The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship
Children's Stories
The Fish with a Light on Its Forehead
My love you, my grandchildren. Today we are going into the depths of the ocean. Come and look through this special lens, and you will see the countless creatures that live there. You can even examine the minute details of fish eggs, single-celled creatures, viruses, and many other forms of life. Do you see them all?
My love you, my grandchildren. Look at that light over there. What wonder is this so deep in the ocean? That light comes from an unusual fish. Focus the lens carefully and you will see that the light is located directly above the two brows of this fish. It resembles the reflectors found on road signs, and it glows in the dark like fluorescent paint. This luminous paint is one of man's many recent scientific discoveries, but God invented something just like it a long, long time ago when He created this fish.
Though there are many varieties of fish in the ocean, only this particular fish has a subtle light which allows it to see, as it swims about happily searching for food. This light enables it to avoid accidents and difficulties. If it sees a dangerous fish above, it can dive down, and if it sees one below, it can swim higher up and escape. But because the other fish cannot see in the darkness of the ocean, they are often caught and eaten.
This fish is not as beautiful or as big as some of the other fish, nor does it have magnificent coloring, but when you look at its face, the subtle glowing light gives it a unique kind of beauty. As you watch a school of these fish swimming by, you can see a bright blue path of color shimmering in front of each one. These lights look like sparkling gems in the water. Out of all His creations, God gave this light to only one kind of fish. Man, who is so exalted, also has a natural light to help him. This light, which is in his heart, enables him to look at the whole world and choose what is right.
When man was created, he was given the luminous paint of truth. God placed wisdom at the center of man's eye, in the pupil, and He surrounded it with this shining truth. There is a tiny point within that pupil of wisdom through which light emerges. That point within wisdom is God. Through that point comes the light which enables man to see everything and allows his heart to understand everything. By showing him what is coming and what is going, it gives him the power to escape from any accident or danger. This light gives man the vision to understand.
Just as the fish has a light to help him search through the dark ocean to find the food that is right for him, man has a light to help him travel through the dark ocean of illusion to find his proper food. With this light he can see good and bad, right and wrong, permissible and impermissible, heaven and hell, truth and falsehood, and he can evaluate all that exists. Then he can discard what is wrong, or haram, and take only what is right, or halal, and enjoy its taste. This light was given to help him choose what belongs to God and discard what belongs to hell. This luminous truth joins with faith, certitude, and determination and shows him the good path.
My grandchildren, you must open this beautiful eye of wisdom and look at your life. With it you can see everything. God placed His power within it and gave it to you. It will protect you and enable you to have a long life without accidents.
The natural power of this light comes from God's kingdom, from His throne. With this light in your heart, you can avoid what is wrong and take what is right. If you avoid bad foods, you will not be subject to disease. If you look with God's gaze and His qualities, you will not be subject to destruction and death. Then you can lead a peaceful and serene life, with God's beautiful form and God's kingdom of heaven in your heart. Wouldn't this be good?
My precious children, this is something that is natural to you. Even before you came to the world and entered the house of this body, that light was made ready for you. While you were still in the kingdom of the pure soul, that sharp and subtle wisdom was given to you. With it you must understand all that you see with your eyes. Look at and understand the kingdom of the soul, the kingdom of this illusory world, and then the kingdom of our Father. Avoid what must be avoided, take what must be taken, and conduct yourselves correctly.
My love you, my grandchildren. This light within your heart is the true light of the soul. If you use it to see your way and guide your life, what sadness, what difficulties, what karma, what sin or suffering can you possibly have? What evil can ever approach you? Neither darkness, satan, nor illusion will be able to come near you.
My love you, my grandchildren. Think about this. Like the fish, see with the help of this light. Look with your truth and wisdom so that you can follow the good path in this ocean of life. My love you, my grandchildren, my brothers and sisters, my sons and daughters. Think about this. My love you. Amin. May Allah help us.
- M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
Come to the
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