THE DOCTOR'S FACE SUDDENLY TURNED BLACK

THE DOCTOR'S FACE SUDDENLY TURNED BLACK

SEVERAL years ago, when I was waiting for a pilgrim at the hotel lobby to go to Al-Masjid al-Haram, a nearby pilgrim suddenly started shouting for me.

     "Ustaz! Ustaz! What are we going to do?!!" said Rahman, breathlessly. His face was pale. Looking up from the newspaper I was reading, I was shocked to see his nervous face. In my heart, I guessed that it had to be something important.

     "Calm down, Man... calm down. What's wrong? Tell me slowly..." I said patting his back. Breathless, Rahman tried to speak. "I really don't know ustaz, I don't even know where to begin," he said, sounding like someone who had just run the 100 metres.

     "What's wrong?" I asked again.

     "Ustaz, do you remember Dr. Hisham who works in the Department of Health? This morning I saw his face... his face, ustaz... there was different something about it!" said Rahman again, shaking his head.

     "Different... like how?" I asked, a little anxious.

     "You know that Dr. Hisham is fair skinned? Well, this morning I wanted to invite him for Fajr prayer but when I bumped into him, I saw his face... it was so black! I was so shocked, Ustaz. I thought it was a pilgrim from Africa. But when he called out my name several times, I realised that it was Dr. Hisham. I was stunned ustaz. Then he started crying in front of me."

     "I think it would be better if we could go and see him, and ask him what really happened. He really did look very worried, like there was something..." said Rahman, earnestly.

     I immediately followed him to the lift to go to Dr. Hisham's room. When the lift door opened, we immediately hastened out strides. When we go to the front door, Rahman gave a slow knock. Tuk... tuk... tuk... but there was no response.

     Five minutes later, after taking turns to knock, we finally heard footsteps and then 'krekkk', the sound of the knob being turned. When the door was finally opened, I was stunned to see the doctor's face. It was exactly as Rahman had described earlier. His face was truly black like coal, but his hands were the same as usual.

     "Assalamualaikum..." I greeted him. Rahman pinched my wrist.

     "Waalaikumussalammm. Come in Rahman, ustaz," replied Dr. Hisham, lowering his head.

     Rahman and I stepped inside and sat down on the sofa near the bed. I looked at the face of the late 30-something doctor, unsure how to begin. Dr. Hisham merely stood by the side of the bed. When he accidentally saw his reflection in the dressing mirror, he immediately covered his face with both his hands.

     "What's wrong with me, ustaz? Why I have become like this?" he suddenly wailed, almost hysterically.

     Rahman and I looked at each other. I didn't know what to say. All I knew was that the doctor was an obedient servant of Islam. That was the reason why he was often sent to the Holy Land by the Department of Health.

     "Patience, doctor! We can't possibly guess what Allah's intentions are. But we must never stop trying," I advised Dr. Hisham, slowly stroking his back. Rahman remained still.

     "Ustaz, is this my punishment from Allah?" he asked, in daze.

     "Punishment? For what? Don't try and guess unnecessarily doctor," I replied again.

     "It's true that I am in the wrong, ustaz. My mouth has always been rather 'loose'. This is probably my punishment," said Dr. Hisham again in tears.

     Rahman and I looked at each other again. Silence. We allowed the doctor to pour everything that was inside him. We really didn't know what he meant.

     "Yes, I am a doctor, and of course, health is my priority. Since I have been here, I have often imagined how it is that anybody want to kiss the Hajaralaswad. I feel so squeamish thinking about it!"

     "In my mind, I often imagined about all those germs and dirt left there by those million of people who've kissed it," said Dr. Hisham, revealing it thoughts.

     "I imagined just how much germs, bacteria and viruses are gathered there. I was too disgusted and repelled to go near Hajaralaswad, let alone kiss it!" he said earnestly.

     "Every time I do the tawaf, I look at the Black Stone with a sense of disgusted and nausea. I allowed my negative feelings to surface. I even wondered whether all these people actually know what dirty means," he said, sounding remorseful.

     "Astaghfirullahalazim," I uttered again and again upon hearing his confessions. I shook my head, shocked at what I was hearing.

     "When I woke up yesterday morning, I was so shocked when I saw my face in the mirror. It was black!" he said, sobbing.

     "Listen to me. The best thing would be for you to take your ablution and perform your salat sunat taubat. Ask for Allah's forgiveness. It's even better in front of the Kaaba. Then you must go and kiss the Hajaralaswad with the utmost sincerity," I said, to calm him down.

     "Will Allah accept my du'a, ustaz? It's such a huge sin to question what there is in this Holy Land. Help and guide me Ustaz. I am truly regretful," he said, in a mournful tone.

     Rahman, the doctor and I immediately left for the Al-Masjid al-Haram, which located approximately 200 metres from where we were staying. After taking our ablution from the Zamzam well, we carried out salat taubat together, followed by salat hajat and asked for Allah to forgive our sins.

     I saw Dr. Hisham sobbing while lifting his hands towards the sky in supplication. I was touched to see him like that. I could sense what he was feeling at the same time. Since then, every time he went to Al-Masjid al-Haram, Dr. Hisham never forgot to carry out the salat sunat as well as the compulsory ones. Then, he will rush to get to the Hajaralaswad and there, he would kiss it with all his heart while asking Allah to forgive his past mistakes.

     His du'a was blessed and three days later, Dr. Hisham's face gradually became lighter and eventually returned to normal. In fact, it was glowing.

     "I promise I will be more mindful of my actions and never question Allah's might again. I have learnt my lesson," said Dr. Hisham earnestly. 

     "Alhamdulillah. It's good to hear that. Just accept all these things that happens are tests from Allah," I said, tapping his shoulder. Again and again he wiped the tears that continue to fall.

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