As I was going to work one fine morning I saw a bird – I think it is ‘myna’- busily pecking a piece of disposed food under a tree. In the next minute I saw another bird of the same kind fluttering towards it to take its share of the morning blessings.
The bird which has got the first meal quickly took its food and flew away. The poor second bird watched helplessly moving its head aimlessly in great disappointment. As I watched the entire scene, I felt a strong sense of giving the selfish bird a lesson on sharing. How am I going to do this? Either I breed some of the birds and teach them the instinct of sharing. Well, I do not know whether I can make them more caring.
Selfish in animals and us is a programmed instinct of not allowing anyone into your territory and assets. It can be useful at times. But, we have to let go a little to your fellow being. At that moment I felt a sense of shame to my self as I am also part of the selfish game in this world. I also sensed that there are ‘Holy’ beings above us watching our behaviour as how I am watching the above ‘selfish ‘act.
I wonder how these “Holy’ beings would be able to communicate every one of us to teach us the ‘true’ way of living in this world. We cannot be like animals. We have to uplift our self to the higher living. That will be our purpose.
Have we ever wondered amongst our busy schedule where we were before our births? The answer will be –‘I do not know’. Do we ever wonder or think of where we go when our lives end? The answer will be – ‘I do not know or I do not care”. Perhaps we need to ponder over these statements of Allah swt:
The bird which has got the first meal quickly took its food and flew away. The poor second bird watched helplessly moving its head aimlessly in great disappointment. As I watched the entire scene, I felt a strong sense of giving the selfish bird a lesson on sharing. How am I going to do this? Either I breed some of the birds and teach them the instinct of sharing. Well, I do not know whether I can make them more caring.
Selfish in animals and us is a programmed instinct of not allowing anyone into your territory and assets. It can be useful at times. But, we have to let go a little to your fellow being. At that moment I felt a sense of shame to my self as I am also part of the selfish game in this world. I also sensed that there are ‘Holy’ beings above us watching our behaviour as how I am watching the above ‘selfish ‘act.
I wonder how these “Holy’ beings would be able to communicate every one of us to teach us the ‘true’ way of living in this world. We cannot be like animals. We have to uplift our self to the higher living. That will be our purpose.
Have we ever wondered amongst our busy schedule where we were before our births? The answer will be –‘I do not know’. Do we ever wonder or think of where we go when our lives end? The answer will be – ‘I do not know or I do not care”. Perhaps we need to ponder over these statements of Allah swt:
Say: "Who is it that sustains you (in life) from the sky and from the earth? Or who is it that has power over hearing and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living? And who is it that rules and regulates all affairs?" They will soon say, "Allah." Say, "Will ye not then show piety (to Him)?" - Sura 10 verse 31
And what is meant by piety (fear of Allah or righteousness)?
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the Allah-fearing. –Chap 2 verse 177
Therefore the conditions to be near Allah swt are to do believe in:
· Allah swt
· The Last Day
· Angels
· Scripture and the Prophets
And to give our wealth, out of the love of Allah swt, to “
· Kinsfolk
· Orphans
· Needy
· Wayfarer
· Those who ask
· Set slaves free
· Observe prayer
· Pay the poor due
· Keep treaty
· Patience in time of adversity and stress
Let us ponder ourselves our piety ranking!
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