The Moral Stories

Lessons From the Life of an Ant

Prophet Sulayman once was sitting on the bank of a lake deeply engrossed in the beauties of nature around and appreciating the various forms of Allah's creation on earth.

Suddenly the Prophet's attention was drawn towards an ant creeping forward with a grain of wheat in its mouth. As it reached near the water, a tortoise came out, opened its mouth and the ant crept into it. The tortoise closing its mouth disappeared under the water.

After a while, the tortoise again sprung out of the water and standing on the bank opened its mouth and the ant came out. But this time it had no grain of wheat in its mouth. The Prophet became anxious to know what had been happening under water.

On inquiring, the ant explained that at the bottom of the lake, there was a stone and underneath it there was another ant who was blind.

Allah had created it there and because of blindness, it could not move out. I have been appointed by Allah to provide its daily sustenance with the assistance of the tortoise. Hence I do perform this duty everyday.

Prophet Sulayman in response to his special prayer to Allah was granted kingdom and was given power over the forces of nature, over the Jinns and devils and the birds and other living creatures. He was also endowed with knowledge of their language hence his ability to speak to the ant.

Let us ponder over one thing. If a tiny creature like an ant living under a stone at the bottom of a sea is not denied its sustenance, why should man - the noblest of all creatures ever suspect loss of his sustenance from Almighty Allah.

Prophet Sulayman's subjects were of various types and they lived peacefully and co-operatively by his discipline, justice and good government. Jinns, men and the birds gathered in groups before him. On their long march out once they came to a lowly valley of ants.

This valley contained huge deposits of invaluable metals like gold, silver and precious stones. This precious place was guarded by Allah with extraordinary kinds and sizes of ants. On account of this, none could approach the place on foot nor mounted.

When the chief of the ants saw the pomp and the glory of the huge army of Sulayman approaching towards it in the air, it sounded the caution to all of its kind in the valley to get into their holes lest they get trampled down and crushed.

Prophet Sulayman smiled at the precaution taken by the ants and ordered his companions to wait until the ants went into their holes and to be careful not to cause any harm to the ants when passing through. He prayed to Allah to make him grateful for His favours and to do good deeds that please Him and to admit him among His righteous servants. Addressing the chief of the ants, the Prophet is reported to have said:

"How could my people hurt you and your like as they are floating in the air and don't you know that I am the apostle of Allah and would never act unfairly?"

The Chief of the ants replied:

"Oh apostle of Allah! My cautioning my flock was not for fear of hurt but to prevent them getting astray and forgetting the glory of Allah after seeing the glory of your army or your pomp and glamour and be tempted by them."

That even the humblest creatures of Allah like the ant is endowed with the necessary wisdom to live and protect its life is apparent from this. Besides one should not be overtaken by the glory of the worldly pomp of the rulers and kings as to forget the glory of the creator Allah that is what the ant teaches us.

On the other hand the prayer of Prophet Sulayman indicates his humility before Almighty Allah who had bestowed upon him control over the forces of nature.

That one should utilize God's bounties for righteousness and for good to others is also the lesson we derive. Despite all his possessions and glory as the king ruling over a vast empire and having control over various creatures, Prophet Sulayman used to fast the whole day, weave baskets and sell them. From the return of his own labour, he used to purchase loaves and eat them sitting along with the poor.

In one of his sermons in Nahjul Balagha, Imam Ali (A.S.) exhorts people to ponder over the power of Allah's creation and citing example of the creation of an ant he says:

"Had they pondered over the greatness of His power and the vastness of His bounty they would have returned to the right path and feared the punishment of the Fire; but hearts are sick and eyes are impure. Do they not see the small things He has created, how He strengthened their system and opened for them hearing and sight and made for them bones and skins? Look at the ant with its small body and delicate form.

It can hardly be seen in the corner of the eye, nor by the perception of the imagination - how it moves on the earth and leaps at its livelihood. It carries the grain to its hole and deposits it in its place of stay. It collects during the summer for its winter, and during strength for the period of its weakness.

Its livelihood is guaranteed, and it is fed according to fitness. Allah, the Kind, does not forget it and (Allah the Giver) does not deprive it, even though it may be in dry stone or fixed rocks.

