Abdul Rehman sat by the window of his highly furnished office. He had spent his entire life working hard to build a life for his family, and this is where it had gotten him. He looked around his office. It had the most expensive furniture, in the entire building. Large glass windows showed an amazing view. Everything had been imported, from the tiles, to the desk, to the glass pieces decorating the book shelves. He had the most lavish office in the entire building. He had the most luxurious house made for his family in the entire area. Whatever he had done till today, was for his family, his wife and two daughters that he loved very much. He had worked day and night to reach where he was today.

He opened a drawer of his desk, and took out a framed picture. His two lovely daughters, Ameerah and Aabira looked at him with bright eyes, looking lively and happy. He remembered the way Ameerah had looked at her, with anger and disappointment in her eyes. Was he a disappointment? He had done so much for them, yet he would be this unloving father who had an affair with another woman. He couldn’t take his mind off from Ameerah’s lowered crying face, the way she spoke with him, with finality in her voice. Did she hate him? No. How would he bear it if his daughters hated him? Every single penny that he had earned was for their sake. He heaved a sigh. His throat tightened. He loved them so much, but he couldn’t live with Sadaf anymore. She was an unloving and uncaring wife, who cared about the money he brought more than him. He missed them so much when he was away at work. He missed the time that he spent with his daughters. He wanted to spend more time with them, to love them and talk to them, when they needed him. He felt so lonely all the time.

It was then Aaliya entered his life. She made him feel wanted. She cared for him and loved him. He didn’t feel that lonely anymore. At first he had resisted. He had tried to not get involved. He starting visiting home more often, but whenever he went, he would have a fight with Sadaf. He came to believe that there was no hope for them after all.

That was when he gave in. His nafs wanted him to do it, and he did it. He didn’t fight with it anymore. The deeper he fell into it, the more guilt free he became and the lesser he cared that it was a sin.

There was a knock on the door, and one of his employers, Ma’az entered. He liked him a lot. When his employers in the office came to know about his affair, everyone had started becoming distant from him. He had a few friends before in office, but now everything between them had become strictly professional. He knew that everyone talked about him behind his back. One of his employers, with a big beard, considered to be very religious in the office, had even given him a speech, where he called him shameless and many other things. He had then resigned from his job. He didn’t want to work under him, as he “hated people like him.”

Ma’az was the only one who remained the same. He was his usual, cheerful self around him. He had told him the story of the sahaba whose name was Ma’az Bin Jabal, when Abdul Rehman had told him that his name was unique. Ma’az Bin Jabal was the sahaba that would hold the flag of the Ulema (scholars of Islam) on the Day of Judgment. When Ma’az Bin Jabal had to migrate to a different place, Prophet Muhammad saw had gone with him to the greatest distance that he could, and then had told him that this was probably the last time he was seeing him as he would not be alive when he came back. Hearing this, Ma’az started crying and Prophet Muhammad saw’s eyes also filled with tears. He then said, “Ma’az, I love you.”

Ma’az had stated this story with tears in his eyes.

“I am nowhere near the Ma’az that my prophet saw loved, but I wish that on the Day of Judgment, he would not be disappointed in me and would meet me happily,” he had said with a heavy voice after his story ended.

Abdul Rehman also felt very emotional at this story. It had sent shivers down his spine. Where would he stand on the Day of Judgment? He had felt heavy hearted for a day, but was fine again the very next day.