near the Mosque of the Prophet when the
Sahabi Anas (ra) arrived. He said to Anas: "Friend, take me to the Prophet."
Anas (ra) led him into the mosque, which was full of people in anguish. Abu Bakr (ra)
the successor was sitting there at the head of the assembly. The old man went up to him,
thinking he must be Muhammad, and said: "O Chosen Envoy of God, a strayed old man
has come to offer you peace." Hearing the title of the Prophet used, everyone present
burst into a flood of tears. The stranger was uncertain as to what to do. He said: "I am a
foreigner and a Jew, and I am unaware of the rites of the Faith of Submission to the Will
of Allah. Have I said something untoward? Should I have remained silent? Or is this a
ritual observance? Why do you cry? If it is a ceremony, I have never heard of it."
Omar (ra) said to him: "We do not weep because of anything which you have done. But
you must hear, unfortunate one, that it is a but a week since the Prophet left the earth.
When we heard his name, grief took possession of our hearts anew."
As soon as he heard this, the ancient tore his clothes in anguish. When he had recovered a
little, he said: "Do me one favour. Let me have at least a robe of the Prophet. If I cannot
see him, at least let me have this."
Omar (ra) answered: "Only Fatima (ra) could give us one of his robes." Ali (ra) said: "But
she will not allow anyone to go near her." But they went to her door and knocked, and
explained what they wanted.
Fatima (ra) answered: "Verily, the Prophet spoke truly when he said, shortly before he
died: 'A wayfarer, who has love towards me and who is a good man, will come to the
house. He will not see me. Give him, therefore, this patchwork robe as if from me, and
for me treat him gently, offering salutations.'"
The Jew put the robe on himself and, professing Islam, asked to be taken to the Prophet's
grave. It was at this place that he breathed his last.
Source: From the book "Ilahi-Nama" by Shaikh Farid Al-Din Attar.
The King and the Poor Man Tell a Friend

There was a king who decided to take a tour of his country. As he passed by different
places, everyone rushed to see him. However, while passing by a certain place, he noticed
a poor old man who did not pay any attention to the king's arrival and remained engaged
in his own activities. The king went up to this poor man and asked why he did not join
the people to see him. The poor man replied, "Before you, there was another king who
once passed by this place. Everyone gathered to see him as well. But, few days later he
died and was buried in a place nearby. A poor man also died during that time and was
buried near the king's grave. After some time, a strong flood passed through that area
causing those graves to overturn. As a result, the bones of the poor man became mixed up
with those of the king's. We could not differentiate between them any longer. After
seeing this, it does not matter to me anymore as to who is a king and who is a beggar. In
the end, our home is the same.”
Narrated by brother Ayyub from Toronto, Canada during one of his lectures.
A Young Man's Fear of Allah Tell a Friend
One day, Malik bin Dinar (rahimaullah) was passing by a place when he noticed a young
man wearing old clothes and crying by the roadside. His name was Uthbah. Sweat was
dripping down his body even though the temperature was very cold at that time. Malik
bin Dinar became very surprised at this scene and asked Uthbah, "Oh young man, why
are you crying? And why are you sweating during this cold temperature?"
Uthbah replied, "Once, I committed a sin at this place. Today, as I was passing by this
place, I remembered that sin."
Source: Obtained from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh Abul Laith
Samarkandi.
Look how pious were the early Muslims. Today, we are committing thousands of sins,
yet, we are walking around with happiness and joy as if we have nothing to worry about.
Importance of Saying Insha-Allah Tell a Friend
During a Jumah Khutbah in a small town, an Imam talked about the significance of
saying "Insha Allah" (which means if Allah wills) when planning to do something in the
future. After a few days, a man who had also attended the Khutbah was going to buy a
cow from the market. On the way, he met a friend who asked him where he was going.
He told him about buying the cow but did not say Insha Allah in the end. His friend
reminded him about the Khutbah and told him to say Insha Allah. However, this
individual said that he had the money he needs and the energy to go to the market, thus,
there is no point of saying Insha Allah as he will certainly buy the cow. He thought that
saying Insha Allah will not make any difference.
When he reached the market, he found a cow that met his expectations. He burgained
with the seller and came to a reasonable price. Finally, he decided to pay for the cow but
was dumbfounded when he discovered that his money was missing. A thief had stolen the
money while he was walking through the busy market. The cow seller asked him whether
he was going to buy the cow or not. "Insha Allah, I will buy it next week," he said. When
he reached home, his wife inquired about the cow. He told her about how he forgot to say
Insha Allah, and also added, "Insha Allah, I wanted to buy the cow. But Insha Allah, my
money was stolen. Insha Allah, I will buy it next week." His wife clarified to him that we
should say Insha Allah for things that are yet to happen, not for those things that had
already happened. He never forgot his "Insha Allah" again.
This incident was narrated by Shaikh Wahidullah from Toronto, Canada.
The Miser and the Angel of Death Tell a Friend
A miser had accumulated, by effort, trade and lending, three hunderd thousand dinars. He
had lands and buildings, and all kinds of wealth. He then decided that he would spend a
year in enjoyment, living comfortably, and then decide as what his future should be.
But, almost as soon as he had stopped amassing money the Angel of Death appeared
before him, to take his life away.
The miser tried, by every argument which he could muster, to dissuade the Angel, who
seemed, however, adament. Then the man said: "Grant me but three more days and I will
give you one-third of my possessions."
The angel refused, and pulled again at the miser's life, tugging to take it away.
Then the man said:
"If you only allow me two more days on earth, I will give you two hundred thousand
dinars from my store."
But the Angel would not listen to him. And the Angel even refused to give the man a
solitary extra day for all his three hundred thousand pieces.
The the miser said:
"Please, then, give me just time enough to write one little thing down."
This time the Angel allowed him this single concession, and the man wrote, with his own
blood:
"Man, make use of your life. I could not buy one hour for three hundred thousand dinars.
Make sure that you realize the value of your time."
Source: Obtained from the book "The Way of the Sufi" by Idries Shah.
500 Years of Worship Tell a Friend
Angel Jibrail (as) told Rasulullah (peace be upon him) the follwing incident about a man
in the past who worshipped Allah Ta'ala continuously for 500 years. He was granted a
shelter on top of a mountain that was surrounded by salty water. However, Allah caused a
stream of sweet water to flow through the mountain for that individual. The man would
drink from this water and use it to make ablution. Allah Ta'ala also raised a pomegranate
tree from which the man would eat one fruit every day.
One day, this person supplicated to Allah that, "Oh Allah, bring my death while I am in
the state of prostration." Allah accepted this dua of his. Whenever Jibrail (as) came down
to the Earth, he found this man prostrating to Allah. Jibrail (as) said that on the day of
Judgement, Allah will tell the angels to take this individual to Paradise through His
mercy. However, this man will insist that he should enter paradise through the good
deeds that he had performed.
Then, Allah will tell the angels to compare his good deeds with the blessings that were
given to him in the world. It will be seen that 500 years of his worship does not even
equal to the gift of eye sight that was given to him by Allah. The angels will be asked to
take him towards the hell fire. Then the man will plead, "Oh Allah! Enter me into
Paradise only through Your mercy." At that point, the following discussion will take
place between Allah and that man.
Allah: Oh my servant, who created you?
The worshipper: Oh Allah, You have created me.
Allah: Were you created because of the good deeds you have done or because of My
mercy?
The worshipper: Because of Your mercy.
Allah: Who granted you the ability to worship for 500 years?
The worshipper: Oh the Almighty! You have granted me that ability.
Allah: Who placed you on the mountain surrounded by the ocean? Who caused a stream
of sweet water to flow in between the salty water? Who caused a pomegranate tree to
grow for you? Who granted you death while in the state of prostration?
The worshipper: Oh the Sustainer of the Worlds! You have done all of these.
Then Allah will say, "All these have happened due to My mercy and you too will enter
Paradise only through My Mercy."
Samarkandi.
We can never thank Allah for the blessings that He has given us. Let us use these
blessings to recognize Allah before our death.
The Beautiful Story of Abu Ghayth Tell a Friend
From the signs of truthfulness is fear of Allah and asceticism in life; for the truthful with
conviction fears consuming from what is impermissible and bears poverty and hardship
for the sake of Islam. If he commits sin then he does not sleep until he returns to his Lord
and repents, in order to free himself from the sin, and its burden.
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari: I was in Makkah during the season of Hajj and I saw a man from
Khurasaan calling out to the people: “Oh pilgrims, oh people of Makkah – from those
who are present and those far off, I have lost a pouch that contains a thousand dinars. So
whoever returns the pouch, Allah will reward them with good, save them from the hell
fire, and His bounty and favors will be acquired on the Day of Accounting (Day of
Judgment).”
An old man from the people of Makkah approached him and said: “Oh Khurasaani, our
city is in a very tough condition, and the days of hajj are few, and its season is appointed,
and the doors of profit-making are closed. This money might fall in the hands of a
believer who is poor and old in age. Maybe he plans to give it if you make a promise that
you will give him a little bit of money that is halal (permissible) for him to use.”
The Khurasaani said: “How much does he want?”
The old man said: “He wants one-tenth of the money (a hundred dinars).”
The Khurasaani said: "No. I will not grant him the money and instead I will take my case
to Allah, and complain to Him on the day we meet Him, and Allah is sufficient for us and
the best one to trust in.“
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: “I realized that it was the old man is poor, and he was the one
who took the pouch of dinars and wishes to have a little portion of it. So I followed him
until he returned to his home. My assumptions were confirmed. I heard him calling onto
his wife:”Oh Lubabah.”
She said: “I am at your service, O Abu Ghayth.”

