An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. The old man was originally from Palestine. He could still understand the Arabic language and he spoke it well, and he could read and write in Arabic too.
Every morning the grandfather was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading the Qur'an while drinking his cup of coffee. He read it in a soft voice, but his grandson was able to hear the beautiful rhythm of the words. The boy struggled to read the Qur'an and he did not read even half as well as his grandfather.
One sunny day the grandson went outside where his grandfather was and he asked, “Grandpa! I try to read the Qur'an just like you but I don't understand what I am reading. And if I do understand a bit of it, I forget as soon as I close the book. So why should I read the Qur'an if I can't understand it? What's the point?”
The grandfather who was putting charcoal into their outdoor grill quietly turned around, dusted his hands off on his wornout jeans, and said, “Take this charcoal basket down to the stream and bring me back some fresh water.”
The basket was made of straw and it had holes in it, but still the boy did as he was told. He went down to the stream and filled the basket with cold water. The boy rushed back up to the house carrying the basket, but all the water leaked out before he reached his grandfather.
The grandfather laughed and said, “You'll have to run faster next time,” and he sent the boy back down to the stream again.
This time the boy filled the basket with water and ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he reached his grandfather who was waiting.
Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket.
His grandfather smiled but insisted and said, “I want you to bring me a basketful of water. You are just not trying hard enough.”
The grandfather watched as the little boy ran back down to the stream.
The boy knew that it is impossible to fill the basket with water, but he just wanted to prove to his grandfather that no matter how fast he ran, the water would leak out. He filled the basket with water and carried it up.
He dropped it at his grandfather's feet and said, “See Grandpa! It's useless!”
“So you think it's useless. Look at the basket,” said the old man.
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different now. Earlier, the basket had been covered in black soot and dirt, and it had a bad smell. Now the basket was clean, it had its original light brown color, and it smelled like spring flowers. The basket had been completely transformed by the water, and it was clean, inside and out.
“My boy; that is what happens to your heart when you read the Qur'an. You may have a hard time saying the words, you may not understand the language, or remember all the verses, but when you read it, you will be changed. The Holy Qur'an will clean your heart and change your life,” said the wise grandfather.
