Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Alhassanain (p) Network for Islamic Heritage and Thought

Encounter at the Hospital

Author(s): Amina Bint al-Huda

Translator(s): M. N. Sultan

Publisher(s): Islamic Thought Foundation

www.alhassanain.org/english

Table of Contents

Part 1: The Meeting 3

Part 2: A Sick Friend 7

Part 3: Further Questions 8

Part 4: A Proposal 12

Part 5: An Obstacle 14

Part 6: Another Meeting 18

Part 7: Conflict 23

Part 8: A Conspiracy 31

Part 9: The Truth Revealed 34

Part 1: The Meeting

Dr. Miyad was half asleep when the telephone rang. She struggled between sleep's powerful domination and her duty to answer the phone. It rang insistently until she finally answered it, as she knew she must. It was after mid night.

An urgent case on the hospital's seventh floor made her quickly put on her Islamic modest dress and soon she was hurrying towards the patient's room. A nurse near the door told her that an elderly woman in the room was seriously ill.

Dr. Miyad quickly entered and saw a young woman, modestly dressed, standing next to the old woman's bed. The young woman said anxiously, “Oh doctor, this is my grandmother. She was complaining of severe pain and she's unconscious.”

The doctor carefully examined the elderly woman, who began to moan, and the young woman paced the nearby corridor. Her grandmother had had a serious heart attack and needed to be hospitalized for a number of days. After giving the patient the needed medicine, Dr. Miyad approached the young woman, whose eyes were filled with tears. The doctor felt that she had to comfort her and give her hope. She smiled, saying, “ I'm sure she will soon be well I have done all that is necessary.”

“I am very grateful, doctor.”

“Don't thank me. It's my duty to help all my patients.” She noticed that the woman's face was pale, so she took her hand, which was cold to the touch, and told her kindly, “You are tired. Why don't you sleep for a while?”

“Yes, I am tired, but I can't leave my grandmother alone.”

“Don't you have a sister or anyone else to help you?”

“No,” the young woman replied sadly. “She is not only my grandmother, but is a mother to me as well.”

The doctor felt sorry for her and comforted her, saying, ' 'I 'll look after her for you so that you can rest.”

“Oh no, you need rest. You work so hard.”

“I 'm used to it, and I don't feel tired. I 've slept for a few hours and that is enough for me. Now it is your turn to rest, but first I'll get a book to read. I'll be right back.”

The young woman thought the doctor was a wonderful woman and felt she could depend on her.

Dr. Miyad soon returned with a book in her hand and said, “Now you can sleep, I 'II sit here and read. By the way, I'm Dr.Miyad.”

“I'm Warqa, I'm pleased to meet you.”

Warqa stretched out on the sofa and soon fell asleep. When she awoke she found that she had slept for over an hour. The doctor was still reading near the sick woman, who slept well with the help of an oxygen mask. Warqa got up and approached Dr. Miyad. She asked about her grandmother's health. The doctor put aside her book and said, “She's all right. Now I shall sleep for a while after doing my morning prayer. I 'll see you later today, God willing.”

“I don't know how to thank you,” said Warqa. “You have been very kind and helpful. I am all alone.”

“You're not alone; Almighty Allah is with you. You seem to be a committed believer, and faith can help you throughout life.”

Warqa thanked the doctor again and walked with her to the door. When she came back into the room, she saw the book, which the doctor had just left, and the title attracted her attention. It was entitled, Medicine: A Sanctuary for Faith. She wondered, “What does it mean? What relation is there between the two? Isn't medicine a science which cures bodies or diseases, and religion worship of Allah in order to escape from Hell? How can medicine be a sanctuary of faith?”

Curiosity prompted her to pick up the book. First she examined the cover, which showed a drawing of a human brain and the Qur'anic verse:

This is Allah's creation, but show Me what those beside Him have created. (Luqman, 31:11)

Warqa read a few lines from the book and thought deeply for some time, and then she read more until she got up to perform her morning prayer.

