Encashing ‘1 Pound’ Cheque
for ‘1001 Pounds’
Stephen Priestley is a British artist. One day, four of his paintings were put up for sale at an auction. Their price was put at one pound. And so, when they were sold, Priestley received a cheque for that amount.
Priestley was furious at getting just a pound for his paintings. He thought the value of his paintings was much more than that. And so, he fudged the numerals on the cheque and made it appear to be for 1001 pounds instead, and managed to get that sum from the bank. But, very soon, the bank staff found out that he had deceived them. Had was nabbed by the police and was sent to jail for cheating. (The Hindustan Times, October 2, 1981)
This incident is about something related to the goings-on in this world. But it has relevance to matters of the Hereafter as well. Many are those who have just ‘one pound’ worth of good deeds to their credit, but which they want to pass off and encash as ‘1001 pounds’! Someone is busy trying to make name and fame for himself while labeling his efforts as ‘service of Islam’! Someone’s actions are impelled by, narrow tribalism and communal prejudice, and yet he calls it an ‘Islamic movement’! Someone is trying to promote his own political interests while claiming that he is championing the cause of ‘establishing an Islamic social system’! Someone is running behind someone else simply in order to become rich and famous, while labeling this as ‘Islamic brotherhood’! Someone is embroiled in debates and heated arguments and thinks that he is a great advocate of ‘Islamic revival’! Someone is doing some minor reformist work, claiming that what he is doing is ‘calling people to God’ and ‘communicating God’s message’!
All these people are extracting their price in this world. They are delighted, trying to pass off their minor efforts as really great actions. But soon, death will destroy their wishful thinking. In the court that will be held on the Day of Judgment, all such people will be branded as deceivers, no matter if in today’s world they succeed in encashing their ‘one pound cheque’ for ‘1001 pounds’!
