This is a fictional story, but it carries within it a lesson and moral about the reward of good upbringing of children and planting fear of God inside them from a young age, as well as satisfaction with destiny and trust in God.
It is told that a poor fisherman was a father to three daughters. Every day he would go to the sea to fish and take one of his daughters with him to help him in fishing. Sometimes he would come with many fish sufficient for him and his family, and would sell from them. Other times, he would bring the nets completely empty.
One day, he took his youngest daughter to help him in fishing. When he pulled the nets, they were full of fish. In the second time he took the girl for fishing, the nets were completely empty. The little girl wondered and asked her father: Why, father, don’t fish enter the nets? The fisherman thought, then said to his daughter: My daughter, the fish that forgets to glorify God falls into the fisherman’s net. The girl asked her father: And do fish glorify? He said to her: Of course, my daughter. All creatures glorify with praise to God, but we don’t hear their glorification.
In the second time the fisherman took his youngest daughter with him for fishing, he was provided with many fish, so he rejoiced and asked the girl to put the fish in the designated bag. He was surprised that the girl had returned all the fish to the water. He asked her: Why did you do that, my daughter? She said to him: She doesn’t want anything that doesn’t glorify God to enter their home. The man was amazed at the girl’s piety and righteousness at this young age. He smiled, took her, and returned home with his empty bag, thinking from where he would feed his family.
When he reached the house, he found his eldest daughter welcoming him and giving him a bag full of silver coins. He was surprised and asked the girl: Where did you get all this money? She told him that a man passed by her while she was feeding the birds outside the house. He asked her for a drink of water, so she gave it to him. He took out the money bag and gave it to her, telling her that he was the city’s ruler.
The fisherman rejoiced at his good upbringing of his daughters, and felt that he was the one who learned a lesson about trust in God, good opinion of Him, and that provision is in His hand alone. He remembered the hadith of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him: If you were to rely on God with true reliance, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They go out in the morning hungry and return in the evening full. The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, spoke the truth.