BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHEEM THE THREE MEN THAT WERE TESTED Adapted for children from an authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad praise and peace be upon him with a quiz by Khadeijah Stephens Mosque of the Internet www.mosque.com TERMS OF PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION The Mosque of the Internet grants permission to Islamic schools, organizations or Muslim individuals to download, copy, print, publish, record and/or distribute this story either for profit or non-profit without reimbursement to the Mosque of the Internet providing the following six conditions are complied with in full and without exception. 1. The Mosque of the Internet owns and retains the copyright of this story and no other person/s, school, organization or individual etc., owns or has any right or claim to the copyright. 2. No alterations whatsoever are made. 3. Reference to The Mosque of the Internet with its internet address www.mosque.com appears on the front cover. 4. Should artwork be included in its publication the artwork must conform with Islamic principles, for example no drawings of human beings. 5. The Mosque of the Internet is informed of its publication and ten copies of the published book sent to the Mosque of the Internet. 6. If any of these conditions are not met then all previously mentioned permission/s are automatically revoked and legal action will e taken to the maximum extent of the copyright infringement jurisdiction law in the State of Delaware, USA will be sought. BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHIM There were three men from the tribe of Israel whom Allah wanted to test. One was a leper, another bald-headed, and the other blind. An angel was sent to each of them in turn, but he did not look like an angel, he looked just like an ordinary man. First, the angel went to the leper and asked: "What would you like most?" The leper replied: "I would love to have a beautiful complexion and smooth skin, because people do not like me as I am." The angel passed his hand over the leper's face and body, and the man became very handsome. So handsome in fact that no one could ever tell he had once been a leper -- his skin had become beautifully smooth. Next, the angel asked him if there was anything in particular he would like to own. The man replied: "Yes, I would like to own some camels or perhaps some cows." Then, to his amazement he was given a fine camel that was about to have a calf. Before the angel left, he turned to the camel and said: "May Allah bless the camel for you." The man was so happy, never before in his life had he looked so handsome and now he owned such a fine camel that was about to have a calf as well! Next, the angel went to visit the bald-headed man and asked him the same question: "What would you like most?" The man replied: "I would love to have a fine head of hair so that other people don't make fun of me." So the angel ran his hand over the head of the bald man, and the man had the best head of hair for miles around! After that the angel asked him if there was anything in particular he would like to own. Without hesitation he replied: "Yes, I would like to own some cows", and so he was given a fine cow that was about to have a calf. Then the angel turned to the cow and said: "May Allah bless this cow for you." What a day, thought the man as he ran his fingers through his beautiful hair and patted his very fine cow! Then, the angel went to visit the blind man. As before, the angel asked the man what he would like most and the man replied: "I would very much appreciate it if I could see once again." So the angel touched his eyes, and the man could see! The angel asked if there was anything in particular he would like to own. The man replied: "Yes, I would like to own some goats." So he was given a nanny goat that was about to have a kid. The angel turned to the goat and said: "May Allah bless this goat for you." The man was so happy, not only had he been given a goat, but he could see it! As time went by all three men became wealthy and had great herds of animals. In fact, their herds had grown so large that one had a valley full of camels, another a valley full of cows and the other a valley full of goats! Some years later, the angel was sent to visit the man who had been cured of leprosy, but this time the angel appeared to him as a leper and the man did not recognize him. The angel said to the man: "I am very poor and in need of help. I have spent everything I have on my journey, and now I have nothing left to help me to continue on my way except Allah. I ask you in the Name of Allah, the One who has given you such a fine complexion, smooth skin and wealth to give me a camel so that I may continue on my journey." Now satan had filled the man's heart with pride and love of his possession so much that he had forgotten the time when he had been a poor leper disliked by everyone. Satan whispered to the man and made him forget just how much Allah had blessed him, so he began to make up different excuses to the angel he took to be a leper. Finally, he told the angel: "I have far too many commitments to take care off." And refused to help him. Then the angel said to him: "I am sure I have seen you before, weren't you the leper that everyone disliked and whom Allah made rich?" The man, in his ingratitude, said to the angel: "No, not me, I inherited my property from my family." The angel looked straight at the man and said: "If you are lying, may Allah return you to how you were before." So, once