A nurse entered the room in the morning to give Warqa's grandmother a dose of medicine. A specialist and another female doctor also came in later.

The doctor's hair was uncovered and her high heels clicked as she walked. She turned to give Warqa some instructions and Warqa noticed that her face was heavily made up. Warqa saw a big difference between this doctor and Dr. Miyad, whose appearance was natural, and she was eager to see Dr. Miyad again. She needed her encouraging words wanted to ask her a few questions about her book. She wondered why Dr. Miyad had not returned. Warqa's grandmother was feeling better, and Warqa was glad to see her getting well.

“I 'm so happy that you are well again,” said Warqa. “You don't know how worried I was yesterday.”

Her grandmother replied, “I'm sorry to see you worry; especially since you are alone.”

“This time I wasn't alone. Dr. Miyad was here. She is a wonderful woman and she insisted that I sleep while she sat near you for over an hour.”

“Praise be to God for sending you such a person at this time.”

Warqa pleaded with her grandmother to sleep and not to talk or otherwise tire herself. She continued to read and she occasionally glanced at the door. At noon, she became quite anxious to see Dr. Miyad and thought to herself, 'Why am I so anxious to see her? I've known her for only a few hours. She is just a doctor performing her duty. Maybe she won't even come again.' Some inner voice told her: 'You have a right to feel this way. This doctor is filled with compassion and sympathy. She is not only a doctor, but is also a good person without whose help you would have suffered more hardships.'

Warqa was deep in thought when she heard a knock on the door. She hurried to the door. It was Dr. Miyad. They shook hands warmly, and the doctor said, “I heard

from a colleague that your grandmother was better. I was busy all morning in the delivery room, so I must apologize for not coming sooner. “

“Oh, there's no need to apologize; you were not obliged to come. However, I did want to see you.”

The doctor looked concerned and examined her patient. “Has she complained of any pain?” she asked.

“No, she is much better, thank God. As a matter of fact, I was in need of you. Won't you please sit down?”

“I will stay for a while. You look tired, you need to sleep,”said Dr. Miyad.

“Oh, I don't need sleep, but, rather, a thorough waking up. I would like to ask you about some of the things I have read in this book,” Warqa told her. She sat near the doctor, who said, “Oh, I see I have left my book here. You must have enjoyed reading it.”

“Yes, it really made me think deeply.”

“How?”

“Well”, Warqa explained, “I never thought there was any relationship between medicine and faith. I know medicine deals with human bodies, while faith is only worship.”

Dr. Miyad said, “But science leads to faith. The more knowledge one has, the more one believes in the Creator. “

“How is that so?” asked Warqa.

“If someone ignores something, he cannot appreciate its value. For instance, if you take a look at this electric heater, you don't think about the great effort and care it took its maker to make it. You won't think about the numerous experiments that preceded this final product. Yet, anyone with a little knowledge can talk about its complex technical design.”

Warqa tried to suppress a smile. Dr. Miyad was silent for a moment and then said, “Are you a student? “

“Yes, I'm in my final year at the university.” She did not mention what her major was. Dr. Miyad told her, “You're studying at the Engineering College, aren't you?”

Warqa was surprised, and said, “Yes, but how did you know?”

“Because of your small smile on hearing me mention the electric heater. I guessed that you are familiar with the subject. It wasn't a good example but you didn't object, out of courtesy.”

“It is a good example, “ Warqa said. “Please go on.”

“So you see, even a minimum of knowledge about something doubles its value. Science, with all its branches, brings scientists nearer to Almighty Allah. Medicine is the most important and accurate science. To a scientist who is not a fanatic, science is a road which clearly leads to faith.”

“My religious knowledge is very limited,” said Warqa.

“It is only traditional commitment, such as fasting, praying and observing Islamic modest dress. Sometimes I feel embarrassed about my lack of religious information. Would you be kind enough to explain some matters to me?”

“I'm ready to answer all your questions. Consider me as your sister, since we share the same beliefs. Now, what do you want to ask me?”

