Wealth in the Empty
Hands
As an example an incident is quoted
from the book "Faraz Baadashshuda" :
A rich businessman says, `I was
travelling for Hajj and had 3000 dinars and gold and silver ornaments
with me. I had tied them up in a bag attached to my cummerbund. But I
dropped this bag when I went to answer the call of nature. I had
proceeded many miles further, when I realized my bag was missing. I had
a lot of wealth. So I did not find it imperative to go back and look for
my money and nor was it possible to return.
When I came back to my native place one
calamity upon other befell me. Gradually all my wealth disappeared. My
respect began to change into shame. Due to embarrassment before the
friends, and gossip of the enemies, and further destitution I was
compelled to leave my native village.
During this journey I spent a night in
a hamlet. At this time, all the money I had was one-sixth of a silver
coin. It was a dark, rainy night. I took my wife to a cheap hostel for
the night. All of a sudden my wife began to have labour pains and a
child was born. My wife said that she needed something to eat, otherwise
she may starve to death. I took the small silver coin and knocked at the
door of a vegetable seller. After repeated requests he opened the door.
I explained to him my circumstances and gave him the coin. He brought
some curd and ghee in an earthen bowl. As I turned back and walked a few
paces, I slipped and the earthen bowl dropped from my hands and broke. I
was struck with grief and could not control myself. I began to slap my
face and yelled loudly.
The window of a nearby house opened and
someone enquired as to who I was and why was I creating a din and
disturbing the neighbourhood. I explained my circumstances in brief and
added that I, my wife and the child were starving of hunger, and this
misfortune has befallen me. The man asked, "Is your hue and cry only for
a piece of silver." `No', I said, "I had never been so miserly." Then I
told him about the year when I had lost my bag of 3000 dinars and
ornaments. He asked me if there were any distinguishing marks on my
moneybag. I thought he was trying to fool me, so I protested. But he
insisted and I told him. Then he called me in his house and sent his
slave to get my wife and child. The slave returned with my wife and
child, and our host put us up for the night. In the morning he gave some
dinars and said that till my wife recovers, we must stay in his house.
Ten days passed in this manner. Everyday he used to give us some dinars.
Then one day he asked me about my profession. When I told him that I was
an expert trader, he gave me some money and told me to start a business.
After conducting the business for some
months, I offered him his share of the profits. He went into the other
room and returned with the moneybag which I had lost years ago. I was
overjoyed to see it and became unconscious due to the excitement. I
thanked Allah and returned to my native village. Gradually my economic
conditions began to change and once more I was a rich man.
" It may be that you dislike a thing
while it is good for you, maybe that you love a thing while it is evil
for you."
(Surah Baqarah 2:216).
(extract from the book "Greater
Sins" by Shaheed DastGhaib)
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