again, the man became a poor leper. Next, the angel visited the man who had been bald, but this time he appeared to him as a bald-headed man and said: "I am very poor and in need. I have spent everything I have on my journey and now I have nothing left to help me to continue on my way, except Allah. I ask you in the Name of Allah, the One who has given you such a fine head of hair and wealth, to give me a cow so that I may continue on my journey." Satan had also filled the heart of this man with pride and love of his possessions, and made him forget the time when he had been poor, and how his people had made fun of him. He had forgotten that it was Allah who had blessed him -- none of his wealth belonged to him. Satan whispered to this man as well and advised him to make up different excuses until he too told the angel: "I have too many commitments to take care of", and refused to help him. So the angel said to him: "I am sure I have seen you before, weren't you the bald-headed man that everyone made fun off and whom Allah made rich?" In his ingratitude the man replied: "No, I inherited my property from my family!" The angel looked at the man and said: "If you are lying, may Allah return you to how you were. And once more, the man became the poor, bald-headed man that everyone made fun of. Finally, the angel visited the man who had been blind in the disguise of a blind man and asked the same question he had asked the others. The man was very happy and said: "Yes, indeed I was blind and Allah gave me back my sight. By Allah, I will not refuse you anything at all. Please, take whatever you wish in the Name of Allah, the Lord, the Exalted!" The angel was pleased to see how grateful the man was to Allah and said: "I do not want anything, keep all that you have. Now, I will tell you something. Allah has tried all three of you. He is pleased with you, but He is angry with your companions." Then the angel left and the man who had once been blind thanked Allah for His many blessings. NEW WORDS LEPER: a leper is a person who has a disease which is called leprosy. When someone has leprosy their skin looks very sore. At the time the angel came to the man there was no cure for leprosy. BALD: this means someone who has lost their hair. INHERITED: when someone dies they very often leave something which is then given to family members, this is called an inheritance. COMPLEXION: is how the skin on your face looks. TRIED: in this story it means a person who is being tested. Like a person who is brought before a judge. COMMITMENT: this means something you have to do. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THIS STORY? We have learned that: 1. Allah can do anything He wants. 2. Allah give us things and watches what we do with them. 3. Allah is watching us to see if we are kind to others. 4. Allah is watching us to see if we are grateful to Him. QUIZ TIME 1. How many men did the angel visit? 2. What did the first man ask for? 3. What did the second man ask for? 4. What did the third man ask for? 5. Who had a valley full of camels? 6. What did the man who had been a leper tell the angel when he asked him for help? 7. How many people lied? 8. What did the man who had been blind say to the angel? 9. What did the angel say to the blind man when he told him to take whatever he wanted. 10. What happened to the two other men? QUIZ TIME ANSWERS 1. Three. 2. Cows or camels. 3. Cows. 4. Goats. 5. The leper. 6. "I have too many commitments ... " 7. Two. 8. "Please, take whatever you wish in the Name of Allah." 9. "I do not want anything, keep all that you have ..." 10. The first became a leper, the second lost his hair and both became poor once more. SCORE 1 - 3 answers right? You tried hard but I think you could do better. Why not read the story again, or ask someone to read it to you? 4 - 6 answers right? Good! 7 - 9 answers right? Very Good!! All the answers right? EXCELLENT!!! THE END We hope you have enjoyed this story, Insh'Allah. ?This book is copyrighted 1993 - 2000 by Khadeijah Stephens and the Mosque of the Internet BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHEEM THE BOY WHO TALKED WHEN HE WAS A BABY Adapted for children from an authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad praise and peace be upon him with a quiz by Khadeijah Stephens Mosque of the Internet www.mosque.com TERMS OF PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION The Mosque of the Internet grants permission to Islamic schools, organizations or Muslim individuals to download, copy, print, publish, record and/or distribute this story either for profit or non-profit without reimbursement to the Mosque of the Internet providing the following six conditions are complied with in full and without exception. 1. The Mosque of the Internet owns and retains the copyright of this story and no other person/s, school, organization or individual etc., owns or has any right or claim to the copyright. 2. No alterations whatsoever are made. 3. Reference to The Mosque of the Internet with its internet address www.mosque.com appears on the front cover. 4. Should artwork be included in its publication the artwork must conform with Islamic principles, for example no drawings of human beings. 5. The Mosque of the Internet is informed of its publication and ten copies of the published book sent to the Mosque of the Internet. 