The old man said: I found the owner of the dinars calling for it, and he does not intend to
give any reward to the person who finds it. I said to him “Give us a hundred dinars and he
refused and said he would take his case to Allah. What should I do O Lubabah? I must
return it, for I fear my Lord, and I fear that my sin is multiplied.
His wife said to him: Oh Man! We have been struggling and suffering from poverty with
you for the last 50 years, and you have 4 daughters, 2 sisters, my mother and I, and you
are the ninth. Keep all the money and feed us for we are hungry, and clothe us for you
know better our situation. Perhaps Allah, the All-Mighty, will make you rich afterwards
and you might be able to give the money back after you fed your children, or Allah will
pay the amount you owe on the day when the kingdom will belong to the King (Allah).
He said to her: Will I consume haram after 86 years of my life, and burn my organs with
fire after I have been patient with my poverty, and become worthy of Allah anger, even
though I am close to my grave?! No, By Allah, I will not do so!
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: I left with amazement concerning his condition and that of his
wife. At a later point during the day, I heard the owner of the pouch calling out...
Saying: “O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a
thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."
The old man said: Oh Khurasaani, I have addressed you the other day and advised you
that our land is low on cultivation, so reward the person who found the pouch so that he
is not tempted to break the laws of Allah. I have advised you to pay the person who finds
it a hundred dinars but you refused. If your money falls into hands of a person who fears
Allah the All-Mighty, will you give him 10 dinars at least, instead of a 100?
The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him,
and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in.“
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: The people dispersed and left. Later on during the hours of the
day, once again, the Khurasaani made the same call, saying:
“O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand
dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."
The old man came again and said: O Khurasaani, I said to you the day before yesterday to
reward the finder a hundred dinars and you refused. Then I advised you to give him ten
dinars and you refused, so will you give only one dinar so that he can buy with half of it
things he needs and with the other half, sheep milk, so that he can give to the people and
feed his children?
The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him,
and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “
The old man angrily said: Come you, and take your money so that I can sleep at night, for
I have not had a good mood ever since I found this money.
Ibn Jarir said: So the old man went with the owner of the money and I followed them
until the old man entered his house, dug a hole and pulled out the money and said: Take
your money and ask Allah to forgive me and bless me from His bounty.
The Khurasaani took the money and intended to leave, but when he reached the door he
said: O old man, my father died, May Allah have mercy on him, and left behind three
thousand dinars and said to me: Take out a third of this money and give it to a person
from the people who is most deserving of it. Therefore I tied it in a pouch so that I may
spend it on someone who is worthy of it. By Allah, I have not seen a person, since I left
Khurasaan until now, who is more worthy of it then you. So take it, May Allah’s blessing
be upon you, and May He reward for the trust you kept, and your patience during
poverty. The Khurasaani man left without the money.
The old man wept and prayed to Allah, saying: May Allah bless the owner of the money
in his grave, and May Allah bless his son.
Ibn Jarir said: I left after the Khurasaani but Abu Ghayth (the old man) followed me and
brought me back. He asked me to sit down, and said: I have seen you following me since
the first day; you have come to know of our situation yesterday and today. I have heard
that the Prophet said: "If you are gifted from the provision of Allah, without begging or
asking, then accept it and do not reject it." So this is a gift from Allah to all those
attending.
The old man called: O Lubabah, O so and so, O so and so. He called on his daughters and
his sisters and wife and her mother, and sat down and made me sit down. We were 10. He
opened the bag, and said spread your clothing over your laps.
So I (Ibn Jarir) did, but the girls did not have proper clothing that would enable them to
do that, so they extended their hands. The old man gave dinar by dinar in order until he
reached me (Ibn Jarir) and said: "Here is a dinar." The process continued until the bag
was empty and I received a hundred dinars.
Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: So joy filled my heart because of the provision they received
more then the joy I had because I received a hundred dinars.
When I was leaving the old man said: O young man. You are blessed; keep this money
with you for it is halal. And know that I use to wake up for Fajr prayer with this wet shirt.
After I was done I would take it off, and give it so that my daughters can pray - one by
one. Then I would go to work between Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer and then I would
come back at the end of the day with what Allah has given me from dates and dry pieces
of bread. Then I would take off my clothes for my daughters and they would pray Dhuhr
prayer and Asr prayer, and the same would happen for the Maghrib and Isha prayers. And
we did not ever expect to see this kind of money. So may Allah make us make good use
of them, and may Allah bless the person in his grave and multiply the reward for him.
Ibn Jarir said: So I greeted him goodbye, and took the hundred dinars and used them to
write knowledge for two years! I used it to buy paper and pay rent and after sixteen years
I returned to Makkah and inquired about the old man. I was told that he died a few
months after the incident that occurred between us. His wife died, along with her mother,
and his 2 sisters. The only ones that remained were the daughters whom, when I asked
about, found that they were married to kings and Princes. I dropped by and they honored
me as a guest and treated me kindly until they died also. So May Allah bless them in their
graves.
{That will be an admonition given to him who believes in Allâh and the Last Day. And
whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out
(from every difficulty).
And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his
trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed
Allâh has set a measure for all things. (At-Talaq 65: 2-3)
Source: Originally obtained from Islamway.com. Translated from Arabic to English by

