GRO REPENTED AFTER A DREAM

GRO REPENTED AFTER A DREAM

ONE morning, several years ago, a woman came to see me. At the time, I was busy completing the arrangements for the departure of an umra group. The woman was in her late 20s.

     "Tuan Haji," the woman said, and then added: "I really would like to go to Mecca."

     "Alhamdulillah. That's good," I replied.

     "I feel the time has come for me to repent, return to the correct path," she added.

     "Why do you say that?" I ask, confused. Of course, pilgrims go to Mecca to repent, but from the woman's face, I knew there was something more that was hidden in her heart. Perhaps she had made some mistakes which led her to her decision. Slowly, the woman started to tell me who she really was.

     "Tuan Haji, after my husband's death several years ago, my life became very tough and uncertain. With very little qualification, I was finding it difficult to earn a living. So, I took the easy way out and became a GRO. And it was with that money that I used to support my livelihood and my daughter's."

     "You became a GRO?" I asked, shocked.

     "Yes. So Tuan Haji... I'm sure you can understand. My life is revolving around vice. For many years I've been living in sin. I have come to the point where I feel it's enough already. Now I deeply regret everything and I want to repent. I want to go to Mecca, and ask for Allah's forgiveness," she said, full of regret.

     The time eventually arrived for us to leave for Mecca. Some of her friends also came to the airport to send her off. They were dressed in their rugged, daring and sexy attires. But from the expression on their faces, they seemed unsure whether the woman was actually being genuine.

     Not only that, they tried to instil fear in her by telling her all kinds of strange stories that had happened to pilgrims as retribution for their past mistakes. However, although she got nervous listening to their tales, the woman refused to budge on her plans.

     While in Mecca, she more anxious. She was worried that she would tested heavily by Allah.

     "Just remember 'Bismilla hirrahman nirrahim...' Allah is Most Merciful and Most Beneficent. Just remember that. Don't worry about anything else. Our sole purpose to Mecca is to repent. When we utter 'Lillahi Taala', it means we accept any test that Allah may bring down on us," I advised her, in my attempt to calm her down.

     When we were performing the first umra, I saw the woman sobbed uncontrollably. Her tears kept streaming down as she walked. She continued praying for Allah to forgive her of her past mistakes, the sins of immoral living. After completing the Tawaf, she continued with her other ibadah - her salat taubat, du'a, zikr and reading the Quran. In front of the Kaaba, she asked for Allah to forgive her for allowing herself to be led astray so easily and willing to do anything for money and wealth.

     That night, again she did the Tawaf and prayed. Then she returned to the hotel. She was so tired that she immediately felt into a deep slumber. The next day, she came to me, her face totally different. She was so happy.

     "Tuan Haji, last night I dreamt that I met with my late husband," she said to me one day. According to the woman, this was the first time she had seen him in her dream since he passed away.

     "He came to me with the sweetest smile on his face. His eyes were looking at me gently, and with love and happiness. He was clad all in white."

     "Did he say anything?" I asked, captivated by her story.

     "No. He just smiled as he looked at me. He was happy that I had repented and come to Mecca. It was really strange because ever since his death, I had never dreamt of being visited by my late husband. I had always wanted to see him, even if were just in my dream. Who would have guessed that it is in Mecca that Allah has granted my wish."

     After telling me about that incident, the woman then performed the umra for her late husband. Since that day, her faith was further strengthened. He nervousness at being tested by Allah with all kinds of bad things had also subsided. In fact, she was so happy that she could finally unburden herself of all the guilt that she had been carrying all this while.

     Alhamdulillah, not a single bad thing happened to her even when she returned to Malaysia. In fact, the woman was able to perform her ibadah in peace and pleasure. When she arrived in the country, her friends asked her about Allah's ordeals. They were certain that she would have been tested and humiliated.

     "Nothing... everything was good," the woman repeatedly said. But they didn't believe her. As far as they were concerned, even a normal person had to go through a lot, so what more a former GRO. They were sure that her experience would be a lot worse. Since they were unconvinced by her answers, some of her friends came to ask me instead.

     "It's true. She didn't experience anything bad. In fact, she found joy in Mecca," I replied. Then, I told them about everything that had happened. They did not believe me at the beginning but having heard the full story, they could finally accept it.

     "It's true that she did all kinds of unsavoury things before, but she went to Mecca with the genuine intention to sincerely repent. Allah is Most Merciful and Most Beneficent; He loves all His servants who repent," I told them.

     Today, the woman is no longer working as a GRO; instead she is now involved in the catering business. She left her former world far, far behind, remarried and had a baby. The one thing that made me so proud was the fact that not long after, she sent her sister, sister-in-law, as well as four of her friends, who used to work as GROs with her, to Mecca. She paid for all the expenses. With her good fortune, the woman and her husband are planning to perform the Hajj.

N / F : FROM "THE  BEST COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM MEECA", BY MASTIKA.