WHEN HOPE IS OUT OF SIGHT

It was reported that Prophet Isa (p.b.u.h.), the son of Maryam had been sitting and intently observing a farmer who, with a spade in hand, was hard at work tilling his field. At the moment Prophet Isa (b.p.u.h.) prayed to God:

“O Lord! Take away from him his hoped and aspirations.” Suddenly, the farmer flung his spade aside and sat down in a corner of his field.

“O Lord! Return his hoped and aspirations back to him,” Prophet Isa (p.b.u.h.) prayed once again. Abruptly the man stood up, picked his spade and began working again. Prophet Isa (p.b.u.h.) approached the farmer and gently inquired, “Why did you behave in such way?”

The farmer answered, “While I was hard at work, suddenly a thought slipped into my mind: ‘You are an old man whose life has almost come to an end; how much more do you wish to work and exert yourself?’ So I flung the spade aside and sat down in the corner. After a while, I said to myself, ‘Why don’t you work? You are still alive and in need of livelihood’ and so, picking up the spade, I returned to my work.”