Parents Learn Their Only Son Sacrificed Himself to Save His Pregnant Girlfriend – Story of the Day
Ahmed introduces his atheist partner to his parents, but he is shocked when they present him with a choice – either end the relationship with his fiance or face being disowned.
Ahmed discreetly grasped Rosalie’s hand under the table, and he held it firmly. The youthful pair had just concluded a delightful meal of kushari, and for dessert, they enjoyed mahalabiya. Ahmed’s parents exchanged meaningful glances, and Ahmed was aware that they would begin to ask challenging inquiries soon.
“So,” Baba glanced from Ahmed to Rosalie, “how long have you two been dating now?”
“A little over a year, Baba,” Ahmed replied. “Rosalie and I are in some of the same classes at university, and we met in a study group.”
“That’s marvellous,” Mama smiled, “but you should have informed us earlier. A year is a long time for young people to be in a relationship without the parents meeting the girl.”
“Your mother is right.” Baba leaned back in his seat. “There are so many important things we don’t know about you, Rosalie.”
“I understand, sir.” Rosalie smiled. “And I’m happy to answer all the questions you have.”
“The most important question must come first.” Baba fixed Rosalie with an intense stare. “What religion do you practise?”
Rosalie squeezed Ahmed’s hand, and he nodded to encourage her. This was the moment they both feared, but it was probably best to confront it head-on.
“Well, while I respect all religions and their practices, I am actually an atheist,” Rosalie stated.
Baba’s eyes widened, and Mama placed her hand on her chest. They exchanged glances as though they had discovered a rodent in the kitchen. Ahmed’s heart raced, and his palms turned clammy. His parents did not react well to this news as he had hoped.
“But you will convert to Islam if you two decide to marry?” Mama inquired.
Ahmed cleared his throat, but his voice sounded hoarse and unsteady as he replied:
“Rosalie and I have already discussed this, and we both agree that it would be disrespectful for her to convert if she doesn’t genuinely believe in Allah.”
“But I am willing to take part in all family customs and traditions,” Rosalie added. “During Ramadan, I even fasted to show my support–”
“No, no, no, that won’t work.” Baba shook his head. “How can you perform acts to honour Allah if He is not in your heart?”
“That’s not what she meant,” Ahmed interjected. “She fasted to experience it with me, to assist me.”
“And you agreed to this?” Baba glared at Ahmed, disregarding his explanation.
Ahmed held back a sigh. He knew that his parents had grown up differently in Egypt, but they still seemed to struggle with the idea that life was distinct in the United States.
“Baba, please listen,” Ahmed pleaded. “Rosalie may not share our faith, but she still respects our traditions and supports my beliefs. We respect and love each other deeply despite our differences.”
“Perhaps you feel that way now, but it won’t last,” Baba argued, shaking his head. “How can you be sure you won’t give in to the temptations of this woman’s godless ways?”
“Pardon me!” Rosalie’s cheeks reddened with anger. “I may not believe–”
Baba raised his hand. “I was addressing my son, not you. However, that impolite demeanor is another reason why we cannot accept you as our son’s wife. Ahmed, you should end things with her now and find a more suitable partner.”
Ahmed got up and said “No.” He continued, “I didn’t want to tell you this yet, but Rosalie and I are already engaged. We have also been living together for the past few months.”
After Ahmed made the announcement, chaos erupted. Ahmed felt helpless as Baba shouted, Mama and Rosalie cried, and the argument followed them when he escorted Rosalie out of the dining room.
Baba followed them down the hall and said, “I will cut you off if you do not leave this woman. I will not give you any more financial support, and I will no longer acknowledge you as my son.”
Ahmed opened the front door for Rosalie and said, “Then I will pray for Allah to forgive us both because I’m not going to obey your wishes.”
As they hurried to Ahmed’s car, Baba shouted, “You’ll regret this.”
Ahmed turned to look at his father and said, “When you love someone, you don’t regret anything.”