Ibrahim Hindy.
The Story of Alqamah Tell a Friend
At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), there was a young man named Alqamah.
He was very diligent in obeying Allah by engaging in prayer and fasting and spending in
charity. Then he fell ill and his illness became serious. His wife went to the Prophet and
said, ”My husband, Alqamah, is on his deathbed. I therefore came to tell you, Messenger
of Allah, about his condition.” The Prophet (then) sent for Ammar or Suhaib and Bilal,
and told them to go to him (Alqamah) and have him repeat the Shahadah. Thereupon they
went to him and found him in the agony of death. They asked him to say, “La illaha illa
Allah,” but his tongue was unable to pronounce it. At that, they came and told the
Messenger of Allah that he was unable to repeat the Shahadah.
The Prophet asked, “Is either of his parents alive?” He was told, “Messenger of Allah, his
mother is, but she is very old.” The Prophet sent her a message that if it was convenient
for her (that is, is she was able to go out), she should come to him; otherwise she should
stay in her house and the Prophet would come to her.
The Prophet's messenger came to her and informed her of the Prophet's message. She
said, “May my life be a ransom for him, it is my pleasure to go to him!” She then stood
up, leaning on her walking stick, and came to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet
returned her greeting and said to her, “Umm Alqamah, tell me the truth, for otherwise
Allah Most High will reveal the truth to me! What is the situation concerning your son,
Alqamah?” She replied, “Messenger of Allah, he prays much, fasts a great deal, and
spends a great amount in charity.” The Prophet said, “And what about yourself?” She
said, “Messenger of Allah, I am angry with him.” He said, “Why?” She replied,
“Messenger of Allah, he has preferred his wife to me and has disobeyed me.” Then
Allah's Messenger said, “Umm Alqamah, surely your anger has prevented Alqamah's
tongue from pronouncing the Shahadah.”
He then turned to Bilal and said, “Bilal, go out and collect a quantity of firewood.” She
said, “Messenger of Allah, what do you plan to do?” He replied, “I will burn him in front
of your eyes.” She said, “Messenger of Allah, he is my son! My heart cannot bear your
burning him in front of me!” He said, “Umm Alqamah, Allah's punishment is more
severe and more lasting! Therefore, if you want Allah to forgive him, be reconciled to
him. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the prayer, fasting, and spending in charity
(which he has done) are of no benefit to Alqamah as long as you are angry with him!
Thereupon she said, “Messenger of Allah, I call upon Allah Most High and His angels
and the Muslims who are present to be my witnesses that I am pleased with my son
Alqamah.” Allah's Messenger said, “Bilal, go to him and see whether he is now able to
say, “La illaha illa Allah” or not. It may be that Umm Alqamah is saying something for
my sake which is not in her heart.”
Thereupon Bilal went, and while entering the door he heard Alqamah saying, “La illaha
illa Allah.” (Concerning this), Bilal remarked, “It is surely true that while Alqamah's
mother was angry with him his tongue was tied, and now that she is pleased with him his
tongue is freed.” Alqamah died the same day. The Prophet came to him and gave the
order for his washing and shrouding, and then prayed the funeral prayer for him and
buried him. He then stood by the side of his grave and said, “You company of
Muhajireen and Helpers, if anyone favors his wife over his mother, Allah and His angels
and all the people curse him! Allah does not accept his spending (in charity) and his
uprightness unless he repents toward Allah, the Glorious and Majestic, and reconciles
with her and attains her pleasure, because Allah's pleasure consists in her pleasure and
Allah's anger consists in her anger.”
Source: Reported in Tabarani and Ahmed.
We must always be respectful and obedient to our parents. However, we are not to obey
them if they order us to disobey Allah and His Prophet. Other than this, they deserve our
utmost attention and respect.
A Home for a Home in Paradise Tell a Friend
Abdullah ibn Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those who were the first
to accept Islam. When the persecution of the Quraysh got severe, the Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) gave permission for his companions to emigrate to
Madinah. Emigrating was not a new experience for Abdullah. He and some members of
his immediate family had migrated before to Abyssinia. This time, however, his
migration was on a far bigger scale. His family and relatives, men, women and children,
migrated with him. In fact, his whole clan had become Muslims and accompanied him.
Abdullah's clan were not long gone when the alerted Quraysh leaders came out and made
the rounds of the districts in Makkah to find out which Muslims had left and who had
remained. Among these leaders were Abu Jahl and Utbah ibn Rabi'ah. Utbah looked at
the houses of the Banu Jahsh through which the dusty winds were blowing. He banged on
the doors and shouted: "The houses of the Banu Jahsh have become empty and are
weeping for its occupants." Abdullah bin Jahsh had the most beautiful and expensive
house. He sacrificed this house for the pleasure of Allah. Seeing it abandoned, Abu Jahl
entered the house and took all its contents.
Later, when Abdullah ibn Jahsh heard what Abu Jahl had done to his house, he
mentioned it to the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said: "Aren't you satisfied, O
Abdullah, with what Allah has given you instead, a house in Paradise?"
"Yes, messenger of Allah," replied Abdullah. From that moment he never had any regret
for that house and became completely satisfied with the beautiful palaces that are
awaiting for him in Paradise.
Source: Partially taken from "Companions of The Prophet", Vol.1, By: Abdul Wahid
Hamid.
Enemy Becomes a Friend Tell a Friend
In the sixth year after the hijrah, the Prophet, peace be upon him, decided to expand the
scope of his mission. He sent eight letters to rulers in the Arabian peninsula and
surrounding areas inviting them to Islam. One of these rulers was Thumamah ibn Uthal.
Thumamah was one of the most powerful Arab rulers in pre-Qur'anic times. This is not
surprising since he was a chieftain of the Banu Hanifah and one of the rulers of al-
Yamamah whose word no one dared to challenge or disobey.
When Thumamah received the Prophet's letter, he was consumed by anger and rejected it.
He refused to listen to the invitation of Truth and goodness. More than that, he felt a
strong desire to go and kill the Prophet and bury his mission with him.
Thumamah waited and waited for a convenient time to carry out his design against the
Prophet until eventually forgetfulness caused him to lose interest. One of his uncles,
however, reminded him of his plan, praising what he intended to do.
In the pursuit of his evil design against the Prophet, Thumamah met and killed a group of
the Prophet's companions. The Prophet thereupon declared him a wanted man who could
lawfully be killed on sight.
Not long afterwards, Thumamah decided to perform umrah. He wanted to perform tawaf
around the Ka'bah and sacrifice to the idols there (The people of Makkah, before
becoming Muslims, placed hundreds of idols in the Holy Ka'bah. These idols were later
destroyed by the Prophet). So he left al-Yamamah for Makkah. As he was passing near
Madinah, an incident took place which he had not anticipated.
Groups of Muslims were patrolling the districts of Madinah and outlying areas on the
lookout for any strangers or anyone intent on causing trouble. One of these groups came
upon Thumamah and apprehended him but they did not know who he was. They took
him to Madinah and tied him to one of the columns in the mosque. They waited for the
Prophet himself to question the man and decide what should be done with him.
When the Prophet was about to enter the mosque, he saw Thumamah and asked his
companions, "Do you know whom you have taken?"
"No, messenger of God," they replied.
"This is Thumamah ibn Uthal al-Hanafi," he said. "You have done well in capturing
him."
The Prophet then returned home to his family and said, "Get what food you can and send
it to Thumamah ibn Uthal." He then ordered his camel to be milked for him. All this was
done before he met Thumamah or had spoken to him.
The Prophet then approached Thumamah hoping to encourage him to become a Muslim.
"What do you have to say for yourself" he asked.
"If you want to kill in reprisal," Thumamah replied, "you can have someone of noble
blood to kill. If, out of your bounty, you want to forgive, I shall be grateful. If you want
money in compensation, I shall give you whatever amount you ask."
The Prophet then left him for two days, but still personally sent him food and drink and
milk from his camel. The Prophet went back to him and asked, "What do you have to say
for yourself" Thumamah repeated what he had said the day before. The Prophet then left
and came back to him the following day. "What do you have to say for yourself?" he
asked again and Thumamah repeated what he had said once more. Then the Prophet
turned to his companions and said, "Set him free."
Thumamah left the mosque of the Prophet and rode until he came to a palm grove on the
outskirts of Madinah near al-Baqi' (a place of luxuriant vegetation which later became a
cemetery for many of the Prophet's companions). He watered his camel and washed
himself well. Then he turned back and made his way to the Prophet's mosque. There, he
stood before a congregation of Muslims and said:
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His
servant and His messenger." He then went to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and said:
"O Muhammad, by God, there was never on this earth a face more detestable than yours.
Now, yours is the dearest face of all to me."
"I have killed some of your men," he continued, "I am at your mercy. What will you have
done to me?"
"There is now no blame on you, Thumamah," replied the Prophet. "Becoming a Muslim
obliterates past actions and marks a new beginning."
Source: "Companions of The Prophet", Vol.1, By: Abdul Wahid Hamid.
An Interview with Muhammad Ali Tell a Friend
The following incident took place during an interview with the world famous boxer,
Muhammad Ali.
It all started with an innocent question: You have beaten some of the toughest men in the
world in the ring. What scares you the most?
Ali: [Points to his wife, to much laughter]
Lonnie Ali: Come on, Muhammad, joking aside, tell them what really scares you.
Ali: Nothing.
Lonnie Ali: Nothing on this earth maybe, but ... tell them Muhammad.
[There is a long pause]
Ali: Not going to heaven.

