When we first saw him, we thought he was the simple "mosque caretaker". He would walk around the Masjid in Damascus daily, pouring all the worshipers glasses of water until the sun would set. This is despite his old age and the grayness of his beard.
When he came towards me, I humbly declined to accept water from him. This was mostly due to my ignorance and young age, but he just stood there waiting for me as he uttered verses of the Quran. Out of shyness, I then signalled for him to pour me a cup as I smiled to my friend next to me.
I said to the man “May Allah reward you, being the mosque caretaker is a virtuous job”.
The man walked off smiling as he continued to pour glasses of water to the mosque attendees.
My friend then looked at me giggling and said “That man that just poured you a glass of water is no mosque caretaker."
"He is a Hafith of the Quran, who has memorized the ten different dialects with a strong chain. He is also a renowned poet, calligraphy artist and French teacher."
"More importantly, he is great Islamic Legal Jurist and Scholar who has students from around the world who come from the farthest of lands to read under him. Have you not heard of Shaykh Shukri Al Luhfi?!”.
I was immediately overcome by a strong feeling of embarrassment and just sat there completely ashamed for how I had judged the Shaykh previously. I wanted to return to the Shaykh, but he was busy continuing to pour people glasses of water until the sun had set.
I had always thought that such scholars and people of knowledge were meant to be elevated in high positions, no where to be seen amongst common people. But when I had seen this Shaykh, I realized what true knowledge and scholarship teaches. Truly the more knowledge you learn the more humble you should become.
May Allah increase us all in humility and remove pride, ego and self-conceit from our hearts. Ameen.
When he came towards me, I humbly declined to accept water from him. This was mostly due to my ignorance and young age, but he just stood there waiting for me as he uttered verses of the Quran. Out of shyness, I then signalled for him to pour me a cup as I smiled to my friend next to me.
I said to the man “May Allah reward you, being the mosque caretaker is a virtuous job”.
The man walked off smiling as he continued to pour glasses of water to the mosque attendees.
My friend then looked at me giggling and said “That man that just poured you a glass of water is no mosque caretaker."
"He is a Hafith of the Quran, who has memorized the ten different dialects with a strong chain. He is also a renowned poet, calligraphy artist and French teacher."
"More importantly, he is great Islamic Legal Jurist and Scholar who has students from around the world who come from the farthest of lands to read under him. Have you not heard of Shaykh Shukri Al Luhfi?!”.
I was immediately overcome by a strong feeling of embarrassment and just sat there completely ashamed for how I had judged the Shaykh previously. I wanted to return to the Shaykh, but he was busy continuing to pour people glasses of water until the sun had set.
I had always thought that such scholars and people of knowledge were meant to be elevated in high positions, no where to be seen amongst common people. But when I had seen this Shaykh, I realized what true knowledge and scholarship teaches. Truly the more knowledge you learn the more humble you should become.
May Allah increase us all in humility and remove pride, ego and self-conceit from our hearts. Ameen.
