In his Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun wrote, “The Arabs ate camels and acquired their jealousy and harshness. The Turks ate horses and acquired their ferocity and strength.” Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Whoever eats a certain type of animal acquires some of its character and traits.”
In our time, we have eaten too much chicken, and as a result, we have clucked and squawked excessively. We have become the target of ridicule by other nations. We have taken from the chicken its humiliation, bowed head, and lack of ambition. We have taken its incessant chatter and squawking.
How many chicken-like people are there in our time! Sheikh Ali Tantawi (May God have mercy on him) recounted in one of his famous programs, “While I was heading to the airport in a taxi, the driver was staying in his correct lane when a car suddenly pulled out of a parking lot onto the road. The taxi driver quickly slammed on the brakes, narrowly avoiding a collision. The strange thing was that the other driver, a fool, turned toward us and began shouting and cursing. The taxi driver swallowed his anger, waved an apology, and smiled. I was surprised and asked him, ‘Why are you apologizing to him when he’s the one at fault and almost caused an accident?’ That’s when the taxi driver taught me a lesson, which I call the ‘garbage truck rule.’
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks, driving around loaded with piles of garbage in the form of various problems, frustration, anger, failure, and disappointment. When this garbage accumulates inside people, they need to dump it somewhere nearby.” The driver advised me not to make myself their landfill and not to take it personally.
He said, “Just smile, move on, and continue your way. Pray to Allah to guide them and relieve their distress. Be careful not to become like them.” Do not collect trash and dump it on others at work, at home, or on the street. Successful people never let garbage trucks spoil their mood or drain their energy. Appreciate those who treat you kindly, as they are the beautiful flowers in your life. Wish well for those who wrong you, as they are the ones in need of compassion and mercy.
It is said that a young man loved a girl and wanted to propose to her. He asked people about her, but they told him she was of ill repute, ill-mannered, and rude. Discouraged, he gave up on proposing. On his way home, he saw an old man who noticed his pale and troubled appearance and asked, “What’s wrong, my son? Why do you look so pale?” The young man told him his story. The old man replied, “Come with me, my son, and I will give you one of my daughters to marry. But first, you must ask people about my daughters’ reputations.” The young man followed the old man’s advice, and when he returned, he said, “People told me that all your daughters are wicked and immoral.” The old man smiled and invited him into his home. When the young man entered, he found no daughters, but only the elderly couple. The old man said, “People do not realize that those who ruin others’ lives with lies will have their own lives exposed by the truth. Go on your way and marry the girl you love.”
A judge once heard a young man speaking in the mosque about asceticism. He said to his students, “Let’s go and test him. If he answers my questions well, we will sit and listen.” When they entered the mosque, the judge asked the young man, “Tell me about prayer.” The young man replied, “Are you asking about the etiquette of prayer or how to perform it?” The judge was surprised that the young man responded with a question. He then clarified, “Tell me about the etiquette of prayer.” The young man replied, “The etiquette of prayer is to obey Allah’s command, begin with the intention that it is solely for Him, remember His greatness, recite the Quran with reverence, bow and prostrate with humility, speak with sincerity, and conclude by asking for mercy.” The judge then asked, “Tell me how to perform the prayer.” The young man replied, “Face the Ka’aba, keep the scales of your deeds in mind, remember that prayer is the path to Allah, imagine Paradise to your right, Hell to your left, and the Angel of Death behind you, ready to take your soul. But do not assume Allah must accept your prayer.” The judge asked, “How long have you been praying like this?” The young man replied, “For twenty years.” The judge turned to his companions and said, “Let us go and repeat the prayers of the past fifty years.”
