27/05/2025
A young Libyan man named Amer was traveling for Hajj when he faced an unexpected issue at the airport. During the check-in, a security problem with his name popped up. The officers told him, “We’ll try to fix this for you, but you’ll need to wait with us a little.” While Amer waited patiently, the rest of the pilgrims completed their procedures, boarded the plane, and eventually, the plane door was shut. His heart must’ve sunk when, just minutes after his issue was resolved, the pilot refused to reopen the door — and the plane took off without him.
Security tried to console him, saying, “Allah is victorious. He doesn’t always make things easy at first.” But Amer didn’t lose hope. “I’ve made the intention to perform Hajj,” he replied calmly. “And In Sha Allah, I will go.”
Now here’s where it gets miraculous. A report suddenly came in — the same plane developed a malfunction and had to return. They repaired it, but even then, the pilot still refused to let Amer on board. Again, they told him, “Maybe it wasn’t meant for you.” And again, Amer’s response was unwavering: “I’ve made the intention, and In Sha Allah, I will go.”
But just when it seemed impossible — the plane started moving and developed another issue. It was forced to return again. This time, something shifted in the pilot’s heart. Witnessing all this, he finally said, “I will not fly without Amer.” Amer was welcomed onboard, and the flight went smoothly. They even took a picture of him as a keepsake of this powerful moment.
But the story doesn’t end here. It leaves us with a message we all need to hear.
Amer didn’t have a beard, he didn’t look overly religious, and he wasn’t holding prayer beads. Just by looking at him, no one could have guessed the strength of his connection with Allah. And that’s the point. We judge people too quickly — based on their looks, their past, or what they show externally. But the truth is: only Allah knows who His true servants are.
The person we think is sinful may be incredibly close to Allah. And the one we think is religious might not be as righteous in Allah’s eyes. This story reminds us of two powerful lessons:
1. Keep your faith strong and unshakable.
When you make a pure intention, close your eyes and trust in Allah’s mercy. Believe in your heart that your prayer is already accepted. Amer didn’t beg or panic — he believed. That belief moved the skies, and literally turned planes around.
2. Never hurt or look down on someone.
Don’t try to ruin someone’s peace, break their heart, or interfere with their happiness — even if they’ve hurt you. You might think they deserve pain, but what if that person is actually beloved to Allah? What if by harming them, you’re angering Allah? Think about it — a whole airplane was stopped, twice, just because one of Allah’s chosen servants wasn’t on board.
We never know who is close to Allah. That’s why humility and kindness matter so much. Treat people with care, whether they’re above you or below you in status. Because if you end up hurting one of Allah’s special people, you might end up far worse in His eyes.
Let’s be better. Let’s believe better.
And may Allah forgive our mistakes and guide our hearts. Ameen
