The following is a real life account narrated by a renowned scholar (on a visit to South Africa) about how the Glorious Qur`an had acted as mercy and a saviour in the life of a young man.
-North America, Washington DC, Virginia
It was in the 90’s, a young man came from Pakistan to America; he had studied in the University and had earned himself a good corporate job. He was working, but had no parents or family in America. He would attend the Masjid regularly, and socialize with the community at the Masjid. One day, this young man just disappeared,nobody ever saw him there again. Back then, technology was not as advanced as it is today. However, five to six years later this same young man showed up again at the Masjid as if nothing had happened to him. People were curious as to his whereabouts. This young man then shared his story.
“I came to this country, I was on Deen and used to attend the Masjid. As a I young man, had completed my education and had a good job, I really wanted to get married. I had no family here, and naturally I did not know what to do. While I was working I was in contact with a white American Christian colleague of mine who had been very kind to me, guiding me in the workplace. We developed a liking for each other. When this happened, I went to meet her parents, who were very religious Christians. Her parents were stunned as I was a Pakistani Muslim, an immigrant in this country, who wanted to marry their beautiful Christian daughter. After some time her parents agreed to give their daughter to me in marriage, on a ‘FEW CONDITIONS’.
1. You can never go to your place of worship again.
2. You can never meet any of your fellow brothers in religion (Muslimeen) again.
3. You will come with us every Sunday to church.
They didn’t ask me to convert, but I just had to accept these three conditions. As I was young and in love with this girl, I never gave it second thoughts and told them ‘Yes’. We got married and that’s why you never saw me again in the Masjid. I used to accompany them every Sunday to the church, but Alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah), I never converted or accepted their religion. I never let go of my Imaan, but I wasn’t doing any Ibaadah (worship) at all. No fasting, no prayer, just holding onto that one drop of Imaan that I had. However, there was one thing I would do. I had a copy of Qur`an on a shelf in my living room. I had put this copy of Qur`an on the top shelf and every day when I used to leave the house for work, I would pass the room and look at the copy of Qur`an, and I would reprimand and scold myself, that ‘look what you have done, you have let go of your Deen’. When I would return from work, I would remind myself again. But that’s it. It was the only drop of Imaan that I had. Nothing else would remotely resemble Islam in my life.
One day I came home from work as I would normally do, opened the door, looked at the top shelf, and the copy of Qur`an was no longer there. It was MISSING. I was surprised. I asked my wife where is my book that was usually on the shelf. She said that today when you were at work I had to do spring-cleaning and while I was throwing out all the junk and the clutter, I decided to throw out all the books that I never read and you never read. I took them all out and put them in the thrash. I immediately got up and went to the thrash, and found the copy of Qur`an which was soiled and stained, in the garbage bin; I was looking at my copy of Qur`an. I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing. I clasped the copy of Qur`an close to my heart and I was kissing it, and all the time my wife was watching me. When I recovered, my wife told me, I had been watching the love you give to this book. She told me either this book stays in the house or I stay in this house. I looked at my Qur`an and the stains on it, and I told her this book will never leave this house. So we got divorced and now I am back here.
Subhaanallah (Glorified is Allah), just this one drop of Imaan together with the deep love for Magnificent Qur`an had saved this man. This is the power of Imaan and the mercy of the Qur`an.