Chowrangi

An emperor was coming out of his palace for his morning walk when he met a beggar. He asked the beggar, “What do you want?”

The beggar laughed and said, “You are asking me as though you can fulfill my desire!”

The king was offended. He said, “Of course I can fulfill your desire. What is it? Just tell me.”

And the beggar said, “Think twice before you promise anything.”

“I will fulfill anything you ask. I am a very powerful emperor, what can you possibly desire that I can not give to you?”

The beggar said, “It is a very simple desire. You see this begging bowl? Can you fill it with something?”

The emperor said, “Of course!” He called one of his viziers and told him, “Fill this mans begging bowl with money.” The vizier went and got some money and poured it into the bowl, and it disappeared. And he poured more and more, and the moment he would pour it, it would disappear. And the begging bowl remained always empty.

The whole palace gathered. News spread throughout the whole capital, and a huge crowd gathered. The prestige of the emperor was at stake. He said to his viziers, “If the whole kingdom is lost, I am ready to lose it, but I cannot be defeated by this beggar.”

Diamonds and pearls and emeralds, his treasures were becoming empty.The begging bowl seemed to be bottomless. Everything that was put into it — everything! — immediately disappeared, went out of existence. Finally it was evening, and the people were standing there in utter silence. The king dropped at the feet of the beggar and admitted his defeat. he said, “Just tell me one thing. You are victorious - but before you leave, just fulfill my curiousity. What is the begging bowl made of?”

The beggar laughed and said, “It is made up of the human mind. There is no secret. It is simply made up of human desire.”

This understanding transforms life. Go into one desire — what is the mechanism of it? First there is great excitement, great thrill, adventure. you feel a great kick. Something is going to happen. And then you have the car, you have the house, you have the woman, and suddenly all is meaningless again.

What happens? Your mind has dematerialised it. The car is standing in the drive, but there is no excitement anymore. The excitement was only in getting it. Now the desire is fulfilled, the car in the drive, the woman in your bed, the money in your bank account - again excitement disappears. Again the emptiness is there, ready to eat you up. Again you have to create another desire to escape this pain

That’s how one moves from one desire to another desire. That’s how one remains a beggar. Your whole life proves it again and again — every desire frustrates. And when the goal is achieved, you will need another desire.

The emptiness of the soul cannot be filled with material things. It can only be filled with the worship of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Every human being has been created with a soul. This soul has been created by Allah and the need Allah has kept for it is also that of Allah. Just like a body needs food the soul needs Allah.

A scar on the body heals by medicine but a scar on the soul doesn’t. Scars on the soul cause the most amount of pain which are a result of indulging in desires and committing sins. The more a person indulges in desires and sin the more the number of scars on his soul.

The way to peace is doing taubah and returning to Allah.

Other posts by Mohammad Yusha

• What is the West doing preaching love and respect for Women - II - November 7th, 2008
• What is the West doing preaching love and respect for Women? - November 6th, 2008
• A letter to the West - November 6th, 2008
• Death and Destruction due to Fornication - November 5th, 2008
• Alcohol - A deadly poison - November 4th, 2008
• Jihad against Desires - November 4th, 2008
• Why do rich people commit suicide? - November 3rd, 2008
• Haram money and its destructive effects - November 2nd, 2008
• Deaths from eating and drinking competitions - November 1st, 2008
• Problems with Dieting - October 29th, 2008