Dr. Ahmad was a renowned and
sought-after physician in his country. People had to wait for many days before
they could get an appointment with him.
The eminent doctor was once invited to
an international medical conference which was to be held in a major city in his
country. He had to deliver a paper and receive a shield and a commendation
certificate in recognition of his services to medicine. As he headed out to the
airport, he felt pleased that he was going to be honored by his peers and
colleagues that evening.
After
the usual check-in at the airport, he boarded the plane, which took off as
scheduled. After about 45 minutes, an airhostess made the following
announcement: “Dear passengers, due to a technical problem we are being forced
to land at a nearby airport instead of the scheduled destination. We deeply
regret the inconvenience.”
“Delegations
from around the world have come to attend this event, and now you’re telling us
that the alternative plane will arrive after 16 hours!”
The plane landed at the airport without
any difficulty and the passengers disembarked and went to the lounge. After
some time, the airport authorities announced that it was not possible to fix
the problem immediately and that the passengers would have to wait for the
arrival of an alternative plane. No-one knew when the other plane would arrive.
A little while later it was announced that the other plane would only arrive
the following day.
Dr. Ahmad was quite shocked at the
announcement. This was an important night which he had been looking forward to
for several weeks. He got up from his seat, went to a senior airport official,
introduced himself and said: “I’m a doctor and I was on my way to present a
paper tonight. Delegations from around the world have come to attend this
event, and now you’re telling us that the alternative plane will arrive after
16 hours!”
The officer replied, “With all due
respect doctor, we can fully appreciate the inconvenience that you’re experiencing, but I cannot do
anything. Moreover, it’s not my responsibility to arrange for an alternative
plane. It takes only three to four hours by road to reach the city where you
have to attend the conference. If you are in a great hurry, I suggest you get a
rental car from the airport and drive to your destination.”
Dr. Ahmad did not like driving long
distances, but he had no other option. He hired a car and started towards his
destination. He had not gone far when all of a sudden the weather turned bad.
Dense, dark clouds covered the sky and there was a heavy downpour, coupled with
a violent storm. Dr. Ahmad then lost his way in the dark. Hungry and tired, he
desperately searched for some shelter and something to eat.
As he was dri
ving past a small village,
he impulsively stopped his vehicle in front of one of the houses and knocked on the door. He heard
the frail and feeble voice of an old woman from inside saying: “Whoever you
are, please come in, the door is open.” When Dr. Ahmad went into the house, he
found an elderly woman sitting on a rocking chair. The doctor said: “The
battery of my mobile has run down. May I use your mobile phone?” The old woman
smiled and said, “My son, what are you talking about? Perhaps you don’t know
where you are. We don’t have electricity or phones here. You are in a small village where there are
no civic amenities. You look hungry and thirsty, and it seems you have lost
your way. There is a meal and tea on the table, please eat something before we
talk.” Dr. Ahmad thanked the elderly
woman and being tired and famished after his eventful journey, started eating.
Suddenly
someone stirred on the cot beside the old woman’s chair, and he heard a baby
crying. The old woman patted the baby to sleep and supplicated tenderly and
humbly for its wellbeing. Dr. Ahmad
finished his meal and said to the woman, “O mother, your good manners, kindness
and hospitality have won my heart.
I’m sure Allah Almighty will answer all your prayers.”
“My son,” the old woman said, “Allah
has always answered and granted my prayers. Only one prayer remains unanswered
because of my weak faith. You are a traveler, please pray that it may also be
answered.”
Dr. Ahmad was curious and said, “What
prayer has not been answered? Please let me know what you want; I’m just like
your son. God willing, I will do my best to carry out your wish.”
The woman said, “My dear son! This
supplication is not for my sake, it is for this orphan baby, my grandson. His
parents have passed away and he is suffering from a bone disease that has
incapacitated him. He cannot move or walk. I’ve tried various treatments and
taken him to eminent doctors but to no avail. All the doctors have been unable
to find a cure for him. People have advised me to take the baby to a certain
Dr. Ahmad who is reputed
to have the expertise to treat such cases. He is a renowned
surgeon and can successfully operate on the child, but he lives far from here.
It’s not easy to reach him. As you
can see, I’m an old woman with one foot in the grave. I’m extremely worried
about who will take care of him after I die. This is why I’ve been praying to
Allah Almighty; so that He may create an opportunity for me to take the baby to Dr. Ahmad so that he can be treated
and cured.”
Dr. Ahmad’s eyes filled with tears and
with a quiver in his voice, said: “O mother! My plane developed a technical
fault, and I was forced to give up my journey due to a violent storm and
torrential rain. Allah Almighty brought me to your house. Your last prayer has
also been answered. Allah, the Lord of Honor, has created this situation. If
Allah wills it, I will treat your grandson.”
“Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds
to the distressed one, when he calls
on Him, and Who
removes the evil, and makes
you inheritors of the earth,
generation after generation? Is there any ilah
(god) with Allah? Little is that you remember!”
“O mother, your good manners, kindness and hospitality have won my heart.
I’m sure Allah Almighty will answer all your prayers. ”
Dear readers, I’ve taken this incident
from Mawsoo’at-ul-Qisas and thought deeply about which city this incident
took place. To my mind, Dr. Ahmad left Riyadh
for Abha and after the plane developed
a fault, perhaps it landed at Taif airport. Allah (SWT) knows best.