Islamic Stories

Retold Arabian Nights Tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 02

Alibaba stole from thieves. Is stealing from thieves wrong?

Beliefs are dangerous, yet useful. Why?

Retold Arabian Nights Tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 05

With slave-girl Marjina, Alibaba plans full Islamic burial rites for Qasim, but how to avoid suspicion?

Retold Arabian Nights Tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 07

Alibaba observes Qasim's full mourning rituals.

But why wash a dead body if you bury or burn it anyway?

Retold Arabian Nights Tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 11

Captain of the thieves identifies Alibaba’s house & returns to hatch a deadly plan.

Death comes knocking...

Retold Arabian Nights tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 19

Alibaba gratefully gifts Marjina her freedom, and sets about disposing the 37 corpses quickly & quietly.

Retold Arabian Nights tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 22

Impostor Khwaja Hasan comes to Alibaba's party but won't eat their salt.

Like Marjina, Josh wonders why?

Retold Arabian Nights Tale: Ali Baba And 40 Thieves - 24

Dance ends in murder. Murder leads to discovery. Discovery to marriage.

But why didn’t Marjina feel scared?

“Master the Diderot Effect”, Rosh said simply, “Diderot’s story had a lesson. That poverty has its freedoms; opulence has its obstacles.”

“Hundreds of years before Diderot, Kabir preached the same message. That less is more. Be happy as you are. मन लागो मेरो यार फकीरी में (mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein).”

Insightful story: Drink In The Mosque

Is any place holier than other?

Funny tale with Urdu Shayari Of Ghalib, Mir, Iqbal, Faraz & Wasi on where to drink alcohol

"God has never forsaken me", he answered, "He provides for the insects, for birds, for animals, for trees. He has always provided for me. And, he will continue to provide."

"God helps those who help themselves", she whispered, "Trust in God, but keep your powder dry."

"The institution of the Caliphate was thereafter inactive for almost a century. Then on June 29, 2014, the internationally unrecognized Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) declared a new Caliphate, naming Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the new Caliph."

"Who's he?" asked Josh.

"He is nicknamed The Invisible Sheikh," answered Rosh.

"No," said Kabir, "but please give my regards to the Allah of Mecca."

The friend was puzzled.

"Is there a different Allah in Mecca?" he asked.

"Subroto asks that if a physical entity like phosphorous can glow on its own, why cannot another physical entity like sound do the same?"

"Is it because our paradigm of properties of sound with respect to our sound apparatus doesn't allow us to experience this?"

Insightful story: This Too Shall Pass

Shakir taught the Sufi fakir that fate doesn't care whether a person is good or bad.

Life is about constant change.

Spiritual Story: Unsoiled By Muddy Paths

How do some walk the murky walks of life without being stained?

Kabir delivers his wife to a lusty grocer to repay debt

What is mine? What is yours? Is it borrowed wealth or real capital?

What is this world, this life? These possessions, these relationships?

Insightful Sufi story...

Am I my body or my mind? My consciousness or my memories? Or am I a sum total of all of these?

Discover some pointers in this old Buddhist story or this Sufi song...

Spiritual Story: Why Do We Seek?

Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going?

Why are these questions important? Why do they compel our hearts?