An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
1. god’s people
~ 53 ~
Prophet then explained to her, “Everyone’s heart is
in between two of God’s fingers. When He wishes
to set a man’s heart straight, He does so, and when
he wishes to set it awry, He does so.”
THE HEART AND THE TONGUE: OF ALL
THINGS THE BEST AND THE WORST
Luqman the Wise, an Abyssynian slave, was
once asked by his master to slaughter a goat
and bring him two pieces of its best meat.
Luqman did as he was bid, then cooked the goat
and brought his master its tongue and heart. A
few days later, his master asked him to
slaughter another goat and, this time, bring him
two pieces of its worst meat. Luqman again did
as he was bid, but presented his master with the
same two parts of the animal-its tongue and its
heart. His master then inquired as to why it was
that he had brought him the same parts on both
occasions. “If both these parts are sound,”
replied Luqman, “then there is nothing to
compare with them. But if they are both
defective, there is nothing worse.”
