High Status Cannot Grant Happiness:

Sacrifice Rewarded

     As much as there are variety in languages in India, there are variety of beliefs also. Our heroine in this story is an Indian woman of 25 years who came to work in Saudi Arabia as a nurse. Socially, she did not lack status and prestige for she belongs to the Brahmin caste/class, the highest in Indian caste system. Professionally speaking she gained a degree in nursing from Britain. She was also married to a famous lawyer from her caste / class.

     Back in India she left her only daughter who was 6 years old, a nice house and a lot of relatives and friends.

     The way of life Muslims live in Saudi Arabia attracted her interest. Although she was from the elite in her own society back home, yet the equality she noticed among the people here especially when the common and the prince stand side to side in the Mosque worshiping One True God, all this draw her attention and caused her to reconsider her inherited religious belief. She noticed people greeting each other although they have not met before. Good manners and modesty attracted and amazed her along with the simply easy life that people lead.

     A spiritual conflict developed within her and having an inquisitive mind motivated her to search and search. She kept bombarding her colleagues with questions upon questions which they were happy to answer. Then she reached a stage where she decided that Islam is the way of life. So she testified that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah the only True God and that Muhammed (pbuh) is His Messenger.

      She enjoyed a peace of mind and tranquility thereafter. However the life is but a trial. Even Prophets and Messengers passed through ordeals and trials among of which Prophet Muhammed himself (pbuh) and his Companions and their followers and those to follow. Our heroine was no exception. Her ordeal and the test for her real faith and patience started when her husband came to know that she reverted to Islam when she sincerely invited him to save his soul and worship the Only True God. He threatened her and accused her of madness. Even prophets were accused of being lunatics, magician, or falsifiers. She stood firm and constant in her faith choosing God’s pleasure and the everlasting life in the thereafter and sacrificing the husband, the daughter and the community.

     She passed the ordeal and was rewarded with spiritual settlement and active role in this life. She increased her knowledge about Islam and became very active member in her new community. Now she heads the ladies section in her Community Center and many people were guided to Islam through her and is married to a devout Indian Muslim and changed her name to Mona which means “utmost hope” in Arabic.