The Story of an African King and His Friend

By Arshad

A story is told about a King in Africa who had a close
friend that he grew up with. The friend had a habit of
looking at every situation  that ever occurred in his
life (positive or negative) by remarking, "This is
good, Allah Almighty knows best"

One day the King and his friend were out on a hunting
expedition. The  friend would load and prepare the
guns for the King. The friend had  apparently done
something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for
after taking the gun from his friend, the King fired
it and his thumb  was blown off.

Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual,
"This is good! Allah Almighty knows best."
To which the King replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and
ordered his soldiers to put his friend into jail.

About a year ! later, the King was hunting in an area
that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals
captured the King and took him to their village. They
tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and
bound him to the stake.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they
noticed that the King  was missing a thumb. Being
superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than
whole. So after untying the King, they chased him out
of the village.

When the King reached his Palace, he was reminded of
the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse
for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately
to the jail to speak with his friend.

"You were right" the King said, "it was good that my
thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the
friend all that had just  happened. "I am very sorry
for sending you to jail for so long. It  was bad for
me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "this is good...Allah
Almighty knows best"
"What do you mean, 'this is good'! How could it be
good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

The King's friend replied: "Remember that the Almighty
knows best and if I had NOT been in jail, I would have
been with you on that hunting trip."

"He knows what is before them And what is behind them:
And to Allah go back  All questions (for decision)"
Qur'an:Surah Al Hajj 22:76

Do Not Judge Things or Events by its Immediate
Outcome!

Almighty, the Most High, is the All-Knowledgable, the
All-Knower...

He chooses to show us things... but sometimes... we
are not shown the  wisdom behind somethings. When we
are confronted by circumstances that are not very
pleasing.... we are quick to say: "This is not
good..." but... is it really? We might not know the
purpose behind it. It might turn to be a good
thing.... thus.. .when we are faced  with any
situation... do not be too quick to judge... always
remember.... this life is a test... the good and the
bad.... and there is nothing that happens for no
reason... our brains are just not gifted enough to
understand these reasons yet. Sometimes ... things
happen to us for a reason.