The Blind Man Who Showed Me the Way

[Nur]

e- Nuri Softwaano Series

 

 

Presents An Eye Opener

 

 

The Blind Old Man Who Showed Me The Way .

 

 

I measure my life in terms of how useful I am to others, as a tax I pay to Allah SWT for granting me health, wealth and wisdom to appreciate and thank Allah for it. Being useful to others could mean hardships, but if one can see past the present life, and yearn for the next, happiness can be found in unlikely places.

 

One foggy rainy day, I got out of a long busines meeting with my business associates, I was tired, but fulfilled, I wanted to reward myself with a nice evening, to relax at home and my one wish in my mind was just to go home to rest. As I emerged from the office building and strolled down the street to a rather far parking lot ahead, I came under a heavy down pour, it was raining and cars were splashing water around, so I carefully tiptoed to avoid plunging my Italian leather shoes in the water filled potholes, I rushed toward my car, after a few minutes of walking just when I thought I was about to get to my car, an old man approached me, "excuse me" he whispered, " can you take me to the XYZ airline office?" asked the old blind man.

 

Interstingly, the airline office was in the same building that I've just left few block down the road, a rather long way back in a messy rainy day. I patiently took his hand and walked back with him, this time around I walked slowly to the opposite direction to where I was going, it just dawned on me that going back was actually going foreward in real terms, here I am helping a fellow man who is deprived of his eyesight, how many people realize the value of this gift? and do we contemplate the wisdom that going slowly with others toward their direction is sometimes going fast foreward toward your right direction? two great lessons that I learned from the old blind man that day which were well worth my trouble that day, lessons that were so insightful, it took a blind man to show me the way, the way to please Allah SWT, just like how Our Prophet Muhammad SAWS was criticized for turning away his attention from a poor blind man seeking knowledge who approached him while meeting with notables of the town.

 

As I walked with the old man toward the airlines office, I kept thinking of his condition, his inability to go where he pleases when he pleases, his dependence on assistance of others, his slowness, and the fact that not many people were willing to stop and help such a needy person. The few minutes that I walked with the old blind man, were blessed minutes in which he taught me countless lessons of the value of sharing of our health and wealth with those less fortunate than us, I walked with him, and every step was a step toward Allah SWT as the prophet SAWS taught that the most loved to Allah SWT is the most helpful to his fellow man, I walked slowly with him as he could not walk as fast as i could, but the speed of thoughts that were crossing my mind were faster than the traffic around us, my sight was no longer set on taking him to the airline office and going back to my car afterwards, I found a purpose waiting for me in this slow walk, and my inner sight took off to the the hidden meaning of life, that our happiness should be measured with the positive difference we make in the lives of other disadvantaged fellow humans, and if we are unable, at least, we should seize our evil intentions of inflicting pain and misery on people.

 

The moral of the story

 

1. Show The way to others to find yours

 

2. Go the opposite way, to find hidden treasures

 

3. To go fastforward in life, go slow for others

 

Nur

 

2005 eNuri Softawaano Series

[Viking]

I read somewhere a wise man said that - everyone we meet in the course of our lives has something to teach us. Our daily interactions with other humans (whether pre-arranged or not) are not mere 'coincidences' or "just fate" but constant opportunities for enlightenment.

 

The message could be love, compassion, tolerance, patience, perseverence etc. These kinds of 'Aha' moments hit us many times a day from the most unlikely sources and our brains have to be generally set on a 'certain wavelength' to be able to achieve maximum insight.

[xiinfaniin]

SH. Nur,

 

‘Making difference’ is indeed the purpose of productive life! It’s the essence and the spirit of the faithful servants! This story of yours is indeed an act of worship (with the actor's intent of Ixtisaab,)and heed of Allah’s call to assist the needy and elderly.

