THE WISDOM OF WAITING

In November 1991, I visited Bombay. During my trip, I met Haji Akbar Khan Sahib, an elderly merchant from Bombay. He had developed a new product and invested a considerable amount of money into it. However, contrary to expectations, the product didn’t succeed in the market. The loss had a serious impact on Haji Sahib. His blood pressure rose, and he started to suffer from diabetes, among other health issues.

I visited his house, listened to his troubles, and prayed silently for him. When it was time for me to go, I wrote a sentence on a piece of paper, placed it in an envelope, and gave it to him, telling him, “Open it and read it after I leave.” The message I wrote was: “Instead of placing your issue in the box of sorrow, place it in the box of patience.”

A year and a half later, on June 8, 1993, I received a letter from Haji Akbar Khan Sahib. The content of the letter was as follows:

“On November 9, 1991, you visited my humble home, and after listening to my story of sorrow, you gave me a piece of advice: ‘Instead of placing your issue in the box of sorrow, place it in the box of patience.’

Believe me, your words had a remarkable impact on me. Psychologically, as I struggled to reach a high level of patience, I started to realize that my knowledge was quite limited. Today, as I receive the June 1993 newsletter, a year and a half after that incident, Alhamdulillah—thanks to placing my issue in the box of patience—the loss has been mostly compensated. The situation has improved significantly, and I am confident that the loss experienced in 1991 will, God willing, turn into a substantial profit in 1993. This serves as a powerful lesson: if patience yields such rewards in worldly affairs, just imagine the rewards it can bring in the hereafter.” (Akbar Khan, Mazgaon, Bombay 10)