“Why has a drawing of a brain been chosen for the cover of the book?”

“You know that the brain is the most important part of the human body. It is the organ, which controls the entire body, including the nerves and the cells. Every cell obeys the brain which, though small, contains thousands of millions of nerve cells.”

“How amazing!” exclaimed Warqa.

Dr. Miyad continued, “You know that every cell has its own function but, at the same time, it cooperates with other cells. If some cells are damaged, the result will be bad.”

“I never imagined that the brain was such a delicate structure.”

Dr. Miyad noted, “A scientist lectured about the brain in 1957 and said that if all the world's telephones, telegraphs, radar systems and televisions were made into a small, complicated device, it would not be as complex as the brain.”

“How wonderful for one to have such a marvelous apparatus in one's head. But what a pity it is that we know so little about our bodies.”

“It may take a long time to discuss the human body. You know that the nervous system has a two-fold function: voluntary and involuntary. The nervous system controls the body's muscles, the hands, the feet, the tongue, etc.

Of course, some organs function automatically, such as the lungs, the heart, the stomach and so on. Here, the Wisdom of our Creator becomes manifest. If they functioned at the will of a creature, it would be impossible for him to motivate and monitor the processes of these organs all the time, even during sleep, thus they would cease to function.

“The same can be said of the organs which function voluntarily. If they functioned automatically, a human being would go on, for example, talking and talking all his life.”

Warqa was very interested in the discussion and listened attentively. The doctor suggested that she read the whole book and told her that she would learn much about the body's secrets. In fact, Warqa wasn't very enthusiastic about reading, but Dr. Miyad said, “Hearing isn't enough. One should depend on one's brain to comprehend matters. If one listens more than one reads, then one will depend on others for knowledge.”

Warqa's grandmother awoke, and both women approached her. Dr. Miyad asked her how she felt. She smiled and thanked the doctor for her help, saying, “I prayed for you. You have been kind to Warqa. I shall always remember that.”

Dr. Miyad said, “Oh, I've done nothing. I pray that you will have a long life.”

“What is your name, my dear? “ she asked.

“Miyad.”

“That's a nice name. What's your family name?” asked the grandmother.

The doctor didn't reply but said; “I 'll see you everyday until you fully recover, which will be soon. God Willing, with Warqa's help.” Dr. Miyad left and Warqa kept the book to read.

Part 2: A Sick Friend

The two young women’s friendship grew stronger as time passed, and Warqa continued to ask the doctor about ideological questions. Then all of a sudden, the doctor stopped visiting her elderly patient. After three days, Warqa asked another doctor about Dr. Miyad. She told her that Dr. Miyad was ill. Warqa asked if she was at home, but the doctor told her that Dr. Miyad was in that same hospital. Warqa learned from a nurse that her friend was in room number seven.

“Is her illness serious?” Warqa asked.

“She has influenza,” the nurse replied. “The doctor advised her to remain in bed for a few days.”

Warqa made arrangements for the nurse to stay in her grandmother's room after 12 o'clock noon so that she could visit Dr. Miyad. Warqa thanked the nurse and went to room seven. When she knocked, she was surprised to see a young man open the door. She asked hesitantly,

“How is Dr. Miyad?”

The young man said, “Come in, she's awake.”

Warqa entered the room, anxious to see her friend, who smiled and said, “I 'm all right. How is your grandmother?”

“She's fine. She sends her regards and wishes you a speedy recovery.”

As she sat down near the bed, Warqa noticed that Dr. Miyad's face and neck were flushed. It was the first time she had seen the doctor without her headscarf on. Warqa wanted to stay, but she thought about her grandmother and soon arose.

Dr. Miyad sensed her uneasiness, saying, “You mustn't leave your grandmother alone for long.”

“But I don't want to leave you alone either.”

“I'm not alone. My brother is here. When you leave, please tell him to come in.”

“Where will I find him? “ asked Warqa.

