From Loss to Redemption: Rehan’s Journey Out of Gambling

From Loss to Redemption: Rehan’s Journey Out of Gambling

BY:Khan

Sheikh Shehbaz Shaheen’s son, Rehan, came home late again today. His mother, deeply concerned, immediately asked, “Why are you so late?” Rehan, exhausted, replied in a tired voice, “There was too much work, that’s why I got late.” His mother, reassured, sighed and went back to her prayers. Meanwhile, Rehan’s wife started warming the food, and the children, lost in their own little world, quietly observed.

The next morning, after completing her prayers and reciting the Quran, Rehan’s mother helped the children get ready for school and assisted her daughter-in-law with breakfast. She asked about Rehan, who was still asleep. His wife explained, “He didn’t feel well last night and slept very late, so he will wake up late.” Hours passed before Rehan finally got up. He took his motorcycle and left the house.

When his mother noticed that he had left without having breakfast, she became worried. His wife assured her, “He’ll just be gone for a little while. He’ll be back soon.” And indeed, Rehan returned after half an hour.

But his mother noticed a significant change in Rehan. The cheerful, devout young man who once never missed his prayers, who would often laugh freely and bring fruits or cakes home, seemed transformed. His face had lost its brightness, worry had etched itself into his features, and he came home increasingly late, silent, and tense. She tried asking him several times, but Rehan always brushed off her concerns, blaming work overload, trying to give her peace. Yet her instincts told her something was deeply wrong.

One night, Rehan didn’t come home at all. The entire family was anxious. His mother and wife spent the night in worry. Calls to his phone went unanswered. Morning came, and Rehan’s brother, Daniyal, was summoned. When he revealed what had been happening, their mother felt as if the ground had vanished beneath her feet.

Rehan had not paid the rent for his shop for the last eighteen months. The shop owner had finally deducted the amount from the advance payment of two hundred thousand rupees and reclaimed the shop. What was even more shocking was discovering what Rehan had been doing for the past eighteen months that prevented him from paying the rent.

Seeing their mother and sister-in-law’s distress, Daniyal went in search of Rehan and brought him home in the afternoon. Rehan appeared dejected, with his eyes downcast. Daniyal explained that Rehan, who once played innocently and joyfully, had lost a significant sum of money through gambling. He was now unemployed and struggling to find a way out.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. A man had come to collect an 80,000-rupee debt from Rehan. Daniyal told him Rehan wasn’t home and tried to send him away, but the man insisted, “Rehan owes me. I need my money!” Daniyal calmed him, asking him to return in the evening, and the man reluctantly left. Soon after, another person came. Rehan lay distressed on a charpoy, unaware of the visitor who demanded 50,000 rupees for a fridge he had bought on credit.

Their mother was shocked and deeply saddened, wondering how her son had fallen into such a destructive habit. He had once been educated, responsible, and capable. After completing his B.Com, he had been working in a factory. But the lure of business led him to quit and open a mobile phone shop. Now, with two children, a wife, and mounting household expenses, he was unemployed and drowning in debts.

Daniyal revealed that this gambling had been going on for months. Once, late at night, Daniyal had discovered Rehan in a situation so dangerous that people had threatened him over a lost bet. Daniyal had to borrow money to save him and warned him to stop, but Rehan continued. The consequences were now evident.

Their mother lamented, “In pursuit of quick gains, he has brought this upon himself. Perhaps, with hardship, he will finally find wisdom.” Meanwhile, their children returned from school, excited to see their father. “Ah! Papa is home!” Neelum exclaimed. “Uncle Rehan is also home!” added little Suleman. But seeing the worried expressions on everyone’s faces, they asked anxiously, “What happened, Amma? What’s wrong with Abbu?” Their mother, holding back tears, simply replied, “Nothing at all.”

The family had lived in a small neighborhood, close to one another, sharing their mother’s care. Their father had passed away years ago, leaving their mother to divide her time between Rehan and Daniyal’s homes. Both sons’ children adored their grandmother, who had always been their source of comfort.

The following day, Daniyal informed their mother that Rehan’s former shop had been taken over by his friend Aftab. Although it was disheartening, there was a glimmer of hope. Rehan had now started selling vegetables from a small cart. While modest, it was honest work—earning a lawful livelihood to feed his family.

Rehan admitted that Aftab had first tempted him into gambling on matches. At first, the winnings seemed enticing. But slowly, the habit consumed him. He borrowed money, lost it, and finally found himself broke and dishonored. Society judged him harshly, calling him a gambler, yet no one questioned who influenced him or how he ended up there. One person commits a sin, yet the entire family bears the consequences. His children, if unaware, may suffer the stigma unfairly.

The moral of his ordeal struck his mother profoundly: there is no shame in hard work. Today may be difficult, but honest labor paves the way for better days ahead. She prayed with gratitude, thankful that her son had been guided out of the quagmire of gambling and onto the path of righteousness. Rehan’s journey from despair to redemption had begun, and with patience, perseverance, and divine guidance, a better future awaited the family.