- STORY 22 - Uncle Mohammad
Uncle Mohammad was a taxi driver in Makkah; he lived in an area called al-Jomoom about 20 miles outside the city limits. He was a hard-working man with a big family to support. He had always dreamt of being rich, not only so he could take better care of his family, but as he often expressed, to fulfil his desire to donate large sums for the sake of Allah.
One day, he said to his friend, “ You know what? I need to stop waiting to be rich to give more for Allah. I am starting this week.” The friend asked, "What will you do?"
Uncle Mohammad already had a plan, and his plan was simple. He decided to assign one day a month for the sake of Allah. He would not charge passengers any money that day. All rides would be free for the sake of Allah.
The taxi driver was struggling with all the expenses related to his taxi license, taxes, home expenses, etc. The taxi business was already suffering. It was not like it used to be in Makkah. It was much harder to get inside the Haram area due to all these new construction and traffic regulations. The biggest challenge of all for his business had been the arrival of a new competitor in town, Uber. Yet, Uncle Mohammad committed that day for the sake of Allah, and he was certain Allah would never disappoint him.
He kept his promise with Allah for years. One month, during the day of free rides, he picked up someone who said he wants to go to the Jeddah airport! That was far and typically a very profitable trip! Thoughts of "Why today?" and "Why didn't I get a trip like this all week?" filled his mind.
But uncle Mohammad kept his promise with Allah and took the riders to the the airport, free of charge, and the customers were incredibly happy and could not believe it.
At the airport, just as he was about to return to Makkah, he saw an African man and woman wearing their traditional clothing. They looked confused and lost.
He approached them and called out, "Taxi?" The man affirmed, and they got in. The man then asked Uncle Mohammad if he could recommend a hotel for them to stay at in Jeddah for the next three days.
Uncle Mohammad said, "Sure I can suggest couple, and you can check them out."
Uncle Mohammad was curious. Most people arriving at Jeddah usually asked to go to Makkah first. These customers did not look like they had that in mind. The man was not wearing an Ihram, nor had he mentioned 'Umrah.
The man spoke Arabic well. Even the women knew enough Arabic to carry on a conversation with Uncle Mohammad. He found out that they are from the country of Cameroon, and they were going to work at the Cameroonian Consulate in Jeddah. They told him that they arrived a week earlier than the Consulate expected them, so they could check out the city and get a little familiar with the culture before beginning. The man said that he had heard a lot about Saudi Arabia and that he would love to know more about the culture.
Uncle Mohammad invited them to stay at his house, as his older kids were traveling, and there was so much space in the house. This would definitely give them chance to learn about Saudi culture.
They agreed to be his guests for 3 nights. It is the Sunnah to host your guests for three nights. The man told him, "We have to explain something to you first. We are not Muslims, but we love and respect Islam. We have many friends and colleagues who are Muslims." Uncle Mohammad then understood why they were not going for Umrah.
"You are welcome in my home regardless of whether you are Muslims or not,' he said.
On the first and second days, he would take them out during the day to show them around, and he would work late in the night.
Uncle Mohammed would leave the TV on for them to watch Al-Haram and the prayer.
On the third day, they asked if they could go visit the Haram? With a large, genuine smile on his face, Uncle Mohammad replied, "No, you cannot go because you are not Muslims, but inshaAllah one day, you will be able to do so, and I will take you there myself."
They both said, "We know a little about Islam. We have many Muslims in our country, but we never got a chance to learn the details." Uncle Mohammad said, "I can take you to someone who can explain Islam to you better than I can. I am not a Shaykh."
They agreed, and they went to see an Imam who lived not far away from Uncle Mohammad’s house.
When they arrived at the Imam’s house, he welcomed the three of them and said, "I have a gathering and guests now, but after we eat, I will be happy to explain anything you want and answer all your questions."
The woman went to the women's seating area, and the man to the men's area with uncle Mohammad. Surprisingly, an African student attending Umm al-Qura university was at the gathering and asked the man if he is from Cameroon. When the man said yes, they started speaking in French.
Then the student asked the man if he is from such and such region? The man was even more surprised that the student could guess and affirmed once again.
They then began talking in a specific Nilo-Saharan language used in that region.
"What is going on? It looks like you two are getting along very well," said Uncle Mohammad.
The man said, "You won't believe it. This young man is from the same region where I am from, and he speaks my same language. He figured out exactly where I am from by my features and accent."
The student of knowledge started answering the man’s questions about Islam and explained Tawheed to him. As they finished eating, the man said, "I would like to speak to my wife." The wife came to speak to her husband, and he told her, there and then, "I want to be a Muslim."
"I am with you," she responded. They both converted to Islam that very day. It was the third and final night at Uncle Mohammad’s house.
They went back to the house, took showers, then Uncle Mohammad told them he would take them to the Haram to see the Ka’bah and pray their first Salah there. Uncle Mohammad joked about being their taxi driver and how it wasn't the free ride day, but he added that they were now not only friends but part of my family. He reminded them about how he had told them he would be the one to drive them to visit Makkah and Al-Haram.
