|
MASJID TUCSON United Submitters International
PO Box 43476 Tucson AZ 85733-3476 USA
Tel/Fax: (520) 323 7636
Masjid Tucson site: https://www.masjidtucson.org
Masjid Tucson e-mail: info@masjidtucson.org
Happiness is
Submission to God Alone
ISSN 1089-053X
Keep up with history in the making. Subscribe now.
$12/yr. U.S., Canada and Mexico, $19/yr. overseas.
A young man, a student in one of our 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 a trick on the man: 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 face. 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 heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving
in which he spoke of his wife, 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 is more blessed to give than to receive.”
[2:270] Any charity you give, or a charitable pledge you fulfill, GOD is fully aware thereof. As for the wicked, they will have no helpers.
[2:263] Kind words and compassion are better than a charity that is followed by insult. GOD is Rich, Clement.
[2:254] O you who believe, you shall give to charity from
the provisions we have given to you, before a day comes where there is
no trade, no nepotism, and no intercession. The disbelievers are the unjust.