The Virtues Series: Episode 17 "Best way to Give"

Safiya's eyes widened as she saw what her mum was packing for the visitors. She had taken from the Beverages in the store, took almost half the carton of the drinks they just got and she was approaching the fridge for the fruits next...

Nooo! Not the strawberries please! Safiya thought out loud.
Huh? Her mother turned, surprised to see that safiya was in the kitchen.

How long have you been here for? She asked.

Um, not long but just in time to Save our strawberries...whoa! Mum you would give mother Theresa a run for her money!

Haha! Come on, its not much.. this is the very least i could do...

Yea okay, but please not those ones, i really love strawberries...

That means i should take all of them! Her mum said, teasingly.

Mmm...safiya stood by with a fake sad face, not knowing how else to dissuade her mum from giving out her favorite fruit..

Just kidding! Her mother said poking her a little bit as she giggled.

But really, do you realize just how much Allah has blessed us safiya? When you have more than what you need it's a huge blessing, because for one thing you can fulfill your needs and second, you can fulfill the needs of others...

That's right...safiya said, thoughtfully.

And you know i read somewhere...that those who give in spite of their love for something, and out of love for Allah, are going to be rewarded greatly...

Yes subhanAllah, that's in surah Al insaan. I remember. Safiya added.

Mmm but you know how much i love strawberries though.

"Yes..." Her mum replied, not sure what safiya was about to say.

I think you should give them all of mine!

"Ma sha Allah! Someone is already seeking the countenance of Her Lord..." May Allah reward you and accept it from you...

But...I'll just take half of it..I pray that Allah gives you your reward in full for your intentions.

***

There is no loss when you give for the sake of Allah, there is only gain...and the best way to give, is to give from what you love; for the love of Allah.
At times you may give and not receive thanks, or you may give anonymously and no one gets to find out about what you've given.
Just imagine though that each time you give, you are giving to Allah...whatever you do, no matter how little doesnt escape His sight...so it doesn't even matter whether or not you receive acknowledgement or gratitude from people...give joyfully from the things you love, for the pleasure and mercy of Allah

The Virtues Series: Episode 16 "Big, Small or Not at All"

"Assalamu Alaikum mummy, do you know what happened at school today?"

"Wa Alaikumussalam wa rahmatullaah love, noo what happened??" I replied. Anxious to hear what my daughter had to share of her daily school stories.

"You know my friends, hajara & bint?"

"Yea..."

Today they told reallyyy big lies to our Ustadh. She said, spreading her palms apart to illustrate how big they were.

And I just told a small one, she added. Putting her two fingers together. Pleased with the size difference.

"Oh SubhanAllah! What lie did you tell? I said, creasing my forehead in disapproval.

"Umm.." Her voice started to crack, realizing I wasn't impressed.

"We were told to memorize the 30 Ayats of Surah Mulk...and I only memorized 29, but I told Ustadh that i memorized all 30"

"Hmm..."

"But hajara & bint...they both memorized only 10 & they also said they memorized 30..."

"No now, I didn't ask you about Hajara & Bint...but you really should have just told the truth...29, is really quite close to 30...but it isn't 30..."

"You know what? Think about this example...

If i had two cups of tea, and put just a little spoon of dirt in one and a big spoon of dirt in the other...which one would you take??"

"None mummy! I don't want dirt in my tea!"

"Exactly...not if you have a choice ..and in this case you do! You can choose not to take either of the two, just like you could've chosen to tell neither a big lie or a small lie but the plain truth!"

"Do you Remember what i told you the other day about truthfulness..."

"Yes! Truthfulness leads to Righteousness and Righteousness leads to Jannah..."

"What about lying?"

"Lying leads to falsehood and falsehood leads to Hell..."

"So you see, it's like taking small steps, while others take big ones...it doesn't matter the size if it's all towards the same direction, may Allah protect us!"

"Astaghfirullah (may Allah forgive me)  i think I'll need to tell Ustadh the truth...I really want to go to Jannah.."

"Bi idhnillah if we all continue with truthfulness we would go there.."

"In sha Allaah!" She replied. With renewed excitement.

****

I watched her run off to write herself a reminder on one of her sticky notes.
She really didn't want to forget to right her wrong when she meets her Ustadh (teacher) the next day.

"Remember to share the advice with your friends okay?"

"Sure in sha Allah!" She answered.

I couldn't help but admire her innocence as a child and the purity of her heart. We could only hope for such with all the mistakes and wrongs we have gathered.

How many times have we trivialized a wrongdoing just because others are doing worse, how many times have we felt better off with our little efforts while comparing ourselves with others. It's easier to accumulate little mistakes than big ones because you keep seeing them as nothing till they became a pile of wrong deeds.

When it comes to bad deeds we must never look at those who are ahead of us to feel better, rather we should look at those who are ahead of us in good deeds so as to strive towards emulating them and becoming better as well.

That is why it is said that, the ones among us who would be saved and not be at a loss are those who are the Saalihaat (those who constantly fix themselves i.e through those good deeds that seem trivial, avoiding what we know as wrong even if they seem little, through seeking forgiveness, correcting their mistakes, encouraging others towards good and more..)

They are the ones, who's hearts will be pure, they are ones who will return to Allah pleased and having pleased Him.

May we be among them ya Allah. Aameen.