THE OWNER OF TWO GARDES

THE OWNER OF TWO GARDES
In the ancient times two men, friends of one another, resided in a township. One of them was a believer and the other an infidel. The former was very poor while the infidel was tremendously affluent and had many children too. He also owned two gardens with a river flowing between them and a train of date palms surrounding them. Each garden grew its own kids of fruit. \
One day as this infidel went to his gardens, he said to himself that his blessing and children were his forever and that he had earned them through his own intelligence. And that if he died, he would find there better than what he had here. (surah al-kahaf, verses 35,36)
When he came out of there, he met the believer. he taunted him for his poverty and behaved in a very haughty manner towards him. He said that he had more wealth than he and he denied allah’s blessing. He even rejected the hereafter and the day of resurrection. The believer asked him, “would you deny one who created you from dust and a drop of fluid? He then fashioned you. He is allah, my lord and has no partner. When you enter your gardens, you ought to say, ‘what Allah wills. There is no power and might save with Allah.’ I may be poor, but Allah might give me batter than what you have and he might send a thunderbolt on it and finish it off. In the morning, there might be no water in it and you might not get it back.
The believer preached to him that he should remember his lord often. He should not be deceived by the world’s adornment because they are fleeting. The blooming of fields and gardens is with Allah’s pleasure. If he is ungrateful, then Allah might withdraw his blessings.
The infidel did not listen to him. One night a violent wind and storm made short work of the gardens. Then, he was filled with remorse and hoped that he had not associated with Allah. He began to believe in Allah, the creator, and in the hereafter when reckoning will take place. However it was too late and his regret was of no benefit to him at that time.