cotton kingdom
This week a prince was appointed king. Therefore, the new king began his first task by traveling around the area around the royal palace.
Throughout the journey his feet repeatedly stepped on small pebbles to bruises. So the king ordered his minister so that the streets around the palace were covered with cotton. So that later when he went around again his feet survived.
The following week the king returned to tour the villages to the west and east of the palace. Again, the road that is not smooth becomes his complaint. The king gave the same order to the minister to coat the village streets with cotton.
The same thing happened to all villages in the north and south. In one month the supply of farmers in the cotton garden was used to coat the streets. The kingdom is like a cotton kingdom.
One day the king intended to visit the neighboring kingdom. As usual he invited his loyal minister. When the group arrived in the neighboring kingdom, the king saw the road conditions there were not cotton-lined.
He then asked a soldier who was assigned to welcome the group,
"How do I walk to your royal palace while the road conditions are like this? Don't you intend to make changes like I did to all my kingdom?"
Sorry, king. We actually also have the same problem with road conditions. But we found a solution in another way. Didn't the King see the shoes I used? "
"Your shoes are so thick! What's wrong with those shoes?"
"I have covered my shoes with cotton, so our legs are safe! Know the King, we also want to make changes. But we realize, before changing this kingdom, we must change ourselves first."
It's really unexpected. Apparently the words of ordinary soldiers were able to make the king aware of his mistakes. He is too eager to make changes to others, but does not begin with his own change.
Such is the timeless tale of the cotton kingdom about the nature of a change. As a Muslim, this tale reminds us of the verse 2 of As-Shaf,
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون
"O you who believe, why do you say something that you don't do?"
Look at how God rebuked those who called for change to others, but he did not do it himself.
May we all be enabled to improve ourselves, and someday will be the beginning for the improvement of our other brothers.
Hijrah greetings.
⏰ Time to wake up and change from our long sleep!
Adapted from: Arafat // Channel Telegram