THE POWER OF FAITH: A MAN’S JOURNEY TO ALLAH-PART 3
(Note: – The true identity and name of person and places have been kept confidential for the welfare and safety of the person’s family)
“Have you or your wife informed your parents regarding your acceptance of Islam?” asked one of the scholars. “No, I haven’t and nor does my wife, since she is ashamed of the fact that I have become a Muslim” Mohammad admitted. Along came the second question- “Do you expect that your wife will embrace Islam too?” “How can I say that even though I do ask Allah for guiding my wife and I do not think that Allah will embarrass me regarding this issue?”- Mohammad expressed.
The scholars advised him that he could be with his wife as long as he had a valid and genuine hope that she would embrace Islam one day. Noticing a sense of dissatisfaction in Mohammad’s expression, they explained – “Suppose you decide to leave her, naturally your wife will call her parents in desperation. Their presence acting as a catalyst, she will feel emboldened and then she can leave you and go to her parents and you lose the chance of convincing your wife forever. Therefore, you can live with her as long as you feel genuinely that she will embrace Islam. And since this matter belongs with the status of heart so be honest with yourself.”
Mohammad felt satisfied with the explanation and he left towards a happy life. But, Allah had some other plans.
His wife shows no sign of mellowing towards him or Islam.
She stopped speaking to Mohammad. When the holy month of Ramadan arrived, and Mohammad fasted for entire month, his wife didn’t prepare a single Iftar for him. The time came when they even stopped their conjugal relations.
By the holy month of Muharram it was evident from his wife’s passive resistance that she had no intention of embracing Islam, and as was explained by the Maulana earlier, now Mohammad made up his heart and mind to leave his wife.
But, even that wasn’t easy logistically. He could not divorce her as per Islamic law, since they married under Hindu law and she still was a Hindu. The only option available was to file a petition in the district magistrate’s court for separation, which as per Indian law would take a minimum of two years. But Mohammad wanted divorce as soon as possible.
With a heavy heart, Mohammad prepared a petition. He thought, “May be for one last time I should try to convince her, before taking this final step!”
“Whether you accept Islam or don’t, that’s entirely a personal issue for you, as you cannot be forced. But, my religion now commands me to leave you,” explained Mohammad to his wife in a very polite and submissive manner.
“What right do you have to leave me? Have I changed or have you changed your religion? If on earth anybody has the right to demand separation, it is me.” – Mohammad was stupefied by his wife’s terse answer.
During those days, on Wednesday, the 12th March, 1969, Mohammad read that Allah accepts the dua of a fasting person at the time when he breaks his fast. Mohammad thought, why not ask Allah SWT for the guidance for his wife while fasting! He was contemplating this even though his wife was so against him. Mohammad had the habit of keeping supererogatory fasts in a month, especially the fasts of Thursday, Friday, and 13, 14, and 15th of the lunar month. So, he decided to fast on Thursday with the intention of making Du’a for his wife. For the acceptance of any act it should be performed in the best of way, Mohammad decided to fast while in the state of Itteqaaf (seclusion in masjid). Accordingly, on Thursday he entered the Juma masjid of the city from Fajr Salah and he fasted for the day.
During the day, Mohammad started thinking: it may be that if he asks many things, Allah SWT may accept most of his Du’as but delay on his main Du’a. So, he made up his mind to only have a single train of thought for his supplications to the exclusion of all other Du’as, which was for the guidance for his wife. Thus he repeated only one Du’a “O Allah! Guide my wife to Islam”. He repeated the same act on Friday too.
After two days when he returned to his house, on 15th March 1969, he noticed his wife being angrier because he had not been in the house for the last two days, without any information of his whereabouts. Mohammad slept, and the next morning after having his breakfast, he prepared to leave for work.
His wife approached him saying “I have decided that you make me pronounce the Kalima and I will enter Islam” Allahu Akbar!!! Such a huge issue of Mohammad’s life, Allah SWT had solved it so easily.
Mohammad later explained that if a servant wants to satisfy his needs by neglecting the orders from Allah SWT, Allah SWT leaves him to his own devices, but when a servant of Allah decides that he is not going to let down any order or will of Allah SWT even though he may have to bear all kinds of worldly losses, that’s the juncture, when the help of Allah SWT comes.
Allah doesn’t want to put us in a state of loss. Allah gives without any limit but, we are the ones who do not want to gain from His treasures.
He was on the brink of leaving his wife for Allah; and in return, Allah joined him and his wife in Islam.
Mohammad recalled an old but true story from a book about a person who used to go to Hajj every year for the last thirty years. This time his son joined him. They travelled together for Hajj and after reaching Miqaat they donned Ihram clothes and proclaimed the Hajj intention by saying “Labbaik Allahuma Hajj”. His son said “O my father did you hear what I heard? His father asked him what he heard. He replied that whenever his father said “Labbaik” he hear an invisible caller saying “La Labbaik”.
The father said that he had been listening to this for the last thirty years and Allah had made his son hear it too! The son asked his father that if Allah SWT did not want him to come for Hajj then why persist every single year, taking all the effort, time and money. The father replied that “O my son! Where else shall I go! There is no other place where I can go except to Allah even though He may not accept from me”. Suddenly they heard a voice saying “All your Hajj for last thirty years have been accepted”. Allah Akbar!!!
So you see Allah does appreciate the efforts of his slaves. It is us who do not appreciate Allah SWT in our hearts. The Holy Qur’an states: “No just estimate have they made of God, such as is due to Him…” [39:67]
