CHILDREN’S CORNER

While he was walking on the street, he met a poor man. He said, “O Messenger of Allah! Clothe me with a shirt, and, inshallah, Allah, the Almighty, will clothe you in Paradise.” The Prophet immediately took off the shirt and gave it to the poor man; then he returned home. He went back to the same shop, and he bought another shirt for four dinars. He was left with just two dinars. While walking back home, he met a little girl who was crying. He approached her and asked, “Little girl, why are you crying?” “Sir,” the little girl said, “I am a slave, my master gave me two dinars to buy some flowers, but I have lost the money.” The Prophet gave his remaining last two dinars to the little girl. But the girl did not stop crying. The Prophet asked, “My dear, isn’t this what you wanted? You wanted some money, right? Why are you still crying? The little girl said, “I am afraid because I am late going home. They will be upset with me.” Hearing this the Prophet said, “Don’t be afraid,” and then he held her hand and took her up to her master’s door. At the door, he gave his usual greeting, “As-salamu Alaykum.” He waited for a while. When he did not get an answer back from inside, he repeated his greeting several times. The people at home did not want to make him wait any longer and greeted him back, “Wa alaykum as-salam. O Messenger of Allah, please come in.” He asked, “Did you not hear my greeting the first time?” They said, “Yes, we did. We just wanted to increase the greetings from you. It is a blessing for us. You have honoured us by coming to our house. May we learn the reason for your taking the trouble to come to our home?” The Prophet explained to them all that had happened to the little girl. Afterward, he added, “Thinking that you might get angry with her, I have come here to explain things to you. Please don’t get upset with her. It was not her fault.” After these words of the Messenger, the owner of the house said, “May our lives and properties be sacrificed for your sake, O Messenger of Allah! Since for the sake of this little girl you have visited our house, at this moment, I have freed her. She is no longer a slave. She can live her life in any way she wishes.” Immediately the Prophet and the little girl looked at each other. The little girl’s tears had stopped now. Her face was glowing with happiness. She thanked the Prophet many times. From that day on she was going to live a life just like her friends, free and happy.