There was a entrepreneur, who was a mentor of a student years ago. The mentor assigned the student to push this huge rock. It would be the final lesson for this student and it would be a lesson in which would make the student not just a successful entrepreneur but a leader.

So the student went out into the world to face this huge rock. He stood there staring at it and the process began in pushing the huge rock. He kept on pushing everyday but still, it wouldn’t budge. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how loud he screamed he couldn't move the rock.

He went back to his mentor and complained that the rock won’t move. The mentor replied, “go back and just push the rock and trust in me.”

He went back and now months went by and everyday, he’d wake up, having something to eat and go out to push the rock. Years went by and the rock didn’t move. He went back to his mentor.

“I pushed, I did all I could but I couldn’t move the big rock.”
Cried the student. The mentor replied, “look at yourself in the mirror. I am giving you a lesson that God taught me through my life.”“Lesson?”
“Yes. You see God teaches us to push. That is all we can do. We push
and trust in Him and He will move the rock.”
“But the rock didn’t move!” Replied the student.
“Didn’t it?”
“Yes, it didn’t move.” Replied the student.
“Did I say it will move? I said to just push. Look now in the mirror
and tell me what you see?”

The student looked into the mirror and saw how strong he became. The mentor laughed and said:

“You were so troubled with the rock so absorbed in it not moving that you couldn’t see how He, God All Mighty Allah has blessed you, how you've grown in character, in patiance and in strength. You didn’t trust in your mentor? See how strong you have grown. Such are the meaning of our challenges. You are now strong, can face any challenge, can stand on your two feet. I never said to move the rock but push it. Leave the moving to God. You just concentrate in never quitting and push till you meet Him.”

Hence, so many challenges come in our lives instead of pushing on, we cower, we quit, we complain instead of seeing the challenges that come in our lives are not challenges but a journey to shape us to be faithful, trustworthy, accountable, and winners. They are a means to make us stronger, more creative, empower us to become leaders with an eye to finding solutions and a path to prepare us to for a greater journey.

And from experience even of your own, when you do go through challenges and you are patiant, and the answers come, the solutions appear, you learn to grow compassionate, you understand the nature of human beings, you see more, you observe more, you smile more, you grow with hope, you understand the meaning of so many things so many take for granted. Brother, sister; you grow to forgive, you stop being angry, and you become composed and be the real man and woman, the hero, the leader you were meant to be!

I learnt such a valuable lesson as a business student. I learnt it not in class because I didn't study. I learnt from a real, live business mentor who is Muslim. I learnt that great lesson on why we have to go through pushing the many rocks in our lives and here is the question we must all ask ourselves;

Why on earth would Allah (SWT) put the people you so want in your lives if you are not strong, prepared. He won't put such people there if you are messed up with your thinking, your attitude stinks or your lazy, not accountable. So the tests come, like a rock being hammered to find the diamond in you. Imagine the quality of knowledge, experience you have when others see a challenge and you smile because you see an opportunity to lead, to give hope.

A stone cutter hits at the rock, and again he hits, a hundreds he hits it and with the last pounding hit, the rock breaks. It wasn't that final hit that broke the rock in two but the many hits before it. If the cutter gave up and didn't throw that last hit with his great hammer it would not have split open. This is how our lives are, and a mile begins with the first step.

Success comes not at a time of easiness. It comes when darkness tries to envelope your vision, when no one is around you, when you are alone and you are on your own to either quit or push on, yes, getting up one more time. In that last final burst of energy where some would not get up for fajir, you will find salvation, hope, truth and your true face and character. In that last corner which so many didn't bother to move and turn towards is where your success is.

Brother, sister; I remember these words today, "I travelled the path less travelled by but it is this that made all the difference."

You will be tested by all you have. You will be tested with your loved ones, your wealth, your time, your hunger, your food, your last pennies, your last pound, your character, everything but keep pushing.

There is a reason for the storms and the rain but it must first rain before you can see a rainbow. In this alone is a sign from God, for us to learn and grow wise, patient and strong. So many want to see a rainbow but without having the rain. It doesn't happen that way.

Many will bicker with another one, judge with one another, fight with one another, steel from each other, slander each other, kill each other, neglect one another, and not be accountable, being lazy, and all these are EASY TO DO. But there will be the few, who will find a way to find good in people, who will stop the person slandering someone, who will stop the hand that steals, who will rather be whipped a hundred times than spill an innocent man or woman, or child's blood irrespective of their beliefs, colour and hence, this is what justice, truth is about.

To do right, to live with truth, to speak truth, to lower your gaze, to stand with the right when the wrong has many a following isn\'t easy but, who said it will be. You cannot have rainbows without rain. Push on, get up one more time and see the reason behind the wisdom Allah (SWT)
is showing you.

You went meant to push the rock and trust in God to move the rock. Put in the action with full trust in Him. Remarkable things will happen if you just do and trust our Lord, no matter of the pain you're growing through.

One day, you will be the mentor and a student in an image of a friend, or a brother, or a sister or even a nation will need your words of experience. So see things not as challenge but an opportunity to grow, be excited about life, be a leader, smile, be radiant with hope, for you are a Muslim, carrying the torch of hope, a message of peace, a message of warnings but also gladtidings.

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