The visit ended, but they kept in contact with their friendly taxi driver. After a year or so, the man called Uncle Mohammad asked him if they could meet. When he met them, the man said, "We just came back from our home country. At the beginning of our visit, my parents did not take our Islam very well. My father is the head of his tribe, and we live in the countryside, and they were quite set in their ways. After speaking to him about our Uncle Mohammad and what Islam is, and when he saw how happy we are being Muslim, both of my parents accepted Islam, alhumdulilah! Soon after that, our entire tribe converted to Islam with their leader."
With tears in their eyes, the man and his wife said to Uncle Mohammad, "Jazak Allah khaira, Brother. You did not only save us that day at the airpot, but thank you for saving our souls, our families and tribe from Shirk.
Not long afterwards, Uncle Mohammad passed away, but not before he informed the Imam and the young student of knowledge who had given them Da’wah about what happened with the couple in Cameroon. The brother who told me the story of Uncle Mohammad is a friend of both the Imam and the Cameroonian student of knowledge.
I have many reflections to share about this story, but first I would like to pray that Allah may shower Uncle Mohammad with His Mercy, reward the one who gave those amazing couple Da’wah, and keep the Cameroonian brother and sister upon Islam and bless them.
Reflections:
1- As I was hearing the story for the first time, I predicted that because Uncle Mohammad gave one day's profit up for the sake of Allah, the story would end with him becoming rich. I envisioned that someone would leave money in his taxi and when returning it, he would get rewarded with a large sum of money, or any other familiar scenario like what we hear all the times in stories. When I heard that the couple from Cameroon were working in the Consulate, my mind jumped to expecting that they were rich royal Africans who would gift Uncle Mohammad large amounts of gold or money or buy him a house or at least gift him a new car! But none of my predictions were correct.
Do not deal with Allah the way you deal with your financial advisor, expecting everything to be in a form of cash or a materialistic reward.
I realized that the reward and the prize that Allah gave Uncle Mohammad for his Sadaqah was way more valuable than any money or car or gold he might have gained in this life.
Allah made him the reason to guide that couple and after that an entire tribe!
Sometimes one's reward may come in the form of increasing in obedience and love for Allah and his religion. On the flipside, sometimes punishment can be in a form of taking away from your faith and turning your heart away from the truth.
No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.
{Surah Al-Muţaffifīn 83: Verse 14}
Has it not become clear to those who inherited the earth after its [previous] people that if We willed, We could afflict them for their sins? But We seal over their hearts so they do not hear.
{Surah Al-'A`rāf 7: Verse 100}
A man came to Al-Hasan Al-Basri and said: I cannot think of any sin I did not do, and I hear you saying Allah punishes those who disobey Him by preventing them from goodness!! I am healthy, wealthy, and I have many children and a beautiful wife. So where are the tangible negative consequences that you are talking about? Nothing is missing in my life!
Al-Hasan said: Do you do “Qiyam Al-Layl” (praying in the night)?
The man replied: No
Al-Hasan then responded: That is enough loss. Can you miss anything more valuable than the Salah where you get to be alone and near to Allah?
2- When Uncle Mohammad was told by the people he picked in Makkah that they were going to Jeddah, he was thinking, "Should I charge them or not? That is so much money to earn, and also so much money to lose on gas." But he kept his promise and did not let a temporary meagre gain block his eyes from what Allah had in store for him.
Allah brought Uncle Mohammad all the way to the Jeddah airport to pick the Cameroonian couple, so he could be the instrument of their guidance.
Allah will test us to show the true among us and what we are made of. I am glad that Uncle Mohammad proved he was nothing but pure gold.
3- I am so happy to see someone like Uncle Mohammad going out of his way to welcome and host that couple who are not from his race or religion.
So many times we hear that Muslim society are not friendly to strangers or racist against others, especially blacks, or prejudiced against the non-Muslim.
I am sure there are some who are, as I am also sure that Uncle Mohammad was not a unique case.
It is wrong to give free publicity to wrongdoing and those who behave badly in the society. It is even worse to generalize. We should share and spread the stories and the news of the good actions and the best of the society.
4- The driver was not a Shaykh, yet Allah guided hundreds of people through him, and in sha Allah generations to come. You do not have to give lectures or Fatwas or be a scholar to give Da’wah. Your good character traits and connecting people with the sources of knowledge are enough to make you a partner in the reward.
5- The Imam and the student of knowledge to whom Allah delivered this opportunity did not hesitate to take advantage of it.
So many times Allah brings opportunities to you, but you do not take advantage of them: like that day when you prayed in the Masjid, and you got to know about a project that would serve or help others and it was your choice not to help; or the time when you were told about a student of knowledge whom you could sponsor but you choose not to; or perhaps that time when you saw someone who needed advice or to be lent a hand, but you just moved on and missed the opportunity.
Next time do not let it go because you do not know what can come out of these opportunities. You do not know if such an opportunity will ever come back or if you will get another one.
Allah said :
"…فاستبقوا الخيرات إلى الله مرجعكم جميعا.."
“……so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together,….”
{Surah Al-Mā'idah 5: Verse 48}
﴿سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ﴾ [الحديد: 21].
“Race toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.”
{Surah Hadid 57: Verse 21}
These are a few of my reflections, and I am sure your comments will shed more light on this great story. I am looking forward to reading your reflections. Please feel free to share your thoughts.
- Waleed Basyouni (Ph.D)
Vice-President AlMaghrib Institute
Source: received through WhatsApp message