The Wisdom of Striving

Aamir bin Ath Tharib was the leader of his people. When he became old and they feared he would die, they gathered around him and said: “You are our leader, master and honourable one, choose another person for us after you.”

He replied:

“O people of Adwan, you assigned me unfairly. If you have honoured me, I will show you that. Why is it me? Listen to what I say, he who combines the truth and falsehood will not have them. The falsehood has more right to him, the truth will not cease to run from falsehood and the falsehood will not cease to run from the truth.”

“O people of Adwan, neither should you feel disappointed about humiliation nor rejoice with pride. The poor live every livelihood as the rich do. Whoever is shown one day will be mocked with it. Prepare an answer for everyone; there is regret for foolishness. Punishment is an example (for others to see) and it safeguards. The upper hand has the end.”

“He who shows the way to the enemy will be taken by it, neither for you nor against you. If you like, find your mate, it is either for you or against you. Fear comes with abundance and victory comes with patience. He who seeks something finds it, if not now it will soon come.”

His imparting advice has become the Arab proverb:

مَنْ طَلَبَ شَيْئاً وَجَدَهُ

He who seeks something, finds it.

.


New Words

وَجَدَ
Achieve, Attain or Get

شَيءٌ
Something

طَلَبَ
Seek, Demand, or Wish

مَنْ
Whoever


We Will Find What We Seek

This proverb talks about the advice that a leader of the Adwani people imparted upon them when he was on his death bed. The advice was in response to the people asking their leader how to choose another leader that will replace him after his demise. He said, “He who seeks something, finds it.”

Effort for something should not be underrated. There is no sweet without sweat. He who wants something strives for it. If the result is not realised today, it will come another day. It was said, “A man of words and not of deeds, is like a garden full of weeds.”

Similarly, a poet has said:

بِقَدْرِ الكَدِّ تُكْتَسَبُ المَعَالِي

وَمَنْ رَامَ العُلَى سَهِرَ اللَّيَالِي

The extent of hard work you gain the glory
He who wants the top will stand up nights

Likewise, the goodness Allah has commanded, no matter how small shall be compensated, while the result of evil done will be given in due time. Allah says:

فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ . وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

[Quran 99:7-8]

So, whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does and atom’s weight of evil will see it.

What this means is that he who strives for good deeds, even an atom’s weight will surely see it and be rewarded for it. Yet he who strives for evil deeds will surely get its result, and Allah will never be unjust to anyone.

8 Comments

  1. IbnAbdillah

    MashaAllah
    May Allah make our sabr, sabran jamilaa

    Reply
  2. Sheriff

    Assalaamu Alaikkum,

    In the quoted Quran verse , Ayah #8 was in line 1 and Ayah .# 7 in the 2nd line.

    Please fix it.

    Reply
    • Arabic Unlocked

      Waalaikumussalam. Jazakallah khair for pointing this out. It has been fixed.

      Reply
    • Norseha@Jamaiah

      Subhanallah. Jazakallah khair. Alhamdullah for giving us this story of wisdom. May Allah swt bless all of us.

      Reply
  3. James Pearson

    AlhumduAllah

    Reply
  4. Ali Shariff

    Alhamdulilah MasyaAllah Jazakallahu khairan sheikh

    Reply
  5. Isa Abdul Muhaimin

    Alhamdulilah. Something like this is very much needed. May Allah reward your efforts.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Thomas Haile Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *