Faith Works - Ramzan Special !

 

The usual set of walkers went about their business. It was BAU for myself too , as my chat stall had a steady inflow of curious tongues that always had an appetite for some crispy dough and spicy masala. Myself Rahman Abdul, own a portable chat shop near the Lake where there is neither scarcity of people nor animals. Strategically placed near a school and surrounded by my brothers who are from my faith, I had regular customers who made sure I never went to bed without making enough to run my family. I have a son , Rafeeq who went to the nearby school along with the wards of the rest of the well-to-do brothers from my mosque. Never did he once complain to me about bullying or abuse by boys of his age, for his school fees was reduced by half and the books were simply passed over by elder brothers who graduated before him. Allah, Subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT) made sure I was looked after, despite the condition he deemed fit which I was in. My zawja was a sincere woman who didn't trouble her husband with petty desires even though I knew in my heart she had them. She didn't press me for dresses or perfumes, travel desires or accessories - she ran our kingdom as dignified as one can in the limited resources what SWT had allocated us out of his infinite mercy. But ironically every year when the most holiest month of the year came, I had to double my faith and prayers for my business would not be compatible with my neighborhood and SWT ensured I was even more disciplined and unswerving in my faith. Ramzan , the holy month as any child would know is not a time when a follower of Islam would let his tongue get the better off him. I had to plan the goods accordingly a few days before this month as none of my brothers would be able to purchase anything from me and even if by respect they purchased, they would be seldom in a position to consume the same. I had few customers from the regular walkers. How ignorant of myself would it be to expect people who come to lose calories to stop and load them back up from my tasty chat stall. So . I had enough for few customers who may stop once in a while in the morning, mostly for soups and at evenings for some pani-puri. In other months I have it all stacked up, like the confidence I have in my brothers from the neighborhood.

I could hear the calls of prayer regularly from the mosque a few meters away from the school and whenever the Imam summons the followers in the fajr salah I used to melt down into copious tears as I was  not privileged enough to join them for I need to be around the stall to cater to the few customers who may stop for a treat. I had to miss out on the prayers but SWT had granted enough mental and physical fortitude on me for I was able to participate in the Sawm ( fasting ). Sometimes the masala water I prepare would turn out extra spicy or too sweet when I would miscalculate the flavor of the chilly and I could see that the customers would be lesser that day. If it was any other day I would quickly take a sip and correct the flavor profile but this month I couldn't and I ran the risk of disappointing the customers in case I messed the preparation. Many people, from other faiths used to fondly come to my shop and order "Bhai, aapka soup ke liye kitnee dhoor see bhi aa sakthe hai.. etc" ( bhai, we could travel from any distance to come and taste your soup ). Imagine how ashamed I would be if I prepared something bland or too spicy for these loving people just because I wasn't able to taste my own product. But my business went on somehow by the grace of our merciful lord. 

"Ya baniyya ithhaboo fatahassasoo min yoosufa waakheehi wala tayasoo min rawhi Allahi innahu la yayasu min rawhi Allahi illa alqawmu alkafiroona - O sons, go in search of Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of the mercy of God. Only they despair of God's mercy who do not believe."

    

A Time when followers of our faith try to be extra careful in following the tenets as called out by the Prophet Muhammad Allahu alayhi wa-sallam was a time when Life naturally put me in that state. Year after year I became increasingly unswerving in my faith that I will be able to take care of my family, in the belief that, Am I really the one taking care of my me and my family or is it SWT"?. 

The month began and It was just 2 days into it when around 6.00 am the day was extra dark and the sun was rising a bit lazier that day. I was preparing for the day when some of the plastic covers and papers from yesterday were a bit loose and began to fly hither and tither as it was also a bit windy. It was frankly a bit ominous as we expect the sun to rise and greet us for the day but it was like there was going to be a heavy rain . It also happened to be a Friday.  Now I closed the open pots and stepped out to grab the flown out articles when suddenly I heard a car lose control and the noise began to come closer and closer when I realized that the car was coming towards my humble stall and before I could realize what was happening, it came and dashed on my stall, instantly destroying all my utensils and wrecking everything I needed to run my business. SWT the exalted, Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi had me step out of the stall just in time before I had met him for my judgement . He wanted me to still be around, for the stall began to catch fire from the spilt fuel. I quickly grabbed the unbroken pot of water, extinguished whatever little fire was about to escalate and went to the car to see if everyone was alright. But Alas - I could see a petrified teenage boy in the back seat and an unconscious middle aged man in the driver's seat bleeding from the forehead. It struck me that the driver had got a heart attack , lost control of the car and dashed onto my stall. 

I quickly grabbed the boy by his hands, put the driver in my tricycle which I had and began to pedal with all my might towards the nearest hospital. Mentally I thanked the politicians and people in power for constructing the hospital in that location. I had no time to wallow in self pity nor muster anger on my fate as all my focus was on reviving the driver and pacifying the frozen teenager. From the looks of him and the car, I could gather that he came from a well-to-do family . The ER team quickly dispatched to attend to the boy for any signs of trauma as another team started pressing the heart and performed the CPR. I began reciting the verses from the holy Qur'an with lightning speed and I could feel as though SWT himself was ordering the recovery of the driver through me and when I was about to go to the next verse, the driver suddenly opened his eyes and started getting a seizure. I kept hailing Bismillah Bismillah. The driver regained consciousness and slowly he was now pushed into non-emergency ward along with the boy. I stood outside , all sweating and shaking as I was muttering the verses in chaotic order. I was not even able to recite the holy verses completely as every now and then I looked at the clinic for an update. 

They finally came out and told the boy and driver were doing ok, as I had brought them in the nick of time and I thanked SWT Subhanallah! I went and signed the register to fill out forms as it could have been a police incident and I retired towards the mangled and shattered remains of my stall on my tricycle. I began to sob silently unable to understand why all this had happened. I composed myself after 30 minutes to slowly pick the remains and trash them in the dustbin when I got a call on my basic phone. It was from some guy named Vignesh. He asked me point blank If my name was Rahman Bhai and asked me where I was. I replied on the affirmative and gave him my address. A few minutes later a man in an even richer car came to my place as I greeted him casually as though I had no sorrow in my heart when he came rushing towards me, hugged me tight and kissed my chin and started sobbing. He was the father of the child it seems and he thanked me for having taken care of his only son. It appears the son was throwing a fit about some family matter and got onto the car with the driver after bullying him into driving the car to stage a protest against his parents. A typical rich spoilt kid scenario. I gave him details of how the car came out of nowhere and how It kind of destroyed my only source of income. The moment I very decently without insulting him told this , he looked at me straight and told how incredibly grateful he was to the Lord for having placed me in this area for his son and driver would have literally met with their fate if not for me rushing to save them. Without wasting a moment, he told me most respectfully he wished to compensate me for my loss and asked me how much money I needed. But sensing that It wouldn't be easy thing for me to answer, he himself announced - you know what, I don't know how much you made or need to re-set up the stall but let me do one thing for you. I will have a trolley on wheels custom made for selling sweets and snacks, but since this was the month of Ramzan, you start your business with Dates and nuts. I will order a month's stock of Dates, Honey, Nuts and Milk for you to prepare the dishes you need before and after the fasting - you sell it to your brothers for they also can consume it and you also can make some money out of this transaction. The moment he said this, that was when I sobbed the most, as I started crying Inshallah Mashallah and he held me by hands, made me sit down as a few tears escaped from his eyes as well. I asked him what his name was , he said it was Vignesh and I instantly asked him if he could also Paint the Name of the Van as "Al Janat Vignesh" translating to "Vignesh's Paradise". He said it wasn't necessary at all, but I told him with humble force that it was my way of showing gratitude and he relented.

Thanks to SWT , for he was so capable, to order all the stock of food items along with the van and 3 days petrol in it for me to move around. It had adequate lighting for night time business , separate lockers for storing cash , a small fan that can be optionally run in days of heat and carefully designed stoves and heating essentials. The brothers from the masjid in my neighborhood meanwhile noticed the disaster and rushed to enquire about my situation. They gathered around me and started shouting AllahoAkbar  for making me save two people's lives and started offering great support to me . Not once did I open my mouth and tell a human "Help me" but all the necessary help reached me in the divine will of the lord. The brothers told they will help me with the fuel expenses for the first month and then evaluate further how they can support me from 2nd month on. 

For a man who supplicated in namaz to Allah ,the most merciful,  will the lord make me beg and seek help from his own creation ? - he himself arranged all the resources I needed.  The brothers began to open their day and end their day from my stall , by eating the permissible items as called out by the prophet Allahu alayhi wa-sallam. I was able to both serve both my brothers in their ramzan period and also myself make a living from the new Van. 

I realized how Allah, Subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT)  had ordained that it was enough for my suffering, and that I was ready to receive from his bounty - he himself snatched my old stall in return of the new even better motor van, all in reward for the faith I had been nurturing all these years. My family slowly began to improve its standard, as I also started to live life a bit more comfortably, thanks to the Lord , the most compassionate one.  

                    

Who are we to question the Lord off his ways, when he and he alone knows what is best for us. 

Subhan Allah! 

Wishing that the Lord be merciful on all of us and may he continue to bless us in his own chosen ways!

 

God knows best ! 

Alhamdulillah !