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I walked away thinking, tomorrow I will do wazu, wear clean clothes and come here. From morning to noon I will keep reading the namaaz. If, even after that, Allah doesn’t give me four rupees, I will be forced to learn how to strike bargains or make deals with Him. After all, if my Allah does not give me my four rupees then who will? That day, when I returned home, apparently from school and actually from the railway station, I was caught. The report of my absence had reached home. It’s useless to relate what happened after that.
Well, whatever happened, happened. But up to the seventh or eighth standard I kept wondering, if Allah miyan had sent me four rupees that day, what harm could it have possibly caused anyone? It was only later that I came to the conclusion that if Allah miyan were to provide all for the asking, then man would, even today, be nests like vultures and crows and would not have learnt the art of making jalebis!
Explanation:
While the boy was walking, he thought he would cleanse himself thoroughly, dress in clean clothing, and return to the same location to pray to God the next day. Then he decided that from morning till afternoon, he would read the prayers from the Quran. His prayers were for God to grant him the four rupees he needed to pay his school fees. Later, he decided that if He did not give him the coins, he would be forced to learn how to bargain or make agreements with God.
Then the boy thought, who would give him the four rupees if God did not give him. Then the boy returned home from the railway station. On the other hand, the boy gave the impression of having come from the school. He was caught when he returned home. The boy's absence from school had been reported to his parents and they came to know that he was not attending the class.
Later the boy pointed out what had happened after getting caught at his home was already over. It was also pointless to discuss it. The boy went on to say that until he was in the seventh or eighth grade, he wondered what harm it could have done to anyone if the Almighty had sent him four rupees that day. It means that he was unsure of the problems it would cause if God had given what he asked for. Later, when he became matured enough, he realised that Allah had done the right thing. If Allah had given him what he desired, the boy would have committed another sin by pleasing God.
Then the boy thought, who would give him the four rupees if God did not give him. Then the boy returned home from the railway station. On the other hand, the boy gave the impression of having come from the school. He was caught when he returned home. The boy's absence from school had been reported to his parents and they came to know that he was not attending the class.
Later the boy pointed out what had happened after getting caught at his home was already over. It was also pointless to discuss it. The boy went on to say that until he was in the seventh or eighth grade, he wondered what harm it could have done to anyone if the Almighty had sent him four rupees that day. It means that he was unsure of the problems it would cause if God had given what he asked for. Later, when he became matured enough, he realised that Allah had done the right thing. If Allah had given him what he desired, the boy would have committed another sin by pleasing God.
When Munna grew older, he realised that if Allah miyan had provided all the things people wanted, there would be no difference between humans and birds. Here, the author compared with the vultures and crows in the nests because these birds won't keep any effort to hunt for food. Instead, they feed on the remains of dead animals, called carrion and lives in their nests. In the same way, a man would not learn anything, even the art of making jalebis, if he would get everything without any effort. This was the lesson Munna learned from the incident.
Meanings of the difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meanings |
1 | Bargain | An agreement between two people or groups in which each promises to do something in exchange for something else |
2 | Wonder | To ask yourself questions or express a wish to know about something |
3 | Conclusion | The end or finish of an event or process |
4 | Wazu | Washing face, hands and feet before praying |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2008). It so happened. Jalebis- Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi (pp. 62-72). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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