“He'll be in the reading room. His name is Sinad. He was the man who opened the door for you.”

Warqa said, “Oh I thought he was a stranger, a doctor.”

Dr. Miyad said, “He is a doctor, but he's also my brother. Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed him to see me without my scarf on.”

“I never thought of that.”

“He left the room so that you would be at ease,” Dr. Miyad remarked.

Warqa wished her friend good health and said goodbye. She saw Dr. Miyad's brother near the room and didn’t speak to him, since he had seen her leave.

She hurried to her grandmother, who was still sleeping. When she awoke she asked Warqa about the doctor and Warqa said that she was very ill.

“Is she alone?” asked Warqa's grandmother.

“No. Her brother is with her, although he left the room when I entered.”

“He seems polite,” her grandmother remarked.

Part 3: Further Questions

The following morning, Warqa visited Dr. Miyad and saw that she was feeling better. The doctor appreciated Warqa's visits. When Warqa expressed concern about her friend’s health, Dr. Miyad said that she seemed upset.

“Oh that's to be expected.”

“You are right. A lot of processes take place in the body when it is in such a state.”

“What processes?”

“There is a network of nerves in the body. It carries impulses between the brain and all of the different parts of the body. Hence, sensations like cold, heat and pain are received through the nerves. There are millions of nerve cells carrying out this job.”

“How do they function?” asked Warqa. “The brain is the centre of the nervous system. It controls all of the muscles and organs. Thus, when we touch something hot, the hand is withdrawn very quickly. We may not think much about such actions, but what the Creator has planned is really a source of wonder.”

Dr. Miyad continued to speak. Warqa enjoyed listening to her simple explanations and wished she could stay longer, but she didn't want to tire the doctor.

Warqa said, “Your words are so interesting and I am in need of religious knowledge, especially about the Great Creator, since I lack such information. I can't answer the questions of skeptical people. At first, I planned to attend medical college, but my exam results weren't good enough.”

“My religious knowledge has nothing to do with college,” Dr. Miyad told her. “In fact, I knew many things before I went to the university.”

“That's wonderful! You knew about your religion early on.”

“Yes, from early childhood my brother encouraged me to read. He helped me to understand many difficult matters.”

“Which of your brothers helped you?”

“I only have one brother. He always took care of me when I was sick. He's everything to me.”

“May Allah protect you both,” Warqa said.

Dr. Miyad added, “He has not gone to his clinic because of me. He stays near me when I'm sick.”

“I thought he worked here.”

“No, he has his own clinic.”

Warqa looked at her watch. She felt that she had stayed long enough and that her grandmother might be in need of her. She got up, saying, “I 'm sorry to leave you again. I must take care of my grandmother.”

“Don't worry, my dear; my brother will soon come.”

“Then I'll see you tomorrow, “ said Warqa.

“Please do come.”

“I may trouble you with my questions.”

“Not at all. I 'll be happy to see you whenever you come.”

When Warqa visited her friend the next day, she asked about her health and when she would begin work again.

“I feel fine, except for some pain near my spleen. I'm waiting for my laboratory results.”

Warqa said, “I hope nothing is wrong with your spleen, although I think this organ is not very important.”

Dr. Miyad smiled and said, “On the contrary, it is very important. Every organ God has created has its own importance.

“The spleen is similar to a movable graveyard, rea1ly. It receives the dead red blood cells, which usually die after two months. It is interesting to see the iron particles carry the dead cells for burial and return to produce new ones.”

“Do the iron particles produce red cells?”

“No,” said Dr. Miyad, “but it is helpful in their manufacture. The main process involved in making the red and even the white blood cells takes place in the bone marrow. So you can see what a wonderful factory there is inside the human body. Each organ has its own special function.”

“Please continue,” urged Warqa.

“The cardiac system exchanges the gases through the circulation of blood. Oxygen is carried to the tissues by the blood and, on the way back to the heart, remnants of burnt out tissues are transported in place of the oxygen.”

