A City on the Coast
In a quiet coastal city, where the call to prayer meets the sound of the waves, Sami lived his life between exhausting work and a family that needed him, yet his heart felt in need of provision for faith.
One night, he caught sight of an announcement for an intensive three-day Islamic course at the great mosque overlooking the sea, entitled: “A Foundation for the Beginner, and a Reminder for the Advanced.”
He whispered to himself:
“This is my chance… three days in which I empty my heart for Allah.”
Acquaintance and the Beginning of a Friendship
On the first day of the course, the mosque was full of students of knowledge from the city. There Sami came to know Ahmad, a cheerful young man, pleasant company and generous by nature. Hardly a session had passed before he became the soul of the gathering: joking, helping, and bringing fruit for everyone after a long day.
Sami also came to know ‘Ali, a composed young man of calm temperament, who later became the link between him and Ahmad; his name: ‘Ali.
From the first meeting, Sami noticed that Ahmad was intensely enthusiastic. He spoke of his dream of appearing in the media and answering the enemies of Islam, and there was in his tone a hidden touch of love of being seen.
Advice on the Road
After the last day of the course ended, Sami offered to drive Ahmad to his home near the beach. The road was long enough for Ahmad to reveal his wish:
“Sami, I haven’t yet finished a single book on creed (‘aqidah), but I want to specialise in refuting the Christians and the atheists.”
Sami smiled and said calmly:
“Ahmad, Allah the Exalted said: ‘Say, “This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him”’ (Yusuf 12:108).
“Foundation first, then refutations. Refutations are beneficial, but no one should plunge into them except one who has completed his scholarly grounding. Build your insight in creed, jurisprudence, Qur’anic exegesis and hadith, and then the time for refutations will come.”
Ahmad nodded in agreement, but the gleam of enthusiasm remained in his eyes.
Repeated Courses… and Signs of Change
The months passed, and a second course was held, then a third, in the same mosque. Sami was glad to see Ahmad each time, but he noticed small changes with every meeting:
- Ahmad’s interest in filming and posting had grown.
- Some of his comments about the scholars had become bolder.
- He took many photographs by the sea and shared them with a growing audience on social media.
Sami repeated his advice, and he brought in ‘Ali, who was close to Ahmad, to help him in counselling him.
The Fourth Course… and the Clear Slide
At the fourth course, Ahmad seemed different:
- He leaned towards argument more than towards learning.
- He spoke admiringly of certain Haddadi voices.
- He quoted sayings that sounded strange to the ears of students of knowledge.
A few weeks later, the shock came:
Sami was browsing the internet when he saw Ahmad in a live broadcast with a controversial Haddadi shaykh, laughing at his jokes and repeating his phrases.
Sami said to himself, shocked:
“Ahmad?! Is that really Ahmad himself?!”
The clips followed one after another, with ever bolder statements, until came the clip that broke Sami’s heart: Ahmad openly attacking some of the senior scholars.
Worry, Sorrow, and an Attempt to Understand
Sami called ‘Ali and asked him anxiously:
“‘Ali, what has happened to Ahmad? Are you still in touch with him?”
‘Ali answered him regretfully:
“My ties with him have grown distant… I advised him to keep away from that shaykh, but there is no life in the one you are calling.”
Sami sat in silence, as though the words weighed heavily on his heart. He felt an inner guilt:
“Did I fall short in following up with him and staying in touch? Could I have done more?”
A Crack in the Wall
Ahmad’s deviation was not a blind immersion without thought.
With the passing of time, he began to sense cracks in the glittering image that had drawn him in:
He heard the Haddadi shaykh he followed speak dismissively of sacred texts of the Shari’ah, and his heart was shaken.
He saw some of his companions in the limelight racing to be seen, competing for likes and followers, even through empty argument or by criticising the eminent scholars.
He was shocked by harsh messages from some whom he had thought companions, scolding him whenever he tried to slow down or ask a question.
Then a decisive moment came to him: one night he sat counting the clips he had filmed, the posts he had written, and the posts he had shared. He tallied everything he had published since he began his journey with the limelight.
He found that he had not offered beneficial knowledge that brings one closer to Allah; rather, what he found in those posts was attacks on the senior scholars, attacks on their uprightness and their precision.
He looked at his phone for a long time and said to himself:
“How will I meet Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with these men as my opponents?! How will I meet Allah when I have not truly learned, have not offered what they offered, have not drawn from their knowledge, and then stood in the ranks of those who attack them?!”
At that moment, he felt for the first time that the path of the limelight had not filled his heart but had weighed it down, and that he needed a way out.
A Meeting by the Sea
One day, as Sami was walking along the corniche of the coastal city, he caught sight of Ahmad sitting on a rock near the waves, his features heavy and his eyes absent.
He sat beside him, and the two were silent for a moment. Then Ahmad said in a hoarse voice:
“I took the wrong path… fame burned my heart before it served my religion.”
Sami nodded calmly and called ‘Ali, saying:
“We have to do something.”
The Journey of Return
Sami and ‘Ali were not content with grief; they decided on a quiet plan to bring Ahmad back to the right road.
They did not despair quickly: they knew that the drift had taken a long time, and the return would take time.
They sat with him in calm sessions: they listened more than they spoke, and they asked him instead of accusing him:
“Ahmad, what drew you to those platforms? What did you find in the limelight that you did not find in the circles of knowledge?”
They reminded him of the past: of the first days of seeking knowledge, of the joy he felt when he learned the creed, and of the sincerity he used to speak about.
They were a practical example: they continued quietly on the path of knowledge, and showed in their conduct what they were calling to.
They sought the help of people of knowledge whom Ahmad trusted: they sat with him and advised him without argument or harshness, and their words opened gaps in his heart.
They did not forget supplication: every night Sami raised his hands, saying: “O Allah, guide Ahmad; O Allah, bring him back to You in a beautiful way.”
A Conclusion on the Shore
After months of dialogue, patience and supplication, the three of them, Sami, Ahmad and ‘Ali, gathered on the very same shore that had witnessed the beginnings and the breakings.
Ahmad sat among them, his eyes tearful, and said:
“I took the wrong path… and I praise Allah that He gave me friends who did not leave me to be lost.”
Sami smiled and said:
“Praise be to Allah, first and last… guidance and success come from Allah.”
The waves were striking the shore gently, but this time the sea seemed a symbol of a completed journey: sweeping currents had tried to swallow Ahmad, but the care and mercy of Allah had brought him back to safe ground.