Story, Korans, Legend. I want to know them.

[Mathieu]

Salam,

I would like to know a few Islamic story that you might know. Some story that make you think, in Buddhism especially Zen Buddhism these story are called Koans. I know a few of them but I would like to read some of yours.

I'll post some everyday to let the thread active.

Thanks in advance.

Here's a christian one.


Sermon on Providence

A priest was sitting at his desk by the window composing a sermon on Providence when he heard something that sounded like an explosion. Soon he saw people running to and fro in a panic and discovered that a dam had burst, the river was in spate and the people were being evacuated.

The priest saw the water begin to rise in the street below. He had some difficulty suppressing his own rising sense of panic but he said to himself, “here I am preparing a sermon about Providence and I am being given an occasion to practice what I preach. I shall not flee with the rest. I shall stay right here and trust in the providence of God to save me.”

By the time the water reached his window a boat full of people came by. “Jump in, Father,” they shouted. “Ah no, my children,” said the Father confidently. “I trust in the providence of God to save me.”

Father did climb to the roof, however, and when the water got up there another boatload of people went by, urging Father to join them. Again he refused.

This time he climbed to the top of the belfry. When the water came up to his knees and officer in a motorboat was sent to rescue him. “No thank you, officer,” said Father, with a calm smile. “I trust in God, you see. He will never let me down.”

When Father drowned and went to heaven the first thing he did was to complain to God. “I trusted you! Why did you do nothing to save me?”

“Well,” said God. “I did send three boats, you know.”

 

[hassana elkoussi]

Salam Mathieu,

Here's a story that shows how Satan entices people to follow him and then walks out on them on the day of judgment

Allah the Almighty says in His Glorious Qur’an: {(Their allies deceived them) like Shaitan (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allah.” But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaitan (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the `Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!” So the end of both will be that they will be in the Fire, abiding therein. Such is the recompense of the Zalimun (i.e. polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers in Allah and in His Oneness)}. (Al-Hashr 16-17)

Ibn Jarir said that `Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud interpreted the above Qur’anic verse. Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Once, there was a woman grazing sheep and goats. She had four brothers. She (for some reason) used to spend the night at a monk’s cell. The monk committed fornication with her and she got pregnant. Satan came to him and said: Kill the woman and then bury her, for you are a reputable and highly respected man. (That is, don’t risk your own reputation for such a simple woman). The monk killed her and then buried her. Thereupon, Satan visited her four brothers in a dream while they were asleep and said to them: The monk committed fornication with your sister, and because she got pregnant, he killed her and buried her in such-and-such location. In the morning, one of them said: By Allah! Last night I dreamed of something and I do not know whether to relate it to you or just keep it to myself. They said: Relate it to us. He did so and one of them said: By Allah! I saw the same dream. Another said the same. And the fourth one said the same thing. They agreed that there must be something serious about that dream. They went to the king and appealed for his help against the monk. The king’s troops came to arrest him and he was taken away. On the way, Satan came to the monk (and whispered in his ears): I set you up. No one else can save you from this. Prostrate yourself before me just for once and in return, I will save you from this. Thereupon, the monk prostrated himself before Satan. When they presented themselves before the king, Satan said to him: I am free of you! Finally, the monk was killed.


Hope you liked the story. It shows how Satan lures people to commit one sin after another and finally leaves them to face their punishment.

 

[alibashir]

ya shabab

Alqama reported: While I was walking with 'Abdullah at Mina, 'Uthman happened to meet him. He stopped there and began to talk with him. Uthman said to him: Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, should we not marry you to a young girl who may recall to you some of the past of your bygone days; thereupon he said: If you say so, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 0 young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes from casting (evil glances). and preserves one from immorality; but those who cannot should devote themselves to fasting for it is a means of controlling sexual desire.

 

[Munawar]

Story of Suraqa bin Malik and Kings Jewelry.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was naturally very sad when he was forced to leave Makkah, the city where he had been born and brought up, the only home he had known. It was the place where his forefathers had lived and died, and where he had received the Divine Call. With these thoughts in mind, he had a last look at the city and said, "Makkah, you are dearer to me than any other place on earth, but your people would not let me live here."

For two days and two nights, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Hadhrat Abu Bakr (RA) remained hidden in the cave. Then they proceeded in the direction of Yathrab (Medinah). Suraqa bin Malik, who had heard of the great reward announced by the Qureish (Makkans), was on the look-out for them. One day he spotted two mounted camels heading north. He guessed that those were the persons he was looking for. So he spurred his horse in their direction. He did not go very far when the legs of his horse sank in the sand and he fell down. He got up, took out his arrows and consulted his luck in the old Arab fashion. The arrow showed ill-luck. But the temptation of the reward was so great that he mounted his horse again and set out after the two. As he came closer, the legs of his horse sank again in the sand and he fell down. Again he consulted his arrows, and they gave the same message of ill-luck.

Suraqa changed his mind. He realized that the party was under Divine protection. So he called out to them and told them of his evil intention and of his change of heart. As he was returning, the Holy Prophet told him not to disclose this information (of where he saw them) to any one and said to him, "Suraqa, how will you feel with the gold bangles of the king of Persia (Iran) on your wrists?" Suraqa was amazed to hear this prophecy. Later he accepted Islam and lived in Madinah. It so happened that during the Khilafah of Hadhrat Umar (RA), Persia and its treasures fell to Muslims, including the gold bangles which the king used to wear on State functions. Hadhrat Umar (RA) sent for Suraqa and asked him to wear those gold bangles. "How can I wear them?" said Suraqa, "for the wearing of gold is forbidden in Islam for men." Hadhrat Umar (RA) said, "I know, but you will wear them in order to fulfill the prophecy of the Holy Prophet." So Suraqa put on those gold bangles and he was crying at that time and thus the prophecy made by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) years earlier was fulfilled to the letter.

Subhan Allah !!! Persia was a super-power of that time (the other was Rome), and the Prophet (PBUH) who was himself fleeing from Makkah to save his own life made this offer, and this prophecy was well known to the Muslims.

So either of these 3 things could have made the Holy Prophet a lier publicly:
1. Muslims could not have defeated Persia.
2. Persian when defeated took away the King's jewelry with them.
3. Saraqa Bin Malik (RA) died before the conquest of Persia or bringing of king's jewelry to Medinah.

But since He was a true Prophet of Allah, it had to be fulfilled completely.

 

[Fatima S.Ar]

Very Nice !! May Allah bless you all ..
I wish to have time to read it all

Merci beacoup

 

[icadams]

Jazak-Allahu khayran,
There are some wonderful stories here. Thank you all for sharing these.

 

[Mathieu]

The Emperor and The Seed

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed.

Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, It will determine what you will reap tomorrow, The seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better, your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

 

[Mathieu]

A traveler was walking along the road one day when a man o horseback rushed by. There was an evil look in his eyes and blood on his hands.
Minutes later a crowd of riders drew up and wanted to know if the traveler had seen someone with blood on his hands go by. They were in hot pursuit of him.
“Who is he?” the traveler asked.
“An evil-doer,” said the leader of the crowd. “And you pursue him inorder to bring him to justice?”
“No,” said the leader, “we pursue him in order to show him the way.”

Reconciliation alone will save the world.
not justice
which is generally just another word for revenge.

 

[Mathieu]

A monk and a priest were on their way to and had to cross a stream where they see a lady unable to cross it. The monk picks her up and drops her on the other side and starts walking.
The priest could not resist asking as to how being a monk he could carry a women forget seeing or touching one.
The monk replied: I left her long back; but you still are carrying the women.