A few months later, Ahmed found himself struggling without his parents’ financial support. He couldn’t keep up with tuition payments and despite his efforts to find a solution to his financial problems, nothing seemed to work. He was at his wit’s end.
On Rosalie’s birthday, Ahmed picked a few flowers from a public park and brought them home as a gift for her. Despite his attempt to appear cheerful, Rosalie saw through his facade.
“Will you please tell me what’s bothering you?” Rosalie asked as she joined Ahmed on the sofa.
Ahmed sighed. “I can’t afford to continue med school anymore, and I don’t know what to do.”
The couple sat in silence until Rosalie suddenly stood up and pointed to the front door.
“Leave, Ahmed,” Rosalie snapped. “If you’re dropping out of college, then I don’t want to marry you anymore. I’m not interested in a man without any prospects for his future.”
“You can’t mean that, Rosalie!” Ahmed protested, jumping to his feet.
“I do,” Rosalie replied firmly, crossing her arms and turning away. “You’d better go back to your parents for help because if you aren’t out of here by tonight, I’m going to throw all your things out and change the locks on the doors.”
Ahmed was stunned by Rosalie’s demand that he leave and call off their engagement after he had sacrificed so much for her. He couldn’t believe that she loved him and was taken aback by her sudden change in behavior.
Despite Rosalie’s urging for him to leave, Ahmed hesitated, unsure of what to do. He was torn between listening to her and the nagging feeling that something was not right.
Ahmed realized that the woman standing in front of him was not the Rosalie he knew and that something must be causing her distress. He took Rosalie’s chin in his fingers and looked into her eyes, telling her that he didn’t care about his future if she was not part of it. He assured her that he would never leave her for his parents’ money.
Rosalie began to cry, blaming herself for the situation. Ahmed kissed her hand and explained that his parents had made the choice to stop supporting him and that it might be for the best in the long run. He said he would rather struggle with Rosalie than be beholden to his parents’ money for the rest of his life, even if it meant postponing his dream of becoming a pediatrician.
Ahmed left college a few days later and was able to find a job within a month. Though it wasn’t a well-paying job, Rosalie also worked part-time while finishing her degree. Despite their modest lifestyle, the couple was happy.
On weekends, they volunteered at a soup kitchen organized by their local mosque. During one of their visits, Ahmed heard from a family friend that his parents were surprised to learn of his decision to leave college. Ahmed wasn’t bothered by their reaction and believed that everyone should follow their own path.
As Spring began, Ahmed waited outside the courthouse for his parents on his wedding day with Rosalie. Despite his invitation, they hadn’t responded to his request to attend the ceremony. When Ahmed saw his mother in the crowd, he was overjoyed and rushed to meet her. However, his mother’s presence was not to show her support. She urged him to break up with Rosalie and return home to his parents, offering him one last chance to end the relationship and be forgiven by his family.
A few months later, Ahmed found himself struggling without his parents’ financial support. He couldn’t keep up with tuition payments and despite his efforts to find a solution to his financial problems, nothing seemed to work. He was at his wit’s end.
On Rosalie’s birthday, Ahmed picked a few flowers from a public park and brought them home as a gift for her. Despite his attempt to appear cheerful, Rosalie saw through his facade.
“Will you please tell me what’s bothering you?” Rosalie asked as she joined Ahmed on the sofa.
Ahmed sighed. “I can’t afford to continue med school anymore, and I don’t know what to do.”
The couple sat in silence until Rosalie suddenly stood up and pointed to the front door.
“Leave, Ahmed,” Rosalie snapped. “If you’re dropping out of college, then I don’t want to marry you anymore. I’m not interested in a man without any prospects for his future.”
“You can’t mean that, Rosalie!” Ahmed protested, jumping to his feet.
“I do,” Rosalie replied firmly, crossing her arms and turning away. “You’d better go back to your parents for help because if you aren’t out of here by tonight, I’m going to throw all your things out and change the locks on the doors.”
Ahmed was stunned by Rosalie’s demand that he leave and call off their engagement after he had sacrificed so much for her. He couldn’t believe that she loved him and was taken aback by her sudden change in behavior.
