The Lightening of Light

Life has many ups and downs upon which man is always exposed to evil events and tribulations which happen unexpectedly and suddenly. Everybody might be put at the crucible of Divine trials sooner of later. This is the Divine Message in which there is no alternative for the Divine Will and Determination. So every human being is predestined to certain fate which is unchangeable as God has said. We created man inflicted with pains, sufferings, and hardship. The climbing up to the peak of problems is predestined for man. Once in a while some evil events might occur to man that cause him to go as far as the edge of the abyss of destruction. The only shield to protect against these hardships is patience and forbearing. Although patience is bitter but it has a sweet fruit and outcome, and its end turns out to be good. The difficulties and discomforts that man's soul experience makes man's soul strengthened. Enduring problems and bitterness's is possible only through holding strong faith and being a pure, true servant of God as well as asking God for help.
Those who never forget to remember God will finally be saved and God will grant them a mighty reward for the patience they have borne.
The heavy cogs and wheels of the mill of life will cause man to fail and to reach the border of annihilation. Soundness, safety and health is one of the gifts which is called the hidden treasure that is incorporated in the essence of man, but unfortunately, man has neglected it so much. This reality reveals itself when man is encircled by the octopus of illness and when man's substance falls captive in the claws of this dangerous monster and in the abyss of danger and insecurity.
I wonder whether you have had any sick person in your family so far who has reached the end-line of his-her life. Have you ever been familiar with the condition of the spirit and substance that has borne many sufferings and pains? How much have you perceived him-her? Have you ever supposed that you were him-her?
To be honest what would you do if you were told that you would die soon due to an unknown incurable disease? How much would you think about your illness? How would you like others to help you?
One of the most burning and intolerable pain is the illness of children that hurts and makes dim the hearts of the elders, especially if a sweet-tongued child is inflicted with a serious monster of a disease, then how would the other members of the family feel towards the dangerous illness of the child?
Here is a memorable story about a small part of discomforts and difficulties of a family whose dearest son and whose part of their body is burning and thawing quickly like a candle in front of their eyes while they are attempting to help him to be cured and to be healed as they go to the threshold of the affectionate and compassionate figure from the Household and from the mine of generosity and magnanimity of the Household of Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) with their broken hearts and with the burned, hurt, and injured chests. And many a hand that has been stretched out towards them for help without being rejected of refused or being remained without favor. As the poet sings:
Go not away from this door
In hopelessness or in despair,
For Hope is here,
Above all locks,
The key to all locks is here!
One day, Mahdi, the third son of the Khadema, feels a sudden sore on the left side of his throat. He tells this fact to his mother, but his mother considers it as a simple cold. He reports it to his father when he is back home from work, and father also thinks of it as a simple cold. Some days pass away in this way, but Mahdi feels worse and worse day after day. But suddenly an outgrowth appears under his throat that causes them to fear and even to be terrified and to see a doctor as soon as possible.
The doctor prescribes certain tests and X-ray for him, and the results announce that there is something terribly positive in his throat.
One month later, the tumor grows so big and so rapidly that through the advice of aunt, they see a surgical specialist at Imam Reza's Hospital. Having given some tests and X-ray, the surgeon comes up with the diagnosis of cancer and decides to perform a quick operation on Mahdi's throat, so he removes the tumor and had it tested at the medical laboratory. The diagnostic result is the malignant cancer of the throat that should be under perpetual treatment and care. Before long the test on the bone marrow is performed and the result reveals that the cancer has involved about 60% of the bone marrow, and it is developing so quickly. So the chemotherapy starts on Mahdi while he is hospitalized at Omid Hospital and stays there for seven weeks under care and chemotherapy.
Yes! Everything starts with that mysterious tumor which was going to take Mahdi towards the end-line of his Life that might cause not only the destruction of Mahdi himself but also the annihilation of the family structure.
The family having heard this terrible news, the tired hearts of Father and Mother and the other members of the family got sad and sad.
O God! The weak substance of Mahdi and the monster of cancer! What a terrible thing they had heard! How could they believe that their dearest son, the part of their body was incurred and inflicted with this terrible illness and what a terrible fate Mahdi had!
