5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

This manager used to accumulate his workload and take upon his shoulders burdens he could not bear. One day, he called his secretary, so he entered and stood in front of him. The secretary said, “Yes. How may I help, sir?” He said, “I called your phone but you never answered!” The secretary replied, “That was because I was in the other room. I am sorry, sir!” He replied, “You are always saying sorry! Take these papers and give them to the head of the repair department, and return quickly!” The secretary, being annoyed, went to the office of the repair department’s head and threw the papers on his desk and said, “Do not take long with these papers!” The man became irritated at the secretary’s behaviour and said, “OK, but please, place them on the table appropriately!” The secretary replied, “Appropriately or inappropriately, it does not matter! What is important is that you finish with the papers quickly!” They argued and insulted each other until voices were raised, after which the secretary went back to his office.After a couple of hours, one of the minor workers in the repair department went to his Head and said, “I will now go to collect my children from school and return shortly.” The Head shouted saying, ‘You go out everyday!” He replied, ‘This is what I have been doing for ten years! This is the first time you are objecting.” The Head said, “You only listen when you are being told off! Go back to your office!” The poor man went to his office, perplexed at this attitude, and began to call people to arrange someone to pick up his children from the school and take them home, but found nobody. The children had to stand for a long time in the sun until one of the teachers decided to take them home. When this employee returned home angry, his youngest son came to him with a toy and said, “Dad! My teacher gave this to me, because I…” “Go to your mum!” says the father, interrupting him and pushing him away. The child goes to his mother crying, and on his way, his beautiful cat comes to him and begins to rub itself against his legs as usual, but he kicks the cat with his foot and the cat ends up hitting the wall. Who kicked the cat? Question: Who kicked the cat? Perhaps you will smile and say, “The manager.” That’s right, it is the manager, because he pressurised himself so much that he eventually exploded. Why do we not learn the skill of distributing our workload? Why can’t we say with courage about the tasks that we cannot perform, “This is out of our hands… We aren’t able to do this…” especially when placing yourself under pressure may result in you behaving in a way that adversely affects people who were not part of the problem to begin with. Be careful to not allow yourself to be pressurised by others, such that they embarrass you until you give in to their demands, or make empty promises. Come with me to Madinah, if you please, and look at the Messenger of Allah , as he sat in his blessed gathering, after Islam had spread far and wide and the people worshipped Allah alone. The leaders of various tribes came to him in submission as believers, whilst some came to him disguising hate and malice in their hearts. One day, one of the Arab leaders came to him. He was very well respected amongst his people. His name was ‘Amir bin al-Tufayl. His people, when they noticed how Islam had spread, would suggest to him, “O ‘Amir, most people have become Muslim. You may as well embrace Islam.” ‘Amir was very arrogant and haughty. He would say to them in response, “By Allah, I have already sworn that I will not die until the Arabs make me their king and follow me, for I am not Who kicked the cat? going to follow this young man from Quraysh!” Later when he saw that Islam had dominated and the people had agreed to follow the Messenger of Allah , he mounted his camel and went along with his companions to the Messenger of Allah . When he entered the mosque, he saw the Messenger of Allah  sitting with his Companions. He stood in front of the Prophet  and said, “O Muhammad! I want to speak to you alone.” The Prophet  was cautious of such people, so he said, “No, by Allah! Not until you believe in Allah alone.” He said again, “O Muhammad, I want to speak to you alone.” But the Prophet  refused. But he kept insisting, “O Muhammad, come with me so I may speak to you!” So the Prophet  eventually got up to speak to him. As he got up, ‘Amir pulled one of his companions over to him. His name was Arbad, whom ‘Amir conspired with to kill the Messenger of Allah .