reference: https://shortislamicstories.wordpress.com/tag/patience/
A Butterfly Story
A man once found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it had and it could go no further.
Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If Allah allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.
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The Adab of Islam
A companion of the Prophet (saws) , Khalid bin Waleed narrated the following:
A Bedouin came one day to the Prophet and said to him, “O, Messenger of Allah! I’ve come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this life and the Hereafter.” The Prophet responded “Ask what you wish!”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be the most learned of men.”
The Prophet replied, “Fear Allah, and you will be the most learned of men.”
The Bedouin said, “I wish to be the richest man in the world.”
The Prophet replied, “Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be the most just man.”
The Prophet replied, “Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the most just of men.”
The Bedouin said, “I want to be the best of men.”
The Prophet replied, “Do good to others and you will be the best of men.”
The Bedouin said, “I wish to be the most favored by Allah.”
The Prophet replied, “Engage much in Allah’s praise, and you will be most favored by Him.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to complete my faith.”
The Prophet replied, “If you have good manners you will complete your faith.”
The Bedouin said, “I wish to be among those who do good.”
The Prophet replied, “Adore Allah as if you see Him. If you don’t see Him, Know that He sees you. In this way you will be among those who do good.”
The Bedouin said, “I wish to be obedient to Allah.”
The Prophet replied, “If you observe Allah’s commands you will be obedient.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be free from all sins.”
The Prophet replied, “Bathe yourself from impurity and you will be free from all sins.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.”
The Prophet replied, “Don’t wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like Allah to bestow His mercy on me.”
The Prophet replied, “If you have mercy on yourself and on others, Allah will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgment.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like my sins to be very few.”
The Prophet replied, “If you seek the forgiveness of Allah as much as you can, your sins will be very few.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be the most honorable man.”
The Prophet replied, “If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honorable of men.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be the strongest of men.”
The Prophet replied, “If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to enlarge my provision.”
The Prophet replied, “If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like to be loved by Allah and His messenger.”
The Prophet replied, “If you love what Allah and His messenger love, you will be among their beloved ones.”
The Bedouin said, “I wish to be safe from Allah’s wrath on the Day of Judgment.”
The Prophet replied, “If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgment.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like my prayers to be responded.”
The Prophet replied, “If you avoid forbidden actions your prayers will be responded.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgment.”
The Prophet replied, “If you guard your chastity, Allah will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgment.”
The Bedouin said, “I’d like Allah to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgment.”
The Prophet replied, “Do not uncover your fellow peoples faults, and Allah will provide you with a covering protection on the Day of Judgment.”
The Bedouin said, “What will save me from sins?”
The Prophet replied, “Tears, humility and illness.”
The Bedouin said, “What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah?”
The Prophet replied, “Gentle manners, modesty and patience.”
The Bedouin said, “What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah?”
The Prophet replied, “Hot temper and miserliness.”
The Bedouin said, “What alleviates the wrath of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter?”
The Prophet replied, “Concealed charity and kindness to relatives.”
The Bedouin said, “What extinguishes hell’s fires on the Day of Judgment?”
The Prophet replied, “Patience in adversity and misfortunes.”
(Related by Imam Ibn Hambal)
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