100 Moral Stories

Dear readers, you are beautiful. May Allah’s beautiful blessings be
upon you always.
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Chapter
98
BE PATIENT
A man came out of his home to admire his new truck.
To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammer-
ing dents into the shiny paint of the truck.
The man ran to his son, knocked him away, and hammered the little-
boy’s hands into pulp as punishment.
When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Al-
though the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally
had to amputate fingers from boy’s both hands.
When the boy woke up from the surgery and saw his bandaged stubs,
he innocently said, “Daddy,I’m sorry about your truck.” Then he asked,
“But when are my fingers going to grow back?”
The father went home and committed suicide.Think about this story
the next time someonesteps on your feet or you wish to take revenge.
Think first before you lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks
can be repaired. Brokenbones and hurt feelings often can’t.
Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and
the performance. We forgetthat forgiveness is greater than revenge.
People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the ac-
tions we take while in a ragewill haunt us forever. Pause and ponder.
Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive and forget. Love one and all.
166

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“One who cannot benefit by patience will dieof grief and excitement.”
Imam Ali (AS)
167

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Chapter
99
THE FATHER AND HIS SONS
A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling
among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhorta-
tions, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of
disunion; and forthis purpose he one day told them to bring him a
bundle of sticks.
When they had done so, he placed the faggot intothe hands of each of
them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried
withall their strength, and were not able to do it. He next opened the fag-
got, took the sticks separately, one by one, andagain put them into his
sons’ hands, upon which they broke themeasily.
He then addressed them in these words: “My sons, if you are of one
mind, and unite to assist eachother, you will be as this faggot, uninjured
by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among
yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks.