THE INHERITORS OF A GARDEN
ALLAH SAYS:
(……………………………………………………………………………………………………-)
“SURELY we have tried them even as we tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would certainly pluck its fruit in the morning and they made no exception in their saying then a visitation from your lord visited it, while they were sleeping. So in the morning it became like a pluck garden, then they called out to each other in the morning, saying, “go out early to your tilth, if you would pluck!” so, they departed, while speaking to each other in low voices, “no needy person shall enter it today against your will.” And they went forth early, determined in (their) purpose but when they saw it, they said, “surely, we are gone astray, rather we have been deprived!” the most moderate of them said, “did I not say, to you. “why do you not glorify him?” they said, “glorified be our lord, surely we have been evildoers.” Then they advanced one against another, blaming each other they said, “woe to us! Surely we were inordinate”: it may be that our lord will give us in exchange one better than it. Surely, we are beseechers to our lord.” Such is the chastisement. And certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater if they but know! (surah alqalam, verses 17 to 33)
In the ancient times, there lived in the suburbs of yemen a pious, rich man. He had a garden with good produce of fruit and the like. He took only the bare essential for himself (and his family) and gave away all the rest to the poor and needy. He gave his children a good education and training and taught them to be pious and charitable to the poor, whom they must show mercy and for whom they must apportion a share in allah’s blessing on them .he fell ill and gave death bed instructions to his children he told them that charity never reduced one’s wealth, but increases it. He recommended the poor to them.
When he deid, however, the eldest and the youngest called him silly and agreed among themselves that they could not give their wealth to the poor. They said that allah can provide the needy as he provided them. They complained that the poor had been getting from their garden without working there and making any effort. One of them who was between the eldest and the youngest did not agree with them and remained them them of their father’s will and advice gee told them that if they did not give cherty them Allah’s wrath will decent on them and they will become poor he said that they had been enjoying blessings only because of their charty to the poor.
The two others gave no reply but decided that they would go to the garden while still dark in the morning before the poor reach there. They would pluck its fruit, and decided that they would ward off the poor and tell them that there was no fruit for then.
While they slept, Allah’s wrath descended on them the garden was destroyed completely leaving no fruit whatsoever when they come early in the morning they could not believe that they had come to their own garden when the pious brother remained them of his advice and their father’s will, they agreed that they were wrong.