This is how one achieves inner peace and love for the well-being of others
The people of Kuwait have long been distinguished by a constellation of noble virtues that form an authentic core of their social and human identity. Among the most beautiful of these virtues is the purity of heart, the clarity of conscience, and the sincere desire for the well-being of others, without expecting any return, thanks, or gratitude. The early generations of Kuwaitis acted with sound intuition and hearts full of faith, viewing the benefit of others as a major gateway to goodness and considering the act of bringing joy to others as a noble deed sought solely for the pleasure of God Almighty. They did not offer kindness for the sake of showing off or boasting; rather, goodness was for them a spontaneous daily behavior and a steadfast innate habit, stemming from good intentions and a pure heart. These noble morals eventually became ordinary behavior and natural practice, their beautiful impact evident across various facets of society in past Kuwait.
One of the beautiful incidents that embodies these noble meanings is recounted by one of the close companions of the late Mr. Muhammad Asqar Khalaf Al-Anzi. Mr. Muhammad Al-Anzi was one of the well-known sons of Kuwait, recognized for his pure heart and clear conscience. The narrator of this incident said: “In the 1970s, the late Mr. Muhammad Asqar Khalaf Al-Anzi worked as a driver for Taici Corporation, a well-known Japanese company that was executing several projects in Kuwait’s oil facilities, specifically in the Doha area and surrounding work sites linked to oil fields. One day, Mr. Muhammad Asqar Al-Anzi was driving the company vehicle, carrying a team of Japanese engineers and employees, heading to Al-Maqwa (a historic Kuwaiti area belonging to the Ahmadi Governorate, located about 25 km south of Kuwait City and approximately 9 km north of Ahmadi City, which holds an important oil field discovered in 1951). While traveling along the road, the Japanese team noticed a man standing on the side of the road near a bus stop, waiting for transportation to his destination. By God’s decree, this man was standing next to a pile of old tires that belonged to a company that had disposed of them in that location near the bus stop.
When the Japanese saw this scene, they assumed the man was the owner of the tires and was standing there specifically to sell them to passersby. Consequently, they asked Mr. Muhammad Asqar Al-Anzi to stop so they could buy the tires from the man. At that moment, the wisdom, insight, and purity of heart of the late Mr. Muhammad became evident. He fully understood that the man had no connection to the tires whatsoever and that they were not his property. However, in that same instant, he saw in this situation an opportunity provided by God to grant lawful sustenance to this simple man, whose appearance suggested modest means. His demeanor and the fact that he was standing in the scorching sun waiting for a bus to take him where he needed to go confirmed his simplicity.
Here, the purity of heart of Mr. Muhammad Asqar Al-Anzi shone through. He did not intervene to clarify the matter, which was obvious to him but completely absent from the minds of the Japanese. He did not reveal to the Japanese that the tires did not belong to the man. On the other hand, he did not make the man feel that he knew the truth, that he was doing him a favor, or that he was the cause of this benefit. Instead, out of his purity of heart and wisdom, he chose complete silence, calmly observing the scene and allowing events to unfold as God had decreed. Furthermore, out of his fine manners and sincere intention to benefit the man, he did not ask for any share of the proceeds from the sale of the tires, nor did he hint at his involvement in prompting the Japanese to buy them, nor did he turn this act of kindness into a basis for boasting or claiming credit over the man.
His good intention led him to believe that this sustenance was destined for this simple man, and that God, the Exalted and Majestic, had provided it to him through His beautiful planning, vast grace, and wisdom known only to Him. Thus, he chose to be a hidden cause for the man’s acquisition of this lawful sustenance, content with seeking reward and recompense from God Almighty.
This was the late Mr. Muhammad Asqar Khalaf Al-Anzi: a true example of purity of heart and love for the well-being of others. He never thought of personal gain, nor did he view the situation through the lens of self-interest. Rather, his noble morals and humanity prevailed, leading him to benefit a simple person through his sincere intentions without making him feel embarrassed or indebted. This noble incident encapsulates a bright aspect of the morals of Kuwaitis in the past, reflecting their known purity of intention, purity of heart, and desire to convey goodness to others, without noise or false claims of merit. The late Mr. Muhammad Asqar Khalaf Al-Anzi was one of the good role models among the virtuous people of Kuwait, who carried these values in their conduct and actions, leaving behind a beautiful image of authentic Kuwaiti chivalry and honor. These noble incidents remain undeniable witnesses that the morals of the noble people of Kuwait were not merely words spoken, but actions translated through deeds and recounted by generations after generations.
Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Jarallah Al-Kharafi
