Cariweb

There was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there death will not find me. The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went.
Then the merchant went down to the marketplace and he saw me standing in the crowd and he came to me and said, Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning? That was not a threatening gesture, I said, it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.

I am not religious - but this is a nice story about a donkey.

http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/

Islamic Motivational Story: Donkey Struggling in the Well

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well that the farmer had accidentally left uncovered. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do? Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

Farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on us, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up. Never loose hope and place your complete confidence and 100% trust in Almighty Allah (SWT). A true Muslim never gives up hope in the mercy of Allah (SWT), because it is a sin as per the Teachings of Islam. Also remember: "Even the word 'IMPOSSIBLE' says 'I M POSSIBLE'."

Motivational Quote: "In this world people will always throw stones in the path of your Success, it depends on you? What you make from them - a wall or a bridge."

re: Appointment in Samarra

puts a new spin on the old cliche 'you can run but you can't hide'

re: Donkey Struggling in the Well

I'd like to posit the theory that the reason most people don't think like that donkey is because they're scared of being labelled 'SmartA$$es'