(He soon got a promotion and became a superintendent but one day when he was on his way back to his home, he left his glasses in the office, he got a toxic mosquito struck against his eyes.)
We have a rather very complicated judicial system in our society, although steps have been taken to eradicate it but still we have these shameful practices on vogue in our lower courts. People feel themselves as helpless so no way out except to offer grease money ever for their legitimate works. But we are quite reckless and merciless when receiving these bribe monies and think that the money would stay with us forever, although most of that money is often spent on diseases or some other huge losses. We should be sure that ill-gotten money goes in the ugliest manner. It creates disobedience and rebellion amongst the family members. Some days ago, there came a judicial clerk to see me who would worked there as a reader. He used to ride his bike for his travel to the job place as he lived about 20 miles away. He used to wear excellent clothing and quite expensive glasses. While on work he would demand as much as three times of the bribe money and at close of day he would say, “Today, God has given me an excellent abundance”. I always used to argue with him and we had debates for hours on the illegitimacy of his money. The Halal wages are just those which are paid at the month’s end. Remainder is prohibited and haram. He would argue that he can’t makes his both ends meet if he relied on the salary only. He won’t be able to pay for his children’s school fee if he refused to take those fees. If there is an opportunity, why shouldn’t he take the full benefits?
I would always tell him that it is not an opportunity, rather it was a kind of delay granted for a man to decide about his piety and truthfulness by the Almighty then on running short of the valid arguments, and he would have been overwhelmed with anger and would start abusing.
It was about 15 years ago that he was transferred to another city. He seemed to be quite worried and distressed from the ill behavior of his children, who had become quite rude and disobedient. Even their study has been badly affected and he received daily complaints from the school. They used to do well till year 5 but now in year 10, they seem to quite headless and careless to their studies. Upon hearing all this, I asked him if he has reduced his bribery or not? He laughed and said that he takes still the same triple amount bribes but his clients are reduced now. I only ask them for my motorbike fuel and fee for my children schooling and I keep this money separate from other income. I again tried to persuade him to shun this bad practice and do repentance. Upon my dice emphasis, he promised me to be careful. In the meantime he was also having an argument with one of the clients, who could not attend the court despite being involved in a criminal case. They were just trying to do a deal to alter the records. I left him and came back.
After some time, I heard that he got a promotion to become a superintendent but he would still ride his bike to travel to his workplace. On a hot summer afternoon when he was coming back to his home, he left his protective glasses in his office, when a toxic mosquito appeared from somewhere and struck his eye and he reached back home with great difficulty. His pain grew with the time andno medicine proved as working. It seems as the Almighty’s wrath had fallen upon him. In the evening, he asked his wife to examine his eyes and she was shocked to see that the cornea of his eye was badly wounded. He saw the doctor next day who immediately prescribed comply of very expensive diagnostic tests. Then report was due in three days and these days went very painful. On the third day when he showed his reports to the doctor he was stunned over on the doctor’s reply , the doctor said that he had caught a cancer in his eyes which was proliferating quickly and it could damage his brain very soon. So he suggested a surgery at the earliest to get rid of the affected eye; the doctor’s advice was accepted and he got his eye removed next day. He had to stay in the hospital for another week but then was discharged though he still had a mild pain there which stayed for next six months. His department refused to extend his leave and asked him to join back at least for a week. Because of the cancer, his complexion turned dark and he used to keep a ball of cotton in the empty hole of his eyeless hole. Though he used to wear dark glasses but whenever he took them off, his face appeared very scary and horrible. Anyone who looked at his face would ask refuge of Almighty. I met him after that and he said that he had shunned taking bribes. I requested him to repent and ask forgiveness from the people too. He said that it was very difficult for him. Next day when he was passing by the same place, he got another mosquito struck on his other eyes and it produced same consequence. The doctor suggested that the other eye would also remove otherwise it could damage the brain, so the other eye was also removed. But the cancer was still there. He received chemotherapy and laser therapy too which even ruined all his face but the problem was still there.
Soon all his ill-gotten money finished, his children went out of control and now he is abusing all the times. May Allah forgive his sins. All this was the result of that illegitimately earned money. We forget that our ill-gotten money would affect generations ahead and it is a universal truth that ill-gotten, ill gone. We just think to accumulate money for the generation. It is a high time now to repent and seek mercy in the blessings of Almighty.
