Panda and Doraemon

Hear what the Moon told the Owl, "Whatever harm and hardship has befallen the people, in their wealth or security, individuals or societies, is due to their sins and their having neglected the commands of Allah and his prescribed laws, and their seeking judgement amongst the people by other than the prescribed laws of Allah—Who created all of creation and was more merciful to them than their mothers and fathers, and He is the One Who knows better than themselves what is most beneficial for them.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, says, explaining that in His Book, so that we may realise and take warning, He, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, says,

وَمَآ اَصَابَكُمْ مِّنْ مُّصِيْبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ اَيْدِيْكُمْ وَيَعْفُوْا عَنْ كَثِيْرٍۗ

'And whatever strikes you of disaster—it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.' [QS. Ash-Shuraa (42):30]

And He, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, says,

مَآ اَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللّٰهِ ۖ وَمَآ اَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَّفْسِكَ

'What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, is from yourself ....' [QS. An-Nisa (4):79]

Whatever good comes upon us—blessings or security—it is from Allah, it is He who provided that, its beginning and end, from His beneficience. It is He, Who granted us from His bounty, that we should carry out that which would lead to it, and it is He, Who granted us, His blessings and completed that for us.

As for whatever evil has befallen us, whether famine or fear, or whatever else causes harm, then it is due to our ownselves, we are the ones who have wronged ourselves and led ourselves to destruction. Many people today, attribute the misfortunes which befall them, whether relating to wealth and economics, or security and political affairs to purely materialistic causes, to political causes, economic reasons, or problems due to borders. There is no doubt that, this is due to their limited understanding and weakness of their eemaan and their faliure to reflect upon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Rasool (ﷺ).

But if we sought to rectify ourselves, our families, our neighbours and those in our areas, and everyone we are able to rectify, if we mutually encouraged good and forbade evil, if we assisted those who do this with wisdom and wise admonition—then it would produce unity and harmony. It's time for change, so that various favors do not disappear, so that we are separated from various disasters and calamities that do not go away. Allah says,

ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِّعْمَةً اَنْعَمَهَا عَلٰى قَوْمٍ حَتّٰى يُغَيِّرُوْا مَا بِاَنْفُسِهِمْۙ وَاَنَّ اللّٰهَ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌۙ

'That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.' [QS. Al-Anfal (8):53]

The Moon, paused, later narrated, "Last night, I looked down upon a town called Cheap Dolum. My beams irradiated a farm, and a door was seen, but it was locked. Close wooden shutters covered the windows behind the walls of the house, but through the windows, I looked in, and saw a hen, a lazy dog, a sleepy cat and a noisy duck.

The hen found some seeds on the ground and she had an idea. 'I should plant the seeds,' she thought. So, the hen asked her friends, 'Who would like to help me plant the seeds?' 'Not me!' barked the lazy dog. 'Nay!' purred the sleepy cat. 'Never me!' quacked the noisy duck. 'Then I would!' said the hen. So off, she went to plant the seeds all by herself.

When the seeds were grown, the hen asked her friends, 'Who will help me cut the wheat?' 'Not me!' barked the lazy dog. 'Nay!' purred the sleepy cat. "Never me!' quacked the noisy duck, 'Then I would!' said the hen. So off she went to cut the wheat all by herself.

When all the wheat was cut, the hen asked her friends, 'Who would like to help me take the wheat to the mill to be ground into flour?' 'Not me!' barked the iazy dog. 'Nay!' purred the sleepy cat. 'Never me!' quacked the noisy duck. 'Then I would!' said the hen. So she brought the wheat to the mill all by herself, ground the wheat into flour and carried the heavy sack of flour back to the farm.

The hen then asked her friends, 'Who would like to help me bake the bread?' 'Not me!' barked the lazy dog. 'Nay!' purred the sleepy cat. 'Never me! quacked the noisy duck. 'Then I would!' said the hen. So, she baked the bread all by herself.

Finally, was the bread was finished, hot and smelling wonderfully, the tired hen asked her friends, 'Who would like to help me eat the bread?' "I would!' barked the lazy dog. 'You don't mind, do you?' purred the sleepy cat. 'I want it!' quacked the noisy duck.

The hen asked her friends, 'Who would like to hear a story?' 'I'm interested!' barked the lazy dog. 'Certainly!' purred the sleepy cat. 'Yes, for the sake of the bread!' quacked the noisy duck, 'So listen!' said the hen began her story.

One bright evening, as the sun was sinking on a glorious world, a wise old Cock flew into a tree to roost. Before he composed himself to rest, he flapped his wings three times and crowed loudly. But just as he was about to put his head under his wing, his beady eyes caught a flash of red and a glimpse of a long pointed nose, and there just below him stood Master Fox.

