story of a story

"We had stopped for noon prayer. As I washed my hand, face and feet from waterskin, a few drops spilled over a dried-up tuft of grass at my feet, a miserable little plant, yellow and withered and lifeless under the harsh rays of then sun.

But as the water trickled over it, a shiver went through the shrivelled blades, and I saw how they slowly, tremblingly unfolded. A few more drops, and the little blade moved, and curled and then straightened themselves slowly, hesitantly, tremblingly..



I held my breath as I poured more water over the grass tuft. It moved more quickly, more violently, as if some hidden force were pushing it out of it's dream of death..

It's blades - what a delight to behold! - contracted and expanded like the arms of a starfish, seemingly overwhelmed by a shy but irrepressible delirium, a real little orgy of sensual joy: and thus life re-entered victoriously what a moment ago has been as dead, entered it visibly, passionately overpowering and beyond understanding its majesty..



Life in its majesty...
you always feel it in the desert. Because it is so difficult to keep, as it always like a gift, a treasure, and a surprise.

When you think it in all its rigidity and emptiness, it awakens from it's dream, sends forth it breath - and tender, pale green grass stands suddenly where only yesterday there was nothing but sand and splintery pebbles..

Life in its majesty..
majesty of sparseness, always surprising: herein lies the whole nameless scent of Arabia, of sand deserts like this one, and of many other changing landscapes.."

(The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad)

(18:45-46) And put forward to them an example of life of this world: it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it. But later it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the wind scatter. And Allah is able to do everything..

Wealth and children are the adornment of life of this world. But the righteous good deeds that last, is better with your Rabb for rewards and better in respect of hope..

The hidayah from Allah to be muslims and to practice Islam is as of the water that revives the dead tuft.. May Allah grant us the hidayah and mercy for us to do good deeds despite circumstances.. Today it may seem as it seems that the ummah has nothing, but may Allah grant us from His Mercy for us to do good deeds so that we shall return to Him in His Redha and have everything...