Amazing means of sustenance

Lesson from a Blind Cat

Abul Hasan Taahir ibn Ahmad ibn Baabshaadh was an Egyptian scholar of Arabic grammar. He authored many great works in the field. He earned his living by perusing and correcting manuscripts and books. One day, as he was having a meal with his companions on the upper floor of a building, they noticed a stray cat close by. They cast a morsel of food towards it, which it placed in its mouth and disappeared. After a short while, it returned. They cast another morsel towards it and it again placed it in its mouth and disappeared. Again it returned. When this happened a number of times, they realised that it could not have eaten all that food by itself. They decided to investigate what was happening, and followed the cat. It scaled a wall from the top floor and then entered a deserted house through an opening. In the house was a blind cat. Every morsel of food that it had taken had been placed before the blind cat, which was now eating it. The group was astonished at the spectacle and Ibn Baabshaadh remarked, “When Allah has utilised this cat to feed another blind animal, and He has not deprived it of sustenance, how can He ever cause me to starve.? He was deeply touched by the experience and sufficed on little until his demise. (Ref: Pearls from the Path)

Moral
1. Allah utilises amazing means to provide sustenance to His creation.
2. Allah has created compassion amongst animals. Man should learn from the good qualities of animals.