Muslims are often believed to be rather cruel people, who can avenge wrongdoing up to the Seventh Generation. But in fact, Islam doesn’t approve of such actions, and True Believers know that they are strong in spirit and very noble. This is evidenced by the case that was tried in Lexington, which shocked even the Fayette County Judge Kimberly Bunnell. She actually teared up during the court session.
UD worked as a delivery man for Pizza Hut in his city for 22 years. His father, Abdul Munim Ajidmur, always said that it was important to treat any job responsibly and treat people with respect. Sambat was in charge of several Islamic schools throughout the United States and demanded the same from his teachers: to teach children kindness and justice.
Unfortunately, one day, Salahuddin was found dead in a breezeway of the Walnut Hill Apartment Complex. The investigation lasted two and a half years. Two men were detained initially, but a county grand jury dismissed the charges against them after further investigation. Trey Alexander Relford, 24, a longtime drug addict, was taken into custody. He partially admitted his guilt, claiming that he wanted to rob the man but not kill him so as not to receive the death penalty.
After being convicted by the court, the trial began. Father was in the courtroom; the 66-year-old man had just retired a few months earlier. The defendant’s mother was also present. The prosecutors demanded 25 years in prison for the killer, another 10 for complicity in the robbery, and a year for tampering with evidence. Relford’s mother appeared before the court. She admitted to her son’s drug use and asked for forgiveness from the victim’s father. She also thanked the man for agreeing to a plea bargain, which saved her son’s life.
When the judge let Salahuddin’s father speak, the entire courtroom fell silent, and the more he said, the more everyone held their breath. The victim’s father said that he was angry with the devil who forced Relford to commit such a terrible crime. Then he proceeded to do something that no one could have ever expected. He stated that he forgave Trey on his own behalf and on behalf of Salahuddin’s late mother. After that, he stepped off the podium and hugged the killer.
He explained his speech by saying that the greatest gift of Islam was forgiveness, but God could only forgive someone if they were forgiven by the person they mistreated. Therefore, he didn’t feel he had the right to deprive any person of God’s forgiveness. Everyone in the courtroom was shocked when the defendant was allowed to speak. He started crying. The killer said that he couldn’t even imagine the pain he had caused to the victim’s parents, but unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything to fix that. No one in the courtroom could hold back their tears, not even the judge. Unable to continue, she adjourned the session.
After that, the verdict was read. The man was sentenced to 31 years in prison, which gave him hope for a decent existence in the second half of his life. If things took a different turn, he could have been sentenced to death. When the defendant was led out of the courtroom, the victim’s father approached him and advised the man to use his 31 years in prison to prepare for a new life and start doing good deeds even from the prison cell. So when he got released, he would be a completely different person.
What happened in that courtroom demonstrates the power of mercy and forgiveness shown by the older man who clearly saw a lot in his life. It completely refutes the assumption that kindness and fortitude depend on nationality or religion. This is a lesson in dignity for each of us.
