Tales of the The Three Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!” The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. “I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!” The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they’ll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.”

Years passed and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain. The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. “Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!” the first tree said. The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. “Now I shall sail mighty waters!” thought the second tree. “I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!” The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me.” He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter’s shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold or with treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty ship was made that day. Instead, the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river. Instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. “What happened?” The once tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God…”

Many, many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. “I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. “This manger is beautiful,” she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand and said, “Peace.” The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the King of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.

That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

So the next time you feel down because you didn’t get what you want, just sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.“

I first read this story when I was on my first year of college. I decided to share this because this helped me cope up with everything I have to dealt as I entered into college and I didn’t get what I was hoping for. All my disappointments, frustrations and sorrows started to suffocate that breathing feels like a punishment from the heavens. I held this paper, read this story over and over again just to feel good and for once I could live my life and accept everything as it is as well as forget about my depression. This really helped me a lot and I hope anyone who could read this would feel enlightened too.

She looks like the real thing
She tastes like the real thing
My fake plastic love
But I can’t help the feeling
I could blow through the ceiling
If I just turn and run

…

If I could be who you wanted
If I could be who you wanted all the time

…

Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees

Is this how it looks for you…? is it…?

Hassan Al-Basari said:

“Imaan is neither formal conformity nor vain expectation; it is what settles in the heart and is confirmed by action.”

Abdullah Ibn Abi Shaybah, Al-Musannaf

فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

“….So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.”

18:110


 

This is in reference to the only type of deed that Allah will accept. The deed must be in accordance with the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and done solely for the Countenance of Allah. A doer cannot possibly fulfil both these conditions unless he has knowledge. If he does not know what has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), then he cannot intend that. If he is not knowldgeable of whom he worships, he cannot intend Him alone in his deeds. If it were not for knowledge, his deed could not be acceptable. It is knowledge that guides to sincerity and purity and it is knowledge that indicates what is the actual following of the way of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

Qouted by Ali al-Saalihi, Al Ad-dhau al-Muneer ala al-Tafseer

Imam Ghazali said.

“This world is a farm for the Heareafter. This world and religion need each other to integrate; rule and religion are twins; religion is the base and authority is the guardian. Anything without a base, will inevitably be ruined and anything without a guardian, inevitably will be lost. Rule and discipline must be aided by authority”

Ihya ‘Uloom ad-Deen vol.1 p.71, the book of Knowledge

“Seeking knowledge is in consecutive levels and ranks, it does not befit that they should be bypassed. Whoever bypasses them at once, then he has bypassed the path of the pious predecessors – may Allah have mercy on them. Whoever bypasses them intentionally will go astray and whoever bypasses them with sincere effort with fall into error. The first of knowledge is memorising the Book of Allah `azza wa jall and understanding it…”

- Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Jami’ Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Fadhlihi (2/166)
 
“As for seeking to memorise the Qur‘aan, then this is to be given preference over many of the things that the people consider to be knowledge, but are – in reality – either totally useless, or having little benefit. It is also to be given precedence in learning especially by those who wish to acquire knowledge of the Deen, its principles and its particulars. Since what is prescribed for such a person at this time is that he should begin by memorising the Qur‘aan, as it is the foundation of the branches of the knowledge of the Deen. This is contrary to what is done by many of the people of innovation from the non-Arabs and other than them, in that one of them will pre-occupy himself with superfluous parts of knowledge; such as kalaam (rhetorical speech) and argumentation; or very rare matters of differences; and blind-following; which there is no need for; or very strange and rare ahaadeeth, which are not established, nor of benefit; and many discussions which do not establish proofs. And he abandons memorising the Qur‘aan which is more important than all of this.”

-Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fataawaa al-Kubraa (2/54-55)

“I heard my grandfather say: I asked my father for permission to study under Qutaybah so he said: “First learn the Qur‘aan and then I will give you permission.” So I memorised the Qur‘aan by heart. So he said to me: “Remain until you have led the people in prayer with it (i.e for Taraaweeh Prayer).” So I did so, then after the ‘Eed he gave me permission, so I left for Marw.”

-Muhammad Ibn al-Fadl, reported by adh-Dhahabi in Tadhkirat ul-Huffaadh (2/722)

“So the first thing he should begin with is memorisation of the mighty Qur‘aan, which is the most important branches of knowledge. And the Salaf did not use to teach Hadeeth or Fiqh, except to one who memorised the Qur‘aan. So when he has memorised it, then let him beware of pre-occupying himself from it with Hadeeth, Fiqh or other things, to the extent that it leads him to forget anything of the Qur‘aan, or makes that likely.”

-al-Imaam an-Nawawi, from the introduction to al-Majmoo’ Sharh ul-Muhadhhab (1/38)

Ali Ra, was a true ascetic, amongst the bravest warriors, a man of chivalry, but what this ummah truly misses is his deep understanding of fiqh. It was due to this fact: Umar Ra would say لو لا علي هلك عمر  “If it was not for Ali; Umar would perish..” May Allah have mercy on both their Souls.
 
