The Story of an Woman and Bryan Anderson - A Motivational Story about Helping Others With Sincerity








The Story of a Woman and Bryan Anderson

Bismillaah

As Salaamu ‘alaykum and Peace to all,

I once heard a prominent motivational speaker said “You have to give in order to receive”.

An interesting concept. I was intrigued. But, he didn’t stop there. He continued by saying that
‘In order to get what you want, you first must give others what they want’.

“This is worth listening to,” I thought to myself

Reflecting on the speaker’s words, I got very amused. Give in order to receive. And not only that, I should also initiate the process by becoming the one who gives first. I wonder, what can I give to another being? Love? Friendship? Attention? Kind words? Good actions? Or a simple Salaam? The fact of the matter is that, I think, we can give just about anything within our capacity.

The rule is simple. I should take the first step. And I will get back what I have given. I liked that idea! It seems simple and doable! And the best part is that it goes in a continuous cycle. I give, I receive. After I received, then, I should give again. And, I will receive some more. But, on the other hand, if I don’t give, I won’t receive. And will not receive any. Dizzy already? ))

So, let me get this straight. Let me try to put this idea into perspective. For example, If I want others to love me, I should first give love. If I want knowledge, I should teach or share with my friends the knowledge that I have. If I want people to treat me gently, I must first be gentle to others. A very attractive concept I must say.

But what if, na’uzubillaah, I give (or do) evil deeds, then, will I receive evil too?

Allaah has given me the answer in the ayah below.

On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Grant us victory over the unbelievers." 2:286


So, it works both ways. But, Alhamdulillaah, Allaah has stated also that I should pray to Him for His Forgiveness and Mercy. That I should beg Allaah not to test me with something I cannot bear…

Allaah has said that in whatever we do, there is a reaction to it. We shall receive the implications of our actions, both good and bad.

It is not required of thee (O Messenger.), to set them on the right path, but Allah sets on the right path whom He pleaseth. Whatever of good ye give benefits your own souls, and ye shall only do so seeking the "Face" of Allah. Whatever good ye give, shall be rendered back to you, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly. 2:272

We are also promised that whatever good we do, Allah will multiply it.

Allah is never unjust in the least degree: If there is any good (done), He doubleth it, and giveth from His own self a great reward. 4:40

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "If any one of you improve (follows strictly) his Islamic religion then his good deeds will be rewarded ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed and a bad deed will be recorded as it is." Sahih Bukhari Volume: 1, Book Number: 2, Hadith Number: 40


I cant help but to think of how Gracious and Merciful Allaah is towards all of us…


I want to share with you a powerful story about a man named Bryan Anderson below…

He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, "I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me."

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.



After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you - Do not let this chain of love end with you."

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson."

Masha’Allaah, what a powerful story indeed. As the old saying goes “What goes around comes around”

As I sat there, thinking of the giving and receiving story, I realized that the concept is so easy and simple to follow. What I have to do is to open my eyes wider and seek for opportunities where I can be of help to someone, anyone today, Insya’Allaah. Be it a kind word, or just merely a smile; a pad on the shoulder or just simply a phone call. I want to be Bryan Anderson. I really do, Insya’Allaah. Now, let me ask you a question : Dont you want to be one too? 

Sis Zabrina
~ Your Source for Islamic Motivational and Inspirational Stories ~

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Comments

edyan7 said…
Salaam 'Alaiki Sis,

Sweet story. It grabs my thought soon I finished reading. Told a friend already and she loved the story too! I'll tell the story to my husband later today, he loves this kind of story.

Thanks Sis.
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum Sis Edyan,

I know what you mean. I felt the same way while writing it too! :) Oh, please share the stories you liked with other sis. We just dont know who can benefit from it, Insya'Allaah. Do come back for more!

Sis Zabrina
Anonymous said…
Assalamualaikum.
sis zabrina, Mashallah you seem to have a lot knowledge. and you are doing very good work, may Allah reward you in good in the Hereafter. Jazakallah Khair.
i went through your profile and saw that you are into movies and music(jazz, arab,international).maybe you are not aware sister, but listening to such music is Haram in Islam.
There is an authentic hadeeth in Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 69, Number 494B and it says --

Narrated By Abu 'Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari : That he heard the Prophet saying,
"From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection."

please go to the following links to read further on this.
www.bilalphilips.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=48

www.islamnewsroom.com/content/view/204/52/

as for the movies, which are mostly a work of fiction are a completely wasteful activity and work to corrupt the mind(just as with fiction-based novels). Even if you seem to be watching good, peaceful, family movies, they show actors and actresses who are in reality non-mahrams to one another, play charecters of mahrams and expose themselves without the proper hijaab and interact freely, all in the name of putting up a show! ask yourself-would Islam allow a woman to work as an actress? surely not! so when you see something which is wrong even for yourself, you even prohibit others from it, right?
i am sure u must have heard the hadith of the Prophet(pbuh) where he says that when you something wrong taking place, stop it with your hands; if not that, then with your tongue(by saying); if not that, then know it to be bad in your heart and move away from it, and this is the least of Eemaan.
hope i have not offended you in any way.
May Allah Forgive me and Forgive you, and Guide me and Guide you, Ameen.

Surah 3. Al-'Imran (The Family of 'Imran)
110. Ye(believers) are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.
Salam!
I agree with new.muslim3000. Here's another fatwa about music
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/5011
Secondly, you might want to read part of Surah Najm, Chapter no. 53, verse no.55-62 which says

55
Then which of your Rabb's blessings would you doubt?

56
This Warner (Muhammad) is just like the earlier warners.

57
The ever approaching (the Day of Judgement) is drawing near;

58
none but Allah can disclose it.

59
Do you then wonder at this revelation,

60
and laugh instead of weeping?

61
Rather you are wasting your time,

I wont be typing the last verse. You ll know why when you read it.
May Allah forgive all of us, give us a place in paradise and guide us to the right path.
Wasalam