Islam Guidance

The city of Kufa was the capital of the Islamic Government. People from all over the World used to gather at that point to get the benefit of knowledge and learning from that great Islamic University.
One of those days two men came across each other in the vicinity of the city one of them was Ali (A.S) and the other was a Christian who did not recognize him. The Christian man was moving towards the suburban area of Kufa, whereas, Ali (A.S) was on his way to kufa.
They mutually agreed to accompany each other for a while, talking to each other, so that they do not get tired.
They reached a point where two ways split out, so that each one wanted to move on one of those two different roads. The Christian bade Farwell and went on his way but he observed that his Muslim companion, whose way was on the opposite side, was moving towards him. So he stopped and questioned him, "Don't you want to go to kufa?"
Ali (A.S) said, "Yes". The Christian man said, "Then why are you coming towards this direction?"
Ali (A.S) replied, "I wish to accompany you to a certain length of distance because the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) said, "When two persons are together on a way (journey companions) they get a right over each other."
"Now that you have got a right upon me, I go along with you up to a certain distance so that I must pay you (discharge) that light of yours in this world. Then I will part off on my own way." The Christian man was much pleased and moved by this humanly attitude and conduct and he liked his talk and said, "It is befitting that I should also embrace Islam which has such a culture and students."
His amazement and astonishment was only too enhanced when he discovered that his travel companion is Ali (A.S), the ruler of Islam. So he immediately accepted and embraced Islam at his hand.

Ref: Almujtaba Islamic Articles Page

Once, Hazrat Luqman said to his son:
“O my son! Do not rely on people’s praise or slander. Although you spend every ounce of your strength, you will not succeed in this affair”.
His son said:
“Father! I don’t understand a word of what you are saying. I want to see some samples”.
Luqman replied: “Let us walk”.
They started while having one animal to ride on. Now Luqman rode on the animal, while the son was walking. People seeing this, said:
“How cruel is this old man. Although he is strong, he lets his son walk!”
Luqman told his son: “Did you hear?” He replied: “Yes, I did”.
Then Luqman told his son: “Now, you ride the animal and I will follow”.
The son rode the animal and Luqman was walking. People said this time: “These father and son are bad people. The father has not trained his son. His son is riding. The father, who should get respects, is walking. The son is bad because God will punish him for this act of his. Therefore, both are wrong-doers!”
Luqman asked his son: “Did you hear?” He replied: “Yes”.
Then Luqman said: “Let us both ride on the animal”.
They both rode on it. People then complained: “There is no mercy in the hearts of these two riders. God will not bless them. They are breaking the back of the animal. They have overloaded it. It was better for one of them to walk and the other to ride”.
Luqman told his son: “Did you hear?” He said: “Yes”.
Then Luqman said: “Let us both of us walk”.
They started walking. They heard people say: “It is strange that they have an animal but they walk.”
Then Luqman said to his son: “Can you make people agree with you? Thus, do not look for people’s consent, look for God’s consent. That will be a source of prosperity both here and in the hereafter”.

Taken from: Almujtaba Islamic Articles Page

A man had returned from Hajj. He was relating his adventures to Imam Sadiq (A.S), and his companion. He was most impressed with one of his companions of Hajj, and was praising him. What a gracious man, we were so blessed to have him with us, he was busy praying and worshiping all the time. As we would stop somewhere, he would rush to a corner and start prayers.
Imam (A.S): “Then who was attending to his duties? Who was watering and feeding his animal (ride)?”
Man: “Of course, we had the honor of doing all that for him. He was busy in his sacred quest, and had nothing to do with such mundane things.”
Imam (A.S): “Then indeed, you all are better than him.”

Ref: Al-Islam.org