The Man who Stole a Snake A thief once stole a snake from a snake-catcher, and in his folly accounted it a rich prize. The snake-catcher escaped from the bite of the snake; the man who had stolen his snake was killed by it most miserably. The snake-catcher saw him, and recognized him. 'Well, well,' he remarked. 'My snake has robbed him of life. My soul was begging and beseeching God that I might find the thief and take my snake back from him. Thanks be to God that my prayer was rejected. I supposed it to be a loss, and it turned out a gain.' Though we may desire differently than what we have been ordained with and given in life, Allah (swt) is the Ultimate Planner, and Knows what is best and better for ourselves in the longterm. We do not know what bigger Plan Allah (swt) has made. The Striker and the Stricken A certain man struck Zaid on the neck. Zaid rushed at him to join issue with him. ‘I have a question to ask you,’ said the assailant. ‘Answer me first, and then hit me back. I struck the nape of you neck; there was a sound of a slap. Now I have a question to ask you in all sincerity. That sound of a slap – was it cause by my hand or by the nape of your neck, highly honoured sir?’ Zaid replied, ‘Because of the pain I have not the leisure to stand and reflect on this matter impartially. Since you have no pain, you do the pondering!’   Print this Page [Mainpage] [Dhikr] [Du'a] [Articles] [History] [Prayer] [Stories] Copyright © 1999-2006 Mutmainaa. All Rights Reserved. Kindly inform me of any typing errors or mistakes.