 

The messages and the lessons of this simple encounter are too numerous to count. On a one hand, this story is a beautiful illustration of the Muslim compassion that knows no boundaries, and favors no race. It’s that message of compassionate that Allah refers to, when He says “And we desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land.†It’s the message of compassion that teaches Muslims to be sensitive to the others suffering. The humanity of our faith is unambiguously clear. It goes without saying our sheikh was driven by the forces of that compassion and sympathy. And the quality of the Muslim character has indeed kicked in when he needed it.

 

On the other hand, this encounter signifies the endless struggle against the forces of our desires. The selfishness, self-centeredness, and the ego are indeed forces to reckon with. Seldom do we ponder the blessings of our Allah. The health, the wealth, the knowledge, the children, the spouse, the stability, and the security (to just name few) are all blessings that we tend to take it for granted. We don’t often think the weaker section of the society. This story is a timely remainder for that ilk who remained true to the illusions of life and its gladiatorial contest where only the fittest survive and weaker is deservedly doomed!

Take the Blind Old Man as an opportunity that presents itself to remind us the need for us to reflect and ponder Allah’s countless blessings.

 

As for you, Yaa SH. Nur, celebrate the victories (any time you defeat the Shaydan count it as a victory), I say, as there’re few of them.

[Rahima]

JZK

[Salma]

Very interesting and inspiring story, thanks for sharing it with us. May Allah reward you for helping that man and also for showing us the benefits of sharing our strength, health and wealth with others.

 

Jazaka ALlhau kulla khayr

 

Looking for the next article/story.

[Cisaam]

Salaamu clykum

 

Nur brother that was a beatiful story, indeed we have to realize the world around us and those whom are less fortunate than us in terms of healthy, wealth and also the older ones. may allah reward you for what u did and sharing this beatiful reminder with us.

 

Jizaakalah khayr

[Dhagax-Tuur]

A/Calaykum

 

Jizaaka Allah khayr, Our Sheikh, Nur. May Allah SWT reward you for your wonderful work.

 

Indeed, sight is a precious gift. The story reminds me of a story of a hadeeth.

 

A man was worshiping Allah for 500 yrs alone, never disobedient. When he died, Allah SWT said to the angels, "Let him in to paradise because of my rahmah (mercy)". The man said, "Ah, ah, NO! Not because of your mercy yaa Allah, but because of my camal (good deeds)". Allah being Caadil (fair), he said to the angels, "then, take account of his good deeds". They started with the gift of vision, and that alone was worth 500 yrs of worship without disobedience to Allah....The man said, yaa Allah, now I will go to paradise because of Your mercy!

 

So, the gift of sight is a nicmah! Alxamduli-Laah.

[sheherazade]

Thanks for sharing Nur.

 

Recently a documentary on the BBC(I think) caught my attention. It covered the story of a deaf man born of Jewish parents who in his youth wanted to become a rabbi but was turned away by the Jewish religious people(due to his disability). Disappointed that he couldn't serve God through Judaism he turned to the Catholic Church(he was schooled in a Catholic institution). They accepted him and since then he has been a Catholic priest. In 1980 this man started becoming blind due to a disease. He is now both deaf and blind and yet continues to work...

deaf and blind priest

 

some of his story can be found above...but...

 

What Nur's post stirred in my mind is that most of us would jump to attention if a blind person asked for help. Instinctively almost. But one-off gestures are easy.

 

Living with a person who slows you down in your daily activity, your social climbing, your impatient thoughts every day is a lot more demanding.

 

As a collective group we can be cruel, distancing the disabled and being deaf and blind to their needs, most importantly their spirituality.

 

And look what a man can be capable of.

[Emerald]

Nur...Jazakal'laahu qeyr for sharing

[Nur]

Xiinfaniin

 

Jazaakallahu khairan walaal, your insightful remarks went a long way for me an I hope for other readers, you are right bro. If we are not busy doing good on earth, Satan will cause us do evil on land, sea and air, thus, it is important taht we engage the devil by doing good and then sharing it so that he is defeated, after all all human evils emanate from Satan, envy, hatred, oppression and crimes.

