A Bad Start - A Story By Farida

Chapter 17 - The Abduction!

'But Sir..'. One of the escorts tried to explain. 

'You 4 are fired'. He told Shazia's personal escorts. 'The rest of you, just get out of my sight, you are all useless'. He walked to the officers. 'I don't care how you do it, but Laura must return to this house today'. He instructed. 

'We will try our best'. They assured him. He dismissed them. 

Fahad kept pacing up and down the living room for more than 10 minutes bursting with anger. His father was shocked but his mother was not in the least taken aback by the angry outburst from her son. 

'Enough Fahad, take a deep breath and calm down'. Alhaji El-Muneer ordered him, handing him a glass of water.

'But Abby. How could they have been so careless?' 

'God has already destined it to happen this way Fahad, no one could have stopped it. Not even the escorts if they were there. Remember, in a hadith it is reported that the Prophet SAW said "... And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you". So you see Fahad, even if the escorts were there, they would not have benefited Laura in any way since Allah had already written that she'd be kidnapped. All we can do now is pray to Allah for her safe return and also make efforts'. 

Fahad nodded in agreement. 'I am sorry I was so blinded by rage Abby'. 

'It's okay. You must always have faith at all times and not blame people for how things turn out. A muslim must believe in qadr (Divine Decree) good or bad, it is one of the principles of faith'. Alhaji El-Muneer paused. 'And Fahad, you can't always punish people for their mistakes. As human beings we all make mistakes, we must learn to forgive others'. 

'I understand Abby, I'll take back my decision'.

'Good. Let's go pray Isha'. 

Shazia was so upset she couldn't stop the thoughts of something bad happening to Laura. She was on her period and couldn't pray sallah so she felt really helpless but then when she remembered she could always supplicate and make du'a to Allah, she felt relieved. After hours of supplication, she cried herself to sleep on her rug.

The next day, there was still no sign of Laura and no demands from the kidnappers. The El-Muneer family, Laura's mother and her brothers spent the whole day in the living room, only leaving their spots to go pray. Everyone was panicking thinking the worst might have happened. But some minutes after 7pm, a call came into Nazif's phone, it was an unknown number and Fahad directed him to put the phone on speaker. The person introduced himself as 'one of Laura's kidnappers' and he demanded a ransom of 5 million naira which must be given the next day or 'Laura dies'. Fahad collected the phone from Nazif. 

'We will give you 5 million naira, please just don't hurt her'. He assured them. 

'We will try'. The gang laughed evilly. From the voices, one could tell they were more than 4.

'I swear, if you as little as lay a finger on her, I'll hunt you down and kill you all'. Fahad threatened. 

'FAHAD EL-MUNEER!' The boss yelled. 'You need to watch your words!! Threats will only cause harm to her'. 

'I am sorry, please don't hurt her. You will receive the money in the morning'. 

'Good! Now you are talking. We will text you the address at 11:50am tomorrow, the money must be delivered at 12:00 noon so you have only 10 minutes. And mind you, if you involve the police in this issue, we will kill her'. He spoke sternly.