The sun had set when 18-year-old Ahmed left his college. Today was particularly a hectic day, with all those assignment completions and exam discussions taking place. Exhausted and worn out, he walked back to his home.

Cars were not very frequent in that part of the town, giving Ahmed a comfortable walk. The roads were deserted as usual, but with the evening atmosphere and the tallness of shadows, they added an unwelcoming touch to the scene.

Immersed in his thoughts, Ahmed walked briskly, sensing that it had been abnormally late. His mother would be worried. At one point, he thought of calling her and telling her the reason for the delay, but dismissed the thought. It was just a few minutes before he would be at home.

A blue sedan moved past him. But soon it came to a halt. As Ahmed walked past it, the driver lowered the window and politely questioned, “Do you know a nearby mosque? I am a traveller and need to pray the Maghrib prayer.”

One part of Ahmed wanted to rudely respond to him and tell him to check the mosque nearby on Google Maps. But, he resisted and replied, “Well, it is a three-mile drive from here. Go straight on the road and take the first left, and then the first right.”

The driver felt hesitant and further requested, “Ah ... you know I am not used to these routes. Would you be kind enough to sit in and escort me to it?”

This was frustrating Ahmed now. He was already late. And why wasn’t the dumb driver understanding his clear instructions? However, at the same time, he felt sorry for the driver. He was a nice looking gentleman, and Ahmed could see he was in urgency. Ahmed decided to call his mother, once seated in the car, and then guide him to the mosque. In this way, the man would be helped and his mother would not be worried.

As soon as he sat down, the expression of the driver changed. He locked the car and raised a pistol towards Ahmed. Horrified by the sight, Ahmed froze.

“Don’t dare to move by an inch. Understand?” roared the driver.

By now, Ahmed was shivering. He had the phone in his pocket, but knew there was no point taking it out. He had been kidnapped and left helpless.

The next few minutes were the most tense of Ahmed’s life. The car sped fast as he visualised what lay ahead of him. Even the thought gave him goosebumps. Ahmed had heard stories of kidnappers, but he never knew they could be so decent-looking. Ahmed thought about his parents, siblings, friends and his life. He remembered his parents’ warning of never trusting a stranger. And it made him cry from within, though the tears did not come. All he could do was to pray.

And it worked. His prayers were responded to. As the car stopped at a signal, the engine turned off and did not start again. The signal turned green. Sensing danger due to the cars nearby, the driver unlocked the car and signalled to Ahmed to leave. With a new energy, Ahmed ran without looking at the car or the driver. After reaching a safe spot, he called his parents to pick him up. He had been miraculously rescued!

Dear readers, Ahmed’s story is a reality around us. Many children are not as fortunate and never come back to their homes. We thus must remain vigilant whenever we are out of home. And one of the fundamental principles is to trust no one, especially a stranger, no matter how needy he seems.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 10th, 2024