The Potter and the Young Socrates: A Lesson in Divine Creation

The Potter and the Young Socrates

By Amna Maham

Once upon a time, in ancient Greece, there lived a young boy named Socrates. Yes, the same Socrates whose name you might have heard in history or philosophy books — the great thinker and philosopher. But this story is not about the wise old man everyone remembers. It is about Socrates as a child, curious, thoughtful, and full of questions about the world around him.

Every morning, young Socrates would go out for a walk. He loved observing the beauty of nature — the songs of birds, the cool breeze, and the warmth of the sun. But there was one particular place that caught his attention more than anything else — the small house of a potter who lived along the road.

The potter worked quietly in his courtyard, shaping lumps of clay into beautiful pots, vases, and cups. His hands moved skillfully, as if they had a language of their own. Day after day, Socrates would stop by, sit near the wall, and watch him work with deep fascination.

The potter soon began to notice the boy’s presence. One morning, as Socrates watched again, the potter smiled and said,
“Little one, I see you here every day. You sit quietly and watch me work. Tell me, what do you find so interesting in what I do?”

Socrates smiled shyly and replied,
“I like watching you make these pots. It amazes me how something so ordinary — a lump of clay — turns into something so beautiful.”

The potter chuckled. “Ah, that’s very kind of you,” he said.

But Socrates continued thoughtfully, “When I see you work, many questions come to my mind. Would you answer them for me?”

The potter was pleased by the boy’s curiosity. “Of course,” he said warmly. “Ask me whatever you wish. I’ll answer the best I can.”

Socrates looked at the spinning wheel, then at the soft clay between the potter’s hands, and asked his first question.

“Tell me, where does the design of your pot come from? Do you draw it somewhere first?”

The potter smiled. “No, my boy. The design is not drawn on paper. It is drawn in my mind first. I imagine the pot before I shape it.”

Socrates’s eyes lit up. “Ah, I understand now!”

The potter looked puzzled. “What did you understand, child?”

“That everything that exists,” Socrates replied, “must first exist in thought. Every creation begins in the mind before it appears in the world. That means the Creator — the one who made us all — must have imagined us long before He created us.”

The potter was astonished by the depth of the boy’s words. But before he could respond, Socrates asked another question.

“When you make your pots, what makes them so beautiful?”

The potter thought for a moment, then answered softly, “I make them with love. When I shape the clay, I do it with care, patience, and sincerity. I give it all my effort so that it turns out right.”

Socrates nodded. “That makes sense. The Creator must also love His creations deeply, because He made us so perfectly. Just like you make each pot with care, He created every person with love.”

The potter smiled, amazed by the young boy’s understanding.

Socrates wasn’t done yet. He leaned forward and asked his final question.

“You’ve been making pots for so long. Do you have a wish — something you still hope to create?”

The potter sighed and said, “Yes, I have one wish. I want to make a pot so perfect, so beautiful, that the world would look at it and say, ‘There will never be another like this.’ But I haven’t made that pot yet.”

The moment he said this, Socrates’s face lit up with realization. He clapped his hands with excitement and exclaimed,

“Now I understand something even greater! The Creator — God Himself — fulfills that wish every single time He creates a human being. Each one of us is made so uniquely, so beautifully, that there will never be another person exactly like us in this world!”

The potter was speechless. He looked at the boy in awe and wonder. How could such deep wisdom come from someone so young? Before he could say another word, Socrates smiled politely, thanked him, and continued on his way.

That evening, the potter sat silently beside his wheel. The boy’s words echoed in his mind — “We are all created from love, and no two creations are ever the same.” He looked at his hands, then at the soft clay, and whispered, “Indeed, every creation carries the love of its maker.”


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Moral of the Story

Dear children, this story teaches us something precious: God loves us deeply. Just like the potter shapes his pots with patience and care, our Creator shaped us with love, thought, and purpose. Each one of us is special — unique in our own way — and no one can ever take our place in this world.

So, let us promise ourselves today that we will try to make our Creator happy. Let us pray regularly, read and understand the Holy Qur’an with our hearts, and be kind to others. Because when we live with love, sincerity, and faith, we reflect the beauty of the One who created us.

Insha’Allah, we will all strive to be the best versions of the masterpieces that He made.