Rush hour on Dhaka's Mirpur Road, a packed bus. A sudden brake, and a young man stumbled onto Mr Faruk's foot — mud on freshly polished shoes.
Harsh words rose to Mr Faruk's lips. But the young man said at once: 'Forgive me, uncle, I didn't mean it.' There was fear and shame in his eyes.
Mr Faruk remembered a verse he had read the night before, in which Allah describes the God-conscious — those who restrain their anger and pardon people.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلۡكَٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ وَٱلۡعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
“Who spend [in the cause of Allāh] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allāh loves the doers of good;”
Surah Ali 'Imran 3:134
Translation: Saheeh International (QuranEnc)
He took a deep breath and smiled. 'Never mind, son. It happens in a crowd.' The young man's face lit up. They talked all the way — it turned out the young man was going to the first job interview of his life. As he got off, Mr Faruk said: 'May Allah make it easy for you.'