A Simple Act of Kindness

In the name of Allah, the Best Planner.

For almost two days now, I have been listening to the new single by Sami Yusuf titled "Healing." It is a song full with moral and positive values. [click here to download the mp3 for free / click here to watch the video]

"A smile can change a life"

This is a line taken from the song. Have you ever thought that that is possible? Well, I do agree. I used to say, and is still saying this: A kind smile with sincerity is contagious. Don't you agree?

Doesn't matter. Anyway, I have a story to share here:

Last Wednesday, I was observed by my supervisor. Being unprepared and with only average performance, I was a bit disillusioned and was feeling down. Next when I was teaching my Form 2 class, a few Chinese boys were getting on my nerves. They were talking quite loud and disrupting my lesson - and I burst with anger. The girls right in front of me looked scared but the boys took no heed and they kept on talking. I stopped teaching and without saying anything, I went to sit at my desk and stared outside not saying anything. The class fell silent.

Suddenly Shen Wui (one of the "three stooges" known as "Sandwich" by his classmate) came to me and asked with his broken English and limited vocabulary which can be translated as, "Teacher, are you angry? The girls are scared." I told him to get back to his seat and I started to nag at the naughty boys (I always "make up" with the class after scolding them whenever they did something I do not like such as cursing) before I continued teaching. Then I noticed a Chinese girl near a window with sad face. She was upset about something. I asked Shen Wui what is wrong with the girl and he said, "She sad, teacher."

I took my "reward box" and went to girl. I told her to take one candy and smiled as I said this: "Don't be sad. I like to see everyone smiling in the class." She took a candy and ate it without saying anything until end of that lesson.

Today, I went to teach the class again. I was earlier than usual (5 minutes early) and a number of students who were lingering around the class (note: before my class was recess) swarmed around me and I noticed that one them was the sad girl whom I gave a candy. She looked very happy and was smiling very brightly. She even followed me as I entered the class and was very participative throughout the whole lesson. She was shy and her English was not that good but I could see her effort. That made my day today.

*****

Okay, that was all. So, what's with the story? Well, what happened reminds me the message Sami Yusuf tries to convey through his new song [check the lyric here]. That a simple act of kindness (with sincerity) from us can be meaningful to the person receiving it -- heal, and we will be healed.

A kind and sincere smile is contagious and perhaps, can change a life. :')

After all, the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself has taught us the same thing.

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, a man asked the Prophet (pbuh), "What Islamic trait is the best?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know."

[Bukhari]

Charity may or may not begins at home. But I am pretty sure that charity begins with ourselves. So, my dear friends and honourable readers, what are we waiting for? Start to give people, whom you know or those whom you do not know, a kind and sincere smile when you greet them. You don't know how that simple act of kindness can be meaningful to them, can make their day, and might as well change their life.

Allah knows better. :')



"O Allah! I beseech Thee to keep me safe from sadness and despair and may I be able to continue doing good deeds in Thy course."