THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

Mr. Jameel Ahmad (Madras) shared an incident about a Muslim trader from Vaniyambadi—a town in the Tirupathur district of Tamil Nadu—Haji Mohammad Ibrahim, who established a school there in 1910. This school has since grown into a college and is operating successfully. Haji Mohammad Ibrahim dedicated himself to this school. At that time, there was a severe financial shortage, so he would leave his house daily with a begging bowl in hand. He would meet people and ask for donations for the school. Some would give a little, and some would give more. He would collect all the money in that bowl and, in the evening, deposit it into the school’s account.

One day, Haji Mohammad Ibrahim visited a wealthy trader in Vaniyambadi. As usual, he had his begging bowl in hand. He asked the Muslim trader for a donation for the school. The trader refused to give a donation. Instead, he scolded Mohammad Ibrahim harshly, saying that he was ruining his business by pursuing the school. Mohammad Ibrahim listened to the trader’s words in complete silence. He did not respond to his remarks. In the end, Mohammad Ibrahim said to him, “I put everything that everyone gives into this bowl. What you have given, I have also put into the bowl.” Saying this, he greeted the trader and calmly returned home.

This simple sentence had such a profound impact on the trader that he couldn’t sleep all night. His restlessness persisted the next day and night as well. Finally, on the third day, he called Haji Mohammad Ibrahim, apologized for his behaviour, and then brought gold coins from his house, filling Ibrahim’s bowl with them. If Mohammad Ibrahim had become angry at the trader’s words, it would have led to a pointless confrontation. However, by responding to the negative attitude with a positive one, mere words were enough for his victory.