The God Of Heaven
1279 Words
… when I look up at the sky, it turns away… when I reach down to the stream, it rushes forward, avoiding me… everything signals to me… that I’m strayed… I’m truly strayed… tell me… who am I… for God’s sake, Abdullah… tell me… or I’ll lose my mind…”
Abdullah quietly gazed at her tears for a moment and then said,
“Believe, Alex… say the testimony of faith (Kalma)… Accept that our religion is true… Accept that our Prophet is true… Accept that there are four holy books… Accept that the angels exist… Accept that after death, we will be resurrected… Accept that God is real… God is true… Then you will see — everything will greet you… everything will celebrate for you… everything…”
There was a moment’s silence.
“No! Absolutely not! Do you hear me?”
She screamed — then got up and rushed outside.
“Dinner is ready. Come on, Alex!”
She rose with a heavy body and made her way toward the dining table.
“What’s the matter? Are you feeling all right?” Her maid placed a hand upon Alex’s forehead.
“Oh, you have a fever… What’s the matter, my darling?”
“It’s nothing… I’m just going outside for a while… Okay… but please don’t go far.”
“All right…” Alex draped a shawl over her shoulders and went outside to sit on the steps by the doorway.
The vast, clear sky was adorned with the shimmering glow of the full moon and countless twinkling stars. Whenever Alex gazed upward, she fell into a state of awe — a moment when the universe seemed to speak to her. She would lose herself in its magnificence. It was a moment when a voice — a voice not meant for everyone’s ears — began to reach her.
“He who created the seven heavens, one above another; you will not find any inconsistency in the creation of the Lord of Mercy. Look again — do you see any rift? Look again, repeatedly — your gaze will return to you, weary and defeated.” (Surah Al-Mulk, Ayat 3–4)
Alex remember the Qur’ān that Abdullah had recited.
“Abdullah’s Book speaks the purest truth — there’s not a single crack in it… So there are indeed seven heavens… How majestic!”
Tears fell from her eyes.
“If Abdullah speaks the truth, show me the way…”
She whispered quietly from the bottom of her heart — not even realizing to whom it was addressed — then rose and turned back toward her room.
The following morning, Alex awoke and put on a warm brown shirt and black pants.
“Ah… you’re up! How are you feeling today?”
“I’m fine,” Alex said quietly as she sat down at the dining table.
“My maid… May I ask you something? … Do you read the Bible every day? What does God say in it?”
Her maid paused, looking at Alex with concern.
“Why do you ask, darling?”
“Please… tell me… I want to know…”
“Don’t you already know? …but… that’s not the whole truth!”
“What do you mean… not the whole truth? Alex… you’re strayed from the path… If you pursue this, it won’t be good for you… Do you understand?” — Her maid scolded her.
“If you won’t tell me… I’ll find the truth myself!” Alex stood up and walked away — and her maid’s gaze followed her until she disappeared.
“Abdullah… I want to know… What does your Qur’ān say about our Prophet (ﷺ)? …Don’t tell me to look for myself — I know your Book speaks the truth…”
Alex’s voice trembled, but she kept her resolve.
“All right… I'll tell you… but first… you must believe there’s no doubt in it…”
He began:
“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful…
And they say: ‘The Lord has a son.’
This is a monstrous claim.
The heavens are nearly rent asunder, the earth is split, and the mountains are turned to dust —
Because they ascribe a son to the Lord…
It’s not fitting for the Lord to take a son…
All that is in the heavens and the earth will come to Him as His servants.”
(Surah Maryam, Ayat 88–93)
The library fell into silence — a silence filled with tears. Alex was crying. The light of faith had entered her heart. Abdullah’s words fell upon her, much like a hammer upon locked hearts — a spark ignited within her.
Alex didn’t even realize when she had become a believer. The only thing left now was the affirmation with her tongue.
“I used to think… when I gazed upon the mountains… their majestic forms were a curse upon me… But you speak the truth… The Qur’ān is true… The Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is true… I was the one in error… I was unjust… What can I do now? Will I be forgiven?”
He warmly smiled.
“Of course!! Our Lord is Merciful — He forgives all who ask Him… Even when you didn’t know Him, He provided for you. Now He will care for you even more — trust Him! His compassion is greater than seventy mothers’ love…”
Alex drew a deep breath.
“What should I do now?”
“Nothing… Just move your tongue… Repeat after me… The testimony of faith…”
He recited,
“I bear witness that there’s no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Prophet Mohammed صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is His Messenger.”
Alex whispered,
“I bear witness that there’s no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Prophet Mohammed صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is His Messenger.”
“Welcome, Mary!! I warmly welcome you to the path of Truth… From today, your name is Mary.”
“Alex!! Alex!!” Her friend came running toward her, panting.
“Is everything all right?” Abdullah asked in concern.
“Alex! Your mother…”
“What??”
They exchanged glances.
“Let’s go — quickly!”
Abdullah grabbed his bag.
“No!! My maid!! Please… don’t leave me!” Alex begged, holding her hand.
“Here…” Her maid placed a small, ancient, clock-like locket in Alex’s hand.
“This??”
“It belonged to your dad… I kept it safely… Now it’s yours.”
“No!! Please!! Please tell me… What happened?”
“Do you remember… when you used to play cards… you didn’t know how… you would mix them together in your hands… then say…’I’m making them friends… and there’s no king, no queen, no joker… they're all equal…’”
Alex nodded, tears falling.
“Yes… I remember… but this isn’t the time for this…”
“You were so pure and lovely…” Her maid kept turning away from the subject — ignoring Alex’s pleas — as if she knew her time was up.
“I want to tell you something… I want you to believe in it… So we can be together in the Hereafter…”
Alex tried to say something, but then…
…the maid’s breaths grew heavy — more — then faltered…
“No… NO!! My maid!! Please… stay!!” Alex cried.
Nurses rushed forward, trying to ease the moment.
“My maid!!” Alex fell to her knees, crying inconsolably.
“She’s gone…”
Alex cried — not just for the departure — but for the fact that the maid left without embracing the truth.
- Writer
