The Prophet Muhammad told a parable about a man who was told he would die within 24 hours. The man went to three friends for help - his wealth, family and good deeds. His wealth and family could not help him after death, but his good deeds would accompany him in the afterlife. The Prophet explained that wealth, family and good deeds represent our temporary attachments in this world, while the deeds we perform are the only thing that will matter after death.

1. DEATH
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>The story is as
follows.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>The holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his
family) was sitting with his companions and they were discussing
death.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>The holy Prophet (P) gave this parable.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>One day a man
was told that he would die in the next 24 hours. He was extremely worried and
started to think very hard. He thought of his very best friend. He went to see him
in the middle of the night and explained him his problem and asked him if how
could he help. His friend said, "sorry. Our friendship is only so long as you are
alive. Once you die, I have nothing to do with you." Obviously, this man was
shocked and said to himself, what's the good of having such a friend who
cannot help me at such a time.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>Then he thought of
another friend. He went to see him and asked him if he could help him. This
other friend said, "of course I can help you. When you die, I will arrange for your
funeral and bury you." The man asked, "and what about after that?" The friend
said, "but this is the best I can do for you." The man wasn't quite happy. He was
still quite depressed.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>Then he remembered one more friend and went to see
him. Though this one was his friend, but he somehow always ignored him and
hardly thought of him.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>He goes to him and explains his case and asks him if he
could help him. This friend says, "yes I can help you," the friend says. The man
asks, "even after my death?" The friend says "yes</SPAN><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>. I will be with you all the time."</SPAN></DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>Now the Holy
Prophet is asking his companions, "Did you recognise who these friends
were?" The companions said, "no, we didn't."</SPAN></DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>The H.Prophet
said, "the first one was his wealth. So long as a person is alive, he may have the
control over his wealth. But once a person dies, others inherit the wealth.
Nothing helps him in his grave."</SPAN></DIV> <DIV

2. class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>The second
friend was his family and friends. When a person dies, they will get together and
arrange his funeral and bury him. But no one can be of any help beyond that.</
SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>The third
friend was the deeds and actions of that man. When a person dies, its only his
deeds and actions that are going to accompany him in his next
life.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>Yet how often
are we negligent of this fact. We are so much engrossed in our worldly affairs
that we don't even have time to think about our next life and work towards it!
</SPAN></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>P.S.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002>Please pass
this message to all those who may be interested to read it.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN
class=86181908-20062002>Ebrahim.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV
class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> </DIV>

3. <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><SPAN class=86181908-20062002></SPAN> <DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: blue 1.5pt solid;
BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-
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0cm"><SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: blue; FONT-
FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</
SPAN><SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY:
Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> Fwd: A BEAUTIFUL STORY
Once upon a time<SPAN class=524435512-13062002> </SPAN>there was a
rich King who had 4 wives.
He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her
to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to
neighbouring kingdoms.
However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.
He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidante and was always kind,
considerate and patient with him.
Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her to help him get
through the difficult times.
The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions
in maintaining his
wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife and although she
loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.
One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short.
He thought of his luxurious life and pondered, "I now have 4 wives with me, but
when I die, I'll be all alone.
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the

4. finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm
dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that
I'm dying, will
you follow me and keep me company?"
"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to
remarry!"
His heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've
always been
there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very
most, I
can only send you to your grave."
Her answer came like a bolt of thunder and the King was devastated.
Then a voice called out:
"I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up
and there
was his first wife. She was so skinny, she suffered from malnutrition.

5. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you
when I had the chance!"
In Truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives ...
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in
making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to
others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been
there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
And our 1st wife is our Soul, often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and
pleasures of the ego.
However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.
So cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now!
It is your greatest gift to offer the world. <o:p></o:p></SPAN>
</DIV>
<SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE:
10pt">
</SPAN><SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-
SIZE: 10pt"><![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><![endif]></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR:
black; mso-color-alt: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN>One day a man came to Imam
Ja'fer as-Sadiq a.s. and said that he was very scared of death and didn't know why.

6. The Imam answered him with the example of the following parable.
One day a man entered into the town at about dawn. As he entered that town a couple of people
grabbed him and took him to the palace. They gave him a good bath, changed his clothes and said to
him that he was going to be their king and a ruler. The man was extremely surprised with all this. He
was a stranger in that town and had no idea what was happening. This man was given all kind of
treatment a king deserves. There were servants, ministers, advisers, nice food, etc.
This poor man was anxious to know how the system worked. How long was he going to be the ruler,
when and how would his rule come to an end and what's going to happen when his kingship comes to
an end.
As the time went by, this king made friendship with one of the workers in his palace. He once asked
this worker about how did the system of finding a new king worked. The worker said to the king that
he would explain to him with the condition that he would not reveal to anyone about it. The king
promised him.
The worker explained to the king about how their system worked. According to their law, the first
person who enters the town at dawn on this particular day becomes their king. He lives in the palace
and has everything at his disposal. He changes his old clothes and wears royal clothes and a crown.
He is given two years to rule but he is not informed about it at all. When his time ends, he is driven out
of the town in the same clothes that he entered in. He is not allowed to take anything from this town
and lives empty handed (except what he came with).
The new king heard all this and remembered it.

7. When the two years were up, this king was driven out of the town. He was given the same old clothes
that he first entered the town in.
But the king looked very happy and relaxed. The people of the town were very surprised to see this. In
the past when the old kings were driven out, they wept and moaned and groaned. But with this king, he
looked quite cheerful.
Someone asked this outgoing king, "the kings before you, when they were driven out, they wept and
didn't want to go. How come you look so happy and cheerful?
The king replied, "I came to realise within days that this place wasn't my actual home. I was here only
for a very short period of time. Therefore, I transferred whatever I could to my actual place where I am
going now. I have already built a beautiful house with a beautiful garden. I have a lot of money, gold,
silver, diamonds, etc. Why should I weep and be reluctant to go?
So the Imam was trying to make a point that this world is not your permanent abode. You live in this
world to make your hereafter better. If you have worked hard for your akherat, you will not be scared
of dying, but looking forward to meet your death.
How often we tend to get busy with the worldly pleasure and forget death. We forget that we haven't
been created for this world but for the hereafter.