Islamic Exemplary Stories

The Cry of Isam ibn Yusuf & Sopak, the Bald One, and the Blind One.

The Cry of Isam Bin Yusuf

       It is said that there was a worshiper named Isam bin Yusuf, he was very lively and very solemn in his prayers. However, he was always worried that his worship was less solemn and always asked the person he considered better to worship, in order to improve himself who always felt less solemn. 

       One day Isam attended an abid called Hatim Al-Asam and asked: "O Aba Abdurrahman (Name of Hatim), how do you pray?" 

       Hatim said: "When I enter prayer, I sit in zahir and inward." He asked Isam: "How do we sit?" 

       Hatim said: "Wuduk zahir as usual, that is washing all the members of the wuduk with water. While the inner wuduk is washing the members with 7 things : 

        Repent. 

        Regret for sins committed. 

        Not crazy about the world. 

        Not looking for or expecting praise from humans 

        Leaves a grandiose nature. 

        Leaves treacherous and deceptive nature. 

        Leaves spiteful nature." 

       Next Hatim said: "Then I went to the Masjid, I relaxed all my members and faced the Qibla. I stood watchfully and I imagined God before me, heaven at my right, hell at my left, the angel of death behind me. And I imagine also that I seem to be standing on the titian of Shiratul Mustaqim' and I assume that my prayer this time is the last prayer for me (because I think I will die after this prayer), he said, then I intend and act well. Every reading and prayer in prayer that I understand the meaning, then I bow and bow with the bawaduk (feeling despicable), I satahud (tahiyat) with hope and I greet with sincerity. This is how I prayed for 30 years. 

       When Isam heard crying, he was as strong as he imagined his unfavorable worship when compared to Hatim. 

@@@-------------------------@@@

The Sopak, The Bald And The Blind

       One day God commanded the angel to meet with the three Israelites. All three of them were deformed; a bald man, a cook and a blind man. 

       Then the angel asked the baldy the same question. The baldy replied, "I want my head to be re-haired so that it looks handsome and given a lot of treasure." Suddenly, with the grace of God the bald man returned with hair and was given a great deal of treasure. 

       After that the angel asked the blind man the same question. The blind man replied, "I want my eyes to be cast back and given a lot of treasure." By the destiny of God, the blind eye becomes a whimper and is endowed with abundant wealth. 

       After a few months, God ordered the angels to meet the three disabled people. This time the angel disguised himself as a alms-lover. He met the first person who used to be a cook and asked for a little money. 'The 'petals' did not extend any help even to the angels. The angel said, "I think I know you. You used to be a hairdresser and poor. God has helped you." The petals don't confess. By the power of God, the proud petals turned into a troublemaker and turned into a pauper. 

       Then the angel met the bald man who had become rich and had a thick hair. When the angel asked for help, the bald man also refused to help, instead he did not admit that he used to be bald. Because of pride and unconsciousness, God made his head bald again and turned into poor. 

       The angel met the blind man who had been given a vision. When the angel asks for help, the blind man gives his whole treasure and says, "This is all the treasure of God's blessing. Take everything. My wretched back eyes are more precious than all these treasures." The angels did not take the gift. He told me he was the angel who came first. His arrival this time was to test who among the three of them was grateful. 

       The grateful blind man continued to enjoy his wealth and his sight. While the petal and the bald remain in their original state. 

Moral & Association 

 Allah gives pleasure and comfort as a test to see who among them is grateful. 

 People who are grateful to God will increase the grace of the contrary, people who are infuriated will be punished by God. 

 Humans often forget land when given luxury and pleasure. 

 Very few servants of God are grateful. 

 Whoever does not give thanks to man will not give thanks to God. 

 Allah gives grace to whomever He wills and draws favor from whomever He wills. 

 Gratitude is a commendable trait, whereas kufur (savory kufur) is a trait that is denounced by God. 

@@@-------------------------@@@