Prayers

Yesterday was my first day at the Auto workshop at mari gas. It went pretty good, i learnt new things about the engine, especially, tractor engines. But this wasn't the most important thing i learnt.
First of all, it would be appropriate to get a picture of the people who work there. Obviously there's an ustaad and his helpers. The "head" ustaad is on a leave apparently, so i'm attached to ustaad sikander. How we talked for the first time and his reluctancy to train guys from Lahore is a separate story.
Now we talked all day, sometimes about engines, sometimes about general stuff. I learnt a lot from them. Not everything was good, but then thats a part of the package. But the most important thing was actually wat ustaad sikandar said.
An old man came inside the workshop. He talked in sindhi and he wanted to work at the company for 3 4 days as a daily wager so he could save up money to go back to his city. Ustaad told him to contact the Sahab, and he went away. It was surprising to hear that despite his age and his lean stature, the old man claimed he could lift 60kg easily! Talk about power. Anyways when he went away ustaad turned to me.
"always respect the poor people. You know, one day when you get a job, and you become a BARA ADMI, never forget the poor people. Even if you give them nothing, give the all the respect you can. Stop in the middle of the road to meet them, greet them, shake their hands and hug them. You cant imagine how blessed this would be for you and you'll get free prayers. On the other hand, snubbing them would be pathetic. And then you'll be cursed for free obviously" i thought about it. I knew all this already i thought.
We talked about the heat in daharki and i said its so hot that its difficult to live here. Ustaad had something to say about it
"why do you feel the heat. You and i stay in the airconditioner and cooler and under fans atleast all the time. Think of the people who dont even have fans, who dont even have a simple shelter to hide them from the cruel sun. And you know they pray more than we do. They really love God. And they thank Him for whatever he's given them. You and I can never know what they feel and how patient they are."
i was regretting my hurried thanklessness. But ustaad sikander had still to tell me one of the strangest truths.
"You know, these people pray for the wind to blow and rain to come so that they can get some relief from the extreme heat. They realise, Allah brings their only relief. Its the prayers of these people that Allah answers and showers rain on a desert. Its these people who pray with their utmost earnest. Because only they can feel the real need for rain, and for wind. Not you and I"
i thought about it for a second. And i was touched.

I turned off my ac because it was starting to get freezing cold. I thought i'd been inside my room the whole day, and the weather seemed so normal today. I hoped the weather would remain the same in daharki. I soon realized it was time for dinner (i've to walk down to the members' club for meals). I got out of my room and out of the BOQ building. I realised how wrong i had been. It was boiling hot. The breeze was so hot it felt like coming out of an oven. It was then i realised how short sighted we always are and how we fail to notice the reality. I immediately thought about what ustaad sikandar had said.
I imagined a kid lying in bed, his mother telling him to go to sleep, but its too hot. The mother tells him to take a bath, but even the water is boiling hot. I imagined him praying for a cooler weather. For wind. For rain. I imagined the pain of all such children and women and men. I took a deep breath. Stopped walking, and in my heart, i prayed earnestly. I prayed for these people who were being tested. I prayed for relief.
I prayed for rain.