A Mercy Case

[written in the late night, saturday, april 2]

Last night, there was a moment amidst my various dreams that I want to remember.

I was holding my son, and we were on a hill in Pakistan. All of a sudden, a massive tsunami wave appeared, and it was clear we were doomed. My son said that he was scared, and I held him close to me and told him not to be. I asked Allah to make he and I from the people of Jannah. I started saying لا إله إلا الله and told my son to say it as well. We walked peacefully towards higher ground, as that seemed the right thing to do, even though it was clear that it would not matter. That was it.

Waking up, it was the first thing on my mind. And as I read some Qur’an tonight before going to sleep, I was about to end on a particular verse. But then I just glanced ahead at the next one:

It is God who enables you to travel on land and sea. And when you are sailing on ships and rejoicing in the favourable wind, a storm arrives, and the waves surge upon those on board from every side and they think they are encompassed, then they make a fervent appeal to God, saying in all sincerity, If You deliver us from this, we will surely be of the thankful. (10.22)

These are the moments when God seems so real, it makes me shiver.

May my son and I always be from amongst the thankful (al-shakirin), in both life and death, amin.