Punishment

Human beings can be remarkably hard-hearted. They do not hesitate to oppress even the voiceless. Amma had acted the same way, forgetting that a true believer cannot be cruel

In a densely populated area of Lahore, Amma lived with her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, Sufiyan. Sufiyan was a kind-hearted child who loved everyone deeply and cared for all living beings. He had a special affection for animals. The more Sufiyan loved animals, the more his grandmother hated them.

One day, Sufiyan brought home a very beautiful cat. Amma created quite a commotion and strongly objected, but Sufiyan refused to listen. He kept the cat in the house despite her protests.

Amma constantly worried that the cat might sleep on her bed or touch the kitchen utensils. The cat had grown friendly with everyone and often climbed onto beds and wandered around freely. Amma was an extremely strict and cleanliness-obsessed woman. She kept thinking of ways to throw the cat out of the house. However, because she loved her grandson dearly, she tolerated the cat unwillingly.

After a few days, the cat disappeared and could not be seen anywhere. Amma thanked God, believing she had finally been relieved of this trouble.

One afternoon, while Amma was asleep, she began to hear faint meowing sounds. She immediately sat up and looked around. After carefully scanning the room, she saw the cat sitting in a corner with her two tiny kittens.

At this sight, Amma became furious.

“I had barely tolerated one cat, and now two more calamities have arrived. I will not keep them here even for a single day,” she shouted.

She picked up a stick and began beating the cat. The kittens ran around in fear. Amma failed to realize that the cat was seriously ill. She did not try to escape or even move toward her babies. Amma beat her so badly that the cat collapsed on the floor, writhing in pain, staring at her with sorrowful eyes, unable even to cry.

Amma placed the two kittens into a shopping bag and left them in a deserted, under-construction house a short distance away.

The cat had a severe fever and was barely conscious. After two or three days, when her condition slightly improved, she began desperately searching for her babies. She searched the entire house and then went into the street, but they were nowhere to be found. Exhausted, she returned to Amma’s house in the evening.

Amma glared at her coldly but remained silent for the sake of her grandson, who was already angry over the kittens being removed. The cat looked at Amma with questioning eyes, as if asking where her babies were. But Amma’s heart showed no mercy.

Missing her kittens terribly, the cat began meowing loudly. Once again, Amma picked up the stick and started beating her. When Sufiyan saw this, he could not bear it any longer. He snatched the stick from his grandmother and said,

“Grandmother, fear God! You separated her from her babies, and now you won’t even let her stay here.”

Amma scolded him angrily and ordered him to go to his room. Sufiyan picked up the cat and took her away.

Just two days later, Amma suffered a paralytic stroke. Early in the morning, Sufiyan’s mother heard strange sounds coming from Amma’s room. She rushed inside and saw Amma lying twisted on the floor, one side of her body paralyzed. She was repeatedly trying to lift her head but could not.

Sufiyan entered the room and said,

“This is the punishment for beating the cat.”

His mother told him to stop talking and call the doctor. Hearing these words, tears filled Amma’s eyes. She realized her mistake and silently begged Allah for forgiveness.

“God’s punishment comes silently,” she thought. She had separated a mother from her children, and now Allah had taken one arm and one leg from her.

Meanwhile, Sufiyan vowed to find the kittens. After searching many places, he found one kitten dead in an empty plot, while the other was running around meowing, searching for its mother. He brought the surviving kitten home.

When the cat saw her baby, she cried loudly and showered it with affection. Amma repented sincerely, promising Allah that she would never again separate a mother from her children.

Just as humans endure every hardship for their children, animals share the same emotions. Whether human or animal, children are precious to every mother.