Archive for November, 2006

 

lessan on Nov 24th, 2006Something different


lessan on Nov 16th, 2006A beauty that must die

O God, whatsoever Thou hast apportioned to me of worldly things, do Thou give that to Thy enemies; and whatsoever Thou hast apportioned to me in the world to come, give that to Thy friends; for Thou sufficest me.
O God, if I worship Thee for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell and if I […]

lessan on Nov 16th, 2006Oops, wrong question

When the time came that Rabe’a should die, those attending her deathbed left the room and closed the door. Then a voice was heard saying, O soul at peace, return unto thy Lord, well-pleased! A time passed and no sound came from the room, so they opened the door and found that she had given […]

lessan on Nov 16th, 2006Who is this Rabe’a person, anyway?

A leading scholar of Basra visited Rabe’a on her sickbed. Sitting beside her pillow, he reviled the world.
“You love the world very dearly,” Rabe’a commented. “If you did not love the world, you would not make mention of it so much. It is always the purchaser who disparages the wares. If you were done with […]

lessan on Nov 16th, 2006The heart is a single-socket item

Once Rabe’a fasted for a whole week, neither eating nor sleeping. All night she was occupied with praying. Her hunger passed all bounds. A visitor entered her house bringing a bowl of food. Rabe’a accepted it and went to fetch a lamp. She returned to find that the cat had spilled the bowl.
“I will go […]

lessan on Nov 14th, 2006A tenfold recompense

Two notables of the Faith came to visit Rabe’a, and both were hungry.
“It may be that she will give us food,” they said to each other. “Her food is bound to come from a lawful source.”
When they sat down there was a napkin with two loaves laid before them. They were well content. A beggar […]