September 13, 2005

Another eventful elevator ride

On returning from Isha prayer in the basement, the elevator opened up on the main floor. In walked a Chinese woman, two other Muslims, one of whom is a friend of mine, and Mr. White-Anglo Fascist. He had the usual scoul on his face, and appeared poised to make himself look like an idiot all over again.

My friend who was in the elevator with me was a big guy, not the type of guy you would want to mess around with. The White Anglo looked at his position in the elevator, and muttered to himself, "Looks like I'm a f**king minority in here."

"Where are you boys from?" he asked me. I casually replied that I was from Ottawa, which he could not quite swallow. "No f**king way you're from Ottawa. I'm from Ottawa." I was born in Montreal, I told him. That seemed to annoy him even more, so I told him that I'm historically from India. To this, he muttered a lot of expletives, but I don't think he felt safe attacking me directly with the other Muslims in the elevator. In particular, he probably felt threatened by the bigger guy, who I had engaged in small talk with as he started swearing at us. The two other Muslims got off before me, so it was just the white anglo, the Chinese woman, and myself left.

Then he launched his verbal assault, blabbering on about Jesus and Muhammad not existing, and how we've all been deceived, and that's what is causing war, us "f**king towelheads and Christians." The Chinese woman looked visibly upset, though said nothing. We reached her floor, and she got off. The white anglo then unleashed a barrage of ignorance regarding China and Chinese people. I told him to keep his opinions to himself.

He was to get off at the fifteenth floor. On reaching his floor, however, he had started saying terrible things regarding the Prophets of Allah, and how we were to blame for all that was wrong in the world. He told me that everything I believed in was bullplop, though his choice of vocabulary was less polite. He held the elevator door open and did not leave, only so he could belittle everything I hold to heart with his mindless nonsense.

"Religion is to blame for all the f**king nonsense going on right now." I replied that it was not religion in particular, it was intolerance. He asked me what I believed; I told him that I'll keep my beliefs to myself if he keeps his beliefs to himself.

"Have you heard of Nostradamus?"

"I believe you've already asked me that," I replied.

"Yeah? And what did you say?" I didn't say much last time, but by this point I was quite annoyed, and wanted him to get out and let me get back to my apartment. I quietly supplicated that Allah SWT take care of this situation for me before things got out of hand.

Then the elevator door started closing on him, and he got stuck in the middle. He tried pushing it back open, but could not; the elevator kept closing in on him. I replied to his Nostradamus question, telling him that I never heard Nostradamus say it was a good idea to get stuck in elevator doors. He started cursing, so I pressed the button to open the door. The door opened, and he clenched his arm in pain. He looked at me with malice, and turned towards the hallway.

I called out, as I did before, "Have a nice night!" He did not swear at me this time, but instead muttered incoherently. I was alone in the elevator now; the door closed, and I proceeded up towards my floor.

5 comments:

  1. Salam alaikum!

    Whatever this Anglo-Fascist is like at the peak of his anti-Muslim or anti-religion feelings, I do not know. However, think of the rewards of bringing such a person to guidance!

    If you think there is the slightest chance, you should try to show him the Truth. On the other hand, it couldn't get an worse, could it?

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  2. Nice job, Faraz. I like your witty responses to this idiot... I probably wouldn't have had the patience to deal with him and would probably have punched him out though that would obviously escalate the problem further.

    Either way, keep up the good work in dealing with these morons.

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  3. What you did was admiriably brave.However you should have tried to make him understand your point more clearly but then he was an obstinate idiot as the blog tells.

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  4. Assalaamu'alaykum wa rahmatu Allah

    I'm obviously spending much of my recently freed up time purusing your blog. So excuse me if my comments pile up..they can be easily ignored :).

    But that was too funny... subhan'Allah. That's a takbeer moment I tell ya.

    Sometimes people aren't ready to hear the message of Islam. This brings to mind Surah Al Kafiroon, which tells the Prophet (peace be upon him) exactly how to address those who are intolerant. Anyway, it doesn't benefit much to swear at him (so it's just as well you didn't)... perhaps one day Allah will guide him. Allah is great.

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  5. Wa'alaykum assalam,
    I very much appreciate your comments; you can be certain that they won't be ignored. Keep reading and writing!

    I've run into that same guy on a couple of occasions since; every time I see him, he'll start ranting about something or other. Poor guy, he's clearly leading a very angry and unhappy life. It's amazing how bitter some people can be when their life is devoid of spirituality. Alhamdolillah for all the favours and peace of mind I have been blessed with.

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