FAITH

           The eight gunners changed their aims and started firing on the stray dog. All the guns had 250 rounds each and they were firing in the automatic mode on the stray dog. Bullets were falling like rain drops on all sides of the stray dog, which was least bothered and kept moving with the same speed and kept sniffing the ground.

            OK, let me start from the beginning.

          I was commander of the troops and my job was to train them to the optimum and prepare them for war. On many occasions I noticed that though they were very brave and fearless troops but still sometimes they had this doubt that in the present day war with so much fire power of modern weapons, where every inch of the battlefield is cluttered with bullets and splinters from the bombs and mines, how one could survive. Though I had their many motivational classes but still I was not satisfied as their occasional questions kept coming. One day a miraculous help came. 

        It was a fine bright morning and we were on the firing range, preparing for the forth coming firing competition. That was the practice day of Machine Gun firing. We had eight teams practicing on eight 4x4 targets from 300 yards. Each team consisted of two competitive seasoned firers who were trained and were good marks man.

         We were on the range since early morning and had five practice fires earlier and this was the sixth firing which was to be conducted.

When the firing was about to start and the firing control officer has given orders for the deliberate fire on own targets in own time then suddenly a stray dog entered the firing zone from the right and started moving slowly towards the left by crossing the firing field. The Field area was almost 50 yards horizontally from gun position number one, which was the Right most gun, towards gun position number eight, which was the Left most gun.

          The stray dog was sniffing the ground as if in search of some food. It was moving very slowly and was least bothered as to what was going around. The Dog was almost 100 yards vertically away from the guns, in the middle distance in front of the targets. 

        Suddenly, firing control officer changed the orders and announced “Gentlemen, you have the new target now and that is the stray dog visible and moving in the middle distance. Engage target.” 

       The eight gunners changed their aims and started firing on the stray dog. All the guns had 250 rounds each and they were firing in the automatic mode on the stray dog. A astonishing scene was witnessed by all present on the firing range, this included the rest of the troops and the support staff, that the bullets were falling like rain drops on all sides of the stray dog but none touched it. The Dog was least bothered and never took any notice of the falling bullets around it and kept moving calmly with the same speed, and kept sniffing the ground and searching for something. 

      The entire eight guns emptied their ammunition on to the stray dog but not a single bullet, out of the 2000 bullets fired, touched the stray dog. It kept moving left and crossed the field and disappeared peacefully into the bushes. 

     Please remember, all the gun firers were trained and were having the experience of taking part in the national level firing competitions for so many years and many of them were awards/medals holders. 

      After the fire was over and all the guns went dry, the firing control officer assembled all and enquired as to what happened and why nobody was able to hit the stray dog with such a close range. Nobody could give any reason/answer and they were visibly astonished and looked perplexed. 

     It was then that the firing control officer laughed and said,” O Come on! This has very a simple answer. Destinies are controlled by ALLAH. Today it was not destined by ALLAH that the stray dog be killed. And as you all saw it from your own eyes that the stray dog crossed the firing zone safely in the rain of the bullets and none touched it despite all your concerted efforts”. He then said, “It is the same in actual war. Likewise nothing will kill you unless it is your destiny.”

3.145.  وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَن تَمُوتَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ كِتَابًا مُّؤَجَّلًا ۗ وَمَن يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَن يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الْآخِرَةِ نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا ۚ وَسَنَجْزِي الشَّاكِرِينَ     ٘

3.145.  بغیر اللہ کے حکم کے کوئی جاندار نہیں مر سکتا مقرر شدہ وقت لکھا ہوا ہے دنیا کی چاہت والوں کو ہم دنیا دے دیتے ہیں اور آخرت کا ثواب چاہنے والوں کو ہم وہ بھی دے دیں گے (١) اور احسان ماننے والوں کو ہم بہت جلد نیک بدلہ دیں گے۔

003.145 No soul can ever die except by Allah's leave and at a term appointed. Whoso desireth the reward of the world, We bestow on him thereof; and whoso desireth the reward of the Hereafter, We bestow on him thereof. We shall reward the thankful.

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani