You read Suuratul Kahf every Friday, how then do you miss out on the remarkable life-changing story therein?
During the exploits of Kihidr and Muusa, “they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidh r restored it. [Moses] said, “If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment.”
-Sura Al-Kahf, Ayah 77
The Prophet Muusa was surprised by Khidr’s action; why would Khidr choose to mend a collapsing wall in a town that had just refused to offer them hospitality? Because Islam teaches us to reciprocate evil with good?
Because Khidr still hoped the people would change their minds? Because Khidr hoped for some reward from those people? Or maybe he just did it as a general act of kindness to humanity.
Well, nay! He did it for one reason; one special reason which Khidr would later reveal to Muusa saying:
“And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.”
-Sura Al-Kahf, Ayah 82
Here lies the big lesson,
“And their father had been righteous (while alive)”.
Khidr was sent to Mend a wall in a city filled with criminals just to protect the treasures of two boys – because their father had been a righteous man.
How rueful it is then, that we find parents who read these verses everyday but fail to ponder upon it; parents who – out of fear of what would become of their children – delve into prohibited acts ; parents who would rather amass wealth in unlawful ways to send their children to the biggest schools than strive to be contented with the little they have; if Allah could protect a man’s offspring after his death because he used to be righteous, do you not think that it pays better to stick with being righteous and hope Allah puts His blessing in the little you expend on raising your children?
What is expected of you as a parent is to strive to give your children the best – while exploring halal options – and to leave the rest to Allah; it is His responsibility to take care of them and protect them with whatever little you leave them with, so do not overburden yourself with what is not your responsibility by being overly concerned about what would become of your children – in such a way that this leads you to device prohibited means to amass wealth.
Lan Rey Hassan
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