Once There Was a Pious Man,
Busy in service of GOD since a long time. He was famous in people for his piousness. One day some people came to tell him that there is a nation over here ,who worship a tree instead of ALLAH. Listening this he got up furiously to cut the tree .
While he was on the way to cut the tree, satan met him in form of a sheikh. An they had a short conversation;
Sheikh (satan) : where are you going?
Pious man : going to cut that tree, whom people have started worshiping.
Satan : you are a devout man, there are a lot of religious duties on you, why are you just leaving your ibaadah and going to cut the tree. You should be doing dhikar , do not waste your precious time on such petty things.
Pious man replied : that too is my duty to forbid people from worshiping any entity else ALLAH. I would definitely cut that tree.
Satan said: “I would never let you cut the tree”.
Hearing this, both of the pious man and satan (sheikh)started fighting . With in few seconds , the pious man had managed to push the satan to ground . Throwing the satan down on ground, the pious man sat on his chest and started beating satan. And he was just about to kill the satan ,when he spoke “ just hold on a second, I want to tell you some thing important”. The pious man stopped beating him to listen what satan had to say.
Satan said,” why are you cutting the tree? ALLAH has not ordered you to cut it, its not fardh (Obligatory ) on you. You your self donot worship that tree, its fine with you, but why do you need to put your self in difficulty especially in the case its not obligatory for you”. And then satan added more,” suppose even if it was too important to cut the tree, had not ALLAH sent prophet to cut the tree and guide that nation.”
Pious man did not move an inch from his decision, his reply was same,” still I want to cut the tree”. Hearing his reply, fight was again started between the pious man and satan. And within few moments, the pious man was successful in pushing shaitan again on ground. And now the servant of ALLAH was again sitting on chest of satan , ready to beat him with his fist. Satan had lost the battle again, so he fastly started thinking of some devilish trick to save him self. Punch of pious man was about to hit the face of satan ,when he scream aloud,” Wait wait wait ! I have a solution on which both of us could agree. Let me tell you a thing which is of middle way and would benefit both of us”.
Pious man : “And what is it ? what could benefit us both, while your deeds are devilish and I am devote or ALLAH?”
Satan : “first you get off my chest , set me free, then I’ll tell you “.
Pious man got off the chest of satan , setting him free.
Now satan started speaking,” Listen! As you spend your day and night in praying to ALLAH and doing dhikar, you never go out for earning . Earning necessities of life for your family is your religious obligation. If you keep sitting in corner for ibadah, who will feed your family ? Don’t oyu want your family to live in better circumstances?”. The pious man started thinking ,” yes ! I do want my family to live in good circumstances “, he replied.
Encouraged from his reply, Satan continued, “ Then you must leave worrying about other peoples’ matters. Leave the tree un cut. Moreover, cutting the tree wouldn’t make a much difference. You will cut the tree this day, and that nation will grow another tree to worship another day! you must focus on your family and relatives. Go home, and take care of them. I’ll place two gold coins under your pillow each night, which you can spend on your family and relatives. This would make them happy .”
The pious man thought, sheikh (satan) is apparently right, I am not prophet , I haven’t been given special instructions from ALLH to cut the tree. ALLAH is almighty, if HE ( ALLAH) wishes to cut the tree, HE can do so easily. Moreover, my family is my duty ,I had never thought on this angle. What would I do if they keep on growing hundreds of such trees again and again ? So conclusively, the sheikh was right! I must admit what he says. Considering all these points, the pious man agreed upon sheikh’s (satan) proposal, and signed the deal.
Next day when he woke up, he was very happy to find two gold coins, and thought he did good to accept sheikh’s proposal. In same way he found two gold coins while he woke up the other second day. But on the third day, there was no coin. The pious man got up in his fury to cut the tree again and teach the deceiver sheikh (satan). In his way he again met the satan in same form of sheikh. Sheikh questioned him,” now where you are going ?”. the man replied “ I am going to cut the tree”.
“No, you will not, I wouldn’t let you “, challenged the sheikh(satan). This harsh conversation lead them to fight again. But this time, satan was able to push the pious man down on earth. And now, table was turned! Satan was sitting on chest of the pious man and threating him ,” if you do not refrain from cutting that tree, you wouldn’t be alive any more”. Pious man tried his best to escape from grip of satan, but he found himself too weak to escape. Losing the battle the pious man asked satan,” yesterday I defeated you every time, but how come today I am not even able to defend myself?”.
Satan laughed and said, “it’s the matter of INTENTION ! NIYYAH ! Yesterday when you came across me, your intension of cutting tree was purely and exclusively for ALLAH. But now when you came because of grudge of 2 coins of gold, your intention was not purely for ALLAH. Your faith wasn’t strong, so I overpowered you”.
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