In life we are presented with countless opportunities to do good or to bad. What we choose is up to us entirely. Of
every situation we can make good of, or make it to our detriment. When we assume the negative of people based on what
we see and not fact, then we have chosen to do bad over good. This happens to all of us almost every day. The following
incident highlights our plight.

one fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problem for the
first few stops- a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy on, six foot eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the
ground. He glared at the driver and said, “I don’t pay! and sat ddown at the back.

Did we mention that the driver was five foot thee, thin and basically meek? Due to this the thoughts of him putting
up a fight with ‘big guy’ could’t cross his mind and so quite naturally, he didn’t dare argue with him, but he wasn’t happy
about it. The next day the same thing happened – The big guy got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat
down. And this continued for a number of days.

This grated on the bus driver, who started lossing sleep over the way the guywas taking advantage of him. Finally
he could stand it no longer and so hen signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff which
would put his opponent in place.

By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what’s more, he felt really good about himself.

So on the next Monday, when the guy once again got on the bus and said, “I don’t pay!” The driver stood up,
glared back at the passenger, and screamed, “And whynot?” With a suprised look on his face, He replied, “Simply because
I have a bus pass.”

The poor driver had nowhere to hide his shameful face. He had just realised that he had made and ‘ass of himself
by wasting all his time and energies in body building so that he culd show the guy who he was. However had he, in the first
place, taken the time to polity ask the reason for not paying and not asuming the negative he would have not gone through
all the troble.

The moral of this incident/story is quite self-evident. However, it is a lesson that many of us seem to overlook and
disregard in the many activities and chores of our life. We learn from this incident that a person should not be hasty in
making assumptions and judgeing a situation or an individual from what seems to be the apparent.

It is essential that a Muslim assumes the best of his fellow being and gives him tha benefit of tha doubt. If possible
, one should allow the fellow being to explain himself as to clear any doubty\s one may have.

our Nabi (S.A.W.) has hasty is from Shaytaan whilst steady composure is from Allah Taala.
In the same manner Ulamaa hve stated that if there is a single reason for doubt should have an effect on the
decision that is made.

In conclusion, one swhould take all factors into consideration and avoid hastiness in judging an individual.
Instead, one should try to make the matter clear as to avoid placing false accusations and assumptions on anyone. Rather
this making an ass of yourself!

Freed after a high decibel drama following Pakistan’s alleged flip-flop of first announcing the release of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh and later clarifying that it was Surjeet Singh who was to be repatriated, Surjeet Singh — who on Thursday crossed over to India from Pakistan after spending more than 30 years in prison — claimed that Sarabjit had “converted to Islam” and was now known as “Sarfaraz” in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail.

Surjeet also claimed that another Indian prisoner on death row in Pakistan, Kirpal Singh, had also “converted to Islam” and had a new name “Mohammed Din”.

Speaking to mediapersons at the information centre of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee after paying obeisance at Golden Temple, Surjeet said: “Sarabjit Singh and Kirpal Singh have converted to Islam. They probably did so in hope of getting mercy. But no mercy was granted to them. Pakistan authorities do not grant mercy to even their own nationals.”

When contacted, Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur denied that Sarabjit had converted to Islam. “This is not true at all. Sarabjit was a Gursikh, is a Gursikh and will remain a Gursikh. He has kept photos of Sikh gurus in jail and a Sikh religious book. He regularly recites from that book,” she said.

Dalbir added that during her visit to Pakistani jail to meet Sarabjit, she did heard people calling Kirpal Singh by a Muslim name. “But this is not the case with Sarabjit. Had he converted, he would have some Muslim name,” she said. “When I went to meet him in Pakistan, he was either addressed as Sarabjit or Manjit.”

When informed that Surjeet had claimed that Sarabjit had changed his name to “Sarfaraz” after “converting to Islam”, Dalbir insisted: “No way, Sarabjit remains Sarabjit and a Sikh and has not changed his name or converted to Islam.”

Dalbir also took exception to Surjeet’s statement that Sarabjit was hale and hearty in jail. “How can a person lodged in solitary confinement be happy? If this was the case, why will prisoners seek release?” she asked.

Meanwhile, Surjeet claimed that if things fell in place, he would ensure that Sarabjit was back home in three months. “Seven to eight MLAs of Pakistan are my very good friends. Even Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is my good friend. I have had breakfast with Zardari. And I will ensure Sarabjit’s release,” Surjeet said, alleging that the Pakistani media and the ISI were against Sarabjit’s release.

“It has to be done at the presidential level. If ISI comes to know about any effort for Sarabjit’s release, the agency will never allow it to happen,” he added. Saying that his and Sarabjit’s cases were entirely different, Surjeet added: “The case of Sarabjit, who faces charges of terrorism, is entirely different from mine. Neither India nor Pakistan would like to release terrorists.”

SOURCE:The Indian EXPRESS