The Story Of Salim

A True Story

 This is a story about a man named Khalid, he says: 

“I was not a practicing muslim, I had bad friends. I enjoyed going out with them. I was almost never home, but always at gatherings with friends, in these gatherings we backbited, gossiped and made fun of people. I was especially known among my friends to make jokes and people were impressed by the way I was so good at it.

One night (at the time I was 30 and married and my wife was pregnant with our first child) I was as usual gathered with my friends and talking useless talk. I was telling them how I was at the market one day and I saw a blind man and I put my leg out in front of this man and the blind man tripped and fell on his face. My friends laughed and so one..

When I went back home that night, my wife told me ‘Where have you been?’ ‘I am so tired and sick and I think I am in labor.’ she said as a tear dropped down her cheek.

I felt guilty, for I hadn’t cared about my wife properly. I quickly took her to the hospital.

She was in pain for a long time and could not give birth, I waited patiently, but eventually I left and told the hospital to call me when she gave birth.

An hour later, they called telling me my wife had given birth to baby boy named Salim.

I quickly went to the hospital. I asked which room my wife was in. They told me I first had to see the doctor. I got mad at them and said “What doctor? I want to see my son!?!” they insisted that I see the doctor first.

So I went to the doctor, she first talked to me about calamities and that one must accept the willl (qadar) of Allah. Then she told me, ‘Your son is blind!’

I lowered my head and remembered the blind man I tripped and made fun of.

I didn’t know what to say, I thanked the doctor for her kindness and went to see my wife. My wife was not sad, rather she accepted the will of Allah (Subhanahu wata'ala).

She had always advised me not to make fun of people and not to gossip and backbite.

We left the hospital. I did not care about Salim, I did not like him, I pretended that he wasn’t even in the house. But, my wife loved Salim very much and cared for him.

Salim grew and he began to crawl, he wasn’t crawling properly. When he began to walk, we discovered that he was handicapped. This was too much for me

Later, my wife gave birth to 2 boys, Omar and Khalid.

Years passed, Salim and his brothers grew. I continued to hang out with my bad friends and did not like to be at home. However, my wife was patient with me and she always made dua that Allah guides me.

One Friday, I woke up at 11 am (which was early for me) and was getting ready to go to a walimah (I did not go to Jummah). I got dressed, put on Attar and was about to head out the door when I saw Salim (who was 10 yrs old) crying very loudly in the living room.

So, for the first time in 10 years I cared and went to ask him why he was crying. When Salim felt me coming near, he stopped crying and pushed me away as if to say, “Now you care, where were you for the past 10 years!”

Salim was calling his mother and brothers, but no one was answering him, so he went to his room. I followed him. At first, he would not tell me why he was crying.

Do you know why he was crying?

His brother Omar, who normally took him to the masjid, was late. Salim was afraid that since it was a Friday, he would not be able to get a spot in the front row at the mosque.

I said, “is that why you cried Salim?” Salim answered positively.

I, out of disbelief from what I heard, forgot about my friends and the walimah. I then told Salim that I would take him to the mosque.

Salim could not believe what he had heard. He thought I was mocking him. He then began to cry.

I wiped Salim's  tears and took him by his hand to take him to the car. Salim refused. He said the mosque is near, and he wants to walk there by foot. I could not remember the last time I went to the mosque. The mosque was full, but I was able to find a spot for Salim in the first row.

After prayer was over, Salim asked me to get him copy of the Quran. I thought, ‘how can he want a Quran if he is blind!!!!’ so I gave him one anyway so that his feelings would not be hurt.

Salim then asked me to open to surat al-kahf. So when I opened it for him, Salim began to recite. He had memorized the entire surah.

I felt embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I took a Quran and began to read. I asked Allah for forgiveness and guidance. I then began to sob like a child. There were still people in the mosque, so I tried to hide my tears.

I couldn’t. I began to sob loudly.

I felt a small hand wiping his tears away. It was Salim. He hugged me and I thought, ‘you aren’t the blind one, for I am, because I ran after the evil people who would drag me into hell-fire.’

From that day on I never missed a prayer at the mosque. My wife was really happy.

I left all my bad friends and tasted the sweetness of eman. I went to halaqas. I became closer to Allah and to my family. I thanked Allah for this great blessing.

One day my pious friends decided to go to a far away place to make dawah. I hesitated about going, I made istikharah and asked my wife, to my surprise she encouraged me to go. She was so happy, for before I used to travel without asking her.

I told Salim that I would be traveling, he hugged me with his tiny arms, bidding me farewell.

I  was away for 3 months and I would call my family and I missed them greatly, especially Salim. Whenever, I called I would ask for him but he was either at school or the mosque. Everytime I told my wife how much I missed him, she would laugh cheerfully.

Except for the last call, she did not laugh but her voice had changed. I told her to say salam to Salim and she said “Insha Allah” and was quiet.

I finally came back home and hoped Salim would open the door for me, but Khaled did. Then I saw my wife, her face had changed.

I asked her “What’s wrong?” she replied “Nothing.”

Then I remembered Salim, and asked “Where is he?” My wife lowered her head and did not answer. A tear dropped down her cheek.

I screamed “Where is Salim, where is he?’”

My son Khaled ( who was 4 years old), said “Daddy Thalem went to Jannah, he is with Allah.”

 

 

My wife could not handle it and she broke down in tears and left the room. I found out later that Salim had got sick with a fever and went to hospital 2 weeks before I arrived. The fever worsened and his mother stayed by his side and until his soul departed his body.”