Both Ahmad’s parents sat around his hospital bed as he lay there unconscious.
Suddenly Ahmad’s eyes began to flutter, and then after a minute his eyes slightly opened.
“AllahuAkbar!
My son! How are you feeling?!” Ahmad’s mother asked as she bent over
holding her son’s hands with hers. Tears began to roll down her
cheeks.
“…When I saw that car coming towards me…I thought that was it…I was going to die…” Ahmad quietly said.
“How long were you waiting here?” Ahmad asked.
“About 11 hours. We made Salat in this room.” Ahmad’s father calmly said.
“…My
parents stayed up for me all those hours and continued their worship
too Allah. I can’t even sit down with my parents for a minute without
having to do something that Allah hates…” Ahmad thought to himself.
Suddenly tears pored from his eyes. Ahmad’s father cuddled him and asked, “What makes you cry Ahmad?”
“Em…Not sure…Just happy to be alive?” Ahmad answered rather confused embarrassed to tell his parents how he was feeling.
After
two days in the hospital, Ahmad was released. His left arm was
supported in a sling so the shoulder could recover after the
dislocation it suffered. That night while Ahmad lay in bed resting, his
friend mo called him up.
“Ah Ahmad! I heard that you are safe back at home, that’s why I decided to call you up.” Mo said on the phone.
“That’s nice.” Ahmad answered.
“Listen
Ahmad. Since that night was messed up and you could not go to the
nightclub, do you want to come down tonight? I was so angry when you
had that accident! You should have seen the girls I chatted up at the
club when you were brought to hospital!”
“Mo. To be honest, I really don’t want to go. Say if this is a warning from Allah?”
“Warning?! Are you mad?! Don’t tell me you are becoming an extremist! You know they have the most boring of lives!”
“They may have a boring life now, but they sure have everything when they die!” Ahmad answered.
“Come
on Ahmad! We are Muslims! We will go to Heaven. Ok, we might be
punished in Hell for a little while, but we will all eventually go to
Paradise, so what is there to worry about? Besides, Allah is merciful!
He said if you believe, He will forgive you!” Poor Mo spoke without
knowledge.
“Hmm. I don’t know. Let me think about it. Surely not
tonight as my arm is still in a lot of pain, but tomorrow I will give
you the answer.”
“Ok. Don’t forget to call me tomorrow! I have to
now sit down in this boring house and listen to my father reading
Qur’an. Man! They have such a boring life; I don’t even know how they
can smile!”
After the phone call Ahmad sat down on his bed in
shock. This is the first time for Ahmad to let down an offer out of
fear of what Allah can do to him! Ahmad tried holding back his tears.
“…How
can Allah ever love me? Look what I have done. I have never committed
a minute of my patience and time for Allah. I have physically hurt my
mother and yet she still loves me. How can Allah ever forgive me…?”
Ahmad thought to himself.
Another night has passed, and only 4 days until the appointed time of his death.
The
next day Ahmad’s arm was still in a lot of pain. Ahmad rejected Mo’s
offer in going to the local nightclub that night. Ahmad spent the
whole day thinking about life…
Days pass and now we enter the final day of Ahmad’s life…
Nobody knows, not even the angels of death.
The day is Thursday. Ahmad wakes up early after having a bad dream. Fortunately his arm is out of the sling.
Ahmad
slowly goes down the stairs and sits at the kitchen table. No-body
seems to be at home. He finds his fathers work on the table. He picks
up his work to move it to the desk. As he is carrying his fathers work
a small diary accidentally falls on the floor. After his father’s
papers had been put back carefully, Ahmad curiously opens up his
father’s small diary, and there written on the front page are the words
of Allah from Qur’an:
“”Oh my servants who have transgressed
against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of
the mercy of Allah. Truly, He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(39:53)”
Ahmad suddenly burst into tears. His hands begin to shake
and his vision becomes blurred. He flicks through a few pages and
reads the following:
“…I was away from Allah. I sinned against
my soul. Far away was I from Allah. I turned to Allah and then fell
into sin again when my two sons were born…” Ahmad flicks through more
pages and what he reads shocks him even more…
“…My little Ahmad,
my third son. He is five years old now. It is him who turned me back
to Allah. He saw me once watching tv and asked, “If a Sheik came into
the room and saw you, what would you do?” I answered, “I would quickly
turn off the tv”. My son answered me back, “But baba! Allah is
watching you all the time and He is more pure than all the Sheiks in
the World!” My mouth dropped. I felt disgraced with myself. I turned
back to Allah, vowing to keep my duty to Allah. My wife ‘Aliya also
made the vow…” Ahmad continued to read on…
“…My Ahmad has mixed in
with the wrong crowd. I see him moving away from his religion. I have
failed. My son changed me by the will of Allah. How can I change him?
