Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 110
110 pray that she might be admitted to heaven when her time came to depart this life. The Prophet said: “There will be no old women in heaven. ” Distressed, the old lady began to bewail her fate. The Prophet hastened to explain that what he had meant was that there would be no question of age, of old or young in heaven; all would be alike. He comforted her till she was restored to cheerfulness. On one occasion he challenged Ayesha to a race, which she won. A year or two later he challenged her again and this time he won. He laughed, saying, “Ayesha, we have come out even. ” Ayesha once confessed to him that she had suspected him of an unfairness, but had soon found out that she was mistaken. He remarked, “Ayesha, there is a Satan inside every one of us, of whose promptings we should beware. ” “Is there a Satan inside you also?” she rejoined. “Yes,” he replied, “but he has accepted submission. ” One day he happened to pass near a date-palm garden where some people were grafting trees. He inquired what they were doing, and when they explained the process he asked them why they did not do it another way. The following year these people complained that they had adopted his suggestion, but that the trees had yielded less fruit. “But I had merely made an inquiry from you,” he said. “You know more about these things than I do. You should have