The Story of a Farmer and His Watermelon

This story was published at www.islamnewsroom.com

The Story of A Farmer and His Watermelon




I was reading the newspaper today about a man who was charged for lying in the court. Despite the vow to ‘say the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’ he still gave wrong information in the court. Of course, it just took a few days before the real truth was revealed and he was charged accordingly.

Perhaps he never heard of what Elvis Presley had once said,

Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away.


As I thought about this man’s behaviour- his lies, I began to ponder. Despite making such oath, he had no qualms in violating it. Clearly it was just a lip service.

I wondered what was on his mind at that very moment when he made that promise. Why would someone who swear to tell the truth went against his very own words just seconds later? Didn’t that promise mean anything to him? When he verbalized the promise, was he smiling inside, plotting the lie already? Didn’t he think that he will be found out one day? What about the impact of his lies to others? Especially to the victims and the innocents? Didn’t he think about that?

Whatever the real reason that made that man told the lie, only Allaah knows. Perhaps he was desperately in need to lie in order to save someone else, perhaps to protect others, to avoid shame, perhaps to run away from punishment. Who knows, right?

But you know what? Those excuses are not even valid excuses. Our Prophet SAW had said that we can’t even fib or tell a lie even when we are joking.

In fact, telling the truth is so significant in our lives that if we are able to do it, guess what is the reward awaits us?

Our beloved Prophet SAW has given us an antidote to help us from telling what are untrue even if it’s a joke! He (SAW) has said that…

I guarantee a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who leaves off lying even if it be in jest. (at-Tirmidhî on the authority of Abû Umâmah)


Something amazing had struck me in this hadeeth. Do you want to know which one? Well, the word middle. Yup, that word. Prophet SAW said if we leave the habit or act of lying, he would guarantee us a house in the middle of the Paradise? SubhanAllaah.

My question is why middle? How significant is that, right? And why is it significant?

Well, if we look at today’s property market, any property in the middle of a city is usually the best, and not to mention- usually is the most expensive one!



Well, let us reflect on this. Offices in the middle of New York city, apartments in the centre of London, condominiums in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, hotels in the central Paris and land plots in centre of Tokyo – what do they have in common? That’s it. You got it. The most expensive rent slapped on each and every door there!

Prophet (peace be upon him) had definitely used a comparison we can understand.

So, MashaAllaah, an absolutely magnificent reward by just withholding from telling a lie and come out with the truth. Truly…

I remembered a Moroccan proverb that says…

Love truth even if it harms you, and hate lies even if they serve you


SubhanAllaah, isn’t that an excellent suggestion?

My dad once told me that if a person lies, he has to remember everything that he has lied about. When a liar is being asked to repeat what he said 3 days ago, there is a possibility that he will contradict or change some of what he had said, unless he could remember exactly what was being said earlier. Changes to his story would become more apparent as time goes by. It seems that when we lie, our brain could easily get confused of what was said or not said before.

No wonder our beloved Prophet SAW has advised us this…

‘Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt, for truthfulness is certainty and tranquility, whilst lying is doubt and confusion.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2520; al-Nisaa'i, 8/327; and Ahmad, 1/200)




SubhanAllaah. Lying is doubt and confusion… So, my dad was right after all. No wonder that man was caught. He couldn’t make his statements consistent. He got confused!

Let me share with you a story of a farmer and his watermelon…

There was a farmer who grew watermelons. He was doing pretty well, but he was disturbed by some local kids who would sneak into his watermelon patch at night and eat his watermelons. After some careful thought, he came up with a clever idea that he thought would scare the kids away for sure.

He made up a sign and posted it in the field. The next day, the kids showed up and they saw the sign which reads, "Warning! One of the watermelons in this field has been injected with cyanide."

The kids ran off, made up their own sign and posted it next to the farmer's sign. When the farmer returned, he surveyed the field. He noticed that no watermelons were missing, but the sign next to his reads, "Now there are two!"

Yikes! I know…

Indeed, our beloved Prophet SAW was right.

For truthfulness is certainty and tranquility, whilst lying is doubt and confusion.


And confused, will the farmer be…

I asked myself- Do I ever want to be the farmer? Wondering which two of my watermelons are contaminated? Goodness, I would definitely have countless of sleepless night crying over all the melons I have to throw away! Not to mention the regrets I would have. Na’udhubillaah.

Realizing this, I am determined to get my act together. I shall strive for my Jannah by being truthful. After all, there is a great reward attached to it, don’t you agree?

Well, since having a property in the middle of Paris is a far-fetched reality for me at this moment, I would strive for something better, something that I could do now. My own property in the middle of His Paradise! InshaAllaah.

What about you my friends? Fancy a property that would last for eternity? Let us do this together. Every single time we feel like telling a fib as our way out of something, remember of the guarantee Prophet (peace be upon him) had given us, a home in the middle of Jannah.