“You mean that the blood's circulation helps the digestive system?”

“Yes, that's what I mean,” replied Dr. Miyad.

“The respiratory system helps as well. We breathe as long as we are alive, yet we never think about the Creator's design of our breathing apparatus. The necessary gas, oxygen, is provided and carbon dioxide is removed. Hence, our blood is purified and whatever substance is useless is discarded. It is the delicate design of Allah. Consider the digestive system. We eat and drink whatever we like, but we forget that Merciful Allah has given us the organs, which make use of starches, proteins, fats, minerals, water and vitamins. These organs remove the unwanted waste products from the body.”

Warqa then asked, “What about the liver?”

“The liver is a large reddish-brown organ which secretes bile and purifies the blood. It is similar to a defence front.” Dr. Miyad hesitated, giving Warqa time to think. Then she asked how her grandmother was. Warqa replied that she was much better and that that was why she was able to leave her for a while. Her grandmother wanted Warqa to go back and attend her college lectures from the coming week, but Warqa had not yet made up her mind about it.

Dr. Miyad said, “You have been absent from your studies for a long time. You should return to them. I'll be near her while you are away.”

“Poor grandma,” said Warqa. “She has tried hard to give me a comfortable life. She loves me very much, but I feel so lonely, since I am her only grand daughter.

Her son, my father died when I was one year old, and my mother died shortly after my birth.”

“Neither of us has a sister, let's be sisters to each other.”

Warqa's face brightened as she asked, “Will you have me as your sister?”

“With great pleasure,” the doctor replied.

“That's settled then. I wanted you to read this book.” She held out a book entitled ‘Perfection in Islam’ towards Warqa, who took it and said good-bye.

Two days later, Dr. Miyad had recovered and was once again on duty, and she made a point to visit Warqa's grandmother every day while Warqa was at college. Warqa read the religious book and asked her friend for another volume.

She really wanted to understand what she had read, and spent many hours at the hospital, reading and discussing various questions with Dr. Miyad. Warqa was greatly influenced by the doctor and longed to be with her always. One day she asked the doctor, “Is it true that the body's cells change?”

“Yes. Everything: the cells, the blood, the fat, the proteins, even the nerve cells are changed. Basically, the complete body structure is renewed and replaced every ten years.”

Warqa commented, “Even the nerve cells. Does that mean a person could forget his previous knowledge and memories? “

“This is one of the mysteries of creation, and because of this we can understand that memory is not matter, and that it cannot be explained. It is a spiritual phenomenon with no physical characteristics. If it was matter attached to the nerve cell, then one would forget everything with the passage of time. One would have to re-learn everything again and again, even one's name and one's father's name. The average human being gathers nearly half a million pictures in his memory each day. Thus, tens of billions of images are stored in his memory during his lifetime, in addition to the other information received through the other senses.”

Warqa was listening attentively and said: “What an enormous number! It's difficult to believe.”

“It is an enormous amount. Some scientists say the memory can hold enough information to fill nine million volumes. Consider how great is the wisdom of the Creator.”

Then Warqa asked, “With such facts, can't we prove the existence of Almighty Allah to unbelievers?”

“It can be,” said Dr. Miyad. “But some may even deny the existence of the universe. They deny such a reality and think that everything is an illusion.”

“Who are these people?”

“They are those who deny the Creator, the universe and themselves. They doubt the existence of everything and try to persuade others to consider everything as merely a dream or as their imagination. In any case, we can refute their claims by ascertaining whether or not they are sure of such claims.”

“Of course, they are sure,” Warqa, commented.

“If they are sure, then they profess certainty in some matters, which is in contrast to their claims of doubt. This then devalues their doctrine of belief.”

“That's quite true,” said Warqa. “Please continue.”

Dr. Miyad said, “We can ask them whether they consider our profession of faith to be in opposition to theirs or not. If they agree that there is a contradiction, then they must also agree that these opposites cannot meet. This is a fact, which cannot be doubted, and, therefore, it follows that certain statements cannot be denied. If they say that there is no such impossibility, the two parties may both be right. Then those who believe in the Creator can also be right.”

