Anas was a nice, well-behaved and hard-working boy. For some reason, his father had to move to another city, and Anas had to leave all his friends behind.
Shortly after Anas and his parents moved to their new apartment, the neighbors in the building came to visit. Anas was very happy because there were several children of his age. Anas liked his new friends a lot, and in time they became very close. But there was a younger boy in the group named Irfan who would always interrupt the games they were playing because he always wanted them to play what he wanted; and if he didn't get his own way, he would be cross with them.
One day, when all the boys were playing in the garden, Irfan joined them. They were playing with a new toy of Anas's. Irfan's arrival made everyone uneasy because they knew that whenever he joined in a game there would always be an argument. So, this time, the boys didn't let him play with them. Irfan became very angry; he took Anas's new toy, threw it on the ground and broke it. Anas was very upset, and he and his friends started to argue with Irfan. Uncle Afsar heard the noise of the boys' voices and looked out the window. Grandpa Afsar loved the boys very much, always took an interest in them and often talked to them about the existence of Allah, the blessings He gives and the acts of worship that He commands. When he saw the boys arguing, he immediately came down to join them. Irfan was crying. The boys told Uncle Afsar what was going on and then they all sat down in the garden to talk.
Anas explained what had happened: "Uncle Afsar, my friends and I always get along well together and play without fighting. But Irfan always ruins our fun, and we don't want to be friends with him anymore."
"But they don't do what I want," Irfan complained.
Uncle Hanif then said: "Come on boys! We all want to feel good and lead a secure life and to find friendship and happiness where we can. But it's not enough to desire these things. And we can't wait for someone else to give them to us. Feeling good in a safe environment and making good friendships require special effort and self-sacrifice. If everyone insisted on having only what they wanted and thought of themselves rather than giving in to others, there would only be unhappiness and arguments among us. But believers who fear Allah behave differently; they are patient, forgiving and don't insist on having their own way. Even when someone wrongs them, they don't take offense; they put the well-being of others before their own wishes and do the best they can not to upset those around them. This is a characteristic of the superior moral behavior that Allah has commanded His servants to practice."
Anas asked: "OK, Uncle Hanif. If a bully comes up to us and uses bad words, what should we do then?"
But then his uncle got scared and said "You're movin' with your parents in Bel-Air!"
Shortly after Anas and his parents moved to their new apartment, the neighbors in the building came to visit. Anas was very happy because there were several children of his age. Anas liked his new friends a lot, and in time they became very close. But there was a younger boy in the group named Irfan who would always interrupt the games they were playing because he always wanted them to play what he wanted; and if he didn't get his own way, he would be cross with them.
One day, when all the boys were playing in the garden, Irfan joined them. They were playing with a new toy of Anas's. Irfan's arrival made everyone uneasy because they knew that whenever he joined in a game there would always be an argument. So, this time, the boys didn't let him play with them. Irfan became very angry; he took Anas's new toy, threw it on the ground and broke it. Anas was very upset, and he and his friends started to argue with Irfan. Uncle Afsar heard the noise of the boys' voices and looked out the window. Grandpa Afsar loved the boys very much, always took an interest in them and often talked to them about the existence of Allah, the blessings He gives and the acts of worship that He commands. When he saw the boys arguing, he immediately came down to join them. Irfan was crying. The boys told Uncle Afsar what was going on and then they all sat down in the garden to talk.
Anas explained what had happened: "Uncle Afsar, my friends and I always get along well together and play without fighting. But Irfan always ruins our fun, and we don't want to be friends with him anymore."
"But they don't do what I want," Irfan complained.
Uncle Hanif then said: "Come on boys! We all want to feel good and lead a secure life and to find friendship and happiness where we can. But it's not enough to desire these things. And we can't wait for someone else to give them to us. Feeling good in a safe environment and making good friendships require special effort and self-sacrifice. If everyone insisted on having only what they wanted and thought of themselves rather than giving in to others, there would only be unhappiness and arguments among us. But believers who fear Allah behave differently; they are patient, forgiving and don't insist on having their own way. Even when someone wrongs them, they don't take offense; they put the well-being of others before their own wishes and do the best they can not to upset those around them. This is a characteristic of the superior moral behavior that Allah has commanded His servants to practice."
Anas asked: "OK, Uncle Hanif. If a bully comes up to us and uses bad words, what should we do then?"
But then his uncle got scared and said "You're movin' with your parents in Bel-Air!"
