Was God Listening?

Was God Listening?
(C) Copyright Mihar Dias
November 2021
mihardias@gmail.com

At a column closest to the mihrab in the Prophet’s mosque, Masjid Nabawi, at Medina, Saudi Arabia, a guy was weeping.

At first quietly. Then it grew louder by the minute. In between sobs he repeatedly asked for forgiveness.

“Ya Allah, forgive me my worldly sins. Forgive me. Spare me from my persecutors! I beg to repent…etc”

Strange. I thought.

We have travelled halfway around the world, on our first Umrah, to seek solace and solitude in one of the two holiest mosques in the world, only to be distracted, from our prayers, by a guy who was regretting what he did in life. 

Perhaps that’s what you would have to do when you have sinned and wanted forgiveness from Allah. I too was sympathetic and in between my prayers hoped that Allah would grant him his request.

The permanent residents of the mosque who lined the wall next to the mihrab, with Qurans in front of them, appeared unperturbed. They continued their prayers and recitation of the Quran.

I assumed they had witnessed worst scenes than this, in the mosque. They knew it would pass, soon enough. Like all good Muslims, they knew every man would have to go through challenges, trials and tribulations in life.

I was told many times by my elders no humans would go through life without being tested by the Almighty. This was this man’s day.

Tomorrow might be someone else’s turn to be caught crying on the same spot. Only God knows!

The learned Suffis and Hafiz leaning against the wall only gazed in the direction of the sobs coming from behind a large column.

Then the sobs ended as suddenly as they started. We had peace again in the mosque. We continued our prayers in silence.

I was curious to know who he was and what he did,  to bring his woes to the mihrab that serves as the location for the imam to lead his five daily prayers regularly at the Prophet’s mosque.

Many would merely put up their hands in prayers and wept in silence, sitting on the floor, if they had to but not standing up and leaning against a column.

However, this individual must have been so desperate for help that could not be obtained from the fellow men that made him sobbed so hard and for so long.

He was still leaning against the pillar head on his arms quietly murmuring when I walked past to go for lunch after completing our zohor prayers. He turned to look at me briefly before continuing on his pleadings with Allah. His eyes were red. He had dark circles under his eyes, like someone who had not slept for many nights.

He looked familiar.  It dawned on me that I have seen this individual on the front pages of international newspapers, charged with sexual harassment. His case was up for appeal and he must have been there asking for Divine intervention.

I  hope, for his sake, Allah was listening. 

I pondered on the folly of men on the way to lunch. When all avenues are closed, we turn to the Almighty, asking for intervention and His mercy. Here was a man charged with sexual harassment by his fellow men. God is invited to intervene.

So, the Sages are right men’s relationship to men, is a function of their relationship to God.

Years later, I heard the man was acquitted. Perhaps Allah heard his prayers that day or perhaps he was a victim of circumstances. We’ll never know.

Mihar Dias is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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