“That's logical,” said Warqa.

“There are other proofs which we can discuss later, when we meet again, God willing.”

Warqa said, “I know you are very busy but I am really looking forward to our next chat.”

“Which will be on the day after tomorrow,” said the doctor. “Meanwhile you can read this book.”

Warqa took the book and left. She read the book carefully and thought seriously about it. At their next meeting, Warqa was ready to listen to her friend. She welcomed her warmly and they sat close together to continue their discussion.

Dr. Miyad began, “Those who doubt the existence of everything should be asked to prove their doubt. If they cannot, then their claims are groundless.”

“But suppose they can,” said Warqa.

“If they say they can, then they should be asked if there is a relationship between the proof and its outcome. If there is no relationship, then it is of no value. But if they claim there is, then they must believe in a cause that brought about such a result. Thus, there is a law of cause and effect.”

Warqa noted, “They may reject such a law.”

“They must have evidence to do so,” said Dr. Miyad.

“Otherwise, their claim is groundless. If they can produce, evidence, then they are confessing to the law of cause and effect. “

“I should take notes, “ said Warqa.

“That's a good idea, “ agreed Dr. Miyad. “You won't forget various points”

Part 4: A Proposal

Warqa stopped writing and looked at her friend, waiting for more information. However, Dr. Miyad said,

“Now it is your turn to help me.”

“I am ready. How?” asked Warqa.

“It is about my brother, Sinad. I am thinking about a wife for him.”

“How can I assist you in this matter?”

“Well,” said Dr. Miyad, “you know that my brother is very dear to me. He is a good believer and is well mannered. He is loving, compassionate and calm. I want to help him find a good wife, and I have recently found someone.”

“Thank God for that,” said Warqa.

Dr. Miyad continued, “However, I would like to know whether both sides would be happy with such an agreement. I want to persuade the girl; can you help?”

“How?”

Dr. Miyad explained, “You persuade her to marry him. She can trust me with regard to his righteousness.”

“But who is she?” asked Warqa. “Where can I find her?”

“Can't you guess?” asked the doctor with a smile.

“She is very close to you.”

Warqa blushed, cast her glance down and remained silent.

Dr. Miyad continued, “You have guessed. Why don't you answer? Haven't we already agreed to be as sisters? Don't you trust me? Believe me, I care a lot about your future, just as I care for my brother's. I have thought carefully about the matter and I am sure that it is right for both of you. You can ask whoever you like about his character.”

Warqa said shyly, “I am sure of your good intentions; I am just taken by surprise, as I never thought about this before. I must speak with my grandmother.”

“The important thing is that you are convinced,” Dr. Miyad stressed.

Warqa wanted to say, “Yes!”, but she thought it would be better to think the matter over. “Please give me some time to think about this,” she said.

“Of course, you have the right to think and then decide. But when can I have the answer?”

“Within a few days,” said Warqa.

“All right, my dear. I hope your decision is for your own good.”

Warqa smiled and said, “1 have never thought about my own affairs. My grandmother has made me depend on her for everything.”

Dr. Miyad told her, “You should think for yourself with regard to your future.”

“Yes, I will make my own decision. In any case, knowledge is gained through experience.”

“That is not always the right criteria,” said Dr. Miyad.

“Why not?”

“This is what the experimentalists claim. They don't believe in any fact without experimenting, even though they ignore the fact that their doctrine indicates the possibility of believing in matters without the least experiment.”

Surprised, Warqa said, “Please explain more. We have a female lecturer at our school who always insists on this subject.”

“I will tell you tomorrow, “ Dr. Miyad replied.

“Now it is time for me to check on my patients, so I will see you later.”

