A WAY TO FAITH

"A WAY TO FAITH"
BY MAHA IQBAL

    Ashar, the only child to Mehak and Wajahat had everything that one can desire, a luxurious house, cars, servants, properties, and well-established businesses. They fulfilled all of his desires what he just thought of. One may say, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up in a status-conscious environment where he was always taught the importance of money and high status and to make friends as rich as him or more, but somewhere in Ashar’s heart there was always a place of simplicity and humanity.

    Ashar was living a desirable life. He enjoyed every moment of his life. It was usual for him to attend Parties, foreign tours, random visits to northern and almost all enchanting areas of Pakistan. His life was free from any worry and fear. As his parents themselves always realized the value of money and high status, he often felt arrogant for what he had. He knew that everyone wanted to be his friend because of his status and money.

    He had a large circle of friends. He was aware of the fact that everyone who wants to be with him and loves or respects him was just because of his status and wealth as he observed it many times. He never met a person who wanted or loves him without his money.  He thinks that everyone who struggles, prays, and helps others, is just a show-off and is verily for money and to attain a good name or status in society.

    So, he, now strongly believes that with money, anything can be bought. That’s why whenever his friend Akbar, who often tries to convince him that money and high status is not everything and asks him to offer prayers, he often replied, “why do people offer prayers, I think everyone offers it when he/she is in trouble and want to get a job, money, house, etc. and Allah has already blessed me with everything so why should I offer it?” Akbar always tries to make him understand that with money you can buy only those things that “your body needs and which will only give you worldly happiness” but it’s only the Prayers and Faith which will purify your soul and can bless you with contentment.

    Though, apparently, he never paid heed to what Akbar said, he himself somehow often feels that it’s just temporary happiness, not contentment, for what he often carves for. Apart from such blessings, he sometimes feels incomplete. He often questioned himself that what is missing in his life, why he is in the world. He often offered prayers and asked Allah to get him out of this trauma and it is said that when one wholeheartedly wants to know himself and purify his soul, then Allah also helps him/her.

    After few weeks, when he was traveling to a northern area, his car suddenly broke down on the way and he had to travel by bus because his friends were waiting for him there. On the bus, he hears a man named Bashir, talking about his sick daughter and that he is going to a nearby village where a noble and pious man, Mati Ullah lives.

    Bashir said, he’ll ask Mati Ullah to pray for my daughter’s health. When Ashar hears this, he turns around and said to the man, “your daughter is sick, she needs a doctor, why are you taking her there?” He offers him money by saying you also have to pay him money and says who knows his prayers bear fruit or not, take this money and take your daughter to the best hospital.

   

   Bashir refuses to take the money and replies that he has enough money for his daughter’s treatment but sometimes a person is just treated with the prayers, not with the money. And Mati Ullah is really a pious man. He never asked anyone for money, in fact, if someone offered it, he refused to take it. By hearing this, Ashar replies, it is impossible that a man doesn’t take money or any kind of work but Bashir says that for a person who has a firm Faith in Allah, money doesn’t matter for him. Ashar, hesitatingly tries to ask him, “what is faith?” but meanwhile the bus stops in front of the village where the man has to go and the man gets off the bus and leaves.

    After a day, Ashar goes to the same village to meet Mati Ullah but still, he had a question in his mind that how a man can live without money. He reaches the village. The village was small and simple having no modern facilities but still, people were living a humble and simple life there. To see the piety, simplicity, and humbleness of Mati Ullah, he announces to distribute the food to all villagers.

    All the villagers come and take more than their need but one man comes and takes only 4 packets and leaves the place. Ashar follows him and asks his name and says why did you just take four packets while all the villagers took more, they need? He replies, “My name is Mati Ullah and I have one wife and two children so these four packets are enough for us, I don’t need more than it”.

    Ashar looks surprised and says to Mati Ullah but sir this is only a one-time meal, hardly sufficient for lunch, what’ll you do at night? By hearing this, Mati Ullah says, “My son, he who can give me food now has the power to give me dinner too.” Ashar feels strange and thinks how a man can be so contented and satisfied while having nothing. Ashar follows him and couldn’t believe what he just saw. Mati Ullah’s house was really so small and it seems that he has nothing in his house except a one-time meal. Ashar goes near to the house and listens to Mati Ullah’s conversation with his wife that they are in need of money for the marriage of their daughter but they say, they have Faith in Allah.

    So Ashar again thinks to test him and puts some money on Mati Ullah’s way and leaves the village for a week. After a week, he goes to the village and asks people if they found a bag. The villagers tell him that Mati Ullah has it because he was asking about everyone and he has been waiting for you for many days. “Waiting for me? But why?”, Ashar asks. The villagers reply because he knows that it must have belonged to you because in our village no one has much money.

    

    Ashar goes to Mati Ullah. Mati Ullah seeing him say “Shukar Alhumdulillah”, greets him, and gives him all of his money. Ashar counts it. There was not a single rupee less in the money. Ashar surprisingly asks him, “Sir! you were in dire need of money and no one saw you picking up the money then why didn’t you use it? Mati Ullah smiles and says that “My son, I know no one saw me picking up the money but Allah was there and He is everywhere indeed”. My son, I never ask Allah to bless me with so much I always prayed for as much as I needed to because I can’t bear the burden of it.

    But all want to earn more and more money, Ashar said. Mati Ullah smiles and says, “My son, a person starts recognizing himself and the reality of the world, he never runs after worldly desires. I know with this money I could buy the things which I needed as all people do, but it would deprive me to achieve contentment and the consent of Allah.”

    He further says when a person tries to know himself with an unfeigned heart, the doors of all wisdoms begin to open on him and the reality of the world and its never-ending desires begin to reveal on him and then he realizes that this world and its desires are nothing except a deception. My son remembers one thing “With money a man can fulfill all of his desires and can do whatever he wants to but he can’t by the satisfaction and peace of heart. But with the power of Faith though a man gets a few his necessities, he remains satisfied and content because he believes that Allah does what is the best for him”.

    Ashar by hearing these bursts into tears and says sorry to Mati Ullah that he was wrong. It is true that still there are many pious and Allah-fearing people in the world like you who truly believe in Allah. He says to Mati Ullah that each of your words is true and soothing. With money, I got whatever I wanted to without any struggle and difficulty but it never gave me such satisfaction. Now Ashar gets his answer and all of his doubts get cleared.

    He becomes aware of the fact that the Firm Faith is everything. He says to Mati Ullah that “It is the result of your Faith and Prayers that Allah has sent me there to bless me with righteous path and for your help. He requested Mati Ullah to keep this money as a gift for a sister from his brother. He stays in the village till the marriage of Mati Ullah’s daughter and there in the company of Mati Ullah he learns the true meaning of life. After attending the marriage, Ashar says thanks to Mati Ullah wholeheartedly by saying now I am feeling as light as a feather and returns to his home by promising himself to live a new and real life.