Hiba_Islam
Junior Member
Salam Alaikum brothers and sisters,
I have been busy lately so I could not make any contributions, but I have read on a daily basis the excellent discussions that go on this great website.
I want to share this story sent to me by a friend, hope you will enjoy it as I did.
There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the
most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies.
He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and
always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant
is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always
patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the
merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and
she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made
great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well
as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love
the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took
notice of her.
One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was
going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told
himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone.
How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the
finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm
dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied
the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. The answer
cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much
for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me
company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here!
I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and
turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and
you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die,
will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help
you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can
only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder
and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no
matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first
wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition.
Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better
care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we
lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they
all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had
been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us
is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of
material, wealth and sensual pleasure.
The only thing that will follow us is the soul cultivate and
strengthen.. .and not wait till it's too late.
I have been busy lately so I could not make any contributions, but I have read on a daily basis the excellent discussions that go on this great website.
I want to share this story sent to me by a friend, hope you will enjoy it as I did.
There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the
most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies.
He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and
always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant
is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always
patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the
merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and
she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made
great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well
as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love
the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took
notice of her.
One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was
going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told
himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone.
How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the
finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm
dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied
the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. The answer
cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much
for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me
company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here!
I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and
turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and
you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die,
will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help
you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can
only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder
and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no
matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first
wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition.
Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better
care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we
lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they
all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had
been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us
is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of
material, wealth and sensual pleasure.
The only thing that will follow us is the soul cultivate and
strengthen.. .and not wait till it's too late.