If you have thought about its digestive tracts in its high and low parts, the carapace of its belly, and its eyes and its ears in its head you would be amazed at its creation and you would feel difficulty in describing it. Exalted is He who made it stand on its legs and erected it on its pillars (of limbs).

No other originator took part with Him in its origination and no one having power assisted Him in its creation. If you tread on the paths of your imagination and reach its extremity it will not lead you anywhere except that the Originator of the ant is the same as He who is the Originator of the date-palm, because everything has (the same) delicacy and detail, and every living being has little difference."

Ghulamhusein and The Game of Chance

Ghulamhusein was a popular social figure and a keen host of guests coming to him from distant lands. He lived in Moshi, a beautiful small town at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

He was generous and hospitable to one and all. One of his hobbies during leisure hours particularly on Saturdays and Sundays was to play the game of cards with his friends. For hours they used to get together where they enjoyed the game. It was not with the aim of gambling but rather just for pleasure and pass time.

Once in the midst of a lively game of cards, his servant came to inform him that a guest of his was seriously ill at the guest house and needed his immediate attention. He sent the servant back saying he would come soon.

But he was so much engrossed in the game of cards that he did not feel inclined to withdraw from it. So he continued to play with keen interest. After a while, his servant came again to report that the condition of the guest was deteriorating and needed his urgent attention as there was no one else to attend.

But Ghulamhusein was so deeply engrossed in the game that he did not want to be disturbed. As such, again he sent the servant back promising to come soon.

By the time he could be free from the very mind-captivating game of cards, the servant came for the third time. But this time he reported that the guest of. his - a poor traveller from distant lands - had already died. This news gave a shock of his life to Ghulamhusein.

It convinced him of the evil and harmful effect of such an indoor game. There and there he vowed never to indulge himself in such a game.

Is this not an eye-opening example of an intoxicating and mentally distracting game of cards, commonly played today either as a pass-time or for gambling purposes? Perhaps it also explains the philosophy behind absolute Islamic forbidance to play or watch such a game, even without the chance of gaining or losing money. It is meant to be a prevention rather than cure lest man is one day tempted to use the game for gambling purposes.

But why do people become interested in such games of chance, be it cards, billiard ball or chess at casinos and gambling dens? A number of reasons could be put forward for this.

A mentally active young man happens to look for a time-pass, away from his usual home or office environment, and, he is misled to believe that a casino or a billiard club is the best place for this. Or it is possible that he is tempted by a friend for his company to play a game.

But more than that, it is the greed and temptation of an easy and quick chance of making money by gambling. Again he is misled to believe that he is lagging behind whilst his friend and relatives mint millions of easy money in the gambling dens.

A gambler often spends hours at the gambling dens at the expense of his valuable time for his other moral and religious duties towards his God and family. Should he lose in one game of chance, he is tempted to play again and again till he recoveres his loss. Should he win and make some money, he is again tempted to play in order to double and treble his day's easy earning from the game of chance.

Thus, the mind of a gambler becomes currupt and his aim of life revolves round money. His goal of life ultimately is to mint money, more and more. His mind is so much distracted that he is no more able to concentrate in his normal job or studies. In the temptation of making more or easy money, his heart is all the time drawn and attached to the gambling table.

And when the tide turns against him and he incurs losses after losses in the gambling business, the time comes when he is obliged to dispose off his personal belongings to pay off the debts. The family life at home becomes disrupted as a result and he is then detested and looked down upon by the society and his own family members.

Islam which has come as a total code of life for man, has condemned and forbidden every game of chance. The following ayats of the holy Qura'n are a good guidance.

"They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the communications, that you may ponder" (2:219)

Ithm as used in the Qura'n is interpreted as that sinful condition in the human intellect and soul whereby he is distracted and kept away from reaching acts of goodness and perfection. Therefore, what it means is that drinks and gambling - two of the major sins in Islam - as the source of great harm to human body and soul.

"The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist?" (5:91) It is quite evident from the above verses of Holy Qura'n that the enmity and hatred in addition to distraction from the rememberance of Allah and prayers results from gambling and drinking.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and his progency have strongly condemned the games of chance.

Imam Radha (a.s.) has said:

"Allah has described gambling as a filthy and impure act of Satan and has warned people to keep away from it"

Can a wise man and a true Muslim ever think of going near to Satanic games of chance and take the risk of ruining his life? Certainly not!!