By Sarah Chana Radcliffe, M.Ed., C.Psych.Assoc.

Imagine being told that the humblest man in the world is coming over to visit you. You would expect him to knock very quietly on the door, entering with his head bowed, meekly shuffling to the chair in the corner of the room.

 It is essential to have an intention during the course of one’s studies because the intention is fundamental in all actions. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said, “All actions are based on intentions”. This is an authentic hadiths narrated from Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

Malik bin Dinar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports:
“I once passed a boy who was playing with clay. Sometimes the boy would smile and sometimes he would cry. I was about to offer Salaam to him, but my Nafs (soul) prohibited me from doing so out of arrogance. (In other words, he thought it was more befitting that the younger greets the elder, rather than vice versa). Eventually, I persuaded my nafs to offer his greetings to the younger”.

Source: Stories of the Pious by Shaikh Ahmad Ali/www.islamcan.com

Shaykh Fath al-Mowsily relates, once I saw a young boy walking through the jungle. It appeared asif he was uttering some words.I greeted him with Salaam and he replied accordingly. I inquired,

"Where are you going?" He retorted, "To the house of Allah (Makkah)."

Source: By www.islamcan.com

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

This is a story filled with lessons and warning, anyone who is in a high position of academic activity or in Tasawwuf or in any other service of Deen will derive benefit and guidance from it. They will learn that it is of utmost importance for one to avoid thinking of others as being inferior to him. They should always remember the advice of Shaykh Shahabuddin Suhrawardi (rah), the spiritual guide of Shaykh Saadi (rah): “Never become self-conceited and never look down upon anyone else.”

One sunny spring afternoon Nasrudin was sitting peacefully by the imposing North gate of Samarkand watching the colourful string of caravans following each other and followed in turn by the curious glances of the populace.

A stranger, an obviously rich merchant from Persia about to leave town, felt attracted by Hodja’s honest-looking turban and stopped his convoy to inquire about the dangers of travel.

A young woman teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small children that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they’re atheists too. Not really knowing what atheism is but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like fleshy fireworks. There is, however, one exception. A beautiful girl named Zainab has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. “Because I’m not an atheist.”