The story of two mountaineers

Two mountaineers wanted to conquer the ‘Peak of the World’. The first mountaineer began his training many months before the real climb. He started off by climbing easier mountains and when he had conquered those, he moved on to more difficult ones. One mountain after the other, he improved his stamina, strength and mental endurance, until finally he was as prepared as ever could be to try for the ultimate challenge.

As for the second mountaineer, well, he could hardly be called that. He had read articles and watched documentaries about men and women who have succeeded in reaching the peak of Everest, and he thought to himself that seems kinda cool, I think I’m gonna try for it myself. He didn’t bother training for it like the first mountaineer. Maybe he read a bit about mountaineering here and there, liked a few related facebook pages and blogs, talked about it with a few friends, dreamed and imagined himself on the front cover of National Geographic, a picture of him at the Peak of the World and then – poof he thought that he was a mountaineer able enough to scale the highest mountain in the world.

The two mountaineers met at the base of Mount Everest… They met and parted there, because the second mountaineer didn’t have the strength to go more than a few steps before he gave up. So much for sweet dreams and feisty imaginations.

Lessons:

1.       If you want to go high, you are going to have to be able to go lower first. If you want to conquer a mountain, you are going to have to be able to conquer easier mountains before going for the harder ones. If you want to reach a grand ambition, you are going to have to be able to reach lesser things first…If you want to have the strength to give your life to Allah, you are going to have to at least be able to sacrifice lesser things for Him first.

2.       The hardships we face in life are out training; building on our patience, our willingness to sacrifice for Allah. Perchance, maybe when He Deems us ready and worthy, Allah Most Benevolent will offer us the opportunity to give our lives to Him. And then – by His Will – we will have the ‘strength’, ‘stamina’ and ‘mental endurance’ to climb that mountain and reach its peak. To die in the cause of Allah is our greatest ambition.

3.       Be patient in facing the trials of life. Know that every hardship – as is every enjoyment – is from Allah. Everything that He Does has a purpose, and if we are true to Him, He will not forsake us.

“Fighting is prescribed upon you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah Knoweth, and ye know not”

[Surah al-Baqarah 2 : 216]