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IN SHA' ALLAH
by Amina Cisse Muhammad
It’s a funny thing the places where we can find valuable lessons being taught or reinforced.
Recently, I was reading a library book by the name of Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss to my daughter, and it made me think so much about an article that I'd been meaning to write that I finally sat down and started writing.
The book is available in the children's section of most public libraries; however, for those of you who may not be so inspired as to actually look for it to read, it is about Horton the elephant who is convinced by a lazy, ungrateful bird by the name of Mayzie to sit on the egg she has recently laid in her nest so that she might take a break. She promises Horton that she'll be right back, and even though initially Horton thinks it is quite a ridiculous request that he, as huge as he is, could actually climb a tree to sit on a tiny egg, being the kind of kind, considerate, helpful elephant that he is, he finally consents to helping her out, trusting that she'll keep her word.
"Very well," said the elephant, "since you insist... You want a vacation. Go fly off and take it. I'll sit on your egg and I'll try not to break it. I'll stay and be faithful. I mean what I say."
On the other hand, Mayzie has quite other things in mind... "But, Mayzie, by this time, was far beyond reach. Enjoying the sunshine way off in Palm Beach, and having such fun, such a wonderful rest, decided she'd never go back to her nest."
That night, Horton sits on the egg through a terrible thunderstorm. The summer soon passes, autumn comes and goes, and soon it is winter: "With its snow and sleet, icicles hung from Horton's trunk and his feet."
"But Horton kept sitting, and said with a sneeze, I'll stay on this egg and I won't let it freeze. I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one hundred percent!"
When spring rolls around, all of Horton's friends come to get him to play. They taunt and tease him, saying that he thinks he's a bird...
"They laugh and they laugh; then they all run away. And Horton was lonely… He wanted to play. But he sat on the egg and continued to say: "I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one hundred percent."
Then, fate has it that three hunters sneak up on him, but Horton maintains his post – even in the face of their intimidating weapons. Thinking him quite odd, they decide to spare his life but cart him off to a traveling circus instead in a faraway land where he becomes quite a popular spectacle and brings in quite a sum of money for the circus owners.
One day, believe it or not, Horton and his egg that he has been faithfully guarding end up in Palm Beach and who, of all birds, passes by but Lazy Mayzie. Before Horton can begin to admonish her, the egg that he's been sitting on for 51 whole weeks starts to hatch. And Mayzie, being the lazy and ungrateful bird that she is, actually tries to reclaim the egg. But, fate won't have that and when the egg hatches, it has ears, a tail, and a trunk just like Horton's. It is an elephant-bird. The audience cheers, and they send Horton and his new baby back to his faraway home.
Does Mayzie remind you of anyone you know? Have you ever had to deal with someone who doesn't do any work, but enjoys taking the credit and rewards for others’ work?
More importantly, how many lessons from Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) can you find reinforced in this simple children's story – incidentally, written by a non-Muslim author?
It seems like most of us could learn a thing or two from Horton's faithfulness, steadfastness, and sincerity. I see at least two valuable lessons reinforced in this story. Allah's lessons are everywhere for those who choose to see them.
Lesson One:
Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur'an, Sura Kahf, Ayats 23-24: "And do not say of anything, 'I will do that tomorrow,’ without adding, ‘If Allah wills.’ And remember your Lord when you forget, and say: May Allah guide me and bring me the truth.”
In today’s world, I often find the flipside of this injunction to be the case. How many times do we, without the slightest sincere intention in our hearts to comply, respond to someone’s request for a commitment or some kind of action on our part by saying, "In sha' Allah?"
And chances are in those instances that nothing, or perhaps quite the opposite of what we are asked to do, gets done. We answer, "In sha' Allah," instead of being honest and straightforward with people, or instead of making a real effort to honor their requests.
If we know when we are asked to do something or to give something that we are not inclined to do so, isn’t it so much more honorable, and hence pleasing to Allah, to simply say that we are unable or do not wish to comply?
It is so helpful to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes in such instances: how do we feel when people do not honor their commitments to us?
A Muslim's word should be his bond. Truly it is in Allah's hands that anything happens, and truly we should not commit to anything without remembering and uttering that it is only by the decree of Allah that a thing happens. But “In sha’ Allah” should not be an easy way out of and “Ma sha’ Allah” the excuse for what we don’t have the slightest intention to even try to do.
The Believer is faithful, reliable, and trustworthy, and honors his/her covenants. In Surat ul Maida (5), Ayat 1, Allah says, “O ye who believe! Fulfill your obligations and covenants.” Again, in Surat ul Mu’minoon (23), Ayat 8, we find one of the characteristics of the Believers: “Those who faithfully observe their trusts and covenants.” Employing the use of a dictionary, we find to be faithful is to be true to ones word, loyal.
We all should take a moment and reflect, during this splendid month of Ramadan when reflection and contemplation are even more amply rewarded, and ask ourselves whether we can honestly say that we are Muslims who are true to our word. If asked, could most of our acquaintances say that they know us as striving to be faithful, loyal, reliable and trustworthy?
Lesson Two:
The second lesson that I was reminded of by Horton’s faithfulness and the reward that he received at the end of the story is Allah’s promise to reward the sacrifices we make and the good deeds that we perform for the sake of Allah. In Surat ul Qasas (28), Ayat 84, Allah says, “If any does good, the reward to him is better than his deed.” In Surat ul Ankabut (29), Ayat 7: “Those who believe and work righteous deeds, from them shall we blot out all evil, and we shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.” In Surat ul Zumar (39), Ayat 10: “Say: ‘O ye My servants who believe! Fear your Lord. Good is the reward for those who do good in this world. Spacious is Allah’s earth! Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!” and again, in ayats 34 and 35: “They (the righteous) shall have all that they wish for, in the presence of their Lord. Such is the reward for those who do good… Allah will turn off from them the worst in their deeds and give them their reward according to the best of what they have done.” And, in Surat ul Rahman (55), Ayat 60, Allah exhorts us to perform good deeds and to consider, "Is there any reward for good other than good?"
How easily do we forget Allah's promise, or become weary and impatient in the face of trials and adversity? Yet, we read in one of the passages quoted above, "Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure." Did Horton even anticipate that he would end up with a companion that was all his own and resembled him, and held him in the high regard that the newborn infant holds its mother?
How many times has Allah showered His blessings upon us when we least expected, and in far greater abundance than we could have ever deserved? Truly, Allah is the Greatest and we are blessed to have been chosen to practice His Deen.
Now, whom would you prefer to emulate, Horton or Lazy Mayzie? Quite a thought-provoking consideration.
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