Shall I not tell you who the real faqeeh is?‘Ali bin Abi Taalib – may Allah be pleased with him – said:

“Shall I not tell you who the real faqeeh is? He is one who does not make people despair of Allah’s mercy, yet he does not give them concessions to disobey Allah. He does not make them feel safe from Allah’s plan and he does not leave the Qur’aan.

There is no good in worship that involves no efforts to gain fiqh, and there is no good in seeking fiqh without seeking a thorough understanding. And there is no good in reading without contemplating.”

- Al-Aajurri in Akhlaaq Al-’Ulamaa’ #45, Al-Khateeb in Al-Faqeeh wa Al-Mutafaqqih 2/338-339

‘Ali bin Abi Taalib – may Allah be pleased with him – said:

“Shall I not tell you who the real faqeeh is? He is one who does not make people despair of Allah’s mercy, yet he does not give them concessions to disobey Allah. He does not make them feel safe from Allah’s plan and he does not leave the Qur’aan.

There is no good in worship that involves no efforts to gain fiqh, and there is no good in seeking fiqh without seeking a thorough understanding. And there is no good in reading without contemplating.”

- Al-Aajurri in Akhlaaq Al-’Ulamaa’ #45, Al-Khateeb in Al-Faqeeh wa Al-Mutafaqqih 2/338-339

During the Calpihate of Abu Bakr; who had appointed Khalid bin Waleed as the commander of the muslim army that was conquering Iraq….. (the below is extracted from the: The biography of Abu Bakr As-Sideeq. By As-Sallaabe.)

During one of the said raids, two Muslims, who were staying among the natives of Iraq, were killed. The two men had embraced Islam and had with them a letter that guaranteed their safety, and that letter was from none other than Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq Ra. Muslim soldiers didn’t know about the letter, and so they killed the two men, not knowing that they were Muslims. When Abu Bar Ra found out about what had happended to the two men, he paid blood money to their relatives, but he also sent a clear message to Muslims who lived among non-muslims, particularly non-Muslims that were at war with Muslims. He Ra said, “And that is what people who live with the enemy in their lands get.” Or in other words, it was not the Muslim amry that sinned by killing the two – since they didn’t know that they were Muslim – but instead it was the two men who were sinning by living in the enemy territory.”

Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah (6/356)

Last week I posted some one liners from Pascal. Here are some more quotations from “Human Happiness,” By Baise Pascal. I found his wisdom and understanding of the human condition so helpful.

“Reason never wholly overcomes imagination, while the contrary is quite common.”

“If our condition were truly happy we should not need to divert ourselves from thinking about it.”

“What causes inconstancy is the realization that present pleasures are false, together with the failure to realize that absent pleasures are vain.”

“Of true Justice. We no longer have any. If we had, we should not accept it as a rule of justice that one should follow the customs of one’s country. That is why we have found might when we could not find right.”

“Man must not be allowed to believe that he is equal to animals or to angels, nor unaware of either, but he must know both.”

“We are so presumptuous that we should like to be known all over the world, even by people who will only come when we are no more. Such is our vanity that the good opinion of half a dozen of the people around us gives us pleasure and satisfaction.”

“On Contradictions. Contempt for our existence, dying for nothing hatred of our existence.”

“On Contradictions. Man is naturally credulous, incredulous, timid, bold.”

-r

What is it to be born free and not to live free?

— Henry David Thoreau, “Life Without Principle”

Are you fond of reading quotes?

Tune in to WORDBONER for a dose of humor filled quotes that will surely keep your mind running.

haha. LOL

“Money can be replaced but opportunities can’t” (Etta Manuel)

You eat until you are filled. But that feeling of being filled disappears. Is that life? You get money and you spend it. You get stuff but it wears down, things break, things get stolen, you cant take these things with you. Is that fulfillment? You lay with all the beautiful women and men? Is that happiness? Illusions and Mirages. Or is there something greater? That Greater is Charity, that Greater is dropping positive seeds and making the world better! Leave a Legacy! Make a Difference!!

GIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

www.getoutthebox.org

http://www.getoutthebox.org/

“A nonprofit for at-risk youth”

From Week 11: Recovering a Sense of Autonomy

“To kill your dreams because they are irresponsible is to be irresponsible to yourself. Credibility lies with you and God–not with a vote of your friends and acquaintances.”

“Creativity is oxygen for our souls.”

Ultimately, I’m looking for someone I can talk to about anything and everything, who I don’t have to filter myself around, someone I can cry in front of or tell my biggest fears or most embarrassing secrets, someone who I know isn’t judging me, and who, in return, will open up to me. There’s plenty that goes on in my head that I don’t share with even my closest friends; as revealing as I may be about my sex life, I’m actually fairly private about quite a bit. It’s rare to find someone I can truly let go with, but that’s what I want in the future: someone who lets me be me.