Despite Rosalie’s urging for him to leave, Ahmed hesitated, unsure of what to do. He was torn between listening to her and the nagging feeling that something was not right.
Ahmed realized that the woman standing in front of him was not the Rosalie he knew and that something must be causing her distress. He took Rosalie’s chin in his fingers and looked into her eyes, telling her that he didn’t care about his future if she was not part of it. He assured her that he would never leave her for his parents’ money.
Rosalie began to cry, blaming herself for the situation. Ahmed kissed her hand and explained that his parents had made the choice to stop supporting him and that it might be for the best in the long run. He said he would rather struggle with Rosalie than be beholden to his parents’ money for the rest of his life, even if it meant postponing his dream of becoming a pediatrician.
Ahmed left college a few days later and was able to find a job within a month. Though it wasn’t a well-paying job, Rosalie also worked part-time while finishing her degree. Despite their modest lifestyle, the couple was happy.
On weekends, they volunteered at a soup kitchen organized by their local mosque. During one of their visits, Ahmed heard from a family friend that his parents were surprised to learn of his decision to leave college. Ahmed wasn’t bothered by their reaction and believed that everyone should follow their own path.
As Spring began, Ahmed waited outside the courthouse for his parents on his wedding day with Rosalie. Despite his invitation, they hadn’t responded to his request to attend the ceremony. When Ahmed saw his mother in the crowd, he was overjoyed and rushed to meet her. However, his mother’s presence was not to show her support. She urged him to break up with Rosalie and return home to his parents, offering him one last chance to end the relationship and be forgiven by his family.
Ahmed and Rosalie’s married life was going smoothly. In the morning, when Ahmed woke up to perform fajr, Rosalie would make breakfast and coffee for them. They would leave the house together and in the evenings, Ahmed would wait for Rosalie outside her workplace so they could walk home together.
One day, Ahmed was surprised to see Rosalie slowly coming out of work, looking terrible. He quickly went to her and put his arm around her waist.
“That hurts,” Rosalie winced and pushed his hand away from her side.
“Does it hurt anywhere else?” Ahmed asked as he touched her neck to feel for swollen glands.
“Not really. But I’m feeling nauseous,” Rosalie replied.
As soon as Ahmed looked into her eyes, he realized what was wrong with her. Although he had not completed medical school, he immediately recognized the signs of jaundice. This, combined with her nausea and pain in the side, made him anxious.
“We need to take you to the hospital right away,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed anxiously tapped his foot on the floor and wrung his hands while he waited for the doctor to finish examining Rosalie. He was growing increasingly worried as time passed, and when the doctor finally appeared, Ahmed rushed over to him.
“I regret to inform you that your wife’s condition is very serious,” the doctor informed him. “She’s suffering from liver failure, and unfortunately, her pregnancy is making things more complicated.”
“Pregnancy?” Ahmed was stunned. “We’re having a baby?”
The doctor looked concerned. “Sir, while we’ll do our best to save your wife and unborn child, you must understand the gravity of the situation.”
“We need to quickly identify the cause of her liver failure, and pregnancy can make that process more difficult. Additionally, I’m sorry to tell you that the chances of the baby surviving are not favorable.”
Ahmed felt numb. He slumped back into his chair, struggling to comprehend the doctor’s words. Intellectually, he understood the medical information, but emotionally…this couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t bear to lose Rosalie or their child.
“What can you do to help them? To treat this in the meantime?” Ahmed asked.
Ahmed paid close attention as the doctor laid out various treatment options, but none provided the hope he was desperately seeking.
“The best course of action may be a liver transplant,” the doctor concluded, “but the likelihood of the baby surviving the procedure is low. I’m sorry, sir, but it’s improbable that both your wife and child will make it through this.”
Ahmed spoke with the doctor about the possibility of getting a liver transplant for his wife Rosalie. However, after discovering the costs involved, he left the hospital in a hurry. He went to the bank to apply for a loan, but they turned him down. Overwhelmed with emotion, Ahmed left the bank in tears and stood on the steps, blocking people’s way and ignoring their angry comments. He was desperate to save Rosalie’s life and had to find a way to get the money.
