REAL TOUCHIING TRUE STORY : MUST READING FOR ALL

It's a true story about a Muslim man named Rashid.

He says, 'I was not a practicing Muslim, I had bad friends. I enjoyed going out
with them. I was almost never home, but always at gatherings with friends, in
these gatherings we backbited, gossiped and made fun of people, I was,
especially known among my friends to make jokes and ppl were impressed by
the way I was so good at it.

One night (at the time I was 30 and married and my wife was pregnant with our
first child) I was as usual gathered with my friends and talking useless talk. I
was telling them how I was at the market one day and I saw a blind man and I
put my leg out in front of this man and the blind man tripped and fell on his
face.. My friends laughed and so on.

When I went back home that night, my wife told me 'where have you been?' 'I
am so tired and sick and I think I am in labour.' A tear dropped down her cheek.
I felt guilty, for I hadn't cared about my wife properly. I quickly took her to the
hospital.

She was in pain for a long time and could not give birth, I waited patiently, but
eventually I left and told the hospital to call me when she gave birth. An hour
later, they called telling me my wife had given birth to baby boy who we
named Saleem.

I quickly went to the hospital. I asked which room my wife was in. They told
me I first had to see the doctor. I got mad at them and said 'What doctor? I want
to see my son!?!' they insisted that I see the doctor first.

So I went to the doctor, she first talked to me about calamities and that one
must accept the will (qadar) of Allah. Then she told me, 'your son is blind!' and
as she tried to comfort me , I lowered my head and remembered the blind man I
tripped and made fun of I didn't know what to say, I thanked the doctor for her
kindness and went to see my wife.
My wife was not sad, rather she accepted the will of Allah (swt). She had
always advised me not to make fun of people and not to gossip and backbite.

We left the hospital. I did not care about Saleem, I did not like him, I pretended
that he wasn't even in the house. But, my wife loved Saleem very much and
cared for him. Saleem grew and he began to crawl, he wasn't crawling properly.
When he began to walk, we discovered that he was handicapped.

This was too much for me. Later, we were blessed by the Almighty as my wife
gave birth to 2 boys, Omar and Khalid.

Years passed, Saleem and his brothers grew. I continued to hang out with my
bad friends and did not like to be at home. However, my wife was patient and
was very understanding with me and she always made dua that Allah guide me.

One Friday, I woke up at 11 am (which was early for me) and was getting
ready to go to a friends gathering (I did not go to Jummah). I got dressed, put
on a sweater, and was about to head out the door when I saw Saleem (who was
10 yrsold) crying very loudly in the living room. So, for the first time in 10
years I cared and went to ask him why he was crying. When Saleem felt me
coming near, he stopped crying and pushed me away as he made his way to his
bedroom as if to say, 'Now you care, where were you for the past 10 years!'
Saleem was calling his mother and brothers, but no one was answering him, so
he went to his room. I followed him At first, he would not tell me why he was
crying. Do you know why he was crying?

All because his brother Omar, who normally took him to the masjid, was late.
Saleem was afraid that since it was a Friday, he would not be able to get a spot
in the front row at the mosque. I said, 'is that why you cried Saleem?' to which
he answered positively. I, out of disbelief from what I heard, forgot about my
friends and the gathering. Someone inside me compelled to tell Saleem that I
would take him to the masjid.

Saleem could not believe what he had heard. He thought his father was
mocking him. He then began to cry but this time it was with joy. I wiped
Saleem's tears and took him by his hand to take him to the car. Saleem refused.
He said the masjid is near, and he wants to walk there by foot. I could not
remember the last time I went to the masjid.

The masjid was full, but I was able to find a spot for Saleem in the first row.
After prayer was over, Saleem asked me to get him a copy of the Quran. I
thought, 'how can he want a Quran if he is blind!!!!' so I gave him one anyway
so that his feelings would not be hurt. Saleem then asked me to open to surat al-
kahf. So when I opened it for him, Saleem began to recite. He had memorized
the entire surah. I felt embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I took a Quran and
began to read.

I asked Allah for forgiveness and guidance. I then began to sob like a child.
There were still people in the masjid, so I tried to hide my tears.. I couldn't. I
began to sob loudly.

I felt a small hand wiping my tears away. It was Saleem. He hugged me and I
thought, 'you aren't the blind one, for I am, because I ran after the evil people
who would drag me into hell-fire.' From that day on I never missed a prayer at
the masjid. My wife was really happy. I left all my bad friends and tasted the
sweetness of Iman. I went to halaqas. I became closer to Allah and to my
family. I thanked Allah for this great blessing.

One day my pious friends decided to go to a far away place to make dawah and
asked me join him. I hesitated about going, I made istikharah and asked my
wife, to my surprise she encouraged me to go. She was so happy for me to go
as before I used to travel without asking her. I told Saleem that I would be
traveling, he hugged me with his tiny arms, bidding me farewell.

I was away for 3 months and I would call my family and I missed them greatly,
especially Saleem. Whenever, I called I would ask for him but he was either at
school or the masjid. Everytime I told my wife how much I missed him, she
would laugh cheerfully. Except for the last call… she did not laugh but her
voice had changed. I told her to say salam to Saleem and the other children and
she said 'Insha Allah' and was quiet.

I finally came back home and hoped Saleem would open the door for me, but
Khaled did. Then I saw my wife, her face had changed. I asked her 'what's
wrong?' she replied 'nothing.' Then I remembered Saleem was nowhere to be
seen, I asked 'where is he?' My wife lowered her head and did not answer. A
tear dropped down her cheek.

I screamed at her, 'where's Saleem, where is he?''

My son Khaled (4 yrs old), said 'Daddy, Saleem went to Jannah, he is with
Allah.' My wife could not handle it and she broke down in tears and left the
room.. I found out later that Saleem had got sick with a fever and went to
hospital 2 weeks before I arrived.

The fever worsened and his mother stayed by his side until his soul departed his
body.'

NEVER TAKE ANYONE FOR GRANTED; YOU MAY NOT REALISE

HOW LITTLE TIME WE HAVE LEFT. EVEN THE
SMALLEST/WEAKEST PERSON IN THIS WORLD CAN MAKE AN
IMPACT; AFTER ALL, WE ALL SHARE THE SAME CREATOR. MAY
THE ALMIGHTY MAKE US HUMBLE, INSHALLAH.