Part 5: An Obstacle

Warqa sat thinking of her friend's proposal. She asked herself happily, 'should I agree, and become her brother's wife? Will he help me to understand Islam and lead me to the right path? How lucky I am!' She almost scolded herself for not agreeing immediately, as no obstacle stood in the way. She spent some time daydreaming and then her grandmother awoke. Warqa assisted her and then she sat down, anxious to tell her the happy news. She began by saying, “Dr. Miyad has been here; she just left.”

“Oh,” said her grandmother indifferently.

“She had something special to ask me.”

“What was that? “ asked her grandmother.

“A marriage proposal.”

Warqa's grandmother looked annoyed and said, “ What does it have to do with you?”

“It concerns her brother.”

“What relationship is there between you and her brother?” said her grandmother angrily.

Amazed at her anger, Warqa said, “She wants me to marry him.”

“What was your answer?”

Warqa was confused by her attitude and told her, “I postponed the answer until I could consult you.”

Her grandmother turned her face away and said, “No. This marriage must not take place.”

“But why not, grandma?”

Her grandmother did not answer her, so Warqa insisted, “Why shouldn't it -please tell me why you disapprove, because I am convinced that I should accept this proposal.” Still her grandmother didn't speak.

“Why don't you talk to me? Perhaps you are mistaken,” said Warqa

“I am not mistaken,” said her grandmother. “I know what I am saying and you must give up this idea. It will not happen, so do not mention it again.”

Warqa was silent for a moment and then said, “Don't I have the right to know why? It is not easy for me to decide without knowing the reason for your refusal.”

“Of course, you have the right to know. Are you ready to hear?”

Warqa nodded, and her grandmother said, “However, after hearing what I have to say, you must end your relationship with Dr. Miyad.”

Warqa was shocked at the idea and said, “But why? She is my best friend!”

“Then don't insist upon knowing the reason.”

After a moment Warqa agreed, “All right. I am ready to hear what you have to say.” “When you were a child, your father died, as you know. But you never learned how he died. He had a good friend, and they decided to go into business together. They opened a workshop making unbreakable plates.

He was happy and optimistic about the business, but did not have the necessary funds. Because of his experience, your father's friend was to provide the technical skill. In order to raise the money for the project, your father had to sell half of the fertile land that he owned.

“However, the half was less than that officially approved for selling. So the landlord, Mr. Hamid, bought that half on the condition that the whole area be registered in his name. He was to give us half of the produce of the land, while your father retained the right to buy it back when the debt was repaid. The land could not be sold to anyone else, because it was in Mr.Hamid's name.”

“The money was not sufficient for the workshop and your father mortgaged his house on the condition that Mr. Hamid would get half of the land's produce. Your father and his friend became the night watchmen for the factory. One morning, I went to the factory, where I saw a crowd of people at the entrance and a police car was parked there also.

I entered the building and to my surprise and horror, your father lay on the floor, dying. I rushed to his side. His partner was crying crocodile tears. I bent over your father to talk to him, but he did not speak. He was taken to the hospital and on the way he opened his eyes, looked at me and said the name of his murderer: Abdul Majid Muhammad Rajie, Dr. Miyad's father.”

Shocked and dismayed, Warqa cried out, “Oh no, it couId not be her father!”

“Yes, her father, I was one of the witnesses in court, but one witness was not enough proof. He proved to the court that he was not at the factory at any time that day that the murder occured. He lied and, heated often. The crime was recorded as a robbery.” “Was anything stolen?”

“Yes, of course,” her grandmother replied. “Money and important documents were taken from a safe. So we lost the land and the right to buy it back, as well as the ownership of the house. Mr. Hamid managed to produce papers proving his ownership of the property, but we could not get it back. With regard to the house, Mr. Hamid has been patient and understanding all these years. He has an aim, but only God knows what it is.

“I knew that Abdul Majid had twins, a boy and a girl. That is why I asked the doctor what her father's name was. She ignored my question. I asked a nurse what Dr. Miyad's father's name was and she told me. Now, are you ready to marry the son of the man who murdered your father?”

