Download this Newsletter Issue in pdf (3.24 MB)
I am reminded of an inspirational story of a young man who had three friends. A judge ordered this young man to appear in court with a witness to testify on his behalf that he had good character. This seemed like a daunting task for the young man when all human decency seemed to have broken down. However he met his first friend whom he asked to testify that he had good character. The first friend said "You are good," but grumbled that he could not go to the court with him.
The second friend was uncertain about helping the young man. He said "I will vouch for your good character, and I will go to the court with you; but I will stop at the doors of the court for I cannot enter."
The third friend said "Don't worry I will go with you. I will enter the court and will testify that you have good moral character, I will stay with you until the problem is solved. I will be with you."
Who do you think is the best friend?
This is what will happen when all of us die. The first friend is like our wealth. Our wealth basically stays behind when we die.
The second friend is much our family and loved ones. Our family and loved ones no matter how much they care about us, when the time comes they will arrange for our funeral but our loved ones will not enter our graves with or for us.
The third friend is your deeds. Everything else will remain behind, your wealth and your family and loved ones but your deeds will go with you. Our deeds are both good and bad. Our deeds are all that will remain with us, so we must be sure that they, inshallah are good deeds.
What really strikes me is that each one of us has an opportunity to increase our good deeds every day. The essential flow that we all have is old habits that die hard. But hopefully, we can take small steps during this blessed month, to rid ourselves of these bad habits so Inshallah we all can enter Paradise.
The Islamic Bulletin
P.O. Box 410186, San Francisco, CA 94141-0186
info@islamicbulletin.org