Bilal's Bedtime Stories (part Two)

The Learned Man and the Hungry Dog

Isphahan is a beautiful city in Persia. In this lovely city there once lived a very great learned man. He was also very poor. His name was Mohammad Baqar. Because he lived in tsphahan he is known as Mohammad Baqar - e - Isphahani which means Mohammad Baqar of Isphahan city.

Mohammad Baqar - e - Isphahani was poor and therefore he could not afford good food. He had no money to buy rich food. For many years he had been living on simple food. Once he felt like eating liver. Food made from liver is tasty and rich in strength. So he began to save money each day from his small earnings so that he could buy a pound of liver and thus satisfy his desire.

After many days he saved enough money to buy a pound of liver He was happy. He went to the bazaar and bought a nice piece of his favourite liver.

Feeling very very happy he was returning home from market with the parcel in his hands. On the way home, near a ruined house, he saw a bitch with her puppies. The dog with her young ones looked very hungry. Her stomach had gone deep inside. She was not able even to give milk to her little ones and feed them. The bitch and her puppies were also shivering from the cold climate.

Mohammad Baqar - e - Isphahani felt sorry for the poor animals. He went near them and stroked them kindly. Then he opened his parcel of liver and cut small pieces and then piece by piece fed them. The bitch while eating looked thankfully at Mohammad Baqar - e - Isphahani and then at the sky, as if she was thanking Allah for the favour and praying for the generous and kind man.

Having fed the animals Mohammad Baqar - e-Isphahani went home. Tired and hungry he slept that night shivering in the cold. But, somehow he felt happy.

Soon after this incident the learned man began to get rich. Gradually he became richer and richer until he was a millionaire. He became so rich that once when the King of Isphahan was in need of money, Mohammad Baqar - e - Isphahani gave him a loan of 20,000 dinars.

Moral: Kindness is never wasted.

The Five Loaves

Zarr Bin Hobeish relates this story. Two travellers sat together on the way to their destination to have a meal. One had five loaves of bread. The other had three. A third traveller was passing by and at the request of the two joined in the meal. The travellers cut each of the loaf of bread in three equal parts. Each of the travellers ate eight broken pieces of the loaf.

At the time of leaving the third traveller took out eight dirhams and gave to the first two men who had offered him the meal, and went away. On receiving the money the two travellers started quarelling as to who should have how much of the money.

The five-loaf-man demanded five dirhams. The three-ioaf-man insisted on dividing the money in two equal parts.

The dispute was brought to Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (the Caliph of the time in Arabia) to be decided. Imam Ali (a.s.) requested three-loaf-man to accept three dirhams. The man refused and said that he would take only four dirhams. At this Imam Ali (a.s.) returned, "You can have only one dirham. You had eight loaves between yourselves. Each loaf was broken in three parts. Therefore, you had 24 equal parts.

Your three loaves made nine parts. Out. of which you have eaten eight portions, leaving just one to the third traveller. Your friend had five loaves which divided into three made fifteen pieces. He ate eight pieces and gave seven pieces to the guest. As such the guest shared one part from your loaves and seven from those of your friend. So you should get one dirham and your friend should receive seven dirhams."

LIST OF BOOKS REFERRED TO:

The Holy Quran by Mir Ahmedali; Rehnumai Bahesht Part Five - Tehran; Payame Shadi 3-1;Qum Payame Shadi 3-9;Qurn Payame Shadi 4-2;Qum LIGHT - April 1975; Dar-es-Salaam. Golden Crescent Group Fifth Seminar Report - 1975;