Warqa bitterly replied, “I won't marry him, but I will remain friends with Dr. Miyad,” she cried quietly and thought about her friend. She spent a very sad day thinking about all she had heard. She said to herself, 'what is their guilt in their father's crime? If their father was a criminal, why should they pay for his misdeed? What can I say to Dr. Miyad? How can I explain my refusal of her brother's proposal? Should I tell her the truth? Perhaps they know nothing about this matter; how can I explain it to them?”

She remembered that she was to meet Dr. Miyad the following day. She felt that if she lost the doctor's friendship, it would be a great loss. Warqa spent a sleepless night. The next morning she visited her grandmother, who was planning to leave the hospital the same day, without the doctor's permission. Warqa could not make her change her mind. She searched for Dr. Miyad, but to no avail. Dr. Miyad was on 24-hour leave. Warqa could not leave without saying good-bye to her dear friend, so she decided to write a letter to her to express her gratitude. She wrote:

Dear Dr. Miyad,

I don't know what to tell you. I am facing a dilemma and I can find no solution. My grandmother insists on leaving today, so there is no chance to see you. It is as if Almighty Allah has deprived me of His paradise. I am very sad and broken-hearted about my sudden departure. May Allah help me.

Please don't be angry about my behavior. I have been forced to act thusly. As for your brother, I hope he will find someone better be his wife. I have no particular reason for refusing him. It is just Allah's will.

If you still think of me as a sister, please write to me.

Your sincere sister Warqa

Warqa gave the letter to a nurse and begged her to give it to Dr. Miyad, than she left the hospital with her grandmother.

The days dragged on. Since her grandmother was not completely well. Warqa had to look after her in addition to attending to her college studies. She was sad and anxious to hear from Dr. Miyad. Her grandmother sometimes saw tears in Warqa's eyes, but she never asked about them. A week passed, and a letter arrived from the doctor which said :

Dear Warqa,

Assalamu alaikum.

I was very stunned by your letter. Now that the shock is over, I am writing to you. It was hard for me to see you leave without a good-bye. I cannot give up your friendship so easily. You are like a sweet- smelling flower that should fill the spring air with its beautiful scent. If such a flower lacks the hand, which waters it and the shade, which keeps away the sun's rays, it may not blossom and may fade away before it fulfills its role in life.

I feel a spiritual pull towards someone who needs my help. It is my duty to respond, and I am ready to help. You have indeed become a sister to me, and you have brought me happiness. I wanted you to become my brother's wife, but suddenly, without any warning, you disappeared and left only a few written lines. The shock was too great to tolerate, so it took me some time to answer your letter.

I thought the matter over and found I must strengthen our friendship. You should know that I am still your loving sister. I won't ask for an explanation for fear it may hurt you. You are so dear to me. Please keep writing to me at the hospital address. May Allah keep you well and safe.

Miyad

Warqa felt a little happier after reading the letter. She decided not to tell her grandmother about the letter. That night, she wrote to her friend:

Dear Miyad,

God only knows how I long to see you and how sorry I am about this situation. I have indeed been thirsty and in need of water. I found a spring to give me water and it was you. Then time's cruel hand denied me water. I am again suffering from terrible loneliness, though I have always needed someone who would value my feelings; someone I can talk openly to and confide in, who can lead me on the right path and allow me to rest under his shade.

When I first saw you, I thought of you as the real sister of my dreams. I loved you and felt at ease with you. I really appreciated your friendship. Then life changed the game and I was deprived of you. I am again sad and lonely. Life is unkind to me - it takes whatever is dear to me and this war has no truce.

I suffered so until I received your letter this morning. It gave me hope again. You drew me towards yourself and then to my Creator, hence it is difficult to keep away from you. I rejoiced at your letter and learnt another lesson of sacrifice and unselfishness, a practical stance, which pays no heed to personal gain. I thank God first and then you, dear sister. I am still ready to meet with you at any time and anywhere that you suggest.

Your sister forever,

Warqa