What of my actions will make my son turn back to Allah?…”
Ahmad closed the diary, tears rolling down his face. Ahmad got hold of a pen and paper and wrote down the following:
“My
Father. I have read your diary. I changed you when I was a child
through my questioning by the will of Allah. Your words of your diary
have turned me back to Allah by His will and Command.” Ahmad slipped the
page into his father’s diary on the last page he had read.
Ahmad
got up and for the first time on his own he performed Wudu. Ahmad put
his clothes and shoes on and walked towards the masjid.
Unfortunately
little did Ahmad know that Mo, his friend, was going to take the same
road as him! Will Mo influence him back to the road to Hell? Can
Ahmad influence Mo to the road towards Paradise? Will Ahmad continue
on the road he is on?
Ahmad felt pure. A feeling of a happiness
that is indestructible; and this happiness is one that can only be
felt after doing a deed pleasing to Allah while continuing on a right
path.
Ahmad walked down the street listening to the birds around chirping, praising Allah in ways He (Allah) knows best.
Suddenly Mo came around the corner unexpectedly.
“Ahmad! So good to see you again!” Mo called out.
Ahmad smiled.
“Where are you off too?” Mo asked.
“Well…I…To be honest Mo, I am going to the Masjid.”
“What!!! Are you mad?! That place?!”
“Listen Mo. You won’t understand until you open your eyes.”
“And are your eyes open?”
“I am at least trying.”
“Ha!
You can live your life in boredom Ahmad, but at the end of the day,
some day I will be in the same Heaven as you, and then you will regret
not having fun now.”
“Mo! How are you so sure of entering Paradise?”
“Yes! Because Allah and His Prophet (saws) said.”
“We
are in no situation to start interpreting Hadith Mo. Anyway, do you
really think that the people of Paradise will regret not doing sinful
things? In fact it would be the complete opposite.”
“I cannot
believe you have gotten brainwashed Ahmad. But I know a way to change
your mind…” Ahmad smirked towards Mo and quickly ran off.
“…Oh no! What is he up too..?” Ahmad thought to himself.
Ahmad continued on towards the Masjid.
As Ahmad walked towards the doors of the Masjid, the hairs on his body stood on end.
“…This is it…” Ahmad said to himself as he opened the door of the Masjid and entered.
Inside was empty. Inside was very quiet. Ahmad walked over to the corner of the Masjid and sat down facing the Qibla.
“Ya
Allah! Forgive me! I am so scared of you now. I have done so much
that you hate, yet you did not take my soul…” For two whole hours Ahmad
cried and spoke to Allah. Tears streamed down his face. In fact, he
cried so much the carpet beneath his face was wet with tears.
Time
past on. Suddenly the local Sheik entered the room and spotted Ahmad.
He stood for a moment listening to Ahmad’s Du’a. He was so moved by
it, his eyes began to shed tears. He slowly approached Ahmad and
carefully comforted him. Ahmad jumped slightly.
“Oh Sheik…I…I am sorry for…” Ahmad said embarrassed, but before he could finish the Sheik said:
“Ahmad.
It’s ok. I see that you feel embarrassed, but that is good. It is
better to be embarrassed than one who shows off.” The Sheik said as he
smiled towards Ahmad.
“Your father and mother would be really
proud of you. But most and best of all, you have submitted your whole
self to Allah.” The Sheik continued on.
“I angered my parents oh Sheik. How can I make them happy?” Ahmad said.
“You have already made them happy when they see you now. Your father is very proud of you.”
“I mean, I want to get them something nice, as a gift.”
“Hmm. Well, you can get your mother some flowers or chocolate, and your father some perfume maybe?”
Ahmad smiled and said, “Wonderful idea. I will do that.”
“Here.” The Sheik said as he handed Ahmad two small pieces of paper and a pen.
“Write a small message to each of your parents and stick it on the gifts when you buy them.” The sheik said.
Ahmad began to write down small messages to his mother and father on the separate pages.
