A story about arrogance.

I am better than you!

Samia was a very pretty little girl, with a beautiful voice and a smart brain. Everything about her seemed perfect and her mother was very proud of her.

“My daughter is at the top in her class at school”, her mother would boast smugly to her friends whilst they sat in her bright living room sipping hot tea.

“And, she would continue, her Quran teacher says she has the best voice and memorization she has ever known of!

“Oh let us hear her recite” One of the women implored.

“It would be a pleasure”, gushed the ignorant mother.
“Samia darling come here, I want you.”

Samia walked in, gracefully, her head held up high, dressed smartly in a freshly ironed dress. Her long silky black hair was held back with a ripe red ribbon.

“Oh what a beautiful, child!” The women declared admiringly.

“Come and sit on my lap precious, rasped a very old woman who was the mother of one of the women that was present in the cheerful little gathering.

The little girl looked up to see a wizened face that looked like the crumbled, fallen autumn leaves her father forced her to sweep that very morning.
Really, she thought to herself, I am not some servant, with dirty grimy hands. I am not the type who does such lowly tasks. So why does father want me to?

The old woman coughed a very loud and disturbing cough that seemed to go on for eternity. Yuck, thought samia, that sounds like the ugly old car belonging to the shopkeeper.

The old woman shuffled over, to make room for samia, Come child your sweet face warms the soul of a very old woman.
Samia, felt quite sick I don’t want to sit next to you old crone, she wanted to say but was afraid mother would tell father.

She looked around the room and saw a pretty young woman with grand clothes and lots of jewelry, she smiled and ignoring the old woman, walked up to her and asked, “where did you get that dress? You look lovely!”

Poor poor Samia had no idea, how much reward was in warming the heart of the dear old woman.


That night whilst samia ate dinner with her mother and father, the phone rang, Father went to answer it, when he came back his eyes were brimming with tears,

“What is it Abdulla cried Samia’s mother!”

“To Allah we belong and to him we return” he said. The old shopkeeper just passed away.
“To Allah we belong and to him we return, said the mother tears streaming down her face. His poor wife and children, who do they have now?”

“They have Allah, Umm samia,” said samia’s father.

“Samia was eating her dinner contently; her father looked at her with a worried expression on his face.

Abdullah was a good man. He liked honesty and kindness and hard work. He hated Arrogance oppression and selfishness. He loved his daughter very much but she often worried him.

Samia dear, aren’t you sad uncle Omar has passed away, Don’t you remember when you was very little how he used to toss you in the air and give you free sweets?

“Yes I do, father but he was old you know, what did we expect?”
Don’t you feel sorry for his children, they are orphans now.

Who cares about those dirty rude loud boys and girls? Huffed, Samia. They disgust me.

Abdulla was greatly saddened by his daughter’s obvious arrogance and selfishness. He wanted to teach her how to be kind and humble.



The next morning when Samia woke up she felt cold. Why isn’t the heater on she thought shivering. She walked downstairs and was surprised to find that the usual bustling kitchen was silent and empty. There was no delicious smell of scrambled eggs and toast, nor the wonderful aroma of hot sweet tea.
Mother, called samia, Mother where are you?

Samia, was startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat behind her. She was surprised and happy to find her father sitting on his favorite chair reading the holy Quran.

“Come here child her father said kindly”

“Papa, where’s mama? Asked Samia worriedly. Everything is different today. Mama doesn’t seem to be around and you didn’t go to work.”
“Mama is gone to stay with your grandparents for three days.”

“Oh, exclaimed Samia, why didn’t she take me with her? She always does.”

“Samia my sweetie, I don’t want to lie to you. Your mother and I had a very long and serious discussion last night while you were asleep.”

We feel that we have spoilt you. You’re mother is constantly singing your praises. And the messenger of Allah warned us about that and ordered us to throw dust at the faces of those who praise.”

“I don’t understand father, I am worthy of praise because I am special and I am better than all the girls in my class. My teacher said so.”

“That’s exactly what I mean, Said her father gravely.”
“It is forbidden in the book of Allah and the sunnah of the messenger to think you are better than other people and despise them.”

“If you are richer or stronger or prettier or smarter than someone else that doesn’t mean you are better than them.”
“Father, isn’t being rich and strong and smart and beautiful better than being poor and weak and dumb and ugly?”
‘Yes dear it is” But you can’t think that you are better than the person who possesses those poor qualities, because it is not their fault, and they can change. Allah can make a poor person rich, and a weak person strong. Allah can also do the opposite; he can make a rich person poor and a strong person weak.”

“Subhanallah I didn’t know that said Samia quietly.”

“That is right; ignorance is the reason behind every wrong act in the world. Knowledge is very important.”

“Papa, I hate ugly and dirty people admitted poor Samia sadly.”

“Samia, it is ok to hate dirt and ugliness but you can’t hate the person there may be a reason for the dirt and the ugliness and Allah said in the Quran that he created mankind in the best form. So All mankind is beautiful”

“So what shall I do if I see someone dirty and ugly?”

“Be tolerant and try to teach them how to be clean”

“Ok said Samia happily.”

“Father I am hungry.”

“Ok let’s see what food there is in the kitchen.

“Where is all the food gone said Samia surprised.”

“There is no food in the house.”

“Mama took all the food to the orphans.”

“What about us?”
“What about them?” They need it more than us.”

“But I’m hungry.”

“Yes but You had hot soup with delicious spicy tender pieces of meat and potatoes last night whilst our dear late friend the shop keepers children went without.”

“Imagine Samia that you were hungry and your mother and I was gone and you had no one to feed you.”

“That would be horrible declared Samia horrified!”

“That is what has happened to those poor orphans. Allah wants us to help others weaker than ourselves.”

“Allah is very kind said Samia humbly.”

Suddenly Samia sneezed “Alhamdulilah” she said.

Samia worked over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands.

“Where is all the water?”

“I cut it off”

“But why?”

“I want you to understand why some poor people are dirty”

“Go and look in the mirror Samia”

“Is that me?

“Why Samia dear you look ugly and dirty today” Mocked father lovingly.

Samia burst out laughing. Well that’s a relief now I know why some people don’t wash. I thought they liked being dirty, or were too fluffy or lazy to clean themselves.

“promise me Samia that you will learn to be humble and kind”

“I promise father” said Samia firmly, and she meant it.


By Shakirah.

You write very touching stories. I'm in tears reading this one.

sis

Ma sha Allah sis. I know a little girl who needs to read this story. Can I share it with her?

yes sister.

that was a lovely touching story Sis, can u post some more esp. related to teenagers.

This story has great morals for many to learn from. Jazakallahu Khairan sis for sharing.

Lovely story sister mashaAllah

Assalamou aleikoum wa rahmatoullah wa barakatou

It is such a wonderful and moral story. Barakallahu feekee for writing it. We have made a Facebook page, Easel and Ink , would it be ok to post it there too? so many people should read it.

Assalaamu alaykum,
jazakillah khayr sisters for your kind words.
Yes you may post it on facebook. Alhamdulilah if it is beneficial.

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I am new member and browsing all the topics. and i like this moral story vry much.
Sister can i copy ur story for my kids and for my students.
Waiting for ur permission,

Yes you may sister. I am very sorry for the late reply. BaarakAllah fiik.