I came across this story on Purity Starts Here this morning and I cried so I thought I would share it. This beautiful story made me realise that there is always someone else worse off in the world so we should appreciate the things we do have. Also that we should never mock anyone as we never know their pursuit. The thing about this story that tugged at my heart strings was the boy’s love for Islam.
in sha Allah may Allah SWT grant Salem Jannat-Ul-Firdous and reward him greatly for his guidance. And may we all give as much importance to Islam as Salem. Ameen
This is a story about a man named Rashed. It is a long story but please read carefully -very beautiful. I was not more than 30 yrs old when my wife gave birth to my 1st child. I still remember that night. I had stayed out all night long with my friends, as was my habit. It was a night filled with useless talk, and worse, with backbiting, gossiping, and making fun of people. I was mostly the one who made people laugh; I would mock others and make my friends laugh.I had an amazing ability to imitate others. No 1 was safe from my backbiting and mockery, even my friends; some people started avoiding me just to be safe from my tongue. On that night, I had made fun of a blind man who I’d seen begging in the market. What was worse, I had put my foot out and he tripped and fell. I went back home, late as usual. My wife was waiting for me.
She was in a terrible state, and said in a quivering voice, “Rashed… where were you?” “Where would I be, on Mars?” I said sarcastically, “With my friends of course.” She was visibly exhausted, and holding back tears.“I’m so tired. It seems the baby is going to come soon.” A silent tear fell on her cheek. I felt that I had neglected my wife. I should have taken care of her and not stayed out so much all those nights… especially since she was in her 9th month. I quickly took her to hospital; she went into the delivery room, and suffered long hours of pain. I waited for her to give birth… but her delivery was difficult, and I got tired. So I went home and told the hospital to call with the good news. An hour later, they called to congratulate me on the birth of Salem. I rushed there immediately.The nurses asked me to see my wife’s doctor. “What doctor?I just want 2 see my son!” I went to the doctor, she started talking about trials, and being happy with Allah’s decree. Then she said, “your son has a serious deformity in his eyes, and is blind.” I lowered my head while I fought back tears… I remembered that blind man begging in the market who I’d tripped and made others laugh at. Subhan’Allah, you get what you give! I stayed quiet… Then I remembered my wife and son. I thanked the doctor and went to see my wife. She wasn’t sad. She believed in the decree of Allah and was content… How often had she told me to stop mocking people!
“Don’t backbite” she always used to repeat… We left the hospital, and Salem came with us. I didn’t pay much attention to him. I pretended that he wasn’t with us. When he started crying, I’d escape to the living room to sleep there. My wife took good care of him, and loved him a lot. I didn’t hate him, but I couldn’t love him either. Salem grew. He started to crawl in a strange way.
When he was almost a year,he started trying to walk.
We discovered he was crippled. I felt like he was an even greater burden on me. After him, my wife gave birth to Umar and Khaled. The years passed, and Salem and his brothers grew. I never liked to sit at home, always out with my friends entertaining them.
My wife never gave up on my reform. She always made du’a for my guidance. She never got angry with my reckless behaviour, but would get really sad if she saw me neglecting Salem and paying attention 2 his brothers. As Salem grew my worries grew. I didn’t mind when my wife asked to enrol him in a special school for the handicapped.
I didn’t really feel the passing of the years. My days were all the same. Work, sleep, food and staying out with friends. One Friday I woke up at 11 am. I was invited to a gathering,got dressed, and was about to go out. I passed by our living room, and was startled to see Salem – he was sobbing! This was the 1st time I had noticed Salem crying since he was a baby. 10 years had passed, and I hadn’t paid attention to him. I tried to ignore him now, but I couldn’t take it… I heard him calling for his mum, I turned towards him, and went closer. “Salem! Why are you crying?” When he heard my voice, he stopped crying. Then when he realized how close I was, he started feeling around him with his small hands. What was wrong with him? I discovered that he was trying to move away from me!
It was as if he was saying, “Now, you’ve decided to notice me? Where have you been for the last 10 years?” I followed him… he had gone into his room.
At 1st, he refused to tell me why he’d been crying. I tried to be gentle with him… Salem started to tell me why he’d been crying, while I listened and trembled. Do you know what the reason was! His brother Umar, who used to take him to the masjid, was late. And because it was Jumu’ah prayer, Salem was afraid he wouldn’t find a place in the first row. He called out to Umar… and he called out to his mother… but nobody answered, so he cried. I sat there looking at the tears flowing from his blind eyes. I couldn’t bear the rest of his words. I put my hand over his mouth and said, “Is this why you were crying, Salem!” “Yes,” he said. I forgot about my friends and I said, “Don’t be sad, Salem. Do you know who’s going to take you to the masjid 2day?” “Umar, of course,” he said, “… but he’s always late.”
