Asslamo Allaikum,

This thread is about lessons which random oridinary people have taught you.

A random Sister (whom I never met) asked me about life so I described something which is very common and 99.99% have it and I don't and I said that I always wanted this thing and it is so common and I have never understood why I don't have it so she said,

"Allah (SWT) tests people with what they love and desire" because you want it Allah (SWT) has tested you with it all your life!

I was overwhelmed by her Taqwa and Hikmah, Masha'Allah
 

We were in an Ijetma in Los Angeles and Professor Iqbal from Bhopal who used to translate letters into English for Hazratjee (RA) at the time was in the car and he told me

Yesterday I met a new Muslim so I asked him when did he accept Islam. He replied, "Allah guided me a few days ago" and then he looked at the sky and said

Thank You Allah!

Professor Iqbal Saheb said that his sincerity and innocence made my cry and when I told the Ulamah, they cried as well!

An old Turkish man (Ottoman) once told me,

"Son remeber this! Politics is done with Non-Muslims but for Muslims there is no politics they are our brothers and sisters. We serve them in whatever is our capacity."

Those who did Bay'ah to Shaykh (Maulana) Abrarul-Haq Hardoi (RA) were taught and they say

"We don't know anything BUT we know those who know!"

I was a child and a female member of the family was really pretty and she wanted to be an Airline Hostess. She disregarded her family, elders and everybody and would have none of it.

Another kid in the family said in front of everyone, "Baji (Sister)! The most important treasure for a woman is her character do you think what they will pay you is worth you jeopardising your character?"
 

She said yes he is right and changed her mind.

A young new Muslim started going in Jamaat so the Salafees approached him and told him that these Tableeghees gather "Thursday Night" and it is Bi'dah to fix a night like this for weekly gatherings. He asked them so how should I learn Islam?

Salafees said, "We have weekly Halaqahs every Sunday Night which you can attend and you will gain knowledge" :p

A Modernist brother was telling people in the Masjid that having a small Beard will also satsify the requirements although it is better to have the full Beard. A short tidy beard will get you by on the day of judgement and it will be deemed that you have a Beard!

Another brother asked him:

When you were studying at University did you inspire, plan and study to get a "C" or an "A"? Why is your approach different when it comes to Sunnah?

A Sunniforum brother wrote,

"There is a possibility that a frail, old Turban wearing Maulana not fully familiar with Modern technology, not well versed in Modern politics wearing an old worn out Shalwar Qameez is likely to lead you to paradise while there is a possibility that a healthy, buffed well dressed, eloquent and well spoken youtube celebrity is likely to lead you to Hell fire. What judgement call will you make? "

A brother told an Ahl-e-Hadeeth in Pakistan while discussing Tableeghi Jamaat. Put aside the issues of differences and Qur'aan and Sunnah.

"You (Ahl-e-Hadeeth) say that your group is the most correct and also familiar with modern times and its needs and you have been in operation for hunderds of years. You aren't even successful in a neighbourhood of Karachi (fully). Tableeghi Jamaat has expanded globally in 70-80 years, would you not admit that at least strategically they are more successfull then you?"
 

A wise brother once said, "You don't need a lof of knowledge, experience and analytical skills to know which group (in Islam) is right or wrong."

Just look at whom the Non-Muslims are targetting, strongly refuting and trying their best to suppress!

This blessing of Allah (SWT) is so common that 99.999% of people (Muslims and Non-Muslims) have it and it is so common that people take it forgranted. I am one of the 0.001% who don't have it and know that it is neither common nor forgranted!

I can give everything in my Dunya and Akhira in return and can never get what 99.999% have anyways...

The beauty of the UK's loneliest bus stops

And then there's the problem posed by Eddie Dealtry, from Kendal.

The loneliest bus stop, he suggests, will be neither rural nor seldom-used, but "surely somewhere in one of those cities where people ignore each other".