References :The hanging parrot said, "Everyone is tried by Allah, some with a heavy examination. Some of us are tried in hardship and some of us are tried in ease. Some of us are tried with the things that we love.
For the believer, every trial in this world is like a vaccination for the child, it hurts but there is a wisdom. That is for their own good if they understand every single trial in this world. It is like a vaccination that we give to our own children that Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala is sending down something for them, to wake up before it's too late. Every blessing from Allah is a test and when we try to be stingy with those blessings, then not only will that work against us, perhaps the very blessing itself will be taken away. That is of a lesson we will learn from the very first story that Allah revealed in the Quran.
Stinginess has two prices: Allah will send us a calamity in this life, and in the hereafter, we will be punished with what we were stingy with. Narrated Haritha bin Wahb that The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
The sparrows asked, "O my brother, tell us about the story!" The hanging parrot said, "The story is a parable that Allah made of the behavior of the Quraysh disbelievers with the great mercy, and tremendous favors He granted them. The mercy and favor of sending of the Prophet (ﷺ) to them. But they met him with denial, rejection, and opposition. Allah says,أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ، كُلُّ ضَعِيفٍ مُتَضَاعِفٍ، لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ، أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ"Shall I inform you about the people of Paradise? They comprise every obscure unimportant humble person, and if he takes Allah's Oath that he will do that thing, Allah will fulfill his oath (by doing that). Shall I inform you about the people of the Fire? They comprise every 'utul (cruel person), jawwaz (greedy and stingy), mustakbir (proud and conceited person)." - [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Some of the Salaf mentioned that, these people, the People of the Garden which Allah mentioned, were from Yemen. Said bin Jubayr said, “They were from a village that was called Darawan which was six miles from San'a’ (in Yemen).” It has also been said, “They were from the people of Ethiopia whose father had left them this garden, and they were from the People of the Book. Their father used to handle the garden in a good way. Whatever he reaped from it he would put it back into the garden as it needed, and he would save some of it as food for his dependants for the year, and he would give away the excess in charity." We shall not examine the detail of location as it does not add value to the lessons to be learnt from this story.إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ"Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning." - [QS.68:17]
So, it was said, there was an old man who owned a garden containing different types of fruits and vegetation. Every season, at harvest time, he would give the first cut of his crops to the poor and needy and only used what remained. This practice was so renowned that the poor looked forward to every harvest season. As with the characteristics of pious people, the old man was also extremely generous in giving charity and taking care of the needy.
The man had three sons, and when he passed away, they inherited his garden. However, they did not inherit his piety and generosity, and resented the idea of having to share their wealth with the poor. They felt a sense of entitlement to all the fruits there, overlooking that this was the bounty of Allah that they should, as believers, share with the less fortunate.
Therefore, after some time, the brothers decided to break from tradition and bar the poor people from entering the garden during the harvest season. In fact, they even went further, they vowed between themselves during the night that they would pluck the fruit of the garden in the morning, so that poor and the beggars would not know what they were doing. In this way they would be able to keep its fruit for themselves and not give any of it in charity. At no point in their scheming did they remember to mention “In sha' Allah” (if Allah wills) to their vow that they made. Therefore, Allah broke their vow.
One of the brothers was not comfortable with this plan. He wanted to continue the legacy left by his father, but he did not voice his opinion strongly enough, nor did he prevent his brothers from implementing their plan. Eventually, not only did he fail to counsel his brothers adequately, but he also followed them to the garden when they wanted to execute their evil plan.
It is also noted that like most of the stingy and greedy, the brothers were not thankful for the blessings of Allah. They attributed the abundant harvest to their own skills and abilities, without giving due recognition that the trees only bore such beautiful fruits because of the power of Allah.
The gardens bore abundant crops, and giving the best in charity would not have deprived the brothers in the least. However, their discontentment sickened their hearts with the disease of stinginess, accumulation and love of dunia. Such are the characteristics of the stingy: they fail to attribute their provisions to Allah, always feel shortchanged and deprived, and always hunger for more.