“Jazak Allah Kher Sheik. I cannot wait to get back and see my parents smile!” Ahmad said ecstatically as he got up.
“Barak
Allah Fekum Ahmad! I cannot wait for ‘Ishah prayer tonight to see you
and your father come Inshah’Allah!” The Sheik replied smiling.
“You will see us both Inshah’Allah!” Ahmad answered.
Ahmad gave the Sheik a big hug and began to make his journey towards some local shops.
Ahmad
spent some time selecting some gifts for his parents with the money
he got. He managed to buy some lovely perfume for his father and a
delicious box of chocolates for his mother. After buying the gifts he
stuck the small messages on them and prepared his blessed journey home.
Time
ticks away…Not a single Human or Jinn on this Earth has realised that
Allah has just ordered the Angels of Death to prepare to take a few
peoples soul including Ahmad’s…!
Ahmad begins his journey home
still constantly seeking Allah’s forgiveness…Mo with a half dressed
girl in his arm spots Ahmad from a distance and smirks making his way
towards Ahmad preparing to perform his disgusting sinful plan…A pious
elderly Muslim lady prepares to cross the road…Ahmad begins to cross
the road…Mo quickly runs to the centre of the road and calls out, “Yo
Ahmad! Look at the chick I got for you! She can be yours right now!”
“…Oh
no! Ya Allah help me…!” Ahmad says to himself trying his best to keep
staring towards the ground, knowing that his weak point are women…The
pious elderly Muslim lady begins to cross the road…And then death
prepares to strike from all angles!!!
Ahmad stares to the ground
and continues to cross the road?Shaytan senses the presence of death
and rushes towards his enemy, Ahmad.
“?Look at the woman Ahmad! She is beautiful! Look at her to get rid of your satisfaction..!” Shaytan whispers into his ear.
Suddenly
a truck several yards from the group automatically looses control. A
loud screech is heard from the group as they turn around and spot the
truck skidding towards them! Ahmad sees that the pious Muslim elderly
Sister is in the line of collision! He drops the bags and rushes
towards the Sister.
“?By Allah, if I am going to do something for
Allah, I will save this Muslim Sister to make Allah happy..!” Ahmad
says to himself as he rushes to her and pushes her out the way. In
those moments the truck smacks into Mo and the girl he is with
knocking them flying into the air. Next in line is Ahmad. Ahmad
manages to push the elderly Sister out of the way but is caught up in
the collision. Within seconds all three teenagers are lying in pools
of blood.
“Oh Allah?I am scared?I don’t want to die like this?I
did not even do my full five prayers yet?I did not fast…” Ahmad slowly
says as tears roll down his face. Blood pours from the side of his
body and skull.
The collision made enough sound for people to rush
out of their homes. Even the Imam of the local Masjid came rushing
out. The Sheik spotted Ahmad in the distance and ran towards him as
fast as he could.
“Ahmad!” The Imam calls out as he rushes towards him taking hold of his bloodied hand.
“Pronounce Shahada!” The Imam calls out.
Suddenly
a strange cold breeze is felt by Ahmad. In confusion he looks up and
what he sees is something he could have never imagined in his life.
Two
groups of astonishing angels begin descending from the sky. One group
shining like the sun. Wings spreading as far as the eyes can see. A
radiating beauty spreading from their faces and bodies, with comforting
arms stretching forth. The other group on the other hand, have faces
and bodies dark and terrifying, faces of extreme horror. Sounds of
thunder bursting from their mouths carrying tools of torture within
their hands.
”La Ila ha Illallah" Ahmad begins to call out.
The Imam smiles, tears rolling down his face. He spots sweat appear
upon Ahmad’s forehead. The Imam knew that one who dies with sweat upon
the brow is a good sign.
Ahmad still has no idea which groups of
angels are going to whom. Suddenly Ahmad feels a relief that no human
can ever feel in this life as he realises that the angels of
extraordinary beauty are looking at him!
Ahmad raises his hands towards theirs, wanting to get away from the pain.
“No
more crying Ahmad. Come to us. We are your friends. We love you so
much Ahmad. We will look after you and care for you until you meet
Allah who is very happy with you!” The angels call out as their hands
come into contact with Ahmad’s. Slowly they take Ahmad’s soul more
gently than a caring mother lifting her new born child.
