Hamza called out to his mother, “Mother, where is my favourite shirt?”

“The one with the yellow and green stripes? I still have to iron it,” replied his mother.

“I can do it; I have to go to the laundry room anyway. The shirts I put in the washing machine need ironing too,” said Hamza.

“Okay, okay, it’s in the stack in the corner,” his mother replied, seeing his impatience.

Hamza rushed in and looked at the neat pile of clothes. He tugged the shirt from the middle and hurried towards the washing machine. He took the washed shirts from the dryer, set them on the ironing table and started ironing.

Hamza had just graduated from college, and summer vacation had begun. He and his friends were going on a trip to Hunza and beyond, spending days planning every detail. In just a week, they would be off.

“Oh boy, I am so stoked for this!” he exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. “I can’t wait to be off!”

After ironing all the clothes, he walked back to his closet, hung them on hangers, and tucked them away.

“Can I go out today to get the last of the supplies?” he asked his mother politely.

His mother smiled and nodded, “Ask your father first.”

Hamza walked into the drawing room and glanced at his father, who was reading a book. “Dad, can I go to the mall please? I have to get some stuff for the trip,” Hamza asked with a slight smile.

His father closed the book, adjusted his bookmark, looked at him and replied, “As long as you come back by eight.”

Hamza exploded with happiness and relief. He rushed to the mall to buy the supplies needed for the trip. Hamza brought out the list of things to buy that he and his friends had made and went through it as he grabbed a shopping trolley. On the list were three tents, two duffle bags, packs of water bottles, a thermos, a set of traveling knives, a pair of axes, a multi-tool with a spoon, fork and butter knife, and three hiking sticks. Additionally, Hamza planned to get some warm jackets and sweatshirts, as well as a couple of blocks of fire starters and some coal.

As he kept the list inside his pocket, he heard the sound of the message alert of his phone. He decided to check it first before shopping, it case it was something important. It was a message on his collage classmates’ chat group. It was Shahzad, an ex-classmate, who had sent a message, asking for prayers for his mother who was in a serious condition in a hospital. Shahzad was not really a very close friend of Hamza, since Shahzad was a quiet boy who usually sat in the corner, while Hamza was typically in the front row. Shahzad lived in the college hostel’s and rarely interacted with others. But Shahzad was still someone he knew, and being a kind-hearted person, Hamza decided to first go to the hospital Shahzad had mentioned in the message, since it was nearby, and then come back and do his shopping.

So Hamza left the mall and walked to the hospital, which was just a couple of blocks away, and see if he could be of some help. When he reached the reception to ask for information about where he could find Shahzad’s mother, he saw Shahzad standing near another counter.

Hamza rushed to him and called out, “Hey Shahzad! I just saw your message and came here to see if you needed any help. How is your mother?”

“Hamza? You here? Oh, thanks for coming. I don’t need anything, just prayers, they will soon be taking mother for surgery,” Shahzad replied.

“Are you going to deposit advance for the surgery now?” the guy behind the counter asked Shahzad.

“Yes, yes, but … but I don’t have the full amount right now, I need some time to arrange it. Can you ask them to just start with the surgery, and I will pay soon? Just give me a couple of days,” Shahzad desperately pleaded with the man.

“No sir, you have to make the advance payment now, since we have to arrange the things for the surgery, otherwise it will be delayed,” came the firm reply.

“Here, take this credit card and charge it for the amount you need,” Hamza said as he moved in front of his friend to face the counter and hand over the credit card his father had given him to use.

“Wait! What are you doing Hamza? No, no, I can’t take this!” Shahzad protested.

“Hey, this is what friends are for. You just take care of your mum, that’s all you should worry about right now,” Hamza assured his friend.

A couple of hours later the doctor came to see Shahzad in the waiting area, where he was sitting with Hamza by his side. The doctor disclosed that the surgery was a success and they would soon move her into the recovery room.

“Thank you, Hamza, I don’t know what I would have done if you had not arrived. I think God sent you as an answer to my prayers, I’ll try and return your money as soon as I can. Consider this as a loan,” Shahzad hugged Hamza with gratitude as he spoke.

“Hey don’t worry about the money. I don’t want it back, and you are right, God sent me, so this money was meant to be for you. I am just glad that your mother is going to be fine, if there is anything you need, I am just a call away,” Hamza replied and hurried home as it was late and his parents would be worried.

Upon arriving home, Hamza told his parents what had happened and they were very proud of what he had done to help his friend.

Hamza was glad that he didn’t shop as that money was now better spent on someone who really needed it. He decided to cancel his trip since he had used the money for the trip on his friend. His father would have given him more money to go on the trip, but the happiness Hamza saw on Shahzad’s face on finding out his mother’s surgery was a success was far greater than any joy that he would have felt on a holiday. He knew that if you do good for others, Allah the Almighty will do good for you.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 16th, 2024