 

Viking Bro

 

As you have noted, opportunities to earn credits with Allah are plenty, like you said, such as compassion, tolerance and patience, add to it wishing all humans goodwill, pray for their safety from their own ignorance and hatred to follow the revelations of their Lord. But as Mulims, our mission should be to do good on earth, it is through benevolence, and genuine interest in offering a helping hand to others can we attract lot more people to our faith, and even if they choose not to follow our faith, we should still offer exceptional unconditional help, after all they need it most as they have all to gain from our help, which is our aim.

 

Rahiima, Classique, Deeq and Aniga,Sheherezade and Emerald, May Allah bless you all for your kind comments, your words shall be written in your own Meezaan, is heavy as mount Uhud, inshAllah.

 

 

Nur

[Raxmah]

JZK Nur that was inspiring, most of us have made our lives into routine that we forget sometimes that stopping for a minute can do us a great deal.

[Nur]

Raxmah sis

 

One of the lessons that I learned in that experience was:

 

SHOW THE WAY to others who are not capapble of helping themself. I pray these Somaliaonline Islam pages Show the way to those who are fighting those who are helping them see their purpose, amin.

 

 

Nur

[Viking]

I found the following quite inspiring and reminded me of this topic...

 

 

Often we hear people say, "I want to do some good in this world but the obligations of life and work are so exacting that I cannot score any success in this regard. I am sunk to my ears in the petty chores of life and there doesn't arise any opportunity for my life to become meaningful." This is a very common-and dangerous-mistake. Everyone finds opportunities at his doorstep to help others, so that his spirit may rise to the occasion and attain peace and joy. In order to attain this joy it is not at all necessary to neglect one's ordinary duties or to perform some dazzling feat.

 

I call this spiritual work your 'second duty'. All that you must do is to make use of the many opportunities that arise and carry out this duty. You will get plenty of excellent opportunities in this path and acquire a perfect ability to make use of them. At this point all the energies stored up in your being will swing into action.

 

That which the world needs today, and lacks, are people devoted to fulfilling others' needs. In this work, done for the sake of others, both the helper and the helped are blessed.

 

... We are gradually losing our personality under the strains of modern society. The urge for creativity and self-assertion is killed in us. Accordingly, the attainment of genuine civilisation is delayed. The big mistake of everyone of us is that we travel blindfolded through life and do not notice the good opportunities that arise. Once we open our eyes and look around we will observe many people who need our help, riot for big things but for very small things.

 

In altruism and sacrifice we must invest the best part of ourselves. The coin that a widow gives, which is all that she owns, has greater worth than all the donations of the rich. We often hear people say, "Were I rich I would do many things for people". But one can be rich in respect of love and charity. If we discover the real needs of those who require help and take steps to meet them, we would have spent the best part of ourselves in this path, which is love and compassion for others and which all the money in the world cannot equal.

 

You might think that my life in the equatorial forests of Africa is something wonderful. But you should know that you can live a more wonderful life by remaining where you are and, by impelling your soul to effort, engage in a thousand kinds of good and kindly actions. This task demands a spirit of sacrifice and courage and a strength of will, and the determination to love, which is the greatest test of a human being. But you must know that it is in this second and difficult duty that you can find true happiness.

 

By Albert Schweitzer

 

 

Peace!

[Abaadir]

JZK. nur. That was nice

[Nur]

As we approach the Holy Month of Ramadan, let us all think about the plight of the disadvantaged segments of out society, the disabled, the orphans, widows, the mentally challenged. The thousands of civilians the American and their Ethiopian merceneries have killed, the hundreds of thousands that were made homeless, maimed, raped or tortured for the collective punishment of a false crime they have never committed.

 

Attending the needs of these poor people, is a sure uplifter of ones faith, try it, as this season had been the favorite time of our Beloved Messenger Muhammad SAWS to give and share. The Prophet was as generous as the wind to help the disadvantaged.

 

 

Think Kindness in Ramadan!

 

 

Nur