Lesson Eight
The Magician and the Needle
A Real Story:
After the very important lessons you had in the interpretation of the last noble Fortress (chapters) of the Holy Qur’an, We explain to you in this factual story, some deceive ways of Magicians, Which Allah(God) has revealed their circulating strength and ways in the two Fortresses (Chapters) - An-nas (Mankind) and Al-falaq (the cleaving). And how Magician deceives people by cooperating with Satan who is the greatest enemy to man. This story, tells us the real interpretation of the two important Fortresses (Chapters) mentioned above, and that, Satan shall never have rule over the pure believer.
The story Begins:
Someone heard of the knowledge and the perfection of the great humane Eminent Scholar – M. A. Sheikho–may his soul be sanctify by Allah, whose marvellous good conducts are greatly spreading in Damascus, and asked for a permission from his students to meet him. When he heard that, he then permitted his students to bring him in to one of their studies circle in his house, for him to benefit from his great knowledge. They met him in one of his farms in the Oasis in Damascus.
During their meeting and after the great Eminent Scholar’s speech about the great Mercy and the Gracious of Allah to all creatures, the man said: ‘Oh, great humane Eminent Scholar, people are talking much about one great man, who claims to be one of the pure believers of Allah with some metaphysical respect. Oh my master, if he commanded someone to take anything no matter the size, be it as small as a needle and hide it in a chosen place by him and never inform any one about it, the magician will go there and bring it within a few minutes. Even if it were buried in ground he would be able to discover the place of the hidden thing. How wonderful is the man’s secret my master! Indeed his experience is great and people have transmitted news about his noble action all over. What is your idea about his work? Is a person as such not very intelligent and those nearer to Allah?!’
The Great Humane Eminent Scholar kindly smiled and said: No, my brother, he is not intelligent or a Scholar and he is not one of the believers and not among those nearer to Allah in good deeds. But he is one of the Satan’s brothers, whatever he is doing is only through the work of Satan. He is their porter in transmitting their aims and bad information to deceive weak people.
The questioner responded with unstable mind: How great is his deceive?! And how deep is his dirt dupe?! Then he claimed that, such an act can only be done by those nearer to Allah honoured by His blessing.
The great Humane Eminent Scholar said:
My brother, had it been that was true, The Holy Prophet Mohammad(PBUH) would have been the first one to do that followed by his companions. But, have you ever heard that the Holy prophet did such act?!... Is there any report proving that his Companions stood in that domain? My honest brother, indeed Islam is a religion of facts, reality, intelligence and straight far away from such stupid miracles. The Companions never stood for Islamic movement in countries, by making people eager to drop it down except with good conducts, kindness and wisdom. That makes people hold the Holy Book of Allah firmly ‘inhaling good fragrance smell from it’, after being informed about the justice of Allah, His Wisdom, Forbearing, Mercy and His Grandeur. That made the hearts of the creatures fall in prostration to the Al-Mighty God and praise His Good Names. People got into Islam in groups due to their faithfulness and humanitarian behaviours. As for the Miracles, it started since the appearance of the Holy Prophet ISSA (JESUS) PBUH, and ended after his disappearance. That was because people refused and was stubborn to him despite all the greatest miracles he made which no one has ever done. But the Jews remained stubbornly in disbelief. Insisting on what they found in the books of their Ancestors even if it were against the Word of Allah. My brother, if a man doesn’t work his brain by realizing proofs and evidence of the presence of Allah by himself, how will he move on to truth?
A human being must think of this being or universe like the rotation of the earth that causes days and nights. How great is the one rotating it?! Think of the water from the sky, the Sun, the Moon, the Rivers, the Lakes, the Clouds, the Wind, and the rain with its down-pouring system, Isn’t there anything controlling it?! Where does this water on the earth come from? And from which part of the sky?! Who is descending it? What are these vitality thing that change to flowers? Each flower having it specific vital, what is this great Hand controlling it?! And when fruit is ready, who stops its nourishment? If the growth would not have been on process. When an apple is ripe which Hand arranges all its sweet contents?
