He was Innocent |Short Story by Abrar Saroya

There was a shoving crowd in the mosque. Everyone was feeling religious over the head and ears. The caller called for the prayer. Every person went for an ablution. In the nick of time, eighteen years old Abdullah stepped into the mosque to make amends for his sins that were not allowing him to enter in practical life; that's what he used to think. He performed his prostration in front of ALLAH Almighty.

 On the horns of the dilemma, Abdullah left the mosque. After he had gone out of the mosque, he met with his close friend, Ali.

"Life is not a bed of roses," Ali said.

"Thinking so is natural. I have been suffering from such robust thoughts since the day I left my college." Abdullah replied.

Under the sun, both were sick of bitter thoughts. Abdullah was jobless. He belonged to a middle-class family. He was every inch a young handsome beauty. Though he was a live wire, yet he couldn't manage to secure a good job as his qualification was less than the traditional requirement. He inculcated his disability to attain a source of income.

In the evening, he used to go to Race Course Park. That's the only point for him in Lahore where he felt cozy in spite of paramount frivolity. The whole world was an eyewash for him. He remembered his past days. In the meantime, he felt cool as a cucumber when he started to think about his failed love story. The reason for leaving his study started to tingle in his mind.

"Saba, The bangles I bought to gift you are still around my neck like cut and dried death." He murmured.

During the college days, Abdullah fell in love with his neighbor, Saba. It was a cry for the moon for them to wish a happy ending. Unfortunately, Abdullah couldn't manage to see Saba for the whole life as Saba died of tuberculosis. Preeminently, it wasn't a trivial loss. Abdullah started to smoke. Sooner, he became drug-addicted. After her death, there was fire and sword in the emotions of Abdullah.

“Come on, brother! You need to see a doctor for a checkup." Ali advised.

But Abdullah was harping on the same string. Somehow, Ali took Abdullah to the saint, Peer Murad. Peer Murad lived at a stone's throw from Ali's home. 

It's still a mystery how Peer Murad convinced Abdullah to leave drugs and go to God's home for eternal peace in the ephemeral world.

After he had come back from Race Course Park to his home, he felt relieved. He thought it was because of the prayers. Abdullah started going to the mosque on a regular basis. One day, when everyone was gone from the mosque after praying except some people, he went near them and started listening to them. On the spur of the moment, he was impressed by the talks of those people. Abdullah showed interest in participating in Jihad as he was urged by those people.

“Those who die in the way of ALLAH go directly to heaven. Their past life doesn't matter." The head of the group of Mujahads told Abdullah. 

Moreover, Abdullah was told that the Imam of the mosque was not a true Muslim as he was involved in some voluptuous acts. Abdullah, who was ready to embrace heaven, planned to get rid of that Imam.

One day, he mixed poison in the bowl of milk and offered it to Imam. Imam drank it and passed away. All this happened just before the call for prayer (Azan). Two persons came into the mosque and saw the scene. They witnessed the sin of Abdullah. They started to introduce Abdullah as accused of killing Imam. The jury decided to hang Abdullah in response to Abdullah's act. The person, who killed someone to make the path clear for heaven, was now leaving this ephemeral world forever.

Was there any fault of Abdullah? He wished to turn over a new leaf. Was it his fault? He was trapped in a cock and bull story of some people. Was there any fault of him in it? Whatever his fault was, he was innocent in his own eyes.