[Everyone present became silent. Sister Lonnie Ali had tears flowing down her cheeks.
Others present were also shaken and silent. A few wiping their eyes. Br. Malik Mujahid
broke the silence, patting Muhammad Ali on his arm.]
Malik Mujahid: "No, Insha Allah, you will enter Jannah because you have helped so
many people."
Ali: [Muhammad Ali turned his face towards Br. Malik Mujahid, looking at him as
though asking: Are you sure? Are you sure about yourself?]
Malik Mujahid: "The Mumin lives between hope and fear."
Where as the toughest man in the world is wondering about his place in Jannah, what do
you think about yourslef. Will you go to Jannah? Its a question which everyone must ask
himself and herself. A good answer may help us focus on the everlasting life.
We pray to Allah for the best of both worlds. If we want Allah to give us the best, we will
have to strive for it.
Source: Extracted from the article "Will Muhammad Ali go to Jannah?" by

Soundvision.com
A Gift After Hardships Tell a Friend
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) dispatched towards the sea-shore an
expedition of three hundred men, under the command of Abu Ubaidah (ra) in 8 A.H. He
gave them a bag full of dates for their rations. They had been hardly out for fifteen days
when they ran short of rations. In order to provide the contingent with food, Qais (ra)
began buying three camels daily from his own men, to feed the Mujahideen, with a
promise to pay on return to Madinah. The Amir seeing that the slaugther of camels would
deprive the party of their only means of transport, prohibited him to do so. He collected
the dates that had been left with each person and stored them in a bag. He would issue
one date to each man as his daily ration. When Jabir (ra) later on narrated this story to the
people, one of his audience inquired:
"How did you manage to live upon one date only for the whole day?" He replied: "We
longed even for that one date, when the whole stock was exhausted. We were on the
verge of starvation. We moistened the dry tree-leaves with water and ate them."
When they reached this stage, Allah had mercy on them for He always brings ease after
every hardship, provided it is endured patiently. A big fish known as "Ambar" was
thrown out of the sea for them. The fish was so big that they lived on it for eighteen days
altogether. They also filled their satchels with the remaining portion, which lasted them
right up to Madinah. When the episode was narrated to the Prophet (peace be upon him),
he said: "The fish was a provision arranged for you by Allah."
Source: From the book "Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad Zakariyya
Kandhalvi.
We are Muslims today because of such sacrifices by the companions of Prophet