“No,” I said, “I’m going to take you.” Salem was shocekd… he couldn’t believe it. He thought I was mocking him. His tears came and he started crying. I wiped his tears with my hand and then took hold of his hand. I wanted to take him to the masjid by car. He refused and said, “The masjid is near… I want to walk there.” Yes, by Allah, he said this to me. I couldn’t remember when was the last time I had entered the masjid, but it was the 1st time I felt fear and regret for what I’d neglected in the long years that had passed. The masjid was full,but I still found a place for Salem in the 1st row. We listened to the Jumu’ah khutbah together,side by side. After the prayer, Salem asked me for a Quraan. How was he going to read when he was blind? I almost ignored his request, but out of fear of hurting his feelings, I passed him the Quraan. He asked me to open to Surat al-Kahf. I started flipping through the pages and looking through the index until I found it. He put the Quraan in front of him, and started reading the Surah… with his eyes closed… Ya Allah! He had the whole Surah memorized. I was ashamed of myself. I picked up this Holy Book of Allah… I felt my limbs tremble… I read and I read.
I asked Allah to forgive me and to guide me. I couldn’t take it… I started crying like a child. There were still some people in the masjid praying sunnah… I was embarrassed by their presence, so I tried to hold my tears. My crying turned into whimpering and long, sobbing breaths. The only thing I felt was a small hand reaching out to my face, and then wiping the tears away. It was Salem! I pulled him to my chest… I looked at him. I said to myself… your not the blind one, I am for having drifted after immoral people who were pulling me to hellfire. We went back home. My wife was extremely worried about Salem, but her worry turned into tears of joy when she found out I had prayed Jumu’ah with Salem.
From that day on, I never missed the Congregational prayer in the masjid. I left my bad friends, and I made new righteous friends among people I met at the masjid. I tasted the sweetness of iman with them and learnt things from them that made me forget about this world. I never missed out on religious gatherings, or on the witr prayer. I recited the entire Qur’an several times in 1 month. I moistened my tongue with the remembrance of Allah, and made dua that He forgive my backbiting and mocking of people. I felt closer to my family. The looks of fear and pity that had occupied my wife’s eyes disappeared. A smile now never parted from the face of Salem. Anyone who saw him would have felt that he owned the world and everything in it. I praised and thanked Allah a lot for His blessings. One day, my righteous friends decided to go to a far away location for da’wah. I hesitated about going. I prayed istikharah, and consulted with my wife. I thought she would refuse… but the opposite happened! She was extremely happy, and even encouraged me… because in the past, she had seen me travelling without consulting her, for the purpose of sin and evil. I went to Salem, and told him I would be travelling. With tears, he wrapped me up in his small arms… I was away from home for 3 and1/2 months. Whenever I got a chance, I called my wife and talked to my children. I missed them so much… and oh, how I missed Salem! I wanted to hear his voice… he was the only one who hadn’t talked to me since I’d traveled. He was either at school or at the masjid whenever I called. Whenever I would tell my wife how much I missed him, she would laugh happily, joyfully.
Except for the last time I called her. I didn’t hear her expected laugh. Her voice changed. I said to her, “Give my salam to Salem,” and she said, “Insha’Allah,” and was quiet. At last, I went back home. I knocked on the door. I hoped that it was Salem who would open up for me, but was surprised to find my son Khaled, who was not more than 4 years old. I picked him up in my arms while he squealed, “Baba! Baba!” I don’t know why my heart tensed when I entered the house. I sought refuge in Allah from the accursed shaytan… I approached my wife… her face was different. As if she was pretending to be happy. I inspected her closely then said, “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” she said.
Suddenly, I remembered Salem. “Where’s Salem?” I asked. She lowered her head. She didn’t answer. Hot tears fell on her cheeks. “Salem! Where’s Salem?” I cried out. At that moment, I only heard the sound of my son Khaled talking in his own way, saying, “Baba… Thalem went to pawadise… with Allah…” My wife couldn’t take it. She broke down crying. She almost fell to the floor, and left the room. Later, I found out that Salem had contracted a fever 2 weeks before I’d returned, so my wife took him to the hospital… the fever got more and more severe, and didn’t leave him… until his soul left his body… And if this earth closes in on you in spite of its vastness, and your soul closes is on you because of what it’s carrying… call out,call out, “Oh Allah!” If solutions run out, and paths are constricted, and ropes are cut off, and your hopes are no more… call out, “Oh Allah.” Allah wished to guide Salem’s father on the hands of Salem, before Salem’s death. How merciful is Allah! Dear brothers and sisters? Who are we lying to? Is our life according to what Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) ordained? Are we playing an active role for our children? Or is it the nanny and the television who are busy raising our children on the path of misguidance whilst we are busy enjoying chasing the world? Reflect and Implement a change in your life before it is too late.
in sha Allah may Allah SWT help us remember this daily.
