Candy and Vinegar

Really like this article.. so i decided to share it here.. Taken from: http://msmlondon.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/candy-and-vinegar/

Once upon a time, there were two shops. One was selling candy and the other – vinegar. Between the two shop owners there was intense rivalry.

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The vinegar shop was a great success compared to the one selling candy. Every single customer who visited the vinegar shop would always come out of it with ‘gallons’ of vinegar while the customers of the candy shop would come out empty handed.

This imbalance went on for awhile until one day, the candy seller decided to close down the shop. Feeling disgruntled and perplexed at the same time, he said to himself: “I just can’t leave in this state. I must go down to the vinegar shop and ask the vinegar seller the reason for the secret of his success.”

So, he went down to the vinegar shop said to the vinegar seller: “Listen here now; I sell candy – something that is nice and sweet. Everybody loves candy. But you, you are selling vinegar – something that is nasty, sour and disliked by most people. Can you please explain to me how you can sell much more than me?”

“Well, perhaps it is because I sell vinegar with a candy face but you sell candy with a vinegar face,” replied the vinegar seller, smiling.

One of the more important lessons we can grasp from this story is that the nature of the product one is trying to sell has little bearing on its sales. In fact, the product can be very nice and sweet, but what matters more is how one presents one’s self, and the product, in the process.

We are reminded in the Quran that the Prophet (pbuh) was sent as a mercy to all mankind.

As described by Allah (swt) in Surah al-Anbiyaa’, verse 107:

وما أرسلنك إلا رحمة للعلمين

107. We sent Thee not, but As a Mercy for all creatures.

We also know that the Prophet (pbuh) is the best and most beautiful example that anyone can find, as is described by Allah (swt) in Surah al-Ahzab, verse 21:

لقد كان لكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنة لمن كان يرجوا الله واليوم الأخر وذكر الله كثيرا

21. Ye have indeed In the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is In Allah and the final Day, and who engages much In the Praise of Allah.

From the Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh) that we read to each other and discuss in our circles and gatherings, we know that even though the people of Quraisy detested and vilified the Prophet (pbuh) for delivering the message and the revelation sent to him by Allah (swt), they never denied that he (pbuh) had excellent manners and attitudes that were very well respected by them.

Let us ponder and reflect on this.

To what extent do we make our Prophet (pbuh) as our role-model in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives?

Let us strive to improve ourselves, to become better Muslim individuals. Let us make an effort to understand what it means to become Muslim individuals who have sound creed, correct worship, robust bodies and excellent characters bar none. Let us strive together to become Muslim individuals who are knowledgeable and able to earn a living, Muslims individuals who strive against their own whims and lust, Muslims individuals who are keen on time, well organized and useful to others. Let us also strive to understand our Deen more thoroughly and what is meant by ‘doing da’wah work’.

All these can only aid us in conveying the message of Islam and da’wah, making our voices louder through the amplifier that is our actions.

Having said that, one point that most people tend to misinterpret is that; some might think that he or she can wait until all these qualities are developed before striving to do da’wah work. The writer responds with a resounding no.

What should be done is that both the da’wah work as well as the betterment of oneself should be done in parallel.

A very good analogy that one of the brothers came up with is that doing da’wah is like washing the dishes. When you are trying to wash and clean away the stains, inevitably you are cleaning your hands and fingers at the same time.

Similarly, when you are doing da’wah and trying to convey the message of da’wah and Islam to the people around you be it your friends or relatives, inevitably you are purifying your souls and reminding yourself of the messages that you are conveying.

It is up to you to decide.

Truly, this is only but a reminder, and of course for your own benefit, in this world and the hereafter.

May Allah (swt) forgives all of our sins and accepts all of the good deeds, God willing.

Just sharing this...

A young man had been to Wednesday Night Class of Quranic Studies.
The Mualim had shared about listening to Allah and obeying Allah through intuition.
The young man couldn't help but wonder, 'Does Allah still speak to people through intuition?'
After Lessons, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.
Several different ones talked about how Allah had led them in different ways and that at the end you'll know it was Allah (SWT) Who has directed you.
It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home.
Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, 'Allah...If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.'

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk.
He shook his head and said out loud, 'Allah is that you?' He didn't get a reply and started on toward home.
But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk came into his head.
'Okay, Allah, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.' It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.
As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, 'Turn Down that street.' This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street ..
At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh.
Half jokingly, he said out loud, 'Okay, Allah, I will.'

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either.
The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.

Again, he sensed something, 'Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.' The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

'Allah, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid.' Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.
Finally, he opened the door, 'Okay Allah(SWT), if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.'

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, 'Who is it? What do you want?' Then the door opened before the young man could get away.
The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. 'What is it?'
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, 'Here, I brought this to you.'
The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen.
The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face.

The man began speaking and half crying, 'We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking Allah(SWT) to show me how to get some milk.'
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, 'I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?'

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.
He knew that Allah (SWT) still answers prayers.

NOW HERE'S THE TEST....
Dear friends hope this would make our belief that Allah (SWT) hears our prayers stonger and give hope to those who have already lost faith considering the situation most people.
Sometimes it's the simplest things that Allah (SWT) asks us to do, that enable us to understand His words clearer and better than ever. Please listen, and obey!
It will bless you and others and it might happen to us...
A wise man, once said:

"If you want to talk to Allah then pray (make doa') then if you want to hear Allah talk to you then recite the Al-Quran"

source: www.siswihaluan.blogspot.com

A Story of Love in Another Sense

I would like share this story with you..





A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she replied. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in"

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she asked.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."





The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him

come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife.

"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"





-Where there is Pain, I wish you Peace and Mercy.

-Where there is Self-Doubting, I wish you a renewed Confidence in your ability to work through it.

-Where there is Tiredness, or Exhaustion, I wish you Understanding, Patience, and renewed Strength.

-Where there is Fear, I wish you Love, and Courage.


Source:
http://spaces.muxlim.com/MidnightPoet/blog/27381