Pleasant Stories & Anecdotes — Page 52
52 Incidentally, the king seriously fell ill on the same day and died with the same illness. These are Godly interventions that humans cannot understand. (Malf ūzā t, vol. 8, p. 37) Death of a Beggar Decent death is bestowed on those who are always ready to die. It is a known well that Far i d-ud-D i n ‘Att a r (may Allah have mercy on him) was in the business of perfumery. One day early in the morning as he opened his shop, a beggar asked him for alms. He told the beggar that he had not made any money yet. The beg- gar said, ‘You are too engrossed in worldly affairs. How would you die?’ Far i d-ud-D i n replied, ‘The same way as you’. On hearing this, the beggar lied down and recited: ِ ّٰ ل َ اِلٰہ َ اِل َّ الل ُّٰ مُحَمَّد ٌ رَّسُوْل ُ الل [ l a -il a ha illall a h Mu h ammadur Ras u lull a h— There is none wor- thy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah] and passed away there and then. This incident deeply moved Far i d-ud-D i n. He immediately gave away all in his shop [to the needy] and spent the rest of his life in the remembrance of Allah. (Malf ūzā t, vol. 8, p. 51)