Expectations

One can never hide ones expectations/desires, it comes out in one or the other form, especially if he/she is an idiot.

The question would be, why do you want to hide your expectation? Answer is simple, you are expecting something that would give you an unjust advantage over others and you dont want to be 'called' unjust. The irony is you dont mind being unjust, you just worry being called one.

A scenario:

There is a piece of land which has a well in one of its side and two farmers trying to decide how to divide it among themselves. A landlord says he can buy it but as he doesnot want the well, he will pay 20% less than the actual cost. They talk:

Landlord: What do you say farmer1?

Farmer1: We both are in need of the land so we may not sell it, farmer2 can I take all of the land including the well?

Farmer2: Sure, what would it cost? Pay me half of it and take it.

Farmer1: (Thought: I will have to pay half of the total 100% cost now) Said: In that case it would be better to sell it to the landlord and divide the amount among us.

Farmer2: (Thought: So he expected me to leave it for free) Or can we divide the land without selling it?

Farmer1: We can, but well will go to one side and land to another. I am in need of the land.

Farmer2: But you will need to dig a well for water then.

Farmer1:Yes I will have to. (Thought: Or I can 'borrow' yours).

Farmer2: (Thought: You are ready to spend to dig a well but you are not ready to pay me my share) But what will I do with a well and no land?

Farmer1: Hmm, yes. Why dont you think of a way? I am all ok with it, but my problem is I am in need of a land now.

Farmer2: (Thought: What about my needs?) I can take all the land and pay you half, would it be fine?

Farmer1: Hmm...

And so goes on the discussion.

The worst part here is farmer1 and farmer2 are friends.

It is evident from the chat between them that farmer1 wants the land all to himself and that too for free. His inability to calculate the amount to dig the well by losing a part of his land vs the 50% amount that he could give to his friend shows that he is an idiot. But his statement "Think of a way, I am ok with it" shows he doesnot want to be called unjust.

On the other hand farmer2 was sensible, just and disappointed by the behaviour of his freind.

Having an expectation is good thing, but it mixed with greed is not.

What is life?

Life is a series of "hellos" and "goodbyes".

Keep smiling in a "hello" and maintain that smile in a "goodbye".

You will not be alone

I am sure most of us have played with the worm as in the above picture as a kid. (If you can't see the picture search for "Millipedes" in Google Image search). They curl when touched and so the fun for a child. So, have a great look at it....

I remember an incident where another kind of worm has creeped in our washing machine. My mother was filling water into the machine using a water pipe. After a while, when it was half-filled, my mom noticed something moving in the water. It was a four inch long, multi legged worm trying to save itself by swimming to the surface. Mom was horrified and tensed. She somehow managed to get rid of the worm but minutes later she started crying. And it was a cry out of horror and fear where the tears never stopped flowing. As a kid I thought my mother was unnecesarily worried, it was a harmless worm afterall. She cried for minutes without stopping. After a while when she stopped she told me, 'yeh sab kal hamaare kabr me milenge, saanp, bhichu, gojar hamaare upar chalenge, iske baare me soch kar hi darr lagta hai, ai Allah hamaari kabron ko inse mehfooz rakh, humey bachale.'

(We will come across these things in our graves. Snakes, scorpions, worms will move over our bodies. I am horrified just to think about it. O Allah! please save our graves from these creatures, save us.)

I understood her feelings today when I attended a funeral after the friday prayers. We said the funeral prayers and I followed the procession till the grave. The body was laid down in the 5 feet deep grave and covered with wooden planks, thus forming a triangular space for the body to rest. I was horrified just to think that I will be sleeping in such a congested place one day. And when it was time to fill the grave with earth, I saw the worms, here and there, moving in the mud. I threw one worm away from the grave but alas! I cannot remove all the creatures from it.

Once the grave was filled and the final supplication was performed, we moved away from it and the only one thing moved in my mind was now the person lying in it has only one thing with it and that is his deeds. If his deeds are good, his grave would be like one of the gardens of Heaven, and if his deeds are bad his grave would be like one of the ditches of Hell and his companions would be the creepy creatures. As narrated in the Hadith.

It is important to remember death more often, as it is the only inevitable truth. Remembering it renews our faith.

So, have a great look at it.... as this is the one of the creepy creatures that will share the space in our graves.

May Allah save us from the torments of the grave.

Heights of Opportunism

What is heights of opportunism?

Following an Ambulance on a busy road to surpass traffic and red signals.