Muhammad (peace be upon him). We should remember these events as a source of
comfort whenever we too are faced with difficulties regarding practicing Islam.
The Story of Jazan Tell a Friend
Once Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) was passing by an area in the city of Qufa. There, a group
of wrong doing people have gathered to have a party. They were engrossed in drinking
wine. A singer called Jazan was entertaining them with songs. Jazan had a very beautiful
voice. When Abdullah ibn Masud heard his voice while passing by, he said in
amazement, "So beautiful is his voice. How wonderful it would be if he had used that
voice to recite the Quran!" After saying this, Abdullah covered his head with a cloth and
left that place. When Jazan noticed Abdullah ibn Masud leaving, he asked, "Who is that
man and what was he saying?" The people in the gathering told him, "He is Abdullah ibn
Masud, a companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said that your
voice is very beautiful. How wonderful it would be if you had used your voice to recite
the Quran!"
Jazan was struck by his comments. He threw away his musical instrument and ran to
Abdullah ibn Masud. The two of them embraced each other and shed tears profusely.
Abdullah ibn Masud said to him, "Why should I not love the one who loves Allah?"
Thereafter, Jazan repented to Allah and stayed in the company of Abdullah ibn Masud to
learn the Quran and other teachings of Islam. He learned to such an extent that he became
one of the great scholars of his time.
Samarkandi.
The Ability to Eat Tell a Friend
Last Friday (April 9, 2004), we had the opportunity to visit a sick brother in a Hospital in
East York, Canada. This brother had an infection in his stomach which caused it to
explode. As a result, the doctors had to remove half of his stomach through an operation.
For seven days, he is unable to eat or drink anything. Nutrients are being provided to him
by using specialized methods. During our visit, we told him to be patient and pray to
Allah for quick recovery. At one point, the brother made a very important statement. He
said, "Now I have understood that if Allah doesn't want, we cannot eat even one grain of
rice."
Being able to eat and drink is a great blessing of Allah. How costly and difficult it is to
digest one meal without having a stomach! We should thank Allah again and again for
letting us digest many meals without having to go through these difficulties.
A Lesson from Disabled People Tell a Friend
Once, a visitor was being shown around a leper colony in India. The colony was built to
provide a shelter for those people who were poor and had various physical disabilities. At
noon a gong (a metal disk that produces a sound when hit with a hammer) sounded to
gather the inhabitants for the midday meal. People came from all parts of the compound
to the dining hall. Suddenly, everyone started laughing at seeing two young men, one
riding on the other's back, pretending to be a horse and a rider. They were having lots of
fun. As the visitor watched, he was told that the man who carried his friend was blind,
and the man being carried was lame (who couldn't walk). The one who couldn't see used
his feet; the one who couldn't walk used his eyes. Together they helped each other and
reached their destination.
Let us use each other's strengths to make up for the weaknesses of others. Our strength is
in unity, not in division.
Should We Really Laugh? Tell a Friend
Hasan al-Basri (rahimaullah) was an eminent scholar and pious individual of his time. He
would rarely laugh due to his remembrance of death and the punishment of hell. One day
he was going somewhere when he saw a young man indugled in laughter. Hasan al-Basri
asked the youth, "Young man, have you already crossed the bridge of Sirath? Have you
already found out whether you are going to paradise or hell?" The young man replied,
"No." Hasan al-Basri told him, "Then why are you laughing so much?" After that, no one
saw this young man laughing again as he came to know the reality of this life.
Source: Story extracted from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh Abul Laith
Samarkandi.
Many hours or probably days have passed away from our lives in laughter and jokes. It is
a sign that we have forgotten the life of the hereafter. The sahabah used to do good deeds
all day but still cry during the night to Allah. On the other hand, we do sins all day and
still have no concerns! It is permissible to laugh at amazing things and smile while being
in company of others.
A True Muslim Leader Tell a Friend
Once Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho Anho), during his caliphate, was going on his usual
rounds towards Harrah (a suburb of Madinah) with his slave Aslam, when he saw a
distant fire in the desert. He said, "There seems to be a camp. Perhaps, it is a caravan that
could not enter the town due to night fall. Let's go and look after them and arrange for
their protection during the night."
When he reached there, he found a woman and some children. The children were crying.
The woman had a pan of water over the fire. Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho Anho) greeted
her with salaam and, with her permission, went near her. (The woman didn't recognize
that it was Umar).
Umar, "Why are these children crying?"
The Woman, "Because they are hungry."
Umar, "What is in the pan?"

The Woman, "Only water to soothe the children, so that they may go to sleep in the belief
that food is being prepared for them. Ah! Allah will judge between Umar (Radhiyallaho
Anho) and me, on the Day of Judgment, for neglecting me in my distress."
Umar (weeping), "May Allah have mercy on you! How can Umar know of your
distress?"
The Woman, "When he is our Amir, he must keep himself informed about us."
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho Anho) returned to the town and straight away went to the
Baitul Mal (House of Charity) to fill a sack with flour, dates, fat, and clothes, and also
drew some money. When the sack was ready, he said to Aslam, "Now put this sack on
my back, Aslam."
Aslam, "No please, Amir-ul-Momineen! I shall carry this sack."
Umar refused to listen to Aslam, even on his persistent requests to allow him to carry the
sack, and remarked, "What! Will you carry my load on the Day of Judgment? I must
carry this bag, for it is I who would be questioned (in the Hereafter) about this woman."
Aslam most reluctantly placed the bag on Umar's (Radhiyallaho Anho) back, who carried
it with a swift pace right to the woman's tent. Aslam followed at his heels. He put a little
flour and some dates and fat in the pan and began to stir. He blew (with his mouth) into
the fire to kindle it.
Aslam says, "I saw the smoke passing through his thick beard."
After some time, the pottage was ready. He himself served it to the family. When they
had eaten to their fill, he made over to them the little that was left for their next meal. The
children were very happy after their meal and began to play about merrily.
The woman felt very grateful and remarked, "May Allah reward you for your kindness!
In fact you deserve to take the place of Khalifah instead of Umar."
Umar consoled her and said, "When you come to see the Khalifah, you will find me
there."
He sat for a while at a place close by and kept on watching the children. He then returned
to Madinah. On his way back, he said to Aslam, "Do you know why I sat there, Aslam? I
had seen them weeping in distress. I liked to see them laughing and happy for some
time."
Source: From the book "Stories of the Sahaba" by Shaikh Muhammad Zakariyya
Kandhalvi.
Story of a Brilliant Student Tell a Friend

