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Money is yours, but the Resources belong to the Society – Moral Story!

This may or may not be a True Story, but it gives us a very important Lesson in life.

Germany is a highly industrialised country. It produces top brands like Benz, BMW, Siemens etc. The nuclear reactor pump is made in a small town in this country. In such a country, many will think its people lead a luxurious life. At least that was my impression before my study trip.

When I arrived at Hamburg , my colleagues who work in Hamburg arranged a welcome party for me in a restaurant. As we walked into the restaurant, we noticed that a lot of tables were empty. There was a table where a young couple was having their meal. There were only two dishes and two cans of drinks on the table. I wondered if such simple meal could be romantic.
There were a few old ladies on another table. When a dish is served, the waiter would distribute the food for them, and they would finish every bit of the food on their plates.

We did not pay much attention to them, as we were looking forward to the dishes we ordered. As we were hungry, our local colleague ordered more food for us. As the restaurant was quiet, the food came quite fast. Since there were other activities arranged for us, we did not spend much time dining. When we left, there was still about one third of unconsumed food on the table.
When we were leaving the restaurant, we heard someone calling us. We noticed the old ladies in the restaurant were talking about us to the restaurant owner. When they spoke to us in English, we understood that they were unhappy about us wasting so much food. We immediately felt that  they were really being too busybody.


“We paid for our food, it is none of your business how much food we left behind,” my colleague Gui told the old ladies.The old ladies were furious. One of them immediately took her hand phone out and made a call to someone. After a while, a man in uniform claimed to be an officer from the Social Security organisation arrived. Upon knowing  what the dispute was, he issued us a 50 Euro fine. We all kept quiet. The local colleague took out a 50 Euro note and repeatedly apologized to the officer.
The officer told us in a stern voice,
“ORDER WHAT YOU CAN CONSUME, MONEY IS YOURS BUT RESOURCES BELONG TO THE SOCIETY. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS IN THE WORLD WHO ARE FACING SHORTAGE OF RESOURCES. YOU HAVE  NO REASON TO WASTE RESOURCES.”

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47 Responses to Money is yours, but the Resources belong to the Society – Moral Story!

  1. Noha M. Sobh April 15, 2014 at 5:14 PM #

    Very true, hope all peaple learn this and aplly it as well.

    • Noha M. Sobh April 15, 2014 at 5:16 PM #

      very true, hope all people learn it and apply it as well

  2. Abba January 18, 2014 at 1:07 PM #

    That’s the teaching from the Quran. Allah doesn’t like who are extravagant.

  3. fathima a October 10, 2013 at 9:56 AM #

    I think this rule should be made in all countries and as a result we don’t get a single person begging for food.
    nice one sara,
    thank you..

  4. Tariq Nadeem May 14, 2013 at 4:16 PM #

    Sara, unfortunatly these days non muslim’s are following our ISLAM, even lot of good thing written in our QURAN , we are not following those & this is the main reason that muslims are in critical position.

  5. Jafarullah February 11, 2013 at 1:48 PM #

    Actually this is a true story with good lesson for all who waste the food and others.

  6. lamis January 31, 2013 at 2:42 AM #

    it is the best of what i heard in my life
    yes yes yes thank you

    • Ali - Admin February 3, 2013 at 7:43 PM #

      Welcome Iamis.

  7. mohammed taher ali faheem January 19, 2013 at 10:56 AM #

    i wish this sort of islamic practice is done all over the world and the humanity get the benefit out of it.
    but to surprise those suppose to practice it they themself forget and to be more sorry for those there is no one to remind them too.
    in short its the order of islamic techings but forget mostly.
    i hope a day will come where it is going to implement in our lives.
    thanks for the stories.

    • Ali - Admin January 22, 2013 at 4:39 PM #

      Welcome Taher.

      • Taher Khan July 24, 2015 at 4:29 PM #

        Well said dear brother Taher

  8. AnuHani November 5, 2012 at 12:20 AM #

    Sara – I am beginning to feel suspicious you are injecting poison in the honey U R serving us. I hve some clues but I’ll keep watching & gve U Benefit of doubt so far

  9. Jalil September 27, 2012 at 9:57 AM #

    Dear Sara
    Very nice story, I think its very true-based one with having good lesson to take it…also our Prophet Muhammad encourage everyone of us and advice which is beneficial if could apply in all eras to not spend too much of whatever resourses we have especially food and water in order to not wasted resourses as population is skyrocketing and also avoid many preventable diseases that eating too much foods causes.

    I am daily looking forward to receiving your enjoyable emails.

    Great appreciation from Kurdistan region-north of Iraq.

    • Ali - Admin September 29, 2012 at 6:19 PM #

      Thanks Jalil.
      Nice to hear from you.

  10. Zafar Iqbal August 31, 2012 at 10:31 PM #

    So very true! Another Islamic principle we Muslims seem to be forgetting….

  11. Bassam July 24, 2012 at 1:31 PM #

    This story will stimulate and develop the mental and moral growth of people specially in the Arab world. educating and guiding people to develop their innate capacity is very essential nowaday where the earth’s population is skyrocketing and becoming a heavy burden on the earth’s resources.

