[al Furqaan]

this is an interesting story i heard during the eid khutba, delivered by a blind indian sheikh. it illustrates the rahmah (graciousness) of Allah (swt) as well as the malice of Satan...
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There was once a blind man who wished to pray at the mosque, but he had no one to guide him there. Day after day, he prayed at home yearning for the masjid. One day, he finally gathered the courage to go to the mosque alone.

He walked down the pathway, until he reached a large hole. Not seeing it, the blind man fell down in the hole which was filled with water. His clothes became wet and dirty and the man cried all the way back home.

The next day, he again attempted to travel to the mosque alone. Just as before, he fell down the hole, and returned home failing to complete his objective.

On the third day, as the man left his house, he met a young man who called out to him.

"Where are you going?"

The blind man answered he was heading to the mosque and the youth offered to take him there. The blind man was supremely grateful and accepted his invitation.

Once they reached the mosque, the man thanked his benefactor and asked him to join him in prayer, "Salaat is much better and more acceptable to Allah in congregation."

The youth refused. The blind man insisted several times, but was refused each time.

Finally, the youth responded by informing him that he could not pray.

"Why can't you pray?"

"Because, I am Satan, the Devil," responded the youth.

The blind man was confused beyond his imagination. He asked the Devil, why of all people, would he help a blind man to pray at the mosque.

"Because," replied Satan "When you fell into that hole the first day, Allah forgave all your sins. When you fell into the same hole the very next day, Allah forgave all the sins of all the people who lived on that street. I was afraid that if you fell into the hole again, Allah would forgive the sins of the entire city. So to prevent that from happening, I brought you here safely."
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But I like to believe the jokes on Satan...hehe...