6. If any of these conditions are not met then all previously mentioned permission/s are automatically revoked and legal action will e taken to the maximum extent of the copyright infringement jurisdiction law in the State of Delaware, USA will be sought. BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHIM Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told us that a long time before he was born, there were three babies that spoke when they were still tiny babies. One was Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, another the son of a shepherd and the other the son of a pious lady who was the hairdresser of Pharaoh. This story is the story of the little baby that belonged to the pious lady. A very long time ago there was a lady who had given birth to a lovely bouncing baby boy. She loved her baby very much. He was a good baby. As soon as he saw his mother he would chuckle and kick his feet with joy hoping that she would come and pick him up -- which of course she did. He was so cuddly, and as all mothers do, she wanted only the very best for her son. One day as she was sitting nursing her son in a room that overlooked the street, she heard the sound of horse's hooves outside. Cautiously, she glanced out of the window to see who was riding by. As she peered out of the window she saw a handsome young man wearing very fine clothes riding the most beautiful horse she had ever seen. Wanting the best for her son, she immediately prayed to Allah saying: "Oh Allah, please let my son be like that young man." Her tiny baby heard what his mother said, stopped nursing straight away and said: "O Allah, do not let me grow up to be like that man." Needless to say his mother was astonished. She had never known or even heard of a baby that could talk, let alone be able to reply in such a grown up manner. However, the baby didn't say anything else, he just went on nursing. Sometime later there was a terrible noise down below in the street. Once again the baby's mother glanced curiously out of the window to see what all the noise was about. As she looked out of the window she saw a young girl being beaten by several men. The men were shouting as they accused her of doing bad things and for stealing. She tried to tell them she was innocent, but they would not listen to her but kept on beating and beating her. As they beat her, the young girl exclaimed: "Allah is enough for me, He is an Excellent Guardian." But the men would not listen and kept beating and accusing her. The baby's mother prayed again saying: "O Allah, please do not let my son be like her." Once again her baby stopped his nursing and said: "O Allah, please let me be like that girl," then continued to nurse just as if nothing had happened! His mother didn't know quite what to make of all this, what could it mean? She had asked Allah for good things for her son and for him to be protected from being like the girl. Yet her baby had spoken and asked Allah not to let him be like that fine young man, but asked Allah instead to let him be like the girl who had been beaten for doing bad things and stealing! Just then her baby looked up at his mother with his beautiful eyes, smiled and said: "Mummy, the man on the fine horse that you wanted me to be like is a cruel person and harms good people, he is a tyrant. As for the young girl, she did not do any of those bad things, neither did she steal. She is a good girl and worships Allah. That is why I asked Allah to be like her." The tiny baby didn't say another word and continued his nursing until he dropped off to sleep. His mother was overcome. She knew without doubt that her baby had spoken wisely and realized that not everything is at it appears. THE END WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED 1. We have learned that Allah always knows what is best for us. He knows lots of things that we do not know. So, when we want something, we must ask Him to choose whatever is best for us. 2. We have also learned that although some things look nice and we would really like to have them, they may not be good for us. So, if mummy or daddy say: "No" for something, we must be patient. 3. We have learned that even if someone wears nice clothes and has lots of things, that person may not be nice or as good as he or she appears to be. It is not necessary to have lots of things to make us a nice, good sort of person. What makes us special is how good we try to be for Allah, and part of being special is how good we are to our parents, brothers and sisters. QUIZ TIME What did the young man look like? 2. What did the baby's mother ask Allah for when she saw the young man? 3. What did her baby say? 4. Was his mother surprised when her baby spoke? 5. Name one of the reasons why the men were beating the girl? 6. What did the baby's mother ask Allah for when she saw the girl? 7. What did her baby say? 8. What kind of man did the baby say he was? 9. What kind of girl did the baby say she was? 10. Who did the baby want to be like? QUIZ TIME ANSWERS 1. He looked very handsome. 2. She asked Allah for her son to be like him. 3. The baby asked Allah not to be like him. 4. Yes. 5. They said she had done bad things and had stolen something. 6. She asked Allah for her son not to be like the girl. 7. The baby asked Allah to be like her. 8. He was a cruel person, a tyrant. 9. She was good and had not done what the men said she had. 10. The girl. SCORE 1 - 3 answers right? You tried hard, but I think perhaps you could do better. Why not either read the story again, or ask someone to read it to you. 4 - 6 answers right? Good! 7 - 8 answers right? Very Good!! All the answers right? EXCELLENT!!! This book is copyrighted 1993 - 2000 by Khadeijah Stephens and the Mosque of the Internet www.mosque.com