The Light of Forgiveness

1. From Darkness to Light:

Amir was once a restless and arrogant young man from a quiet village. He had no connection with prayer or the Quran. His days were spent hanging out with friends, listening to loud music, and wasting time. Whenever the mosque’s muezzin called the adhan (call to prayer), Amir would turn up the volume of his radio to drown it out. His mother, Hamidah, was a beautiful woman. Every night, she would rise for Tahajjud prayer and cry to Allah, making one sincere dua: “O Allah, guide my son. Show him the path of truth.”

2. The Night That Changed Everything:

One evening, Amir was riding a motorcycle with his friend Farhan on the way to the city. He was speeding, carefree, with loud music in his ears. Suddenly, a truck appeared out of nowhere. A dreadful crash followed. Amir opened his eyes to find himself in a hospital bed. His head was bandaged, and his right leg was broken. Beside him sat his mother, reciting the Qur’an softly. She whispered, "Alhamdulillah, you’re alive, my son," as she looked at him. Amir had never really experienced how close he had come to death until this moment. In the accident, his friend Farhan had passed away.

3. Questions Begin:

Lying in his hospital bed, Amir began to wonder: "Why did I make it? I never did anything good, read the Qur'an, or prayed. Why did Farhan pass away while I live”? One day he asked his mother, “Amma, did you always make dua for me?” She smiled and replied, “Yes, my son. I always asked Allah to guide you. Because when someone sincerely asks Allah, He never turns them away.” Tears welled up in Amir’s eyes. He thought, “All these years I wasted in sin, and yet Allah gave me another chance. Do I even deserve it?”

4. A New Beginning:

After returning home, Amir started reading a few verses from the Quran. He didn't understand much at first, but his mother gradually explained them to him. He began listening to Islamic lectures on YouTube — speakers like Mufti Menk, Nouman Ali Khan, and Omar Suleiman moved him deeply. One day, he stood before his parents and said, “Starting this Friday, I will begin praying, insha’Allah.” His mother cried tears of joy.

5. Trials of Faith:

Amir’s old friends mocked his transformation. — "What, you're now a maulana?" — "Now praying? Hajj next?” — “We were just having fun. Don’t take life so seriously.” Amir did not back down despite the pain. He knew that when Allah guides someone, they must hold firmly to that rope. He saw an elderly man struggling to walk while going to a store. Amir rushed to help. The old man didn’t know him but smiled and said, “May Allah bless you. Rare are the young men who help like this today.” Amir prayed that night inside sujood, “Ya Allah, please keep me on this path. Don’t let me go back.”

6. Mercy and Forgiveness:

One day, Amir visited the graveyard to see Farhan’s grave. He just stood there, his eyes welling with tears. He said, “O Allah, I know Farhan made mistakes. I also did. Please forgive him. You are the Most Merciful.” He remembered that no matter how big a sin is, Allah’s mercy is always greater. After that, Rayhan started going to the mosque on a regular basis, showed his parents love, and started giving poor neighbors whatever he could. He had found purpose.

7. Final Words:

One year later, the village imam gave a khutbah (Friday sermon) and said: “Today, I want to speak about a young man who once walked a dark path but is now a light for others. His name is Amir.” The entire congregation looked ahead and saw Amir, sitting quietly in the front row, tears in his eyes.