07-20-2008, 05:00 PM
Bismillah
My mother was reading a magazine named Al Yaqazah the past week, she drew my attention to very thoughtful story. I read the story, very touching and worth reflecting and pondering upon. It raises many points and underlines a lot.....
I took the liberty to translate it and post it here, but of course kept the source, Insh a Allah the author will not mind it.Actually, she published the article as an introduction to her article. So I dont really know who the original author is.
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Width of life
Happiness and unhappiness are deemed sequential lessons that you receive throughout your life for the purpose of enhancing your perception, and taking you to maturity. You will never attain happiness unless you realize real love and you will never attain real love till you know yourself.
It is narrated that a king decided to take over a small village, thus, he mobilized his armies and started walking towards the targeted village. To his surprise, residents of the village welcomed the armies upon their arrival which raised the king's amazement. Because of this usual situation, he started touring the village, still astonished, specially when no one feared him neither did they prepare their armament. During his tour, he observed an open grave pitch in front of each house. Still people in the village were not concerned with the king neither his armies, he inquired to a passer about the chief of the village. The resident informed him that the chief lives on the outskirts. Immediately, the king started walking towards the place. On his way, he passed by a grave yard and was actually taken by the statements on each grave. XYZ lived an hour and died, ABC lived a day and died, and this one lived a week and died. In response, he was both bewildered and scared but continued walking seeking to meet the chief of the village only to find an old man sitting quietly and tranquilly in the porch.
The king asked him: Why you did not prepare to fight me?
Chief: Why should we prepare.. we do not fight anybody?!
King: Aren't you afraid of my armies?
Chief: We are not afraid of your armies neither do we fear death.
King: Why do you dig your graves in front of your houses while you use this grave yard to bury your dead?
Chief: Before going to their respective places of work, village residents are used to pass by the grave every morning to remind themselves with their final destination in order to avoid being unjust, cheating or lying.
King: What are those statements inscribed on the tombs? Do the village people have such very short lives?
Chief: Lives are not short.. but here, we measure lift times not by the number of days as you do..but rather by width.
King: And how do you do that?
Chief: The width of the life is what a human being contributes of love, and good under a sincere Niyah (intention) to Allah Ta`ala. For example, this whose tomb carries a one hour statement implies that he offered good seeking nothing but Allah's Face without waiting for a reward one time for one hour throughout his whole life. Thus, this deed is considered the optimal fruit of his work and existence in life.
As for the one whose tomb is labeled that he lived a year and died indicates one year which he dedicated to composing a book to serve people without a reward. But before doing it, he intended it to be only for Allah's sake. Thus, he considered the book as fruit of his existence, heart essence and production counting this year only.
At this point, the king looked down..commended the chief and extended his due respects. He evacuated the village. But this incident drew a new line in his life.
By Dr. Mariam Baqer
Al Yaqaza magazine 2-8 July 2008
Issue 2053