Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 507
! ! 507 own family instead, as his sister had already accepted Islam. Upon hearing this, Haz rat ‘Umar ra went straight to his sister’s home. When he arrived, a c ompanion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was reciting the Holy Qur’ān to his sister and brother - in - law. As soon as he knocked on the door, they hid the companion and the pages of the Holy Qur’ān. Haz rat ‘Umar ra entered th e house and asked what they had been readi ng. They answered, “T he Holy Qur’ān. ” Hazr at ‘Umar ra asked , “W ho was teaching you?” At this they responded , “What concern is that to you?” Haz rat ‘Umar ra again asked them , “I have heard that you have become be lievers of O ne God. ” He then raised his hand to strike his brother - in - law. When he raised his arm in the act of striking him, his sister realized that her husband was about to be hit because he had accepted Islam. This gave her the courage to stand between Haz rat ‘Umar ra and her husband and she said, “Yes, yes. We are now Muslims. I f you wish to beat us for this, then do so. ” In the meantime , Hazrat ‘ Umar’s ra hand had already risen and was swinging down. His hand was no longer in his control and consequently, his arm jolted down and struck his sister's face wi th such force that the room echoed with the sound of its contact. Blo od came rushing out of her nose. Haz rat ‘Umar ra , who had been intending to strike his brother - in - law until he fell to the ground , stood shocke d at the sight before him. Alt hough he was terribly cruel and a staunch disbeliever, he was still the son of a noble Arab family. His bravery and sense of honor was shaken. Suddenly, he knew what it felt like to be a criminal , for he had raised his hand at a woman. He has spilled the blood of his sister; whose safety was his first and foremost responsibility. In his anxiety, he could think of nothing else but this. Utterly overwhelmed, he timidly asked his sister , “O my sister , b ring that teaching which you wer e reading. I will read it too. ” The spark of his sister ’s faith was now ignited. She was no longer a woman , but a lioness and Haz rat ‘Umar ra was no longer a man , but a jackal simply waiting to be preyed upon by a lioness. His si s ter questioned him, “Can you lay your hands upon this Holy Qur’ān , when you can not even differentiate between th at which is pure and impure?” Haz rat ‘Umar ra , affected by the regret of his cruel