Good Samaritan: nearest to god.

Abu Ben Adham was a noble man. He was kind to everyone. So people rushed to him for help or solace. He never turned them away. And he did not call it a day till he had done his bit for all who needed his help. So he never went to bed before midnight. And he woke up an hour before dawn. He had no time to call his own. He did not have even time to pray. One night when he was about to go to bed, he found an angel flying around in his room. Abu Ben Adham noticed that the angel had a scroll in his hand and asked, "what is on it?" The angel replied with a smile, "The names of those who love God." Abu asked, hesitantly, "Is my name there?" The angel ran through the list. "Sorry, your name is not in this list," replied the angel. That made Abu Ben Adham sad. He was serving mankind so selflessly. He saw God in every man in pain or in distress. He loved God very much. Yet God had omitted his name from the list. The angel asked, "Feeling hurt?" Abu Ben Adham smiled, "Yes I felt a bit bad. But I can't complain. I have work to do. In my work only I find my God. I have no time to pray." The angel smiled kindly and vanished. Abu passed a restless night. So when he got up, he was a little tired. But he forgot all his tiredness when he set out to serve the people. He spent the whole day, helping the poor and the needy. At dusk, he still had a number of people around him who sought his guidance and advice to solve their personal problems.
It was about midnight when he entered his bedroom. He sat on the bed. The angel was there again, this time with yet another sheet. Abu asked "What is that list all about?" "It carries the names of people whom God loves," the angel replied. "Is my name there?* Abu just managed to make himself audible. The angel scanned the scroll and then exclaimed, "Congratulations!" Abu raised his eyebrows, "What for?" The angel replied, with a smile, "You top the list. Do you know why? Because you are the most outstanding Good Samaritan alive today. You are God's Own Man.


Meaning: Anyone who serves others selflessly is loved by God.


Alternatives: God's Own Man. Kindly Light. God loves those who serve the mankind.