Tears flow
down the cheeks of Ahmad as he is left in absolute shock of what he
is seeing. He spots an unbelievably looking cradle like bed made of a
beautiful light of different colours being carried by one Angel. As
the Angels slowly place his soul into the cradle, another Angel
sprinkles a beautiful smelling musk never smelt by man upon Ahmad.
Like little twinkling stars, they slowly fall upon Ahmad like small
colourful snowflakes.
While Ahmad is being treated to this death
of honour, the other group of terrifying Angels of torture headed
towards Mo and the girl he was with!
Like a skewer being ripped
through wet cotton wool, the Angels tear away at Mo’s and the girl’s
soul. The Angels with Ahmad prevent him from hearing the screams of
the two so that he can be at peace as much as possible.
“Oh
Allah no! Please! I am a Muslim, I am a Muslim!” Mo screams as the
Angels of punishment rip his soul out, veins and arteries dangling
from his body.
“Muslim?! Do not degrade the name of Muslim! You
disobeyed Allah and you lived in denial of Allah’s punishment! Now you
will suffer for now and forever!” The Angels scream out to him in
thundering voices as they throw his and the girls soul into a bed of
dark black fire.
“May Allah curse you Mo! You guided me to this!
May Allah give you a double punishment!” The girl screams out as her
flesh and bone is left exposed as she burns slowly and agonisingly in
the bed of fire.
“I did not force you to sin! You came to me willingly!” Mo cries out.
“Quiet! Save your arguments for The Day of Judgment!” The Angels scream out to them.
Both Mo and the girl look up and spot Ahmad.
“?If
only I listened to Ahmad on the road I may have been with him now?”
Mo says to himself as tears pour from his eyes from both the agony and
the regret.
Back on Earth Ahmad’s parents have come onto the street to see what has happened.
Suddenly Ahmad’s father spots his son lying in a pool of blood on the road.
“Ya Allah no!” Ahmad’s father screams out as he rushes towards his son.
The
Imam spots Ahmad’s father rushing towards the body. He quickly gets
up and tries to prevent Ahmad’s father from approaching the dead body.
“What happened?! Is he ok?!” Ahmad’s father cries out.
The Imam takes Ahmad’s father by the shoulders and embraces him in his arms.
“Allah has taken Ahmad back to Him.” The Imam slowly says.
“Ya Allah! My son, my son!” Ahmad’s father says as he almost collapses to the floor.
The Imam slowly helps the father to sit upon the ground.
“Muhammad,
listen to me. Your son has turned back to Allah. I saw him crying so
much in the Masjid today. He was there for about two solid hours all
by himself seeking forgiveness. I had a beautiful talk with him and he
even bought you some gifts to try and please Allah in making you
happy. Best of all dear Muhammad, he pronounced the Shahada before
going, and not only that, but he saved an elderly Muslim Sister. He
looked up into the sky and smiled just before his breathing stopped.
Take this.” The Imam said as he handed the bag of gifts Ahmad bought for
his parents.
Ahmad’s father was still in shock as he held the
gifts in his hands. Slowly he lifted the gifts out of the bag. There
he found a beautiful bottle of musk for himself and a delicious box of
chocolate.
He read the following message attached to the musk:
“Dear
beloved father. This is for you. I Love Allah more than anything and I
will do everything in my power to make you and mama happy. I cannot
wait for tonight to pray ‘Ishah Prayer with you at the Masjid!”
Tears poured from Ahmad’s father’s eyes.
“My
son has made me proud! AllahuAkbar! AllahuAkbar!” Muhammad got up and
ran towards his wife who had made her way back into the house seeking
Allah to forgive her son.
“‘Aliya! ‘Aliya! Look at what our Ahmad
got for us!” He quickly handed the box of chocolates to his wife and
asked her to read the message:
“Dear beloved mother. These
chocolates are for you. I have hurt you both physically and mentally,
and by Allah it will never happen again. From now on I vow to make you
smile and never frown. I vow to make you happy and never sad. By
Allah, we will pray to Allah together, and Inshah’Allah we will walk
into Paradise together as one big family.”
“SubhanAllah! Lah He Lah Ha Ilallah! My son turned back to Allah!” ‘Aliya cried out.
Muhammad told her the story of what the Imam told him.
Nobody
knew of the honour and beauty Ahmad was experiencing, while nobody
knew of what the terrors Mo and the girl were going through.
TO BE CONTINUE....