A man lived with his father along with his family and the father used to bear their expenses. He developed some differences with his father. His father ordered him to leave the house out of anger. In response, he politely submitted that we will not leave.
There are many such turning points in the human story, which can be observed in our society everyday. However, this story of father and son sometimes becomes the story of God and his servant. It happens when a servant asks for something from his Lord, but there is no answer to his prayers and cries from Allah. Rather, many times a person has to face loss and crisis. In such a situation, some people lose hope from Allah and fall into despair. They become resentful of the Lord. Some people go to the doors of Other-than-Allah and ask them for relief.
However, there is another type of people. They call upon the Lord and when they do not get an answer, instead of resenting, they say to Allah: Do what you have to do, we are not going anywhere. These words are uttered by a person who is a defeated pawn. He is a picture of his defeat.
Nothing happens after that. . . Angels do not descend from heaven. The Earth does not tremble. The defeated pawn stays on the Lord’s doorstep. He who hears all, sees all, remains silent. No response comes from Him. Dwellers of the heavens are astonished. Gabriel and Micheal (the angels) pause. Angels seem to hold their breath. The Earth and the Sky stare anxiously. Trees and rocks are on pins and needles. The Sun and the Stars steal peeks. Day and night skip their duties and become spectators. The wind, the sky, the desert, the sea, the river, the forest, the birds, the mountains and the meadows, all are open-mouthed at the indifference that the one who asked, stayed unanswered!
Time passes by. No one waits for anyone for long! So the world also gets into its duties. Angels in obedience; day, night, sun, moon, stars, planets in rotation; Trees and rocks, air and atmosphere, desert and sea, rivers and forests, fowl and birds, mountains and meadows, in short, all the inhabitants of the earth are engaged in their routines. The defeated pawn stays at the doorstep of the Lord.
Then one day the dwellers of the heavens are asked: Who is this and what does he say?
The high-rankers respond humbly, it is a defeated pawn. Now he doesn’t say anything. But as long as he could speak, he used to take Your Name and say: I am not leaving you and going anywhere else. It is not long before a decision comes to the dwellers of the heavens: On the board of destiny, make this defeated pawn, the king of this world and the hereafter.
Dwellers of the heavens are astonished. Gabriel and Micheal pause. Angels seem to hold their breath. The earth and the sky stare anxiously. Trees and rocks are on pins and needles. The sun and the stars steal peeks. Day and night skip their duties and become spectators. The wind, the sky, the desert, the sea, the river, the forest, the birds, the mountains and the meadows, all are in awe of how the defeated pawn became the king.
A father cannot leave his son. How then, can God leave a servant! The defeated pawn, therefore became the king.
Translated by Ali Zafar