Bed time stories for 'adults'

As I think we need them more then children.

**KINDNESS AND FORGIVENESS **

More than 1400 years ago in Arabia the people were living very much in fear. They feared their neighbours. They feared other tribes. They even feared their idols. For this was the time before Islam. The Arabs were worshipping idols. In their ignorance they would bury their newly born daughters alive. As Islam began to spread among Arabs such cruel practices stopped. For Islam taught love and peace. It taught kindness and respect.

Prophet Muhammad himself was a very kind and loving person. He treated every one, young and old, with kindness and respect.

Because Prophet Muhammad was spreading the word of God. Because he was changing, for better, the lives of many Arabs and because some Arabs felt that by the teachings of Muhammad their old idols were losing power they disliked Muhammad and planned to kill him. Every time they tried to kill him, they failed. This angered the enemies of Islam even more. So they began to harass him in every way they knew.

One old woman made a habit of throwing rubbish on Prophet Muhammad whenever he passed from her house. Muhammad had to pass that house daily on the way to the mosque. Even when the old woman threw rubbish on him, he would pass silently without showing any anger or annoyance. This was a regular, daily event.

One day when the Prophet was passing by, the woman was not there to throw the rubbish. He stopped and asked the neighbour about her well-being. The neighbour informed the Prophet that the woman was sick on bed. The Prophet politely asked permission to visit the woman. When allowed he entered the house, the woman thought that he had come there to take his revenge when she was unable to defend herself because of sickness. But the Prophet assured her that he had come to her, not to take any revenge, but to see her and to look after her needs, as it was the command of Allah that if any one is sick, a Muslim should visit him and should help him if his help is needed

The old woman was greatly moved by this kindness and love of the Prophet. By the example of greatness of Muhammad, she understood that he was truly the Prophet of God and Islam was the true religion. She accepted Islam at once.

On another occasion, Prophet Muhammad was on a journey. One day, at noon, Prophet Muhammad chose the shade of a small tree and rested.

One of the enemies seeing that Muhammad was alone thought it a good time to kill him quickly and quietly. He went towards him with a drawn sword and asked the Prophet:

“Tell me who can help you now?”

“Allah”, replied the Prophet calmly with manifest confidence.

Seeing this calm assurance, the enemy was frightened, and the sword fell away from his hands. With the same calm, the Prophet took that sword in his own hand and asked: “Now, you tell me who is there to save you?”

“No one” replied the enemy.

Prophet let the enemy go free.

Seeing this noble example the man accepted the Islam then and there.

MORAL

Kindness and forgiveness wins heart of enemy.

More to follow…

*HOW CAN YOU HAVE TWO LOVES IN YOUR HEART! *

Zainab(ra) was the daughter of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (ra). She was a sister of Imam Hassan (ra) and Imam Hussein (ra) She was present at the battle of Karbala. When her brother Imam Hussein (ra) was killed, she was taken prisoner. She was the spokesman for all the prisoners. She gave an excellent speech. Her speech is very famous upto now. So is Zainab famous, for her divine virtues which are a beacon of light for all muslim women.

Once when Zainab was a very young girl she went to her father Ali and said: "'Oh father, do you love me?"

"Certainly, my darling, I do love you", replied the father.

Again Zainab asked: "Do you also love Allah?"

"Of course, I do love Allah, my child", replied the father.

Zainab was puzzled with the reply. She asked again:

"Oh father, how it is possible to have two loves in one heart?"

Ali was pleased with the question. He smiled and replied:

"Dear child, I love you because it is Allah's command to love one's children. In loving you I love God."

Moral:

Love others for the sake of the command of God.

*IMAM HUSSEIN AND THE BEGGARS *

Imam Hussein, son of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, was a famous Imam (Leader) of Islam. He was a grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Hussein's mother was Lady Fatima, daughter of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be on them all.)

Hussein had great love for honesty, truth and justice. He was a man of great courage. He proved his courage and love of Allah at Karbala. In Karbala he made the greatest sacrifice. His sacrifice for the sake of Islam at Karbala is world famous.

Hussein was also very well known for his kindness, charity and love for the poor. He lived in Madina. Madina is a city in Hijaz (now in Saudi Arabia). One day riding a horse, he passed through one of the streets of Madina. On one side of the street some beggars had gathered in a circle. They were eating food that they had begged during the day. The beggars saw Hussein passing. They saluted him. Hussein replied cheerfully. The beggars invited Hussein to join them and eat with them. Hussein came down from his horse and sat with them. He very politely explained to the beggars that he was from the house of Muhammad, the Prophet. Therefore, it was forbidden to him to take anything that has been given in alms (sadqah). Had not alms been forbidden to him he would most willingly have shared their food.

As an alternative, so that they all could sit and eat together, Hussein invited all of them to his house and eat with him there. All the beggars agreed. They went along with Hussein to his house and took food with him.

Moral:

  1. One should always behave with kindness and love for others - particularly the poor.

  2. Not to hurt but always try to respect the lawful wishes of others is a sign of noble character.

The Triple Filter Test

During the golden Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.
One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.

That's why I call it the triple filter test.

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and.."

"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.

Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former)" ... (to end of surah) Hujurat 49.12

"And spy not on each other behind their backs..." (to end of surah) Hujurat 49.13

Praise be to Allah that we are Muslims

[QUOTE]
Originally posted by Code_Red: *
**The Triple Filter Test
*

[/QUOTE]

The other ones are cool. But the tripple filter is a copy from an older Greek joke.