Pleasant Stories & Anecdotes — Page 39
Pleasant Anecdotes—Virtuous Deeds Are Never Wasted 39 He said that once, in a gathering, a lamp containing oil diluted with water was burning at night. The oil and water began to quar- rel. The water addressed the oil and said: ‘You are heavier and dirtier than I, yet despite your thickness you float up above me. For I am a pure and refined substance that is used for cleansing purposes, but I still remain below you. Why is this so?’ The oil responded: ‘You have not experienced even minutely the degree of difficulty that I have endured. It is for this reason that I have attained this lofty position. There was a time when I was sown in the earth, I remained hidden and was humbled. Then, by the will of God I began to grow, and had not grown much before I was cut down. After great pains, I was then refined. Further still, I was ground in an oil press, whereafter I was transformed into oil and finally set aflame. After all this, was I not to attain a lofty position?’ The above-mentioned parable is an example which expounds that the people of God attain lofty ranks only after enduring trial and tribulation. (Malf ūzā t, vol. 1, p. 25–26) Virtuous Deeds are Never Wasted I remember once reading about an old fire-worshipper of ninety years of age in Tadhkiratul-Awliyā’. It so happened that in a period of extended showers, the man was feeding seeds to the birds on the roof of his house. A noble man approached him and said: ‘Old man, what are you doing?’ He responded: ‘Brother, the rain has