Stories are powerful tools that can be used to teach us important lessons. 

I’d like to share with you three original, personal short stories from my own life that have greatly moved and impacted me. I’ve summarised the lesson of each story in brackets next to the subheading. I’ve also included a short “moral” at the end of each story. I hope these stories encourage you to reflect and inspire you to live the best version of yourself every day. 

  1. The Sweet Girl In The Mosque (The Power of Love)

“Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd!”

It was the morning of Eid Al-Fitr as we walked towards Al Masjidul Haram in Makkah. The powerful sound of the takbeer reverberated through the air. The pungent smell of attar traveled between the streams of pilgrims entering the Holy Mosque. After the Khutbah (Eid Sermon), women in black abayas, white telekungs, and colourful dresses embraced one another in the women’s section. Strangers exchanged smiles and warm greetings in various tongues. Some little children clung to their mothers’ while others chased one another in between the crowds. I distributed Bonbon sweets to whoever was around me. 

As I reached for the last sweet in the box, two little girls with pretty dresses looked up at me with innocent brown eyes. “There’s just one left,” I explained to them in despair. One of the girls reached out her hand and so I gave her the last Bonbon. She then turned to the girl beside her and gave her the sweet. My heart melted at the gesture as I recalled the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW: “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Moral of The Story: 

The sweetness of life is not in what we consume but rather the sweetness lies in the love we give to others. 

  1. A Good Start (The Power of Encouragement)

When I was in grade two, I LOVED to write. I also LOVED to talk. My teacher Mrs. Melon would give us lots of opportunities to write stories. However, the classroom seats were arranged so that I had two girls sitting in front of me and one sitting beside me which made it very convenient to pursue my passion of talking. 

One time Mrs. Melon had instructed us to write a story from our imagination. I was excited to do the task but ended up getting carried away talking to my seat mates Leo, Moya, and Emily. By the time Mrs. Melon came to collect our notebooks at the end of class, I had only written one line! When Mrs. Melon handed back our notebooks the next day, my heart thudded with dread. What would she say? I wondered. Would she scold me for not completing my work? Thankfully, Mrs Melon handed me my notebook and went on to the next student without a word. I looked down at my notebook. Written in red, under my one sentence, my teacher had commented: “Good start!” I smiled in relief. 

The next time Mrs. Melon caught me talking during our writing task, she moved me to sit alone at the computer desk. I ended up writing two pages about finding a dinosaur egg in my garden in my tiny handwriting. “Two pages!” Read Mrs. Melon’s comment. 

I strongly believe Mrs. Melon’s constructive comments have helped to nurture me into the writer I am today. Sharing your writing with others and putting yourself out there takes a lot of vulnerability, confidence and bravery. Mrs. Melon’s belief in the six year old me has motivated me to go on to write and perform spoken word poems in front of live audiences and on the radio and television many years later. Her positive spirit has helped me to get through the academic research of my undergraduate degree. Her uplifting approach to teaching has inspired me to pursue my postgraduate studies in Education. In short, Mrs. Melon has encouraged me to dream big. I still have a long way to go, but thanks to my second year teacher, I now know that every story has a beautiful beginning and that every start can lead to something great. 

Moral of The Story: 

Your positive words can be the seed that grows a forest. 

  1. The Boy Who Ran After A Plastic Bag (The Power of Kindness)

Before the end of second grade, my family moved countries and so I entered a new school. It was the month of Ramadan and as this was an Islamic school, many of the students had started fasting full and half days. To avoid tiring us out, the Physical Education teacher told us that we could bring toys to play with in the field instead of doing the normal sports and exercises that we usually do. I decided to bring my toy pots and pans. When I took them out of the plastic bag so that I could play with the other girls, the white plastic blew away in the wind. I started to worry. How would I carry my little pots and pans back to class? 

A young boy who looked around a year or two older than me was playing rugby in the field when he noticed the mini commotion. “Do you want me to catch it for you?” He asked. I nodded. The boy sprung across the field and managed to grab the plastic bag before it drifted higher into the air. He then ran back and handed it to me. I can’t remember if I said thank you. I hope I did because I remember feeling very relieved that I had my plastic bag back. I was also touched that a stranger in my new school offered his help. 

I don’t know this boy’s name and I don’t think I ever saw him after that day. However, his offer to help when I least expected it has inspired me to do the same for others. Kindness spreads like the dispersal of seeds in the wind. You never know where the seeds may land, but many seasons later, beautiful plants and fruits grow. Your act of kindness is contagious, soon someone picks it up and passes it on to others who pass it on to others and so on and so forth. No good deed is wasted. For every good deed you commit, Allah makes sure that multiple layers of goodness come out of it. Allah says:

“The example of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah is like that of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, and in every ear there are a hundred grains. Thus Allah multiplies the action of whomsoever He wills. Allah is Munificent, All-Knowing.”  (Quran, 2:261)

Moral of The Story: 

One simple act of kindness done sincerely can lead to thousands more. 

 

Thank you for reading these short stories. They are based on experiences that have really motivated and shaped me over the years. I hope they inspire you just as much.  If you have your own inspirational stories, let us know in the comments below. Who knows? Through your stories, you might be spreading love, encouragement and kindness to thousands of people.

Which story did you find most inspiring?

  1. The Sweet Girl In The Mosque (The Power of Love)
  2. A Good Start (The Power of Encouragement)
  3. The Boy Who Ran After A Plastic Bag (The Power of Kindness)

Comment Below!

References:

https://quran.com

https://40hadithnawawi.com/hadith/13-love-for-your-brother-what-you-love-for-yourself/

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