Alya used to be a strong woman and that was why she had managed to remain normal after Fida’s tragic death. She had remained healthy throughout. But now, with Amin’s death, she was shattered.
Alya was going through a terrible depression. She pretended to be normal, even happy, in front of others, but when she was alone, she sobbed for hours.
Her sadness and her moaning were making her physically sick and weak. She would mostly lie in bed, thinking about the good old days.
Alya grieved over Amin for months. But she did not shed a single tear in front of others, not even Luke.
‘Mama!’ called Luke in misery. ‘Let the tears come, Mama.’ He stroked her back, hoping to bring her to the present. ‘If you try to hold all this gloom inside you, you’ll suffer.’
Alya smiled. ‘I can’t cry, Luke, and I won’t,’ she said gently. ‘I promised your father. Stop worrying about me, Luke, I’m fine.’
Luke hesitated for a few minutes. He knew nothing he could say would change her mind when she was in such a mood. He finally went to the kitchen to prepare supper. Preparing food for his lovely mother gave him great pleasure. Now it was him who did most of the cooking of the evening meals, which they ate together. Luke loved his mother very much, and he was happy to be useful to her.
Alya always prayed for Luke’s success. She knew God always answered parents’ prayers for their children, especially for those children who really took care of their parents.
***
One evening Luke returned home from work very tired. After having sped through his supper he was about to go to sleep when he heard someone calling from outside. He opened the door and saw a stranger. The man’s leg was bleeding heavily.
‘I’m a traveller. I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. I am hurt. Please help me,’ the stranger pleaded.
Without a second thought, Luke invited the gentleman inside and asked him to rest in the living room. He brought some water and with his bare hands washed the stranger’s injured leg and applied medicinal cream.
Later, Luke gave him food.
The stranger was overwhelmed by the hospitality and thanked Luke profusely before he left.
Luke had a dream that night. He saw the same stranger in his dream.
‘Who are you?’ asked Luke.
‘I’m an angel. I’m here to inform you that you have passed a test and have been blessed by the Almighty.’
‘What!’ exclaimed Luke, stunned.
‘Dear Luke, think … think: In the name of God, who had answered your mother’s prayer, and in the name of God, who was satisfied with your hospitality, say Al-shifa three times and pour water with your bare hands over anyone who is badly hurt and give them a little to drink. Then, within seconds, the person will be cured and will become healthier than before.’
‘My mother is sick. Will she become as healthy as before if I do that?’ asked Luke.
The angel laughed. ‘Oh dear, your mother is emotionally hurt. It’s the true love for your father that is making her sick, which cannot be cured by your water. But … if anyone is physically hurt, even if a part of the body has been severed, and if you put the parts back together and pour water with your hand over the body, then the injured person will get up as if from sleep without any trace of the wound.’
Before Luke could ask any more questions, the angel disappeared.
When Luke woke up early the next morning, he thought to himself that it had been a wonderful dream, but it had been just a dream. He related it to his mother, to Uncle Noor and to Adeeb. They all laughed it off.
‘It’s good to hear of such a wonderful dream,’ said Alya.
‘Exactly!’ everyone admitted, smiling.
***
There were two days left before New Year’s Day. The shop was full of customers.
Luke and Adeeb were very busy with customer service when suddenly they heard a loud sound and a sudden cry.
A boy had pushed open the entrance door, severely hurting a little girl. The bone of her middle finger of her right hand appeared to be broken, and her thumb was bleeding. Blood sprayed out as if a vein had been punctured. Everyone in the shop was panicking.
The girl screamed in pain, staring at her swollen hand. She kept wailing, which grew ever louder and then, unable to bear the pain any longer, she started hitting her head on the door.
Her parents were stunned, confused, and panicked. Not knowing what to do, they cried for help. One of the customers called for an ambulance.
Adeeb and Luke tried to distract the girl with chocolate and other sweet snacks but nothing tempted her. They stood helpless.
The girl’s mother was crying. Her father marched back and forth, as he waited in stress for the ambulance. ‘Don’t worry, dear, the ambulance is on its way.’ He kissed his little daughter again and again, so as to calm her.
Just then, Luke thought about the dream. What if what the angel had suggested could really work? He wasn’t sure, but he decided to try it anyway, hoping it would give her some relief. He took some water, closed his eyes and said, ‘In the name of God, who had answered my mother’s prayer, and in the name of God, who was satisfied with my hospitality, Al-shifa, Al-shifa, Al-shifa.’ He then gave the little girl some water to drink and poured the rest of it on the wound with his hand.
Like magic, the girl stopped crying. The customers in the shop looked at their direction in surprise.
The girl looked at her hand, which now looked perfect. She clenched and unclenched a fist a few times, staring at her hand, wide eyed.
Her parents stared at Luke in disbelief.
‘How did you do that?’ the girl’s father asked, looking at Luke with disbelieving eyes. The mother kept touching her daughter’s hand over and over, trying to spot some trace of the injury. There was no longer any wound marks, swelling or bleeding.
Luke didn’t know what to say. He himself couldn’t believe what had just happened.
‘The angel did bless you, Luke!’ Adeeb yelled with excitement.
‘The angel blessed Luke!’ shouted one customer. ‘How?’ shouted another.
Adeeb narrated Luke’s dream to the customers.
The news spread like wild fire around the community.
Alya felt proud of her son. She thanked God for answering her prayers.
Whoever heard the news rushed to the shop to see Luke and to make friends with him. Many of them came to Luke for help. He helped all those who came to him.
Luke did not like publicity. So he did not allow anyone to take his photo. But his name and fame spread far and wide.
Even strangers, who heard about Luke, respected and adored him.