بسم اللخ الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
Like one of my dear friends said, if Allah wants me to have my lost baggage, He will return it to me. Alhamdulillah, last night I received a message that baggage has been found and waiting for me at the airport. They would not send the baggage to my place. But, that was quite alright because the airport is about 15 minutes away from my place (if taxi drivers don't cheat!). So I got a taxi and went to the airport this afternoon with my son and my friend and we got there in good time and only cost us a few dollars Alhamdulillah. When we arrived, I thought it would be a simple show your passport and take your bag deal. No! It was an unbelievably long process--it was almost like flying all over again except there was no aircraft. SubhanAllah.
Up to a certain point my friend and my son had to stay behind. There was a young Polish lady (non Muslim) who was in transit who lost her baggage in Bahrain. She sat waiting and walking around the airport with me to get to our luggage. She was afraid to be by herself. I asked her what she was afraid of. She said Muslim men! SubhanAllah. I said "me too but only those who don't practice." While we were walking outside of the airport building she asked me if I didn't feel hot in my abaya and my hijab. I said no and told her that actually it was cooler for the body covered than exposed. She said she would buy some abayas for herself. We had a long conversation about people. She typed her name and her email address on my phone and asked me to write to her.
It was night by the time we received our baggage. She clearly was afraid to take a taxi by herself and asked if we could accompany her to the hotel where she was staying. We said yes, of course. As we were waiting for a taxi, there was a shuttle marked with the name of the hotel where she stayed. So we waived for the shuttle and it stopped for her.
We then got in a taxi. The driver asked us how much we wanted to pay him. My friend said we followed the meter and so he turned on the meter. Soon I realized that we were going in circles and so did my friend and my son! My friend was quite upset by this time and confronted him. I told her not say anything until we got down and make sure we got off farther away from my place. It took him more than an hour to take us from the airport to my place when it should only take about 15 minutes--with 3 times the regular fare shown on the meter! I asked my friend before we pay to ask him if he wanted halal money, I'd would pay him what was fair, but if he wanted haram money, I'd give him what was shown on the meter.
When we got out of the taxi, I asked my son, who was ready to explode, to keep silent and move away with my luggage. My friend proceeded to the passenger side of the taxi and asked the driver if he is a Muslim. He said yes. My friend asked him if he prayed Maghrib yet. He said no. My friend asked him if he knew what time 'Isha is. He said he didn't know. My friend asked him if he took us on a long route and drove us through the same road more than once. He said no and he swore. So my friend put the first 1/3 of the money on the passenger seat and said to him--"this belongs to you." Then she placed another 1/3 and said "this belongs to her." Then she placed another 1/3 and said, "this is haram for you." He looked at us dumbfounded and we walked away. He drove away. I told my son, who was quite upset by the whole idea that the taxi driver cheated us and I prevented him from "taking action", that it was not our money and it was a good tarbiyah for him and let him think when he heard the 'Isha adhan, which came on as we walked away. Perhaps he would stop and pray at the masjid. InshaAllah. And we forgave him.
May Allah guide him and guide us and forgive him and forgive us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
