Be Kind for everybody is fighting A Battle
THE lady came up and shook my hand and greeted me with salam and “how are you?” in the local masjid. She held my hand longer than usual and looked right into my eyes with a friendly smile, which made me get the feeling “Does she know me?!”…
Normally strangers just come up and greet you with salam and a quick smile (sometimes not even that)…but the way she greeted me was something unusual.
The story doesn’t stop here…
A few days later I met the lady again in the same masjid. This time she was sitting near the door of the masjid, and as I was leaving, she looked at me as I rushed towards the door. I had seen her but didn’t have the time to pause since the car was waiting for me outside and I didn’t think that she would remember me!! But she said salam in a loud voice, which MADE ME STOP and shake hands with her. I smiled, our hands locked and she gave me a quick dua: “May you be blessed with happiness and may your sadness be healed”.
I was touched.
I had been thinking of writing on this topic for a while, but this special incident gave me a “big push”.
I remember my teacher saying in one his lectures that we might consider a small act of goodness very insignificant, but we don’t know how much it really matters to the recipient. He explained by an example saying that helping someone climb the pavement might seem of no value to us, but it means the world to the person we are helping, because they can’t even do that!
After all, a smile takes only a moment, but could change somebody's mood for the whole day. A few words of encouragement or reassurance can stay with a person and continue to help them to overcome difficulties for many years after they were spoken. A small piece of advice could change a life.
We have all heard the famous quote “Be kinder than necessary for every one you meet is fighting a battle”. I am sure all of you agree with this quote, don't you? Everyone has their own struggles, and at different points in life, a listening ear and a compassionate heart is needed. Who doesn’t like to be pampered? So why not BE, what you want to HAVE.
In this fast moving world, the real essence of value and quality is lost. Deep down we are just so concerned with our own career and progress that we have forgotten that uplifting the spirits of others along the path is our duty as well.
What will it take from us if we thank people for whatever they do to us, even if it’s just thanking them for a phone call? Did you know that you could actually make someone’s day even by speaking to them on the phone?
What will it take from us if we greet people in a friendly manner and exchange duas? Perhaps we are the only person who has been friendly with them!
Yes! Kindness, after all, what will it take from us?
If you want the mercy of God, then be kind to His people. Kindness includes any sort of help which you think is very much needed by the person, in whatever form, depending on their need. It could include helping your parents in their work, visiting the sick, calling a distant friend, spending quality time with family and relatives, feeding the poor and etc. Because kindness is not a virtue to be adopted or showcased in specific situations. Rather, it should be imbibed as the basic behavioral attribute of human beings. In fact, a true act of kindness is something that is done without expectation of something in return.
Let's strive to be the change which we want to see in others, and continue to work for the cause and not for the applause.
After all, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Author: Areeba Altaf