The following story was narrated by Professor Anwar, who teaches in the Ryerson
University located in Toronto, Canada. He said that during his student life, he was
studying at an university in Bangladesh. There, he had a good friend who was very
intelligent. This friend was the only child of his family. Everyone used to look upto his
great future. And they were right, he graduated with the highest mark in his field.
Immediately, calls came for him from big companies. One day, Dr. Anwar was requested
by his friend to accompany him to one such companies for an interview. They were going
by riding on a motor cycle. On the way, a speeding truck couldn't manage itself and hit
their motor cycle from the back. At that collision, Dr. Anwar flew off the motor cycle and
fell on the side of the street. But his friend got hit from another vehicle that was coming
from the opposite side and died instantly.
Here was a person who was at the peek of material success in this world but little did he
know that his death was just around the corner. We have spent much of our time
preparing for the life before death, but how much time have we spent preparing for the
everlasting life after death?
Story From a Police Officer Tell a Friend
Extracted from a lecture by Muhammad AlShareef, obtained from Khutbah.com.
A police officer in a Muslim country wrote the following letter to a Shaykh describing
the events that led to his return to Allah. He recalls:
Seeing accidents and crash victims was a normal part of my day, but one incident was
different.
My partner and I had parked on the shoulder of the highway and began to chat. In a
random second, the scene shattered to the hideous sound of metal bodies becoming one.
We threw our heads back to see what had happened: a head-on collision, the result of a
vehicle slipping into the lane of the oncoming traffic.
You couldn’t describe the carnage. Two young men sprawled in the first car, both in
critical condition. We carried them gently away from the car and rested them on the
ground.
Quickly we returned to assist the owner of the second car. He was dead. Back we went to
the two young men lying side by side on the pavement.
My partner began dictating the Shahadah to them. “Say: La iIaha illAllah (there is no god
but Allah), La iIaha illAllah…”
... their tongues wouldn’t acknowledge. They started humming the hypnotic lyrics of
some song. I was terrified. My partner had experience however and he kept repeating his
instruction.
I stood watching, no movement, eyes locked. Never in my life had I seen anything similar
to what was going on before me. In fact, I’ve never actually seen someone die, and never
in such a satanic way.
My partner continued to instruct them to say the Shahadah but there was no use. The hum
of their song came to a slow silence, slowly. The first one stopped and then the other. Not
a stir. Dead.
We carried them to our patrol car, my partner made no effort to speak. Not a whisper
between us two as we carried the corpses to the nearest hospital.
"Has not the Time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage
in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed (to them), and that
they should not become like those to whom was given Revelation aforetime, but long
ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious
transgressors." Al Quran 57:16
Anything for Allah Tell a Friend
Khabaab (Radiallaho Anho) is one of those fortunate persons who offered themselves for
sacrifice and suffering for the cause of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala). He was the sixth or
seventh person to embrace Islam and therefore, he suffered long. He was made to put on
steel armor and lie in the sun to sweat. Very often he was made to lie flat on burning
sand, which caused the flesh on his back to dissolve. He was the slave of a woman. When
she came to know that he was visiting Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam), she used
to brand his head with a hot iron rod. Umar (Radiallaho Anho) during his Caliph once
asked him about the details of his suffering after embracing Islam.
He showed him his back, seeing which Umar (Radiallaho Anho) said, "I have never seen
such a back before."
He said, "My body was dragged over heaps of burning coal and the blood and fat coming
out of my back put out the fire."
When Islam spread and the Muslims conquered all the surrounding territory, he used to
weep and say, "Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) seems to be compensating us in this world
for all our sufferings and perhaps nothing would be left for us as reward in the Akhirah".
Source: From the Book "Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad Zakariyya
Kandhalvi.
Such were the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who were ready to give
anything but their faith in Allah. On the other hand, we Muslims today are ready to sell
our iman for little material gains!
The Power of Prostration Tell a Friend
The following story was mentioned by brother Firoz who is originally from Guyana and
now living in Scarborough, Canada. Brother Firoz lived in the USA before moving to
Canada. He can easily be identified as a Muslim as he wears a Muslim hat and has white
beard. In USA, one day he was going to the market to buy some things when he was
approached by a white American man who asked him whether he knew of any Halal
Muslim restaurant. Brother Firoz knew of one but was unable to give him the proper
direction. He figured that the American was a new Muslim in this area. So, brother Firoz
invited him to his house to have some food. There were also some other Muslim brothers
living with Firoz at that time. When they reached home, everyone in the house welcomed
the special guest. They were also curious to know about the reason why he accepted
Islam.
The new brother told them that he was taking a world religions course in the University.
His teacher happened to be Jewish. When they came to the topic about Islam, the Jewish
teacher at one point started showing the class how Muslims pray. "The moment I saw the
teacher doing prostration (sajdah), I knew that I belonged to this religion," said the new
brother. This is what led him to Islam, a simple demonstration of sajdah.
Just one act of Islam was enough to make this individual a Muslim. Imagine, how many
people will be convinced when all the Muslims start practising Islam completely!
Splitting of the Moon, an Amazing Story Tell a Friend
Thanks to izziddin@shahadah.net and islamisthetruth@care2.com for the story.
In a TV interview with the Egyptian Geologist Dr. Zaghloul Annajar, the anchor asked
him about the verse:
"The Hour has drawn near,and the moon has been cleft asunder (the people of Makkah
requested Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] to show them a miracle, so he showed them the
splitting of the moon)." (Quran 54:1) whether it contains any Quranic scientific
astounding facts?
Dr. Zaghloul answered saying that he has a story to tell about this verse.
He started explaining that at a time he delivered a lecture at Cardiff University in the

