لطفا منتظر باشید ...
The Merciless Enemy
Imam Hasan (A.S.) had just arrived
home.
He was tired
and intended to rest.
Just then,
a man knocked on the door.
He asked permission and came in.
He greeted the Imam with
his salam and sat down.
Imam Hasan
returned his salam.
treated him respectfully and asked
him how he was.
The man
sat very still.
It was clear that
he had something in his mind,
but was embarrassed to speak about
it.
Imam looked at his
face and became sad.
He knew that
the man had a problem.
Patiently he waited for the man
to tell him his troubles.
The
man sighed" O son of the Prophet."
he said at last, I have
come to you to seek refuge from
an enemy, A cruel,
dangerous.
merciless enemy.
An
enemy that neither shows
respect to the aged.
nor mercy
to the young.
This powerful
and cruel enemy has blackened my
days.
My life is a misery
and I am helpless.
0 son of the
Prophet Heed my call and save me"
Imam Hasan (A.S.) had been
listening closely to the man's
words.
He had become s!) affected
that he was trembling.
He
leaned forward and said.
"Who is
your enemy? Whoever he
is I will help you against him.
I am a Muslim and a Muslim
must defend his oppressed brothers
and obtain for them their
rights.
Tell me who your enemy
is."
"My enemy," said the man ,who was
so embarrassed that
his face had become red "is poverty"
This is my enemy who
neither respects the elderly, nor
shows mercy to the young.
O son of the Prophet, I am not
a lazy man, I work hard, but I
cannot meet my expenses.
Problems
have put me in distress.
I am empty-handed and in debt.
You are from a noble and
generous family, will you deliver
me from this appalling
situation?"
Imam Hasan had become very sad
listening to the man's
problems.
"Whatever money we have
in the house," he said
to his servant, bring it to me"
The servant put all the gold pieces
that were in the house
into a large purse and brought
it to Imam Hasan.
Imam gave
it to the man and, so as to cheer
him up, he apologized that
he had no more.
Then he said, "Pay
your debts, with this
money and solve all your problems.
Then you can earn your
living with a clear heart and mind.
I hope that by working
hard you can remain independent.
But I swear that if this
enemy attacks you a gain, you must
again come and complain
about it to me.
The poverty of
people like you who work hard
is because their rights are not
properly given to them."
*We Muslims are bound to help the
poor and destitute
and defend their trampled rights.
We must strive to establish
justice and equity, so that poverty
will be eliminated.
