Adeel Malik
A parent’s dream is to watch their children grow up, become good people and live a comfortable successful life. A parent does not care about himself, but instead focus their whole lives around their children.
People often do not realize the extent of the pain parents go through when they watch their children die before them. For one Saudi parent in 2012, he had to go through this ordeal.
Rabi’a al–Dousary, was the distraught father who lost his young son due to a minor quarrel. The young man by the name of Abdullah, who was al–Dousary’s son, was killed by Faisal al–Ameri, after a scuffle broke out due to an argument that the two young men were having.
It is reported that both men lived in the same neighborhood, and it is in their own neighborhood that the argument happened, which in turn turned into a scuffle, which ultimately led to the murder of the young man named
Abdullah.Faisal al- Ameri was found guilty for the murder of Abdullah, and had been sentenced to death by the Saudi Arabian courts for his heinous crime. However the father al-Dousary showed great forgiveness and courage by pardoning the murderer of his son.
He pardoned his son’s killer on one single stipulation. The young man Faisal al–Ameri, must memorize by heart, the entire Holy Quran, before he can be released from prison.
Such level of mercy is hugely found in the teachings of Islam for Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
“Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”
[Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1924]
Rabi’a al- Dousary was persuaded by the Higher Committee of Correction in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province. The Committee pleaded with the father to set a brilliant example by pardoning his son’s killer, but with a noble stipulation. The decision ultimately was of the father’s.
Usually when murderers are pardoned in Muslim countries, the pardon usually involves of a huge financial settlement, which is known as blood money.
Even though blood money is completely legal and lawful according to Islamic Law, Rabi’a al- Dousary who set yet another great example, refused to take any form of blood money from the family of the felon.
We all handle death of our loved ones differently, but I strongly believe that if more people could be like this Father, the world would be a better place.
Source: Saudi Arabia Blogspot
