heard a story not too long ago and wanted to share it with you.  I may have forgotten some of the minor details, but the basics of the story I feel I still have in memory, InshaAllah.

The Most Beautiful Flower

Once long ago, there were a group of men gathered together for the sake of Allah.  These men were all knowledgeable in their own right.  One man, a scholar (as they all were), was giving a talk of religious matter.  After the lesson, the teacher gave each man an assignment.  To find the Most Beautiful Flower they could find and bring it back for all to see.  They all left out immediately looking for the most beautiful flower. 

Oh you should have seen the flowers that were picked.  Orange with pinks, Reds and purples, beautiful colors.  They all presented the flowers as they placed them on the teacher’s desk.

There was one man, a small man, who had a bit of trouble finding his flower.  He searched and searched until he found the perfect one.  He entered the room and placed his flower on the desk.  The other men gasped.  They were shocked.  They grumbled.

The teacher entered the room, and looked at all of the beautiful flowers and fixed his eyes upon one in particular. 

"Who brought this flowers to me? He asked with a very curious voice.

The small man replied in a very humble tone, " I am the one that placed this flower upon your desk, my dear teacher."

The teacher then asked, " Please akhi, tell me why, why this flower?"

The small man replied, again in a very humble tone, " I thought this one was the most beautiful flower in the entire field."

The teacher, very curious, then asked, " Please akhi, tell us your reasons for choosing this flower, InshaAllah."

The small man stared at his teacher, then at his fellow companions and said, " As I walked through the field of beautiful flowers, I could not help see their strength, with vibrant colors.  They looked like beautiful Muslims, praying to Allah (swt) in solah.  All of these flowers reaching up to the heavens humbled by the power and might of Allah (swt).   Solely dependent upon Allah."

The small man paused, as if he were thinking of all the flowers he had seen.

He continued, " I then came upon a flower, small, withered, decaying.  I walked to it, it was no longer full of life, devoid of any brilliant color, no longer with strength, and no longer in its worship to Allah (swt).  This flower to me was the most beautiful flower, because it served Allah (swt) to its fullest.  It worshiped Allah (swt) with humility and obedience. This flower had completed its purpose.  And Allah (swt) had taken this flower out of Mercy, for its obedience to him."

He once again paused.  The other men were on edge.

He continued, " You see, I dared not pick a flower which was still worshipping Allah (swt), I dared not place this flower in sadness, as it would no longer be able to praise Allah.  I feared, that if I picked a flower, vibrant with color, glorifying Allah (swt), it would be as if I disturbed the solah of one of you.  Astghfirullah (may Allah forgive me)

After the small man's explanation. All of the men in the room, gathered their flowers, placed them back into the ground, and praised Allah (swt).

Quran 3:190- "Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding,-"

Quran 42:29 "And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the living creatures that He has scattered through them: and He has power to gather them together when He wills."  

Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash hadu an la ilaha illah Anta, astghfiruka wa atoobu ilaika.