Birds

An observation of the way of thinking of those around us would make one conclusion certain: that each person is distressed about one thing or another. Each is engulfed in feeling of worry and self dismay. Life has become so hectic that the passing of months and years has become secondary. The desire for comfort and luxury has destroyed the identity of man.

Two hundred billion cells in the human mind, with all their and at each step of the way, bring our attention to the fact that this concocted life is a deadly poison, not just for the individual but for the entire human race. But man, the third aspect of the existence of Adam and Eve, does not heed the cries of his mind. It seems as if a seal has been set on the hearts and over the ears, and over the eyes is a covering. Why is this so? And why has mankind taken upon itself such torments? There is but answer to this question:

We have established the accumulation of

material wealth as the highest purpose of life.

We know that, like man, birds and mammals are also God's creature. They also have needs. They also get hungry and thirsty O mankind, have you ever wondered how the Provider arranges sustenance for such a large creation?

When a farmer collects his harvest, he tries to gather each morsel of grain. His intention is that not a single piece of grain remain on the ground, yet billions of God's creatures eat to their full and all their nutritional needs are met.

It is Allah's grace that, when a flock of birds dives towards the ground in search of seeds and grain, holding their necks and claws aligned with the force of gravity, before the birds actually reach the ground, their nutritional requirements have been created. Billions upon billions of birds are thus not dependent on resources like man.

How are the nutritional requirements of birds created before they even reach the ground? It is a secret, yet it is a fact which can always be observed by mankind. Beholder of insights into secrets and symbols, Allah's friend, Hadhrat Baba Taj-ud-Deen Nagpuri (rth) captures this fact so beautifully in a couplet! Baba Taj-ud-Deen(rth) " used 'Daas Maloka' as his pen name:

Baba Sahib (R.A) says that four-legged animals do not work for wages, nor do birds conduct commerce, yet it is Allah the Exalted who provides a living for all.

When a seal is set on hearts and ears, no advice is effective, yet what can one do,

["I have been commanded to announce, there is no god, but Allah."]

It is madness that, by sabotaging all values of society, man has considered material wealth the be-all and end-all of his existence. It is equally insane that,

Even though no one heeds our advice, we keep on admonishing.

Once, Prophet Jesus (a.s) was traveling for missionary work when a cleric (‘mullah’) approached him and said; “I would like to join you in your journey.”

Hadhrat Jesus(a.s) accepted his request. While on their way as the sun turned hotter and the ground began to scorch their feet. The two travellers stopped and sat under a tree and decided It was a good time to have their meal. The cleric had three pieces of bread before him, while Hadhrat Jesus (a.s) had only two. When the cleric saw that Hadhrat Jesus'" had only two pieces lit bread he at once hid his own meal, and said: "O Prophet, I am older in years than you; in comparison I am much weaker. We will need water with our meals. Would you inconvenience yourself and bring some please?"

When Hadhrat Jesus(a.s) went to fetch water, the cleric ate up one piece of bread. When both sat down to eat, Hadhrat Jesus(a.s) inquired, "Did you not have three pieces of bread?" The cleric replied, "No, you are mistaken." Hadhrat Jesus(a.s) remained quiet. After the meal, both lied down to rest. Hadhrat Jesus(a.s) so gathered three piles of sand and blew on them. All three turned into gold. When the cleric woke up, he saw the three piles of gold. With amazement, curiosity, and joyous excitement he asked, "O Prophet, to whom belong these piles of gold?"

Hadhrat Jesus (a.s) replied, "One is mine, one belongs to you, and the third is for the one who ate that third piece of bread."

The cleric responded at once that it was, he who had eaten that third piece of bread. Hadhrat Jesus (a.s) remarked that, "If you ate that piece of bread then two parts of gold are yours, while one part is mine." The cleric went on to say, "You are an honoured servant of Allah—a prophet. What use do you have of gold! Why not give that to me as well."

Hadhrat Jesus (a.s) replied, "If you end your journey with me here, then you may have the third portion as well." And so Hadhrat Jesus (a.s) got up and started to walk away. Jesus (a.s) was still within the view of the cleric when three men appeared and started to beat the cleric. The cleric lamented and complained all he could but the three men paid no heed. All three of them were robbers who were hiding from the law.

After much discussion and argument, it was decided that the three men would take two piles of gold, while the cleric will keep one. Additionally, the robbers set the condition that the cleric would fetch them food from the market, as they were sure he would not betray them because of the greed to collect his gold. Long story short, the cleric started towards the town to fetch food. Boiling with rage, the cleric kept thinking of how the three men had assumed their right on his wealth. He reasoned that they were cruel and ruthless and that it would be a travesty of justice to forgive them. So, after he had bought the food from the market, the cleric poisoned it. While on the other side, the three men conspired to kill the cleric upon his return. They reasoned that there were three piles of gold, so the three of them would make good and rightful owners without the cleric in the middle to spoil the distribution. Without the cleric, they could easily carry on the distribution in equal parts.

As soon as the cleric returned with the poisoned food, one of them killed him, and then the three sat down to eat. They had only taken a few bites when all three of them passed away.

The point under consideration is that the word "cleric" does not apply to any one individual. The Bible has mentioned this to point out a way of thinking of a worldly and greedy man, regardless of the society he belongs to.

Adoration of wealth is stamped on us so prominently that we have become living examples of the cleric. Each person is caught in the greed of this world. The outcome of this avarice has been presented in the story just narrated, and revealed to us like a motion picture. Is there anyone who will heed the warning!

["So lake a lesson, O ye who have eyes."]

(The Holy chiral) chapter 59: verse 2]