Unexpected by Saiyed Farooq Jamal

‘INNA LILAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAJI’UN

FARAZ MALIK

If my memory is still loyal to me, this is exactly what was written on my son Faraz’s grave, and the words were somewhat shining by the glittering sunrays coming directly at my head. I still remember that day, when I was weeping, with my hands smothering my face, and my wife, Mumtaz, was sitting silently, staring at the grave with no expression on her face. Faraz’s departure seemed the end of the world for me.

I am Anwar Malik, have crossed my fifty, and now only the sole purpose of my life is perhaps to ponder where did it go wrong? Why Faraz is not with us?

Today, exactly a month after Faraz’s death, I’m thinking about him.

Faraz Malik, age 17, brown eyes, wavy hair, sharp nose, was slim and six feet tall. He was in love with someone. Yes, this is the reason why he was KILLED, because he loved someone. How could he do that? Didn’t he know it’s a crime? But he was innocent, though at that time he was still a teenager, but he had to pay for his sin. But whom did he love? Why did he commit this crime? It all happened last month.

 * * *

‘Dad? Where are you? Dad’, Faraz shouts.

‘I’m coming’, I run as fast as I can. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘You haven’t signed my report card yet’, Faraz is frustrated.

‘Calm down, calm down’, I borrow pen from Faraz and place my signature at the bottom of the report card.

‘Thank you’, Faraz almost jumps and runs away.

‘WAIT’, I shout.