One
day, Mulla Nasruddin said to his friends: "If I die, bury me in an old
grave." "Why", asked his friends. "Because", he
explained, "if the angels come, I'll tell them that I died years before
and have already been questioned and then they will return the way they
came." |
One
hot day, Mulla Nasruddin was taking it easy in the shade of a walnut tree.
After a time, he started eyeing speculatively, the huge pumpkins growing on
vines and the small walnuts growing on a majestic tree. Sometimes
I just can't understand the ways of God! He mused. Just fancy letting tiny
walnuts grow on so majestic a tree and huge pumpkins on the delicate vines! Just
then a walnut snapped off and fell smack on Mulla Nasruddin’s bald head. He got
up at once and lifting up his hands and face to heavens in supplication,
said: Oh,
my God! Forgive my questioning your ways! You are all-wise. Where would I
have been now, if pumpkins grew on trees! |
Mulla Nasruddin and
Turban |
The wit and wisdom
of Mulla Nasruddin never leaves him tongue-tied. One day an illiterate man
came to Mulla Nasruddin with a letter he had received. Mulla
Nasruddin, please read this letter to
me. Mulla Nasruddin looked at the letter, but could not make out a single
word. So he told the man. I
am sorry, but I cannot read this. The man cried: Shame,
Mulla Nasruddin! You must be ashamed before the turban you wear (i.e. the
sign of education). Mulla
Nasruddin removed the turban from his own head and placed it on the head of
the illiterate man, said: There,
now you wear the turban. If it gives some knowledge, read the letter yours |
One
winter night while Mulla Nasruddin was sleeping he heard a noise that was
suddenly made in the street. Having covered himself with his blanket, he came
out to know the cause of the noise. Suddenly a smart thief robbed him of his
blanket and ran away. He came back home without the blanket. In reply to his
wife who was asking about the reason for the noise, Mulla Nasruddin said,
"All the quarrel was about my blanket."
Holy Prophet
Muhammed (saw) smiled often and would make jokes with members of his
community. For example, An old woman came to our Holy Prophet Muhammed (saw)
and said: "O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala)
that I will enter Paradise." Holy Prophet Muhammed (saw) said jokingly,
"O Mother of so-and-so, no old women will enter Paradise." The old
woman went away crying, after hearing from Holy Prophet Muhammed (saw). Then
Holy Prophet Muhammed (saw) sent one of his companions to tell her that, she
will enter Paradise by becoming a young lady, because the Paradise is for
only young people. Holy
Prophet Muhammed (saw) said: "Do not laugh too much, for laughing too
much deadens the heart." At another place, Holy Prophet Muhammed (saw)
said: "If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep
much." Imam
Jafar as Sadiq (AS)
said: Avoid incorrect jokes and humors, as it is the cause of enmity and
grudge. Also Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) said: The believer’s laughter should
be only a smile. At another place Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) said: Beware of
joking, because it causes rancor and drives into malice. Joking is the lesser
revilement. |
Golden Telephone |
An American decided
to write a book about famous Mosques around the world. So he bought a plane
ticket and took a trip to China. On
his first day he was inside a Mosque taking photographs when he noticed a
golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read "$10,000 per
call". The
American, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by what the telephone
was used for. The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that
for $10,000 you could talk to Allah. The American thanked the priest and went
along his way. Next
stop was in Japan. There, at a very large Mosque, he saw the same golden
telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered if this was the same kind
of telephone he had seen in China and he asked a nearby Holy man what its
purpose was. He told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for
$10,000 he could talk to Allah. "O.K., thank you," said the
American. He
then traveled to India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Turkey, Israel, France, Germany.In
every Mosque he saw the same golden telephone with the same "$10,000 per
call" sign under it. The
American, upon leaving Vermont decided to travel to Pakistan to see if
Pakistanis had the same phone. He arrived in Pakistan, and again, in the
first Mosque he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time
the sign under it read "One Rupee per call." The
American was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign. "Imam, I
have traveled all over World and I have seen this same golden telephone in
many Mosques. I am told that it is a direct line to Heaven, but everywhere
the price was $10,000 per call." "Why
is it so cheap here?" The
priest smiled and answered, "You are in Pakistan now, son - it is a
local call". |
A man is taking a
walk in Central park in New York. Suddenly he sees a little girl being
attacked by a pit bull dog. He runs over and starts fighting with the dog. He
succeeds in killing the dog and saving the girl's life. A policeman who was
watching the scene walks over and says: "You are a hero," tomorrow
you can read it in all the newspapers: "Brave New Yorker saves the life
of little girl." The man says: "But I am not a New Yorker!"
"Oh, then it will say in newspapers in the morning: Brave American saves
life of little girl" - the policeman answers. "But I am not an
American!" - says the man. "Oh, what are you then?" The man
says: "I am a Saudi!" Then next day the newspapers say:
"Islamic extremist kills innocent American dog." |
Once,
the people of the city invited Mulla Nasruddin to deliver a speech. When he
got on the pulpit (Minbar), he found the audience was not very enthusiastic,
so he asked: "Do you know what I am going to say?" The audience
replied "NO", so he announced: "I have no desire to speak to
people who don't even know what I will be talking about" and he left. The
people felt embarrassed and called him back again the next day. This time
when he asked the same question, the people replied "YES", So Mulla
Nasruddin said, "Well, since you already know what I am going to say, I
won't waste any more of your time" and he left. Now
the people were really perplexed. They decided to try one more time and once
again invited the Mulla to speak the following week. Once again he asked the
same question - "Do you know what I am going to say?" Now the
people were prepared and so half of them answered "YES" while the
other half replied "NO". So Mulla Nasruddin said: "The half
who know what I am going to say, tell it to the other half" and he left! |