My online buddy, Abdulhady Fahmy, from over at Multiply (a social site) sent me this:



Rabee'ah narrates:

It was the habit of the Prophet, peace be on him, that if someone did him a good turn, he loved to repay that person with something more excellent. He wanted to do something for me too in return for my service to him. So one day he came up to me and said: 'O Rabee'ah ibn Ka'b.' 'Labbayk ya rasulullah wa Sadaik - At your command, O Messenger of God and may God grant you happiness,' I responded. 'Ask of me anything and I will give it to you.' ..

I thought a little and then said: 'Give me some time, O Messenger of God, to think about what I should ask of you. Then I will let you know.' He agreed.

At that time, I was a young man and poor. I had neither family, nor wealth, nor place of abode. I used to shelter in the Suffah of the mosque with other poor Muslims like myself. People used to call us the "guests of Islam". Whenever any Muslim brought so mething in charity to the Prophet, he would send it all to us. And if someone gave him a gift he would take some of it and leave the rest for us.

So, it occurred to me to ask the Prophet for some worldly good that would save me from poverty and make me like others who had wealth, wife and children. Soon, however, I said: 'May you perish Rabee'ah. The world is temporary and will pass away. You have your share of sustenance in it which God has guaranteed and which must come to you. The Prophet, peace be on him, has a place with his Lord and no request would be refused him. Request him therefore, to ask Allah to grant you something of the bounty of the hereafter.'

I felt pleased and satisfied with this thought. I went to the Prophet and he asked: 'What do you say, O Rabee'ah?' 'O Messenger of God,' I said, 'I ask you to beseech God most High on my behalf to make me your companion in Paradise.'

'Who has advised you thus?' asked the Prophet.

'No by God,' I said, 'No one has advise me. But when you told me 'Ask of me anything and I will give to you,' I thought of asking you for something of the goodness of this world. But before long, I was guided to choose what is permanent and lasting agains t what is temporary and perishable. And so I have asked you to beseech God on my behalf that I may be your companion in Paradise.'

The Prophet remained silent for a long while and then asked: 'Any other request besides that, Rabi'ah?' 'No, O Messenger of God, Nothing can match what I have asked you.' 'Then, in that case, assist me for your sake by performing much prostration to God.'

So I began to exert myself in worship in order to attain the good fortune of being with the Prophet in Paradise just as I had the good fortune of being in his service and being his companion in this world.

"Thank You Beth For Sharing This Today"

Hi Beth,

            Great words of wisdom, even if from the ranks of Islam. For which I am reminded of a story I once heard, about an 18-wheeler that had come to an overpass it could not drive under. The driver called other drivers on the CB, had the local Sherriff and Highway Patrol, and the gazing eyes of thousands of other drivers who went by merrily in their automobiles.

            The trailor was only two inches too high for the overpass, but to attempt to drive under would destroy his trailor and the load inside. This driver was at his wits end as to what to do to get his truck and trailor under the overpass and be on his way. No one else had an answer either.

            Then a young boy of 7 or 8 years of age came by, saw the situation and inquired as to why the driver was stalled. They told him about the trailor being only 2 inches too high. Then the boy said, "Hey why don't you let some of the air out of the tires, drive under, then stop and re-inflate them"?

           At first, evceryone was astounded at the smart advice coming from this young boy. But the driver in his arrogance replied, "Go on you stupid little boy. Are you really crazy enough to think that would work? Why, it could ruin my tires? Go, get out of here"!

           You would think that the boy's feelings might have been hurt, but no. He smiled and said, "OK, have a good day." Then got on his bike and drove away. After the boy was gone and out of sight, the driver let some of the air out of his tires, drove under the overpass, then used a pump to re-inflate the tires.

           The moral of this story is; Never ignore good advice, no matter where it comes from.

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           Back to your story about the prophet: It would be nice if ALL Muslims were like him, but at the same time it would also be nice if America did not have extremist fundamentalist Christianity which in many peoples' view is just as dangerous as Al-Quaeda and HezBollah. So my message here to all of you is one of peace, prosperity and long life, no matter who you worship.

         Your Friend,

Benton Middleton, Independant Ecopreneur