One day, during the blackness of the night, Allah caused the garden to catch fire. All the trees were razed to the ground, leaving everything in cinders. Allah said,
The brothers were unaware of this disaster. As soon as morning broke, they called to one another and set forth secretly but confidently to reap the harvest of the garden in secret. Then Allah said,وَلا يَسْتَثْنُونَ"Without making exception." - [QS.68:18]
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ
"So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Rabb while they were asleep." - [QS.68:19]
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ"And it became as though reaped." - [QS.68:20]
They spoke privately about what they were doing so that no one could hear what they were saying. Then Allah, the All-Knower of secrets and private discussions, explained what they were saying in private. Some of them said to others, “Do not allow any poor person to enter upon you in it (the garden) today." And they went in the morning with strength and power. They thought they had power to do what they claimed and what they were desiring.فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ"And they called one another at morning," - [QS.68:21]
أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَى حَرْثِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَارِمِينَ"[Saying], 'Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit'." - [QS.68:22]
فَانْطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ"So they set out, while lowering their voices," - [QS.68:23]
أَنْ لا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِسْكِينٌ"[Saying], 'There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person'." - [QS.68:24]
وَغَدَوْا عَلَى حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ"And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able." - [QS.68:25]
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ"But when they saw it, they said, 'Indeed, we are lost'." - [QS.68:26]
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ"Rather, we have been deprived." - [QS.68:27]
When they arrived at it and came upon it, and it was in the condition which Allah changed from that luster, brilliance and abundance of fruit, to being black, gloomy and void of any benefit. They believed that they had been mistaken in the path they took in walking to it. This is why they said, "We have walked down a path other than the one we were seeking to reach it." Then they changed their minds and realized with certainty that it was actually the correct path. Then they said, "Nay, this is it, but we have no portion and no share of harvest."
The most just of them and the best of them said, "Did I not tell you,‘Why do you not Tusabbihun?' means “Why do you not say, 'If Allah wills?’” It means that the best of them said to them, “Did I not tell you, why don’t you glorify Allah and thank Him for what He has given you and favored you with?” Allah said,
This was a very bitter lesson, but the brothers realised that they had only themselves to blame for Allah’s punishment. At that point, all of them felt guilt and remorse, and turned to Allah in sincere repentance for their sins, for they understood that what they had attempted to do was both wrong in this world, and would have grave penalties in the hereafter.قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَوْلا تُسَبِّحُونَ"The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [ Allah ]?' " - [QS.68:28]
قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ"They said, 'Exalted is our Rabb! Indeed, we were wrongdoers'." - [QS.68:29]
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَلاوَمُونَ"Then they approached one another, blaming each other." - [QS.68:30]
قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ"They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors." - [QS.68:31]
عَسَى رَبُّنَا أَنْ يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ"Perhaps our Rabb will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Rabb desirous." - [QS.68:32]
كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ"Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew." - [QS.68:33]
Allah accepted their repentance and in time, their gardens were restored back to their former glory. This time, the brothers, having learnt their lesson, were careful to continue acting out as their father wished, and gave in charity generously and never deprived the poor anymore after that. And Allah knows best.
Abdullah ibn Abbas, radhiyallahu anhu', said that this is just a parable to show the people of Makkah were. It is not an actual event which took place. Saeed ibn Jubayr, radhiyallahu 'anhu, said that it is actually happened. Now, wether this is a happening or just a parable, the Qur’an has taken an lesson from it to serve as a warning. It tells of the disobedience of Quraish and their rejection of Rasulullah (ﷺ) and especially refers to the evil deeds of one of their leaders Waleed bin Mugheera. Now by relating this story, it says that planning against the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and to disregard the teachings of the Qur'an regarding the rights of Allah and the rights of men, and to continue to degrade and insult the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Muslims — will lead to the same result as happened to these people who were the people of the garden.
This is so because Allah has a law whereby He grants respite to even sinners with the aim of them coming to their senses. But when such respite is granted and someone fails to take advantage thereof or takes it as a sign that he is on the right path, then suddenly Allah's punishment will come and surprise him and destroy him. Then he will be a lesson for others and no amount of regret will be beneficial."
Then the hanging parrot said,"O my brothers and sisters, Allah created this universe for man in which to live his congregational social life with others. And he has made man’s needs so intertwined among themselves that this factory of life is unable to function without mutual cooperation and because a collective life is made up of individual lives it is necessary that for the growth and continuance of life on earth that such devine laws should be fixed through which to ensure mutual brotherhood and love, and to ensure that discord and hatred not exist. Therefore in order to perfect the system, Allah has for the social life fixed two sets right viz the right of social life and the various ranks of society.
The first one is the right to a livelihood. This law states that in this world every living being has a right to life and none may be deprived of it. It is the right of every person individually. In this respect all living beings are equal and no one has superiority over another. The second on is the various ranks of life. It is right that each one should have it but it is not necessary that everyone should receive the same. However the difference in ranks of livelihood and the giving of more or less to some does not mean that whatever a person earns or receives is his own individual possession, but the more a person earns so much also will be the rights of Allah and the rights of men on it. He who considers it has individual right and reject the rights of others in it, then too it will not be good for him and he may find himself the earner of Allah’s wrath. And Allah know best."
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ"And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah . So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing." - [QS.16:112]
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ"And there had certainly come to them a Messenger from among themselves, but they denied him; so punishment overtook them while they were wrongdoers." - [QS.16:113]
- Ibn Katheer, Stories of the Qur'an, Dar al-Manarah.
- Maulana Hifzur Rahman Seoharwy, Qasasul Ambiyaa, Idara Impex
- Shaykh Safiur-Rahmnan Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume X, Darussalam.