West of Britain. The attendees included both Muslims and non-Muslims. A vital dialogue
was taking place around scientific facts included in the Noble Quran. During the course
of the lecture, a Muslim young man stood asking me, Sir Do you see in the Saying of Al
Haq Tabarak wa Ta`ala (Allah the Truth) may He be Exalted - and he referred to the
above mentioned verse - any indication to the scientific facts included in the Quran? Dr.
Najjar answered: No because scientific astounding discoveries are interpreted through
science whereas a miracle is something supernatural, which may not be interpreted
through the usual. The splitting of the moon is a miracle, which happened to Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) in order to prove his prophecy. Tangible miracles are only a
testimony of truth for those who witnessed it. It is only that the incident was mentioned in
Quran and Prophet's Sunnah that made us believe other wise we Muslims of this era
would have never believed in it. In addition that we know for sure that Allah is most
capable of anything. At that point Dr. Zaghloul narrated the story of moon splitting as
included in Sunnah books.
He said, Sunnah books tell that five years before the immigration of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) from Mecca to Medina, a group of people from the tribe of Quraish came
challenging him saying: Oh Muhammad if you were really a Prophet and a Messenger
bring to us a miracle to establish this fact. So he asked them what do you want? They said
in an effort to complicate matters for him: split the moon for us. The Messenger of
ALLAH (PBUH) stood supplicating to Allah to support him and grant him victory in this
hard situation. Allah may He be Exalted inspired him to sign towards the moon with his
finger. Immediately, the moon cleft into two parts standing far from each other for
several hours then cling back together. The pagans started claiming: Oh Muhammad
(PBUH) practiced witchcraft on us.
At this point some of the wise men explained that magic would only affect the attendees
whereas it can not maintain influence on everybody in general. They waited for travelers
who were coming back from their journeys. The pagans harried up to the borders of
Mecca in anticipation to meet the travelers. When the first arrivals appeared, they asked
them did you see anything extraordinary happened to the moon? The travelers answered
yes on the night (X) we saw the moon splitting into two parts which remained asunder for
sometime then reattached. Upon this statement, a number of the group believed while the
rest remained pagans. Therefore, the verse explains "The Hour has drawn near, and the
moon has been cleft asunder (the people of Makkah requested Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) to show them a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon). * And if
they see a sign, they turn away, and say: This is continuous magic. *They belied the
Verses of Allah - this Quran), and followed their own lusts. And every matter will be
settled according to the kind of deeds: good deeds will take their doers to Paradise and
similarly evil deeds will take their doers to Hell." (Quran 54:1-3) until the end of the
verses which were revealed in this regard.
Dr. Najjar continued that at this point a British Muslim young man introduced himself as
Daoud Moussa Peetcock head of the British Islamic Party. He carried on saying sir if you
allow me I would like to add on this issue? I said please do. He explained saying: At the
time when I was searching in religions (before he embraced Islam), a Muslim student
gave me as a present the translation of the meaning of Quran. I thanked him and took it
home. The first Surat I came across when I opened the book, it was Chapter of the Moon
I read "has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder". I said to myself, is this
statement logical? Is it possible for the moon to split and then reattach what kind of
power may cause this? The man explained that this verse made me reluctant to continue
reading. I became busy with my life,yet ALLAH of course Knows how sincere I was
about finding the truth.
So,one day ALLAH made me sit to watch TV. It was a talk show between a British
commentator and three American astronautics specialists. The show host was blaming the
scientists for spending thriftily over space trips at a time when earth is suffering
hunger,poverty, diseases and backwardness. He was telling them, it would have been
more feasible to allocate this kind of money for reconstruction of earth. To this argument,
the three men answered defending their position that such technology is widely applied in
many wakes of life such as medicine, industry and agriculture. They added that the
money is never wasted but it rather supported the development of highly advanced
technology.
During their dialogue, they mentioned the trip in which a man landed on the moon
surface as it consumes the the largest cost which comes to more than US
$100.000.000.000. The British TV anchor screamed saying what kind of thrift is this? A
hundred thousand million dollars just to plant the American flag on the moon surface?
They answered no; the objective was not to plant the American flag but rather to study
the interior composition of the moon. We actually came to a finding that would cost us
double folds of this amount for people to believe and yet they will never believe. The
show host inquired what is this fact? They replied: One day this moon was split and then
reattached. The show host again probed: how did you realize that? The scientists
responded about finding a belt of transformed rocks cutting the moon from its surface to
core and then to the surface again. The stated saying: we consulted with earth scientists
and geologists who explained that such phenomenon would never occur unless this moon
one day split and then reattached.
The British Muslim man said: I jumped out of my chair saying ALLAH (SWT) forced
the Americans to spend more than a hundred billion dollars to prove to Muslims a a
miracle that took place 1400 years ago for Mohamed (PBUH)? This religion must be the
truth. He added: I went back to the Quran and recited Surat Al Qamar, which was my
gate for accepting Islam.
A Youth Realizes the Truth Tell a Friend
Many Muslims from the Arab regions migrated to various parts of South America in the
last few hundred years. After few generations have passed, the Muslims there slowly
started going away from Islam due to the lack of an Islamic environment. To remind
these people to be steadfast in Islam, a group of brothers from Toronto, Canada were sent
to Venezuela in 2002. Due to their strong effort, some amazing changes took place in the
lives of Muslims in Venezuela who were in the verge of leaving Islam. One such
incidents is mentioned below.
As the brothers were looking for Muslims one day, they noticed a young boy of about 16
years of age who looked like an Arab. So they approached him and asked what his name
was and if he was a Muslim. The youth replied that he is Muslim and his name is Darwin.
Islam was so much out of their lives that their names became the names of famous
atheists! The brothers gave him dawah and asked if he could join them for some time.
The youth took his mother's permission and joined them for few days. Within 3 days,
Darwin learned Surah Fatiha and started feeling the sweetness of iman. Then he asked his
mother if he could join them for some more time and the permission was granted. Within
two weeks, Darwin started getting up for Tahajjud on his own. Then one day after
Maghrib prayer, he went to the front and mentioned that he had something to say. He told
the worshippers that, "From today, I am not Darwin any more, I am Abdullah (the
meaning of this name is Servant of Allah)."
These are the results that come forth by the effort of those who give their time and energy
for the sake of Islam. The brothers have gone back to South America last month to cover
more areas. May Allah make them successful.
Empty Hands of a Rich Man Tell a Friend
An Arabian brother from Montreal, Canada narrated the following heart softening story
about his friend's father who was very rich. He owned many buildings and lot's of
properties. When he attained old age, he became very sick and was counting his last days.
Few days before his death, the old man kept on saying “Ana faqir, Ana faqir” which
means, “I am poor, I am poor.” When his visiting children saw this, they took him around
and showed him all his properties to assure him that he wasn’t poor at all. But the old
man kept on saying, “I am poor, I am poor.” His children became confused and brought a
local Muslim Scholar to see their father. After spending some time with the old man, the
Scholar understood that the man is saying he is poor not regarding his wealth but
regarding his good ‘amal (deeds). This is because most of his life was spent only in
acquiring wealth and now that he was on his death bed, he realized that he should’ve
given more time to Allah. When that person was dieing, he was still saying Ana faqir.
So much time has gone from our lives in useless matters. From now on, we should not
even waste one minute without remembering Allah as every remembrance of Allah will
increase our position in the hereafter. So, why not be rich in the everlasting life?
A Quality to Avoid Tell a Friend
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) happened to pass by a
heap of grain and inserted his hand into it; his fingers were moistened by the wet grain.
At this, he asked the owner of the grain: What is this? The man replied: O Rasulullah! It
is due to rain. Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said: Why didn't you put the damp (wet)
grain on top of the heap, so people could see it? He who deceives people does not belong
to me (my Ummah).
Source: Sahih Muslim.
We should always remember that deception is one of the qualities of Shaitan. Others may
not see us when we are deceiving them but Allah is there watching us. A true believer
knowing that he has to stand in front of Allah will avoid such activities.
An Orphan's Eid Tell a Friend
It was the day of celebration and a day of rejoicing. There was an air of festivity in the
streets of Madinah. All the people, both young and old were dressed in their best clothes,
especially for this special day of Eid.
As it was time for early morning Eid prayers everyone made their way to an open piece
of land on the outskirts of the city. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) arrived and led the
prayers. After they had finished they all greeted each other and everyone was walking
back home. The children running and playing in excitement, smiling and laughing,
without a care in the world. As the Prophet (pbuh) walked back home, he suddenly
became aware of a little boy (Zuhair Bin Saghir) sitting by himself on the side of the
path. The little boy was crying and looked very sad. The Prophet (pbuh) bent down and
patted him on the shoulders and asked 'why are you crying?' 'Please leave me alone'
sobbed the little boy. The boy didn't even see who was talking to him. The Prophet
(pbuh) ran his fingers through the boy's hair and very gently and kindly asked him again
why he was crying. This time the boy said, 'My father was martyred fighting, and now
my mother has married again and my stepfather does not want me to live at home any
more. Today is Eid and everyone is happy. All the children have new clothes and nice
things to eat, but I don't have any clothes except what I am wearing. I have no food and I
don't even have a place to live.'
The Prophet (pbuh) said to him, 'I know how you feel, I lost both my mother and father
when I was a little boy.' The boy was surprised to hear that it was an orphan who was
comforting him, and when he looked up to his great surprise it was the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), and he immediately jumped up to his feet out of love and respect.
The Prophet (pbuh) said to him 'If I were to become your new father and Ayesha you new
mother, and Fatima your new sister, would that make you feel better?' 'Oh yes, that would
be the best thing in the world!' The boy started smiling. The Prophet took him home and
gave him new clothes and good food on this beautiful day of Eid. The boy indeed had a
wonderful Eid that day.
We should think of others that are less fortunate than ourselves on this beautiful day of
Eid. Not everyone has such a wonderful day. It is a day of celebration, but take a moment
to stop and think of those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
The One who did Sajdah to Allah Tell a Friend
The following incident was mentioned by brother Aslam Nakhuda during a lecture that
he gave on 24/1/2004. Brother Aslam is an Imam of Jame Masjid Brampton in Canada.
He said that three years back a group of eight brothers, including him, set out to Texas,
USA for dawah. They spent sometime there to remind the residents about the reality of
this life. On their way back, they stopped by a service station beside a highway to
perform the Magrib prayer. One of the brothers gave the Adhan (Call to prayer). Two
Non Muslim men were passing by when the Adhan was being called. Being curious, they
came to the brothers and asked them who they were, where do they come from and what
they were doing. The brothers told them that they are Muslims who are coming from
Toronto, Canada with the glad tidings of Islam. A scholar, who was with them, discussed
about Islam with the non-Muslim men for 2 or 3 minutes. Then the brothers prepared to
offer the salah. The non Muslims who were standing by asked what they should be doing
now. The brothers told them to join the prayer and just follow along. The two men
decided to join the prayer. The imam recited Surah Fatiha and another surah after it. Then
he went to Ruku' and both the Non Muslims did the same. When time for sajdah
(prostration on the ground) came, the Non Muslims started hesitating and didn't know
whether they should also prostrate on the ground as they never did this before. One of
them decided not to do so and he left the prayer. However, the other one just went to
sajdah. After the prayer, this person who agreed to prostrate to Allah was blessed with
iman. He accepted Islam from the brothers.
Dear readers, this is what we have to do. We have to submit to the will of Allah and in
return He will bless us with iman. On the other hand, a person who is arrogant and decide
not to submit to the will of Allah may just be deprived of iman.
The Wooden Bowl Tell a Friend
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled,his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family
ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made
eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk
spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. We
must do something about Grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk,
noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the
corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since
Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as
he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when
he dropped a fork or spilled food.
The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed
his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you
making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and
Mama to eat your food when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to
work.
The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream
down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That
evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk
spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
Allah mentions in Surah Al Isra 17:23-24
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to
your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a
word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.
And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My
Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."
Be the First to Help Tell a Friend
Ibne Abbas (RA) narrates: Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) sent Abdullah ibne Rawaha
(RA) with a Jamaat (expedition) on a Friday. His companions set off in the morning, but
he decided to stay behind and catch up with them after offering Salat-ul-Jumah (Friday
Prayers) with Rasulullah (Peace be upon him). When he did so, he was spotted by
Rasulullah (Peace be upon him), who inquired: What prevented you from going out in the
morning with your companions. He replied: I wanted to offer Salat-ul-Jumah with you
and then join them. He said: If you spend all that is present in the world, you will still not
be able to attain the reward and virtues of those who left in the morning.
Source: Hadith from Tirmidhi.
Whenever the opportunity comes to help Islam, we should not delay and immediately
take part in helping. Allah has promised great rewards and forgiveness for those who are
always the first to sacrifice for Islam.