How did Allah create man from his mother’s womb? If man doesn’t think it is useless. All miraculous influence no matter how long it stays will come to an end. Yet, human spirit returns back to wide earthly desires such as: wealth, prostitution, and oppression. Think of the people of Prophet Sualeh (PBUH) did the Camel’s Miracle benefit them? They injured it and returned to Allah’s anger and the same thing happened to many generations like them. The Al-mighty Allah says:
Meaning: (And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat (proofs, evidences, signs) but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong…)
Had it been you come with the Magician I would have disproved him and showed out his lie and silliness. Then an appointment was made between the magician and the great humane scholar- M. A. Sheikho in the presence of some others, the Magician was free to come with some Magicians like him. On the day, after the great Eminent Scholar welcomed his guest, the Magician entered the house looking at him full of stress, confusion and fears and keeps his looks up without lowering them down even for a second. That was very surprising because Magicians are very immoral in their looks.
When they all settled on seats, the Scholar M. A. Sheikho asked: You agreed on what?
The man replied:
My master, a great intelligent Scholar is with us can we see his miracles…!
M. A. Sheikho: let him do what he wants?
The Magician was still looking very wonderfully with some fear, as if he were afraid of something. It was so surprising how his appearance changed from bulkiness and superiority to lowness and relaxation. He sat silently for a long time, his face became twisted and his eyes blackened still stretching kidnapping aggressive looks unsuccessfully towards Mr. M. A. Sheikho who was in his normal appearance with a smiling and shining face that can disperse darkness, covered with beauty and dignity as if it were crowned with Allah’s light in a lovely situation of worshiping Allah with full confidence.
Then he (the Magician) said: ‘I will never do my work today because my mind is unsteady. And I can only act on what is done by a female. People became very surprised of his request and understood that he always work without conditions.Now he cannot do so in the presence of the Scholar Mr. M. A. Sheikho.
After that, Mr. M. A. Sheikho stood up, went to his wife in her room and said: ummu Fathee, I want you to get a needle, and bury it in our farm under the mulberry tree, cover it with small quantity of earth and put a small white stone on it for notification later. She agreed and went to do what her husband remained waiting for her till she returned. The Scholar also advised her to recite of the last two Fortresses of the Holy Qur’an, that is: Al-Falaq and An-nas, during her journey to and fro. On her way back to the house, she saw her husband waiting for her. She said to him, I have done it as you said. The Scholar replied: well done, thank you. He returned to the guest room and said to the Magician: Well, your condition has been fulfilled. The Magician went to the farm and kept on moving round and round searching for the hidden object in a confused state. Finally he discovered nothing while those who followed him to the farm became very surprised, for such act had never happened to him in the past. He returned and said she never put anything in the farm. Mr. M. Amin said: Follow me to show you where she put it. They all followed him to the farm till they arrived where the needle was buried. He bent down, took off the stone, then opened the soil a bit with his finger and took out the needle. He turned immediately to the Magician and said: ‘what do you see’? The magician said: let her repeat it again. Meanwhile, Mr. M. A. sheikho sat with us.
He smiled and said, ok, you are free. Let’s move back to the room. He called his wife and asked her to repeat the same act for the second time in a different place as agreed with her. She did so and the man was defeated again. He tried his best but no way, and the third defeat was more terrible than the first two. In the end, he realized that had it been he truly know the unseen, he would have discovered the place of the hidden needle. For that reason, his tricks, deals and claimed of high position became clearly disproved in front of people. He surrendered and others were sure what he was. In fact he was neither a learned nor a pure believer except a deceived magician. A magic cannot go successful in the presence of a pure believer, who is more faithful, praising and glorifying his Creator – Allah like Mr. M. A. Sheikho. He is light while the Magician is fire and they do not meet. Whenever the Angels are present, Satan escape, the Almighty Allah Says: (Is He who sends Salat (His blessings) on you and His Angels too (asking Allah to bless and forgive you), that He may bring you out from darkness (of the disbelief and polytheism) into light (of belief and Islamic Monotheis) ) Thus Satan has no power over the pure believers.
So, my dearest students, this story teaches us that, If we take note of the contents of these Fortresses: Fortresses 1,Al- Fatihah (The Opening), Fortresses 112. Al-Ikhlas (The Purity), Fortresses 113. Al-Falaq (The cleaving), Fortresses 114. An-Nas (Mankind), and know them very well in our prayers, our prayers will be very correct, therefore we will appreciate and glorify our great prophet Mohammad (PBUH), then neither human demons (Satan) nor the Jinn Satan will rule over us, because of our belief and submission to the will of Allah.