In the name of God

When they took him out of the ambulance he was tainted in so much blood that it was hard to speculate what was the original color of his shirt. The shirt, the stretcher, his visage and his body it was all blood red. There was mayhem all around him but he was motionless, so immobile that when he was carried to the ICU people in the passageway thought he was already dead. The stretcher was rushed through the corridor, lead by ward boys clearing space between the myriad pathetic and hapless incumbent of the place and followed by his panic stricken miserable family members.

Now he is struggling to cling to life or better say combating with death aided with numerous medical gizmos. His family has been told that his condition is sensitive and the next few hours are going to be critical. They are somberly crying, praying and waiting. His family consists of an old widow mother, a young unmarried sister and a soon to conceive wife. No other male but him. No other hope but him, who’s hope of surviving himself is right now abysmal.

He had a troubled childhood, one of abject scarcity and limitless struggle. His alcoholic father was almost lunatic and of little support and plenty of problem for family. In fact honestly speaking childhood never existed for him. His adverse situation turned him into a man too early than usual. In a man of constant sorrow and into a man of endless hardships. His mother’s limited love which was constrained by her own misery and his sister’s innocent affection was the only good thing which happened to him previous to he met the third of its kind, the adoring love of a wife. It’s nearly a year since they married.

Although his shop is a small one but is of great help to them. Just few days earlier he had said that he is expecting excellent sale in the coming festive season and will have adequate money to get his mother’s cataract operation done. Though there were other financial needs too, like wedding of sister, reimbursement of bank loan, repair of the dilapidated house among other, but this one was at the summit of priority order.

As a child he was always at loggerhead to the idea of God. His adversity made him an atheist by faith. At that time life had inadequate space and no reason to make him think of religion. Thought of endurance preoccupied his psyche. But as he grew financial protected and emotionally matured the atheist in him gave some space to the agnostic. And when his empty heart was poured with love the idea of divinity seemed more appealing to him. This would be the first Ramadan fasting for him.

To the transformed him religion meant a means to realize his soul, guidance in refraining from everyday evils and to purify him through self-restraint and good deeds. It brought harmony in his life. But the same thing can be so different concepts for different minds. Just when his life was through the commencement of happy days, today a group of self proclaimed religious guardian bombed the market while he was returning home after offering his daily namaz. It would have been just another serene day had not been done this act ‘In the name of God.’