The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass often 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 at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate 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 from 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. Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day those building blocks are being laid for the child's future.
Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself … and those you love … today, and everyday!

Also God (Allah - Al Mighty) says in Al Quran

• And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship and she brings him forth with hardship, and the bearing of him, and the weaning of him is thirty (30) months, till when he attains full strength and reaches forty years, .................... (46:15)
• And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination. (31:14)
• .....Worship none but Allâh (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans and the poor, .... (2:83)
• 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. (17:23)
• Worship Allâh and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, ................ Verily, Allâh does not like such as are proud and boastful; (4:36)
• And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents,......(29:8)

God (Allah- Al mighty) says us to ask forgiveness for the parents

• ...."My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. (71:28)
• "Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established." (14:41)

I love you dad

While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 yr old son picked up stone and scratched lines on the side of the car.

In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times not realizing he was using a wrench.

At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.

When the child saw his father..... with painful eyes he asked, 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?'

The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times.

Devastated by his own actions..... . sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches;

the child had written 'I LOVE YOU DAD'.

Anger and Love have no limits;

choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life and remember this:

Things are to be used and people are to be loved.

The problem in today's world is that people are used while things are loved.

Let's try always to keep this thought in mind:

Things are to be used,

People are to be loved.

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Remember daily to say,
I must watch my words; they become actions.
I must watch my actions; they become habits.
I must watch my habits; they become character;
I must watch my character; it becomes your destiny.

Everyday is a good day no matter what problems you may face because it's the only day you'll have before it's over.

Al Quran:

• .....Allâh(God)ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger.......(41:34)
  
• Those who spend [in Allâh's Cause - deeds of charity, alms, etc.] in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn (the good­doers). (3:134)
  

Verily, with the hardship, there is relief

Nazreen married Afzal this day.

At the end of the wedding party, Nazreen's mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook with Rs.1000 deposit amount.

Mother said, " Nazreen, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in.

Write down what it's about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with Afzal. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you've had."

Nazreen shared this with Afzal when getting home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit can be made. This was what they did after certain time:

- 7 Feb: Rs.100, first birthday celebration for Nazreen after marriage
- 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Nazreen
- 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Dubai
- 15 Apr: Rs.2000, Nazreen got pregnant
- 1 Jun: Rs.1000, Afzal got promoted
.... and so on...

However, after years, they started fighting and arguing for trivial things. They didn't talk much.

They regretted that they had married the most nasty people in the world.... no more love...

One day Nazreen talked to her Mother.’ Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!' wept Nazreen.

Mother admitted calmly, 'Sure, girl, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can't stand it.

But before that, do one thing first. Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.'

Nazreen thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting at the queue and planning to cancel the account..

While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears.

She left and went home.

When she was home, she handed the passbook to Afzal, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce..

The next day, Afzal gave the passbook back to Nazreen. She found a new deposit of Rs.5000. And a line next to the record. 'This is the day I notice how much I've loved you throughout all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.'

They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe.

Afzal and Nazree have many children and they all have gone on their ways. But Afzal and Nazreen  have returned back to the love.and life that they had begun. 

 

"And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage. And your Lord is Ever All-Powerful to do what He will."(Al Quran 25:54)


"It is He Who has created you from a single person (Adam), and (then) He has created from him his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her. "(Al Quran 7:189)


"They are Lîbas [i.e. body cover, or screen, or Sakan, (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living with her - as in Verse 7:189) for you and you are the same for them." (Al Quran 2:187)

"So verily,with the hardship, there is relief. Verily, with the hardship, there is relief." (Al Quran 94:5-6)



Author of the story : Unknown

Path to Paradise

Every Friday afternoon, after the Jumma prayers, the Imam and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out "PATH TO PARADISE" and other Islamic literature. This particular and fortunate Friday afternoon, as the time came for the Imam and his son to go to the streets with their booklets, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring rain.

The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I'm ready!'
His dad asked, 'Ready for what'
'Dad, it's time we go out and distribute these Islamic books.'
Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring rain.'
The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people still going to hell, even though it's raining?'
Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.'
Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go Please?'
His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the booklets. Be careful son.'
'Thanks, Dad!'
And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a pamphlet or a booklet.

After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone- chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST BOOKLET. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a booklet to, but the streets were totally deserted.Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered..

He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, he turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch! He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.
Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady.

She softly asked, 'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that ALLAH REALLY LOVES AND CARES FOR YOU and I came to give you my very last booklet which will tell you all about God, the real purpose of creation, and how to achieve His pleasure.'
With that, he handed her his last booklet and turned to leave.
She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'
Next week on Friday afternoon after Jumma prayers, the Imam was giving some lectures. As he concludes the lectures, he asked, 'Does anybody have questions or want to say anything?'
Slowly, in the back row among the ladies, an elderly lady's voice was heard over the speaker.
'No one in this gathering knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Friday I was not a Muslim, and thought I could be. My husband died few years ago, leaving me totally alone in this world.. Last Friday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, i was contemplating suicide as i had no hope left.
So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home..

I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and broken-hearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly....I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that ALLAH REALLY LOVES AND CARES FOR YOU!'

Then he gave me this booklet, Path To Paradise that I now hold in my hand.

As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this book. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more.

You see? I am now a Happy Vicegerent of the One True God. Since the address of your congregation was stamped on the back of this booklet, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell.'

There was not a dry eye in the mosque. The shouts of TAKBIR...ALLAH AKBAR.. rented the air.

Imam-Dad descended from the pulpit to the front row where the little angel was seated....

He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

Probably no jama'at has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a father that was more filled with love and honor for his son... Except for One. This very one...

Remember, God's message CAN make the difference in the life of someone close to you.

Spread His Word and you'll see His hand in everything you do...

Vers 5:3: This day I've perfected your religion for you, and completed my favor on you, and chose Islam for you as religion....