For my father,
who taught me everything, about everything.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
8. But he who is greedy and thinks himself self-sufficient,
9. And denies Al-Husna.
10. We will make smooth for him the path to evil.
11. And what will his wealth avail him when he goes down (in destruction).
(92:8-11)
Once in a long forgotten land, lived a poor man. All he saw in life was sorrow and pain. He never witnessed the joy of life. People passed by his little so-called house, and whispered upon themselves prayers to not live a life like his. His little shack was made out of mud and sticks, threatening to fall on him with every passing rainy season. The houses’ rooms were dark and damp, smelling like rotting bodies. These rooms faced an inner courtyard that had a muddy floor full of dead flies and other insects. Centering the courtyard was a deep well with shattered walls and a dented bucket. Sadness was drawn on the house’s crumbling walls, leaving no sign of hope that days might bring.
In that dirty house of his lived his wife, Layali, and his two boys, Sohrab and Shams; the noor (light) of his eyes, the light that sparked hope in his life. He would work every minute of the day to make sure they wouldn’t sleep with a stomach that didn't rumble and grumble.
Every day, the man would rise from his slumber, and wear his torn up clothes like a prince would wear his crown. Alas, the man never allowed the low state of his life affect his happiness. He would go out and fetch a slice of bread, a chunk of cheese, and onions from the nearby shop, and visit the lake to enjoy his meal, before going to work. After his little picnic, he would head to his work at the coalmines.
The man would work in the mines daily from sunrise till sunset nonstop. The work bent his back and broke his sweat. The man held coal on his back and walked down the hill repeatedly. His feet were nicked, and his body ached with every move. His bones cracked under the weight, leaving him in tears every time he held the basket of coals on his head.