The cry of Mahdi, while being taken to hospital for certain tests and X-raying was still vibrating into the ears and they could well remember how his delicate, pure, innocent soul was disappointed so much so that they could never forget the time when Mahdi refused going to school because of having lost his hair and when he had secluded in a corner separating himself from his friends, from relatives from the members of the family, and from any crowd of society.
A child who should overflow with joy, cheer, and hope and like a candle he was burning and melting while sitting at the corner of seclusion with his broken heart and despaired mind.
Crying and moaning, his father goes to the holy shrine of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (A.S.) and gives his Holiness swear on his dearest son, Imam Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.), to intercede for him before God, having a high position and dignity before God, to help him and his child to be healed.
Having been hopeless of the recovery of his son through hearing this terrible, bitter announcement from the physicians, his only hope was the patience, faith and hope of his devoted wife, who was a Sayyid ( having the lineage to the Holy Imams ). It was she who invited others to patience and hope for the heal of their diseased child.
Mahdi's parents spared nothing for themselves to help their son to cure and to regain his health. During these many hard years and times, the bright light of their life was growing dimmer and weaker and weaker day after day, and it was going to extinguish sooner of later.
There were few places concerning the mourning ceremonies of the household of Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) that Mahdi's father attended where he had cried and moaned. He knew well that his son's pains and suffering are not comparable to those of our Infallible Imams (A.S.).
Mahdi's illness caused more sadness. Pains and sufferings for the family increased day after day, so they were trying to seek shelter and refuge in God so much so that they never neglected seeking shelter and protection in God.
The physicians after consultation announced that Mahdi had to be dispatched to Germany to have a bone grafting as soon as possible as an emergency action.
Mahdi's father, with his saving and some loans, made the preparation for the journey to Germany. But before they left Iran, they sent Mahdi's medical records and evidences to hospitals in Germany and England to be studied carefully by the specialists there.
Before long, the result was announced as a result of which Mahdi's father had a heart infarction, a terrible heart attack which caused him to be hospitalized for a time.
Nobody could help them. All the doors were closed, but the door of the friend which is always open to the needy, the heart-broken. As the poet sings.
Here's a physician
Who needs no turn
Any heart that's more broken
His first in turn.
So he should take refuge to a beloved figure from the Household of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.). He is the shelter of the shelter less, who is kind compassionate and quite familiar with the pains of the desirous the painful, and the needy.
It was past the midnight. It was a strange night. It was a night of "Ayyam-Allah" the night of the twenty-first of Ramazan.
Mahdi, along with his father, had placed the Holy Qur'an on the head, and had moaned and wept a lot before the Divine Threshold.
Holding tearful and tired eyes, they fell asleep and after a moment, Mahdi opened his eyes while being terrified, and awakens his father in hurry asking him, "let's go home!"
His father gets surprised because he has never seen Mahdi being so excited... However, they went towards their home fast.
The following day, Mahdi describes his dream to the members of his family as follows:
Just at the moment when I fell asleep, I found myself at the shrine of Holy Imam Reza (A.S.). A big bird in the form of a human being with huge wings flew down towards me from the sky and hit himself to me from the back. Due to this heavy, strong stroke, there arose a thunder and lightning from the power of which I woke up immediately.
From that time on, Mahdi found a new birth and a new life!
A patient who had neither sleep nor food till that night gained good appetite and had a sound, deep sleep!
The next morning was a new day for Mahdi when he had forgotten all his pains and sufferings and bitterness's. He joined the other children of his neighborhood again and played with them. He came out of the shelter of seclusion and the smile of joy and cheer appeared on the lips of his friends, relatives, his acquaintances, and members of his family.
In Shahrivar1378, Mahdi dreams that he is sweeping in one of the precincts of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.). A clergy-man in a green shawl comes to him and takes the broom from him and sweeps for a while. Then he returns the broom to him and caresses him on the head. Then Mahdi wakes up. The new tests acknowledge the perfect condition and health and soundness of Mahdi as if he didn't have any disease at all.
Yes! By the blessed favor of Holy Imam Reza (A.S.), he was healed on that night.
And now it is Mahdi and the lovely, nice world of his that was returned to him by his kind, great Imam!
Since then, he has attended his school being among his fellow students and being in the height of soundness, safety, and perfect health. He has continued his studies while being so grateful to God and to the favor of the kind Imam for the great gift of his health and safety!