My eldest daughter and I have our favourite stories, not told during bedtimes but during car rides on the way to school. One of my favourite is the story about Nabi Khidir and Nabi Musa a.s. The reason why I like this story in particular is because of the many lessons that I can learn and then pass on to my children.

Lessons like humility, eagerness to learn, respect your teacher and most important is something that seemed so wrong, may actually be right. Even though, I have told this story to my daughter many many times but the questions that she ask will almost be the same. Why did Nabi Khidir kill the boy? Isn't it wrong to damage other people's boat? etc etc etc. I don't know why but I simply love to answer those questions over and over again because it not only satisfy her but also drill into me the excellent learning points that this story has.

I remembered one occassion when my daughter mentioned that why must there be disasters such as Tsunami and earthquakes. I told her this story again. A very important lesson for me to remember is that Allah knows everything, the cause, the reason for something to happen. Just like in the case of Nabi Khidir who was gifted by Allah's knowledge to know the future. Killing is a major sin. But because he knew, by will of Allah, that the boy was going to turn into someone evil, he killed him. In return, Allah bestowed the family with another child who was better. The tsunami disaster bears so much similarity. People and children killed. Property destroyed. Allah has better things in store. Only Allah knows best. 8)