A Bitter Melon turns Sweet

Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) was employed by a rich man. Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) had such great love for Allah Ta’ala and contact with Him, that it created within him high moral character and exemplary habits. This was a clear sign of his nobility and nearness to Allah Ta’ala. The details of which are described in Surah Luqmaan in the Quran Sharif. 

The nobility of Luqmaan's (Alaihis Salaam) character had a great effect on his master, to such an extent that the master considered him as a great friend and a beloved companion. 

Although he was the master, yet in fact the master became like a slave to his employee. “It is the miracle of love that the king  became a slave of his beloved".

It then became the practice of the master that whenever he had something special to eat, he would first feed Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) of it and after Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) had filled himself, he would then eat the leftovers.

Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) would consider the love of the master and his habit therefore he would eat moderately and send what was left over to the master. One day, during the melon season, the master received a melon from somewhere. At that time Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) was not present. The master sent one of his slaves to go and call him. 

When Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) arrived, the master cut the
melon into slices and slice by slice gave them to Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) to eat. As he ate the slices, the master inwardly became pleased at the effect his love was having upon Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam).
Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) ate the slices of melon with great pleasure and all the time expressed thanks for the favor shown to him by the master. 

When just one slice remained, the master said: "Let me eat this slice and see how sweet this melon is". Saying this, he put the slice into his mouth. Immediately, such bitterness spread from the tip of his tongue down to his throat, that he fell down unconscious and remained unconscious for a whole hour. 

When he regained consciousness, he questioned Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam), "O Beloved one, how did you manage to so heartily eat those slices of melon? Just one slice of the melon had such an effect on me, how did you manage to eat so many slices?"

Hazrat Luqmaan (Alaihis Salaam) replied, "From your hands I have received hundreds of gifts. The burden of your kindness has bent my back. Hence, I felt ashamed that the hand that had granted me so many favors, if one day some distastefulness or bitterness should come, how can I turn away from it? O Khawaja Saheb, the pleasure of knowing that it comes from your hands has changed the bitterness of the melon to sweetness"