One of the emails I have recieved thought to share it to read. I have seen it before but maybe new to others.

Why do we read Quran, even if we can't understand a single Arabic word?


An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Quran. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, 'Grandpa! I try to read the Quran just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Qur'an do?'

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.'

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You'll have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Grandpa, it's useless!'

'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.'

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

'Son, that's what happens when you read the Qur'an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives.'

Interesting!

It sounds almost like what we Catholics call a "sacrament".

That means something in which the Grace of God is actually conveyed to us and changes us if we allow it to.

This is a great post because I can use it when talking to Muslims about sacramental theology. Cool! Thanks! :)

Interesting story. I originate from Southern Indiana which borders Kentucky I know about what kind of folks come from the Kentucky mountains...they tend to be hard core southern Christians. But still an interesting story.

^^

Yeah, I noticed that too...

I liked the story regardless it's truth. May be that man never existed but the moral of it is brilliant.

There is a similar case as there is this hadeath that describes how the importance/benefit of the five times prayer in the muslim life, when this scholar asked the prophet :PBUH: and :PBUH: replied that it's like you live by a water stream and you wash youself 5 times a day. :PBUH: asked: Would any dirt be left in your body if you do wash 5 times a day from that water stream? So like the prayers, Allah will earse all the sins by performing the 5 prayers.

Amazing story, despite it is true or not

I agree that the morale of its concept is so true

:)

I like the story in part also but the thing is for me at least because I grew up in that area I don't like it if there is falsehoods. Look at it like this...Would be the same if I would say something about a region of your country and then used something else to get my point across and the culture portrayed in my story did not accurately reflect your culture, religion etc.....it is about regional pride and I KNOW about that region like the back of my hand so is better to have the story reflecting somewhere else. Imagine if I posted a story about something hard core Christian taking place in a small town in Oman...think about how you might feel.

Sorry but that is how *I* feel.

Actually it's be taken from a Christian story, replacing Bible with Quran.

http://ncvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/24/the-coal-basket-bible-lesson/

Then that should not be done. Not right. Sorry but it isn't. Not to get any more gray hairs but the reason I take offense is because I grew up in the tri-state area of Indiana/Kentucky/Illinois. My dad's family came fron Ireland and settled in Kentucky and they were die hard Baptists. I just fail to see how a farmer in kentucky would not be Christian. And replacing the story of this Christian family with something else is not ethical. Sorry again but it isn't and shows a falsehood in the storytelling.

It's not a pure solid proof that the story orign is muslims or other. As Catholics or Christians can be any where on this earth, muslims and islam can be any where as well. And it's not stated in the bible, it's just a story.


I just fail to see how a farmer in kentucky would not be Christian.

That's really strange and was not expected!!

I do not know what is YOUR pride here is all about. I fail to see it!!


Imagine if I posted a story about something hard core Christian taking place in a small town in Oman...think about how you might feel.


A hard core christain like what?

As far as I know we have Christians in Oman as well as churches.

Well, if I am too sensitive to this story I apologize but I just don't know why the story was altered. I am not saying you did it but whoever did alter the story should have let it stay in its original format. Trust me on this one..the average farmer in Kentucky is either Baptist or some other form of conservative Christian religion.

Me too, I'm sorry if it made you angry.

No problem. I guess I was hurt because my roots are strongly tied to that region of the USA. :D

I don't see any problem with altering the story.

And I don't see any problem with situating it in Kentucky except that the reaction that you will get from people who know the area will spoil the point of the story.

Why not just change the story to Bosnia or Turkey or someplace that fits better? Because if you told the story to an audience in Kentucky with the Quran in it, they would roll on the floor laughing...

...so I think it helps the story to change the place, since Muslims in the rural areas of the hills of Eastern Kentucky are about as common as hen's teeth.

Understand me: I'm not offended like Marianna. For you who are not familiar with the area, it sounds fine. But for us, the location makes it bizarre when it doesn't need to be.

I don't see any problem with altering the story.

And I don't see any problem with situating it in Kentucky except that the reaction that you will get from people who know the area will spoil the point of the story.

...

I'm gobsmacked, I tell you, absolutely gobsmacked.

:hyper:

Very interesting story indeed. It's true that qur'an changes people from bad to good that's why reading it gives it's reciter comfort :)

I think its an interesting Story..
Why would anyone take that story and replace the Bible with the Quraan?
Because people would accept that story and welcome it better in this part of the world!

If I read a similar story that replaces the Quraan, I wouldn't find it offending, on the contrary, I'd be proud that a story from my part of the world, in our lifestyle is accepted in different cultures. Since the aim is the same after all!

I'm gobsmacked, I tell you, absolutely gobsmacked.

:hyper:

What's the problem with altering the story? It's just a morality tale, it's not supposed to be an accurate record of an event.

A Muslim read the original story and he said, "Hey, that's a great story but it would be more true if you said it about the Quran."

So, he retold it using the Quran.

What's the problem?

I've heard many Muslims say that reading the Quran in Arabic makes you feel "all cleaned". This is how they describe their own experience.

So it seems natural that the story would strike a chord in them and they would want to use it.

^ Exactly, it is all about the morality!

You misunderstood me.

I'm gobsmacked that you didn't see any problem in altering the story.

:D

You misunderstood me.

I'm gobsmacked that you didn't see any problem in altering the story.

:D

I see! :p

No, I do see THAT problem of course...

:p

Sigh...I already spoke my peace with the author of this thread. To understand WHY I was offended you gotta understand WHERE my roots are. I am fine now.

Relax...Just a forward. Nothing more. No monsters, really.
Not too bad to read either...From both sides, whichever one of them is 'altered'.

Very touching. Thanks for sharing?