(1) Charity (Essay)
Charity is emphasized in every religion of the world. Somebody said, “Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven.” This may be true for a religious person, but what about those people who do not believe in Heaven or Hell and not even believe in existence of God. It makes no difference to God if anybody created by Him believes Him or not. He is always kind and merciful for all His creations, either the Believers or Non-believers. The slogan of those Non-believers is “God is nowhere.” But, ask them to talk to a victim of any disaster who might have got help through charity by any individual or organization at the right moment. That fellow will invert their slogan in this way, “God is now here.” But, here our topic is about charity and we leave them here to experience the critical situation in their lives and; perhaps a day may come, when they may be compelled to change their attitude of a Non-believer.
I shall quote one of my favorite personalities – Sir Winston Churchill in this regard. He said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Further, he said: “Even the poor should give something to charity.” The last words will reflect in my Article that follows. Mother Terasa also said, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we can put into giving.” This will also be qualifying to my scanned blog. Giving something is better than nothing while doing charity. Frank Tyger quotes, “If you cannot lift the load off another’s back, do not walk away; but try to lighten it.”
In my opinion and also in yours, when we give something for charity to any needy person; it is not any obligation or favor to him, but is merely the payment of royalty on behalf of God for what we use as the raw material of what we produce and earn if we are a manufacturer. If we are a businessman or professional, we pay the levy of our intellectual property borrowed from Him. If we are a farmer, we use land, water, seeds etc. provided by Him. If we are a laborer, we pay Him for the physical strength He favored us. Nothing is ours, everything is His. Even we-ourselves are in existence at His will and our every breathe is dependent of Him. Hajarat Imam Ali, in a sermon, said, “When a man dies, his relatives ask how much wealth he has left. While the angels look to see how much he had given in charity, in the path of the God.”
Summing up, the God loves those who love Him, but loves those more who love their fellow-men.
-Valibhai Musa
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(2) The True Judgment (Story)
I am swinging on my easy chair with the news paper in my hands in my Verandah. I am concentrated in reading and meanwhile, I hear the loud words of both my sons. They are not quarrelling, but they have a dispute for their heights in-between them. They stand about ten feet away from me, keeping their shoulders touched and ask in their childlike tone of speech, “Daddy, please give us your true judgment. Who is taller among us?”
Smilingly, I observe them accurately as I have to give them my true judgment. There is the difference of only two years in their ages. They seem almost equal in height. I just try to speak; but meanwhile, I slip away to some far past. After a while, I see their faces dim as the tears in my eyes have over flown.
Both, rapidly running towards me, set themselves by my both the sides. They wipe out my tears with their rosy tiny palms and say crying, “Daddy, are you crying?”
I try to recover myself as it is true that I am crying. The news paper falls down my lap and I press their cheeks with mine and give my true judgment. “You are equal. Nobody is taller than the other. But, behind you, I saw my Swati standing with dimples on both her cheeks, like a she-pigeon and smiling like a blossomed flower. She is taller than both of you. My Swati who, before your births, had left us weeping behind almost at your age to play in the lap of your grandpa in heaven.”
On the open page of my news paper, all the six eyes of ours once again over flow and shower the tears making the sound like rain drops. At that right moment, my wife bows down to place the tray of tea on teapoy. Her lukewarm tears also fall down in my cup of hot tea and mingle in it.
-Valibhai Musa
