Sheikh Chilli’s Empire

Sheikh Chilli” and Qiyaamah Moulana Thanvi (Rahmatullah alayhi) relates the following:

Once there was a poor person named Sheikh Chilli who was out of work. A farmer took pity on him and for a few rupees, told him to deliver some eggs to another farmer.

Sheikh Chilli took the eggs, placed it on his head and set of. Along the way, he started day dreaming:

“With the money I earn, I shall buy some and a hen.

I will place the eggs under the hen and they will hatch. I will take great care of my chicks until they grow big. They in turn will lay more eggs. I will thereafter buy goats. After they multiply. I will sell them and purchase cows.

Eventually I will purchase both neighbouring farms. I will be fabulously rich and will marry a beautiful g girl. We will have children and grand children.

One day my grandchild will ask me for some spending money. I will tell him…Uumph, go away.”

At this point, Sheikh Chilli tossed his head. The eggs fell and broke.

Sheikh Chilli returned to the farmer in very depressed state and informed him about the loss of the eggs. The farmer was very upset and scolded him:

“Do you know how much I lost? A whole tray of eggs!”

Sheikh Chilli spontaneously responded: “O farmer, your loss is nothing compared to mine. I have lost all my chickens, animals, farms, family and even my empire!”

Moulana Thanvi Rahmatullahi alayh said: “Many of us are like Sheikh Chilli. We imagine we have plenty for the Aakhirah. In reality, we have nothing. When we get there we will see just how bankrupt we are. We will find nothing. Wallah! No wealth. No family. No name. No fame. No Taqwa. No Ibaadat. No applause. All that we will find is our insincerity, dishonesty, pride and mountains of sins etc.

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