So I walked into a Darassalaam Bookshop and took no real notice of a group sitting at one end of it. After searching & searching for the book I wanted, a book we were studying with some friends, I approached this group & asked Do you have Gems & Jewels please? We do! One minute and he ran off to get it. Just then a voice from the middle of the crowd asked So, you want my Book eh? And the crowd opened up to this Man sitting in their middle He is the Author of the Book Said one of the Men standing near me with a big smile on his face. SubhanAllah! I retorted, for I quickly assessed what a coincidence? It is not every day you meet the Author of a Book you’ve read, let alone one you are reading, but to go to a bookshop looking for a specific book, ask someone for it and he, the Author, is there at that moment and he hears you? Subhan-Allah. What’s more, for weeks I have been planning to go buy this book, there were none where I lived & so the only option was this bookshop, 150km away. Now Ive been going there, to this city, every week for over 5 weeks and every time I go, Id attempt to go buy the book but for one reason or the other I’d fail (It is either I get there and cant find a place to park my car and so I abandon OR I was just too tired/just plain lazy to make the effort or I completely forget and only remember once I’ve left the city). So, this very week, I decided “I’m not going to make this journey this week. I’m going to get some rest” but, Qaddara, my passport was there in that city and I needed it urgently. I had been trying to get in touch with the guy who had it with him to arrange for it to be sent over, but hed not reply my emails & would not pick up his office phone. So I reluctantly made my way there, after work, 150km away, rushing to get there before he closes from office and arriving just after Maghrib. “O! You ’vent received it? I sent it to you yesterday” he retorted. I was angry & disappointed I have travelled all this way only for you to... Now I have to head back another 150km!!! I just turned and decided to go to the nearest Masjid, pray, calm down, then go eat before heading back. It was after Id prayed that I decided to, at least, get something out of the Journey and go buy this book. Anyway, Where you from Brother? He asked “Nigeria.” “Where in Nigeria?” “Kano.” I answered thinking “This is going to be interesting. He must know enough of Nigeria for him to ask this question” “Do you know Sheikh Ja’afar?” and the two of us, at the same time, went “Rahimahullah!” “Come! Come!!” He said waving me in with a big smile “Come sit with me. Bring him Tea please. This is Pakistany Tea. Tell me if you like it”. To cut a long story short we had nice conversation over the nice Pakistany Tea and I got the book free with an Autograph and a Picture :-).
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 15:29:26 +0000