Ask our children:
1. What kind of friends and company should we keep?
2. Should we listen to our parents, teachers and elders?
3. What should we do when someone advises us?
Now tell them the story:
There was once a pious, intelligent and obedient little boy whose name was Ilyaas. He was the best student in the class, always respecting and listening to his Moulana. He loved his Moulana dearly and was always ready to serve him. When the other boys would laugh and make fun of the Moulana, Ilyaas would try to explain to them that what they were doing was wrong and also very dangerous for them. However, they would just never listen.
One day, the class boys went to Ilyaas and asked him to join them on their picnic trip to the forest. Ilyaas first refused, but then thought to himself that this was the perfect chance to make the boys listen to their Moulana. So he told them that he would only join them if they all went to Moulana and asked him for some advice. When the boys heard this, they all refused and rudely said that Moulana only speaks nonsense. However, Ilyaas insisted that they ask Moulana for advice. Eventually, because they wanted Ilyaas to join them, they all agreed and went to Moulana for advice.
When they asked Moulana for advice, he only told them one thing, “Don’t eat elephant meat!” When the boys heard this, they burst out laughing and laughed so much that tears ran down their cheeks. They told Ilyaas, “Did we not tell you that Moulana only speaks nonsense? Why would we ever want to eat elephant meat?” Ilyaas was sad that the boys were making fun of Moulana. However, he did not say anything.
Ilyaas and the boys then went on their picnic trip to the forest. While in the forest, they all became lost! They were all very worried, and because their food was finished, they were very hungry. Suddenly, a herd of elephants passed by. Right at the back was a little baby elephant, moving much slower than the rest. When the boys’ eyes fell on the baby elephant, they immediately thought of a plan to trap it and kill it! Just then, Ilyaas reminded them of Moulana’s warning: “Don’t eat elephant meat!”
The boys were hungry and refused to listen. They went ahead with their evil plan. When all the elephants had gone far ahead and the baby elephant was alone at the back, they caught it, killed it, roasted it, and like greedy boys, ate until their stomachs were almost bursting. Then they all fell asleep.
In the meantime, the mother elephant noticed that her baby was missing. She walked all the way back and discovered the boys fast asleep. She also saw her baby’s bones and realized that it had been killed and eaten. So she went to the first boy and when she smelt meat on him, she lifted her foot and crushed him! In this way, she crushed all the greedy boys. When she came to Ilyaas, who was sleeping away from the rest, she did not smell elephant meat on him, and realized that he did not eat her baby.
So she gently picked Ilyaas up and placed him on her back and she carried him out of the dark forest with love, leaving him at the entrance of his hometown. When she placed Ilyaas down, he ran straight to his Moulana, told him what happened and thanked him for giving him advice that saved his life.
Lessons:
1. Those who listen will be saved.
2. Disrespect harms and destroys a person.
3. Those who follow the advice of their parents, teachers and elders will definitely be guided.
4. Do not ever laugh and make fun of older people. Even if they say things that do not make sense to us, we should be patient and respect them. With time, we will see the wisdom and benefit of what they said to us.
5. Stay away from evil company and bad friends.
6. If we see wrong in others, we should try to correct them in a gentle way and teach them what is right.