Bilal's Bedtime Stories (part Three)

Mary's Golden Ring

Mary was a young girl of about ten years. On her ninth birthday, her mummy and daddy had bought her a beautiful ring made of gold. It had three small rubies set in it. Mary loved it and put it on her finger. How beautiful it looked on her little finger!

Her Mummy said; "Mary, do not put this ring on when going to school. You know it is against the school's rules and regulations to wear any ornaments at school. You can put it on when you go out in the afternoons."

Mary willingly agreed to this and kept the ring in her drawer. Days passed and Mary would always have a look at her ring and be tempted to put it on and go to school but she would quickly put it back in it's place. Now it so happened that once she got carried away and put the ring on and went to school.

At school, the Headmistress announced at the assembly that all the pupils' uniforms would be checked. Mary was frightened. She had the ring on her finger! What should she do? She quickly rernoved it and put it in her handkerchief, and placed the neatly folded handkerchief in her pocket. Then she completely forgot about it.

During recess she went to have a drink of water. Then she took out her handkerchief and wiped her hands. Neither she nor her friends noticed the ring falling from the handkerchief. She folded the handkerchief and put it back into her pocket. After sometime, she remembered the ring. She quickly searched for it but it wasn't there. She told her friends and they all looked everywhere for the ring but it was nowhere to be seen.

She was frightened and burst into tears when she came back home. She told her mother all about it and mother said: "Mary, you should have been obedient in the first place. Now let us pray to Allah to give it back to you."

Mary quickly prostrated and weeping, she said, "Oh Allah! O Master of all! O Helper of those who seek assistance! Help me find my ring, O Lord! I promise you, if I find it I will NEVER NEVER disobey my parents." She lifted her head with total confidence in God.

For a few days she kept looking for it but in vain. A week later,one of her friends came with a ring in her hand. Yes. Mary's ring, and asked her, "Is this yours?" Mary screamed with delight and then asked, "Where did you get it from?" The girl said: "I was sitting in that comer over there, stamping the grass with my foot when suidenly I noticed that there was something glittering and well, It was your ring. I am sure that the Good Lord has answered your prayer." I also feel that Allah has helped her, don't you?

Needed Your Help

"Mummy! Mummy!" cried Sabira as she came jumping down the stairs from her bedroom to the living room. "Mummy! I have at last saved enough money to buy the doll I had always wanted. You remember, the one I showed you a few days back?"

"The one with curly hair and deep green eyes, with a nice frilly pink dress and smart shoes?" Mummy asked.

"Yes, yes. Mummy, that is the one, can I have it? Isn't It lovely?"

"Yes, you may have It now my dear. When do you want to buy it?" Mummy asked again.

"As soon as possible" was the reply.

"Well, we'll go tomorrbw, morning then," Mum said.

"Marvellous thank you, Mummy", cried Sabira.

Sabira could hardly wait for the time they were to go shopping. The day dragged on wearily and so excited was she that she couldn't sleep a wink at night. Early in the morning she get up and at last, it was 10.00. Time for going out. "Hurray."

As they were walking down the street, Sabira saw a picture of a thin and pale boy of about her age. On the top of the picture it was printed in bold letters "HELP THE YOUNG ONES LIVE IN THIS WORLD." She asked her mother what it was. Her mother stood near the picture and read out to her the description printed in small letters.

It read: This is a boy who has lived in this world for seven years but alas, who knows for how long he will survive. He has a heart disease, and might die of it because he has nobody to help him. Your help will save his life, and not only his life, there are thousands of them all over the world. Give generously and help them live a happy life.

Mother looked down at Sabira and Sabira looked back with a blank look in her eyes. Her mother took Sabira's hand and on they went. They entered the shop and there, ahead of her, in the glass case, Sabira could see her beloved doll. Her green eyes to seemed to gleam and Sabira stared at it. Above the glass case, there was the picture of that pale boy on the wall. Sabira's looks went from the doll to the picture and back from the picture to the doll.

She went over to the doll. A woman took out the doll and showed It to her. She held the beautiful doll in her hands. Her eyes closed for a whle as she held it in her hands, she opened them again and gave the doll back to the assisstant, shaking her head. She then went over to the woman standing near the picture of the pale boy. She asked the woman, "Are there many boys and girls who have a right to live but cannot live?" "Yes, thousands of them", said the kind lady. 'Thousands of them. Many of them your age. All they need is generous donation from all and remembrance in your prayers and they will be happy."

Sabira turned to her motber, with tears in her eyes, "Mummy, may I have my purse." Mummy gave it to her and she took out all her savings and gave them to the lady saying. "I do not need the doll as much as the boys and girts need their lives. I shall save up again for the doll."

The lady said: "May God bless you, dear child." Her mother was very pleased with Sabira and she at once took her into her arms and said, "What a nice daughter I have."