Quran 18:32: The Story of two Men – A Parable from Quran to teach us a Lesson not to be arrogant and Proud of our Wealth and lineage.

18 32

There are People among us who are  too arrogant to sit with the poor and weak . They show off  their wealth and noble lineage, Allah  gives a parable  of two men, one of whom Allah gave two gardens of grapes, surrounded with palm trees and cultivated with crops throughout. All of the trees and plants were abundantly fruitful, providing readily accessible, good quality produce. Allah says:

Tell them as an example the story of two men: for one of them We made two vineyards and surrounded both with date-palms, and placed a field of grain in-between. Both of the vineyards (including the date-palms and grain) yielded its produce, without failing in the least therein. We had also caused a stream to gush forth in their midst. So both of the vineyards including the date-palms and grain) yielded its produce, without failing in the least therein. We had also caused a stream to gush forth in their midst. The man had fruit in abundance, and one day he said to his friend, bandying words with him: “I am more than you in wealth, and more esteemed and stronger in respect of men.” He went into his vineyard in self-wronging (puffed up by worldly successes which had led him to conceit and unbelief). He said: “I deem not that all this will ever perish. Nor do I deem that the Last Hour will ever come. Even if (it should come, and) I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find (there by virtue of my own abilities and as my deserts) something even better than this as a resort.”

His friend said to him, in the course of the argument with him: “Do you blaspheme (in such ingratitude as this) against He Who has created you out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned you into a complete man? But I believe for my part that He is God, my Lord, and none can I associate with my Lord as partner (in His Lordship-His bringing up, providing, sustaining and protecting). Alas, if you had but said, on entering your vineyard, “Whatever God wills will surely come to pass. How perfectly He creates and how mercifully He provides! There is no strength save with God.” Though you see me as less than you in wealth and children, (this is no problem at all, for it is God Who does what He will, and He is All-Compassionate toward His servants). Yet it may well be that my Lord will give me something better than your vineyard, just as He may send a calamity upon your vineyard from Heaven, so that it becomes a barren waste. Or its water sinks deep into the ground, so that you will never be able search for and find it again.”

So eventually all his produce was encompassed by ruin, and there he was, wringing his hands with grief over all that he had spent on it, when now it was all ruined on its trellises, and he could but say, “Oh, would that I had never associated anyone with my Lord as partner (in His Lordship).” And he had, apart from God, none, no troop of men to help him, nor could he be of any help to himself. For thus it is: all protective power and authority essentially belongs to God alone, the True One. He is the best to reward, and the best to determine the end of things. (Kahf 18:32-44).

Read more Reflections from Quran Like this