'Have you heard the wonderful news?' cried the Fox in a very joyful and excited manner. 'What news?' asked the Cock very calmly. But he had a queer, fluttery feeling inside him, for, you know, he was very much afraid of the Fox. 'Your family and mine, and all other animals, have agreed to forget their differences and live in peace and friendship from now on forever. Just think of it! I simply cannot wait to embrace you! Do come down, dear friend, and let us celebrate the joyful event.'

'How grand!' said the Cock. 'Would you like to hear a story?' the Cock sugested. 'Certainly!' replied the Fox, happily, thinking of getting dinner.

A pig, was looking for a toy train set, so he went to the market and found two sellers, Panda and Doraemon. Doraemon offered a set of toys for 60 dollars. 'All included!' Doraemon offered. 'And if you want it, I'll give you free delivery,' added Doraemon. 'But it's too expensive!' replied the Pig. Then, he saw Panda's stall, there was a toy train set and on it, was written, 'Twenty dollars sale.' 'Well, this is what I was looking for!' said the Pig. He rushed towards Panda, but Doraemon stopped him and said, 'Buddy, listen, before you buy that toy, would you like to hear a story?' The pig paused, 'All right!' Doraemon then told a story,

A Wolf who, by frequent visits to a flock of sheep in his neighbourhood, began to be extremely well known to them, thought it expedient, for the more successful carrying on of his depredations, to appear in a new character. To this end, he disguised himself in a shepherd’s habit; and resting his fore feet upon a stick, which served him by way of crook, he softly made his approaches towards the fold. It happened that the Shepherd and his dog were both of them extended on the grass, fast asleep; so that he would certainly have succeeded in his project, if he had not imprudently attempted to imitate the Shepherd’s voice. The horrid noise awakened them both, when the Wolf, encumbered with his disguise, and finding it impossible either to resist or to flee, yielded up his life an easy prey to the Shepherd’s dog.

'That's all?' replied the Pig cinicly, 'I don't understand! Now let me buy my favorite toy,' while approaching Panda and immediately gave 20 dollars. However, when he was about to pick up the whole set of toys, Panda interrupted, 'Sorry buddy, the price is 20 dollars for the train only, not including the battery, rails and other accessories! If you want to buy a complete set, you have to pay more!' The Pig was confused, but what the heck, just buying a carriage, without batteries and accessories, was useless. 'So how much do I have to pay?' asked the Pig, thinking that the extra cost wouldn't be that much. 'Since you have paid 20 dollars, you add just, 80 dollars.' The Pig was surprised because it turned out, he had to dig deeper into his pocket, but, what could be done. After paying and bringing the set, when he was about to walk, Panda reminded, 'Remember buddy, there are no guarantees, no exchanges and no refunds!' The Pig nodded, and just as he was about to take a step, suddenly, the main train track broke.

And on that moment, the pig was startled, knowing that the 80 dollars he had bought the toy, were the money of his relatives left with him. Old brother ordered basketball, young sister ordered lipstick, uncle ordered blangkon, and aunty ordered Kebaya. 

In the distance, Doraemon sang,

I'd rather be a hammer than a nail

Yes, I would

If I only could

I surely would

Away, I'd rather sail away

Like a swan that's here and gone

A man gets tied up to the ground

He gives the world

Its saddest sound

Its saddest sound *)

The Cock ended the story with responding, 'As for the news, I certainly am delighted.' But he spoke in an absent way, and stretching up on tiptoes, seemed to be looking at something afar off. 'What is it you see?' asked the Fox a little anxiously. 'Why, it looks to me like a couple of Dogs coming this way. They must have heard the good news and ...—but the Fox did not wait to hear more. Off he started on a run. 'Wait,' cried the Cock. 'Why do you run? The Dogs are friends of yours now!'

'Yes,' answered the Fox. 'But they might not have heard the news. Besides, I have a very important errand that I had almost forgotten about.' The Cock smiled as he buried his head in his feathers and went to sleep, for he had succeeded in outwitting a very crafty enemy.

Then the hen continued. 'As for the bread, you all didn't want to help me with any of the work, I'm sorry, I made enough for one animal. So, now, you won't eat the bread!' while eating the bread, all by herself."

The Moon finished with, "It is generally the design of bad intention persons, to delude and impose upon others, with an eye to derive some benefit to themselves, when they fool men who are weak enough to become their victim of deception. That's what happened to the Pig, but the Hen and Cock, can't be fooled. And Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen, The Ill Effects of Sins, Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood ibn Ronald Burbank, Al-Hidaayah
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin
*) "El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could)" written by Paul Simon  & Daniel Alomia Robles

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