He came up with an idea, which he knew was unlikely to work, but he was willing to try anything. He hailed a taxi and raced to his parents’ house, hoping they would help him. As he walked up the stone path to the front door, Ahmed thought of different ways to persuade his parents to help Rosalie but dismissed them all. He muttered to himself, asking if it wasn’t enough to help someone in need or their only son.
Upon opening the door, Baba asked Ahmed if he had finally come to his senses. Ahmed then asked for his father’s help and pleaded to come in. In the sitting room, Ahmed explained to Baba about Rosalie’s illness and begged his father to lend him money for her liver transplant. Ahmed promised to repay his father, but Baba refused to help him, citing Ahmed’s disobedience to his parents’ wishes and his bad choices. Ahmed pleaded with his father, even bringing up their unborn child, but Baba remained steadfast, believing that the child would not be raised well in their household.
Ahmed had never felt as helpless and lost as he did at that moment. Despite having married an atheist, he had continued practicing his faith as he always had before marrying Rosalie. He refused to accept his father’s belief that Rosalie’s illness was divine punishment and stormed out of the sitting room, slamming the door behind him.
As he was leaving, Ahmed’s mother called out to him from the foot of the stairs and urged him to come closer. She then gave him a bank card containing money from her personal savings account to put towards Rosalie’s surgery. Although the amount was not substantial, Ahmed was grateful for the help.
He hugged his mother and thanked her before leaving. She reminded him not to tell his father about the money.
As the nurse pushed him toward the operating room a few days later, Ahmed felt calm and content. Mama’s contribution from her savings account had just been enough to pay for the doctor’s surgical fees. To save on expenses and speed up the process, Ahmed was set to donate a portion of his liver to Rosalie.
Once he reached the theater, the doctor inquired, “Are you certain about this?”
“Absolutely.” Ahmed grinned. “I can’t wait to get back to Rosalie and see her start to feel better. We’ve been through so much to be together, and I’ll do anything to ensure that we can spend the rest of our lives side by side.”
The doctor nodded. “I expected as much, but I still have to ask. The anesthetist will start soon.”
Ahmed closed his eyes. “I’m ready.”
As he drifted off to sleep, Ahmed pictured Rosalie’s radiant smile and the way she wrinkled her nose when lost in thought. He also contemplated their future offspring, wondering if they would take after him or their mother.
Sayed expressed his condolences to the family after the Imam called. Fatma was standing near the door and sensed that something was wrong. Sayed broke into tears and eventually managed to tell her that Ahmed had died during surgery to donate part of his liver to Rosalie.
Sayed was informed that the community had raised the money to help them and that his son had stayed true to Allah. Fatma comforted him, suggesting that maybe it was Allah’s will that their son married Rosalie.
Sayed told Fatma that he would leave in a few minutes to help with the arrangements, and Fatma said she would go to see Rosalie.
Sayed and Fatma had been waiting outside the hospital entrance under the hot sun for over an hour, but soon their patience would pay off. When Rosalie saw the couple, she frowned and tilted her head. She hugged her baby tightly and waited in the shade while Sayed and Fatma approached.
“Why are you here?” Rosalie asked.
“We would like to invite you to live with us, Rosalie,” Sayed said.
“Taking care of a premature baby is difficult, especially alone,” Fatma added.
“You are still recovering and regaining your strength. As a family, we want to help you, as it should be,” Sayed continued.
“F-family?” Rosalie’s eyes filled with tears.
Fatma nodded. “We cannot change what has happened in the past, but Sayed and I hope that by welcoming you into our family, we can honor Ahmed and build a better future for our grandson. Please consider our offer, Rosalie.”
Rosalie looked down at the baby in her arms and nodded. “Mashallah. I think my baby Ahmed would like that.”
If you liked this story, you may be interested in the story of how each of the seven brothers and sisters receives a letter from their grandfather the day after the funeral