And if having property doesn’t excite us, perhaps remembering the farmer and his watermelon would…

Care for a slice of melon? :))



Copyright (c) Sis Zabrina 2007

Sis Zabrina, a ‘Life Storyteller’ who writes about daily happenings in life, viewed and analyzed from a unique perspective and blended with the Quranic verses and Hadeeth of the Prophet SAW for a solution to illustrate the easiness, simplicity, relevancy and completeness of Islam to today's world. Her first Islamic motivational book will be available online mid-July 2007. She maintains an active blog at http://wisdomthruwords.blogspot.com


Copyright (c) Sis Zabrina 2007

~Your Source for Islamic Motivational and Inspirational Stories~

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Comments

Anonymous said…
As Salaamu Alaykum,
I do like watermelons sis and I would be sad to throw all those away.
Now instead of thinking about saving money for a house on earth, I'll be telling the truth for my house in paradise.It's more likely to have one in paradise anyways, cause Allah is so kind.
But what a coincdence sis, before I read your story I was thinking about writing my own story about telling lies. no lie.
Thanks for the info about not telling a lie even in a joke.Sometimes when I lie while joking people get mad at me and some problems come of the whole ordeal.
Salaam sis,
Young Reader (relief)
P.S. Congrats on the book, the cover is awsome, can I get it at Barnes and Nobles?
Anonymous said…
Salaam,
First to comment again, what a great day,Oh and one more day of practice and I get my learners driver's permit. It's great to be sixteen.
Salaam, Young reader
Anonymous said…
This story reminds me of one m father used to tell. a man was eating soup in a restaurant when he had to go to the bathroom. He didn't trust anyone to not eat his soup while he was gone, so he left a note saying: "Don't eat this soup, I spit in it."

When he returned, someone had added under his note: "Me Too!"
Anonymous said…
salaam.
Bismaillah..alhamdulillah that was a good story about truth...there are some exceptions ..u can lie whenever u r praising ur spouse, u can lie if u r trying to reconcile between two freinds ..u can lie if u r trying to save someones life.
Anonymous said…
Salaam Sister,
Once again you write the truth, it is so much easier to tell a white lie to save a fight between you and a family member or a friend, or a work situation! Next time i am in that situation, i will think of watermellons!

Take care,
Your friend from Oz,
Cheryl
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Dearest Young Reader, I know what you mean when you say problems can come from a simple lie. It reminded me of the many movies i saw on how the characters lie and had to lie somewhere to ensure the first lie wont be discovered and it continue until the person just cant take it anymore and had to come out with the truth. Indeed, movies like that makes me think very hard... Its great if you wanted to write a story about lies sweety, continue to do so, inshaAllaah, its going to be a wonderful story to read!

Hugs
Sis Zabrina
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

I know how sixteen felt like! I am sure you are having a wonderful time being in that age my dear, use it wisely, inshaAllaah you will be blessed by Allaah. Congrats on your driving's permit! When are you going to get the full permit?

Hugs
Sis Zabrina
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

JazakAllaah to the Ijtema editorial team for selecting this story to be published at your site. I am humbled by the selection. JazakAllaah kheyran again. Salaam.

Sis Zabrina
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Brother Irving, my first reaction was Yikes! I sure pray that i am spared from being in such situation! Lol. Thanks for sharing that wonderful story your dad told you. It made my day!

Salaam
Sis Zabrina
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Dear Anonymous, you are right. There are always exception to the rules in Islam, alhamdulillaah. Thanks for sharing it with us. :)

Salaam
Sis Zabrina
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Dearest Sis Cheryl,

I am glad we both are going to think of the watermelon everytime we have the urge to fib a little. Like another brother said in his comment, a spit in the soup sign works too! :))

Hugs
Sis Zabrina
bluewonder said…
assalmualaikum

that was a wonderful story. I had to read it to my son. Keep churning out more of the same. Will your book be out in the local stores soon?
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Dear Sis Bluewonder *hugs*

I am so happy to know that you are reading the story to your son. Thats the way to go sis! Both adults and children loves stories and one of the best way to explain things are by telling it through stories.

Life is an Open Secret will be available very soon by the first week of August in all major bookstores MPH, Borders, Kinokuniya, Popular, Islamic Museum etc etc inshaAllaah. It is also be available in Singapore and Brunei stores soon. Mauritius, Australia and USA coming up next!

Take care sis and keep on reading!

Hugs
Sis Zabrina
Khairil said…
Assalamua'laikum,

Dear Biena,
Totorque here...remember?
I was having my packed lunch at the office's pantry when I saw your face in theSun! I was pleasently surprised that you have a blog, but I was even more pleasently surprised to read that you already hv a published work!! ALHAMDULILLAH!!!
CONGRATS DEARIE!!!
I will visit this space of yours frequently after this, insyaAllah!
Keep it up Biena! I am proud of you!
Salams!
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Totorque, Alhmadulillaah, its really great to see old friends even if its online! JazakAllaah for your prayers, Ameen to that. Please do come and visit my blog and inform others too. Hopefully, inshaAllaah, the stories here are able to motivate and inspire us all, Take care Totorque and hope to see you again here, inshaAllaah. :))

Salaam
Anonymous said…
Hi! I'm one of the top 20 AllMalaysia contest i.e. Why Must Visit Malaysia? . Since I've been shortlisted, I received tonne of traffic. Good new! I would like to share my traffic with you. How? Vote for me and I will link back to your blog. There will be more traffic come to you if I'm listed on Top 5. Just email me at kzainul@gmail.com once you have voted. If you're not interested, please ignore this, you can delete my message if you hate it.
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Congratulations for the outstanding achievement! I have voted for you and will be praying for your success!

Salaam
Sis Zabrina
Syaf said…
Hello...

I just bought your book after reading about you in The Star (Metro Section) and watching you on The Breakfast Show! It's such a great book and an inspiring read!
Sis Zabrina said…
Bismillaah

As Salaamu 'alaykum and peace to all,

Salaam Brother Syaf!

JazakAllaah for reading my book and alhamdulillaah, i am so happy that you find it inspiring. Do pop in my blog again in the future, ya!

Salaam
Sis Zabrina