I Wonder Why

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful

Sometimes I wish I could be Jean Grey. 

She could read minds with her super psychic powers.

Then I would have known why. Why those boys chose what they chose to do. What I had seen them do while munching away my morning rizq (bounties in the form of breakfast) with dearest mom and dad.

I wondered, why they smoked.

Of course, the older gents sitting across us, I could more or less fathom their choices. They probably did the same thing because now they are older. They think they know what's best for themselves, for their bodies, for their health. Or maybe they feel a cigarette makes them look hotter, more macho, more manly. Yeah, I could more or less guess their whys.

I guess that's why they didn't mind making the three of us second hand smokers. (note: second hand smokers are the people around who accidentally inhale the smoke of cigarettes)

But my heart was crushed.

No, no. I did not have a crush on those so-called macho men. And by the way, by my definition, they're not.

I was crushed...because those young boys, no more than fifteen by the looks of it, those teens sitting some two tables away, also chose the same path as their predecessors.

I really wish I knew why they chose to do it. Humans are not just the kind of creatures to do something without first realizing the reason for it. 

Angels may be without nafs, but not humans. Angels follow every command of Allah without question. But not us. Oh no. That's why we have smokers and second hand smokers. Because humans are given the freedom of choice. To do what we want to. The why behind every act.

I wish I knew, so that I can understand why they did it.

Subhanallah, they have a bright future ahead. But with every cigarette they lit, they're just making it dimmer. And the worst part is, they don't realize it. They haven't realized they're putting out their future with their bare fingers.

Perhaps it is the sense of belonging, I thought as I noticed their colourful trendy bikes children ride nowadays. Perhaps it is the sense of having somewhere they fit in with society is the reason why they gang up. Subhanallah, I would have applauded if they had stick to healthy biking activities. But it so happens, by a strange twist of fate, that the gang ended up picking bad habits such as these. That was an understatement. Not bad habits, disastrous-to-your-health habits.

What would it take for them to realize what they're doing is wrong? I wonder what reaction I would get if I told teens like them, "Do you know that smoking is haram (forbidden) in Islam?" It doesn't take a fatwa to make it haram, when Allah clearly states it IS haram.

I wish they would understand that Allah loves them so much. And He has forbidden only what is detrimental to our health. I wish they would listen, that the REASON WHY SMOKING IS HARAM, WHY EATING PORK IS HARAM, WHY DRINKING BEER IS HARAM IS BECAUSE THOSE THINGS DESTROY OUR BODY SYSTEMS. THEY ARE HARAM BECAUSE IT KILLS YOU IN THE PROCESS. 

If they do not want to listen to God Almighty's reason, then listen to your own kind's reason. Scientists have long since said smoking is one cause of lung cancer. Post-mortem shows a black, deformed lung of a smoker. A smoker's wife can also have lung cancer even if she doesn't smoke. Your lips go black, your teeth turn yellow...are those signs of in the pink of health? 

So, can you blame others for wondering why? Why...on earth would you WANT to kill your perfect body, a gift from God, with whatever reason you like to smoke? 

Why...would you throw away gold, for a butt of light that goes out five minutes later?

For life is a timeline, and time is, as we all agree, is no less than gold.