There was a traveller going through the jungle and suddenly a tiger started chasing him. The man ran as fast as he could. Upon seeing a well he jumped into it hoping to escape from the tiger.
As he was falling in the well, he grabbed onto the twig that grew in the crack of the well and saved himself. The man felt relieved for a moment, but as he looked down he saw a big Crocodile at the bottom of the well. It had its jaws wide open ready to swallow him up.The man’s hands were growing weaker and he thought to himself his destruction is certain either above or below, but still he continued to cling onto the twig. Then the man looked up and saw two mice one white and the other black nibbling at the twig.
He realized that soon the twig would snap and he would fall into the Crocodile’s jaws. He then noticed a honeycomb nearby and tried to reach to it with his tongue and licked it. It was very tasty and for a moment he forgot about the Tiger, the Crocodile and the two mice nibbling at the twig.
The great Scholar who gave this analogy went on to explain the meaning of this story. He said that the TIGER is like DEATH which is inevitably awaiting us. The CROCODILE with jaws open is like the GRAVE into which humans will inevitably fall. The WHITE MOUSE and the BLACK MOUSE are like DAY and NIGHT which are always nibbling at our LIFE (the TWIG). The HONEY is like the present WORLD which we live enjoying momentary sweetness which makes us forget the REALITY which is DEATH, GRAVE and the HEREAFTER
Please do give your views about this allegory in the comments below
it is very good to get reminders like this. my brothers and sisters their is no compulsion you can decide to ignore, but first try not breathing for few minutes, if you can stay 10mins, then Allah, if you cannot then obey Allah.
Any Muslim in the world can never be an illeterate, but he or she may willinly choose to act like one, Allah has given that free will – but accountable.
Assalam.
On va dire q?e ce n’est nullement erroné !!!
stay blessed sara!! for sharing this fact that most of us have forgot.
Tiens je pensais faire un petit article identique à celui ci
On va dire que ce n’est pas absurde !!!
Poste super captivant
WELL, it’s always better to go and listen to the pastor- because you will just hasten your death thinking about it!! hehe
the allegory is fine in deed and expressive . It is good to know that the same story has its origin in the Panchatantra with minor changes such as the crocadile for the snake. and ab indefinite enemy for the tiger. I read the whole collection in its arabic translation of 750 CE. Thank you!
Good effort to awaken the sleeping conscious.
U noe 1 thing …if tiger is death nd crocodile is grave then 1 hs to b eaten by the tiger bfore getting eaten by the crocodile bt it not possible….:-P
Either Tiger or any lovely creature,death is inevitable n we must taste d pain of death wich is d end of all desires .christianity preach more of getting d pleasure of duniya n dats y gays r allowed in churches…bt d teachings of islam make us understand n remember dat this world is a transient place of enjoyment..thanks a lot Sana
Exactly ! Thank you 🙂
I have been informed that there was a comment on my comment to say that I should not call India an illiterate country; and that I should check the figures. Please permit me to add a few more comments thereon!
1) I am a proud Indian and a proud Muslim; and proud to be both, and in India.
2) Yes, Muslims have never had it as good as they have in India, now.
3) About 100,000 Muslim have been killed in violent riots in India AFTER the holocaust of the Independence – which itself had cause one of the biggest refugee movement and human loss of millions, in the world.
4) About a Million young Muslims are languishing in Indian Jails.
5) And you are counted as a literate in India, if you can sign your name, in Hindi or English.
6) Literacy should be measured beyond degrees.
7) If you want to know of the pathetic State of the Muslims of India – just read the Official SACHAR Committee Report, an official report of the Government of India.
8) There are a million Madarsas in India producing yound Maulanas who can recite the Holy Quran by rote, and nothing more are they taught.
9) All efforts by the Government of India to give them a Board to recognise them; and also enable them to teach other subjects and skills, etc., have been shot down by all the Maulanas.
10) And they do not want even their own Board to make and submit accounts of all the donations they receive.
11) Yet, in spite of it all, we Muslims of India are indeed a very happy lot AND we are capable of fighting for our rights, and succeeding, AND we do NOT need any external help of any kind.
12) And I talk with some experience as I have been involved in Adult Education, especially for the Muslims in India, for the last 45 years and more; and have been a very senior Government Officer in India.
You know something?
My picture of Islam is one of compassion; happiness; abundance of Allah’s Bounties; goodness and greatness.
True, death is the only certainty of life. But when will you go, no one, except Allah only, knows: and that is the serene beauty of it all!
Allah’s Grace exceeds His Wrath.
So, while the fable above is so apt, and so true; and frighteningly “picturesque”, many such attempts have been made by our Maulanas and Maulvis, especially in illiterate countries like India, to frighten the ordinary folk and teach them Islam by fear, and not by love, and then to keep them under their total control.
This is very much like Christianity of 500 and more years ago, where the Priests kept the “laity” in check!
I am afraid that I may be “hounded” out by many a Maulana, but my picture of Islam is the one where for me Islam has been built by eternal love and the Greatness of Allah in showering His Bounties on us, and not a Sword of Damocles hanging on my head!
Absolutely ! Islam is of course all about showing love, mercy and compassion towards each other.
The metaphor is actually directed towards the people who enjoy the world so much that they forget
about death (hereafter) and how short life is 🙂 When such people think of their purpose in life
they find themselves in this hopeless situation. The only thing they can think of is their destruction
and this life that they once used to enjoy now seem to be an illusion. You would be shocked to know…
Leo Tolstoy happens to be one such people who found himself in this situation during his last days.
My respect for your study in this field
Thank you 🙂
What ever your opinion, you have devalued it by inciting / referring unnecessary ly molana…….., in salat (namaz) every Muslim asks for DUNYA all goodness and then goodness for AKHERA. DUNYA is to be utilised according to QURAN & SUNNAH. Insha Allah no molana will have any comment.
how can u say india is illiterate !! go check out the literacy rate of 2013 !! nd india is country where all religions are valued equally !! muslims are happy with whatever they are taught about islam !!
why a tiger? it is up to each and everyone to make it a deer or any lovely desirable hereafter depending on our deeds in donia. ????? ????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???
Yes, true !:) Well, this allegory applies to especially those who are busy enjoying the life of this World and have forgotten death and hereafter.
When people of dunya start to think of their existence and try to figure out their purpose of life they find themselves
in this hopeless situation where they are surrounded by inevitable circumstances and are sure that there is no way they can
escape the destruction.
Wow!!! So true! May God have mercy on us
YES, AGREED. THIS IS REAL LIFE .WE SHOULD LEARN LESSON ……
This is the fact
This is Real Life what we live.
This is Real.