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The Carpenter Tell a Friend

A World of Smile Tell a Friend

Hachiko, the Faithful Dog Tell a Friend

A Thousand Camels Tell a Friend

Source: Related by Shaikh Habibullah Mukhtaar in his book “Bringing Up Children in

Better to Give Tell a Friend

Reward for Helping Others Tell a Friend

Source: Al Targhib Vol II p 272.

Army of Elephants Tell a Friend

Army of Elephants Tell a Friend

The Fisherman Tell a Friend

The fisherman replied, "Only a little while."

To which the investment banker replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the fisherman.

Thirst for Learning Tell a Friend

Prayer of a Sick Person Tell a Friend

The Righteous Beggar Tell a Friend

A Sheet for the Prophet Tell a Friend

Source: Sahih Al Bukhari (Volume 3, Hadith# 306)

Army of Elephants Tell a Friend

The Fisherman Tell a Friend

The fisherman replied, "Only a little while."

To which the investment banker replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the fisherman.

Story of a Wrestler Tell a Friend

Junaid Baghdadi thought to himself, "Today, I have an excellent opportunity."

In a display of fervour Junaid Baghdadi executed a couple of maneuvers, demonstrating

Source: From the book "Tajalliat-e-Jazb" by Shaikh Hakim Muhammad Akhtar.

Story of Alexander the Great Tell a Friend

Source: Partially extracted from the writtings of JC Pinkerton.

Owners of the Garden Tell a Friend

The Patched Robe Tell a Friend

Source: From the book "Ilahi-Nama" by Shaikh Farid Al-Din Attar.

The King and the Poor Man Tell a Friend

A Young Man's Fear of Allah Tell a Friend

Importance of Saying Insha-Allah Tell a Friend

This incident was narrated by Shaikh Wahidullah from Toronto, Canada.

The Miser and the Angel of Death Tell a Friend

Then the man said:

The the miser said:

500 Years of Worship Tell a Friend

Allah: Oh my servant, who created you?

The worshipper: Oh Allah, You have created me.

The worshipper: Because of Your mercy.

The worshipper: Oh the Almighty! You have granted me that ability.

The Beautiful Story of Abu Ghayth Tell a Friend

The Khurasaani said: “How much does he want?”

She said: “I am at your service, O Abu Ghayth.”

Source: Originally obtained from Islamway.com. Translated from Arabic to English by

The Story of Alqamah Tell a Friend

Source: Reported in Tabarani and Ahmed.

A Home for a Home in Paradise Tell a Friend

Enemy Becomes a Friend Tell a Friend

"No, messenger of God," they replied.

Source: "Companions of The Prophet", Vol.1, By: Abdul Wahid Hamid.

An Interview with Muhammad Ali Tell a Friend

Ali: [Points to his wife, to much laughter]

Ali: Not going to heaven.

Malik Mujahid: "The Mumin lives between hope and fear."

Source: Extracted from the article "Will Muhammad Ali go to Jannah?" by

A Gift After Hardships Tell a Friend

We are Muslims today because of such sacrifices by the companions of Prophet

The Story of Jazan Tell a Friend