    Thanks Sara.

  12. asif May 9, 2012 at 9:53 AM #

    Nice story.i really impress

  13. Shabir May 6, 2012 at 8:15 PM #

    It’s really very educative . For all off us nice one Sara

  14. Hussain R HJI April 24, 2012 at 12:53 AM #

    even if some do not belive it, but isn’t it real? some must serch those invitation which are made in Middle East countries and watch for them self to see such realaties, sara has send us some times ago a vedio from the Thiland showing a father from a poor family collects the left over from garbage container from a restuarent and takes them to his hungery childrens waiting at home !

    I wish you Sara if you can re send this vedio once again.

    • Sara - Admin May 3, 2012 at 2:59 PM #

      Dear Hussain, i don’t remember the Title of the video. If you know it you can search it in the “Search Box”. Inshallah you will get it.

      • mohd December 16, 2014 at 2:01 AM #

        thank sara
        really it is a great story. every thing we have it in Quran but we don’t know it.EVEN IF WE KNOW WE CANT APPLY
        when the western invent something we say yes it is Quran
        why don’t we reavel and teach them early

        la tusrufu – dont spent even when u feel your stomach —
        1/3 for food
        1/3 for water
        1/3 for air but we are not using that is why always go to HOSPITAL we over fill

  15. yasmin April 23, 2012 at 4:35 PM #

    i wish this kind of low will be in Arab countries

  16. PURUSHOTHAMAN J April 23, 2012 at 10:44 AM #

    This is the Law, which should be applied unversally.

  17. Saima April 15, 2012 at 3:48 AM #

    There is no such rule here in Germany :s
    Nevertheless its a story with a good lesson

    • Hasnain July 23, 2015 at 12:04 PM #

      yes its write i have travel in Europe several country and many time i was eating in restaurant an order single dish and i cant eat even half of that dish and i live on table but no body ask me any question like it even Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland but this idea is good to save food wastage and save life for who don’t have resources like us and give them sadaqa.

  18. Nizam April 12, 2012 at 12:47 PM #

    Allah hates prodigals, The Holy Quran and the Holy Bible testify

  19. ali April 10, 2012 at 1:35 PM #

    All the people should be adopted one dish at one time at limited quantity.

  20. Daniyal April 7, 2012 at 10:32 AM #

    Its a true story it happens with the pakinstani professor who are teaching in the comsats university islamabad.

  21. M.Shahbaz Akhtar April 6, 2012 at 3:49 PM #

    May all people realize that.
    we really waste the resources quite badly,it becomes our habit & status symbol.

  22. sharif123 April 6, 2012 at 1:41 PM #

    In Saudi Arabia people waste too much. Hope you are not among them, Sara

  23. mustafa August 3, 2011 at 2:53 PM #

    I don’t believe it

  24. Guest July 29, 2011 at 3:15 PM #

    Must have rules but I dont think its anywhere!

  25. Guest July 29, 2011 at 3:15 PM #

    Must have rules but I dont think it anywhere!

  26. Bsanci April 2, 2011 at 8:20 AM #

    The moral is nice but in terms of fine application it can not be true.

  27. Fad3ooS April 1, 2011 at 11:47 PM #

    Great story ,i just want to say that there are some people who don’t have money and some times waste the resources.

  28. E Ashikrahman April 1, 2011 at 8:55 PM #

    Really nice. In this situation I truly remember the Prophet Muhammad’s (s) saying: Dont waste the water even though you use the river!”

    His vision and advices are more relevant in all worlds and era. Thanks news, Jazaka ya rasoolallah…. (S)

    [email protected]

    • Aisha April 6, 2012 at 2:18 PM #

      One must always say “Jazaak Allah” because only Allah has the powers to bless us with the goodness while the Prophets are only his messengers who must also ask for Allah’s blessings.

      Apologies if I may have offended. Please know, My intentions were only to guide.

  29. Anonymous April 1, 2011 at 7:42 PM #

    i wish thats a true story nd wish people around the world do the right thing

  30. Ghali April 1, 2011 at 5:30 PM #

    Muy claro y gracias a Mr.German que nos dio una lección que espero que ilumine nuestro comportamiento profunda

  31. Read April 1, 2011 at 5:07 PM #

    histoires morales destinées à toucher les pensées profondes de la personne qui a transféré les actions pour être efficace et féconde, je souhaite que cela est vrai à tous les indigènes

  32. Shebi April 1, 2011 at 3:22 PM #

    should be adopted by others also

  33. Naveed April 1, 2011 at 2:21 PM #

    Very Good

  34. Amin April 1, 2011 at 1:42 PM #

    what a wise story !!

  35. Ramadan April 1, 2011 at 10:04 AM #

    those are the german people in thinking

  36. Hajamal April 1, 2011 at 9:18 AM #

    So true, thanks a lot I really enjoy it

  37. Zeeshannoor7 April 1, 2011 at 6:15 AM #

    nice rule