Once there was a young boy named Mehraj, who used to beg on the streets and fooled everyone by pretending to be blind. People considered him blind so they took pity on the young blind boy and gave him money. He found this an easy way of life and continued with the deception.

In one day Mehraj earned more than 500 rupees and was glad to get so much money without any efforts. That night he saw a dream that he was begging near a road and saw a strange man.

The man said, “You are doing injustice with people and looting them. It is enough now because it is not the right way to earn money. I know you are not blind and just acting that way to get more money. Begging is disapproved of in Islam.”

The beggar was shocked and said, “Please don’t tell it to anyone and I will give you some money and if we would do it together, we could earn more. What do you say?”

The man said, “Ah! You are giving me bribe! I do not need anything and I want you to stop begging at once as you are fit enough to work and earn honestly.”

Mehraj felt ashamed. At first he though to leave begging, but later he realised that if he did not beg, where would money come from. Though young, Mehraj didn’t want to be bothered with looking for work.

“I will never give up begging. Why should I stop when I don’t have a problem in earning it, after all it is hard work too!” the beggar boy justified his actions.

The man became angry and said, “I am going to call the police to arrest you!”

Mehraj panicked and ran. There was loud screeching of breaks but it was too late. He had run right into the middle of the road and was hit by a speeding car. Mehraj died on the spot. The bundle of money he had collected from begging fell from his pocket on to the road. Other beggars nearby quickly ran to grab the money but not to help him or check if he was even alive.

Mehraj panicked and ran. There was loud screeching of breaks but it was too late. He had run right into the middle of the road and was hit by a speeding car. Mehraj died on the spot. The bundle of money he had collected from begging fell from his pocket on to the road.

Mehraj got up with a start. He looked around and realised that this was just a dream. But the dream had seemed so real that his heart was still pounding loudly. Mehraj was happy that he was still alive and realised that the dream had given him a great lesson to leave begging.

But the next day when Mehraj went out and started to feel hungry, Mehraj realised there was no money in his pocket. So Mehraj started begging again, telling himself that he would leave begging whenever he got a decent job. But he didn’t get any job because Mehraj didn’t bother looking for it.

After a few days when nothing happened to him, Mehraj thought that dreams never came true so he kept on begging. Once Mehraj was returning home and a thief took his money and started running. The beggar ran behind him. Mehraj ran right into the middle of the road and was hit by a car and taken to the hospital. Mehraj’s condition remained critical for long but he managed to survive and make a complete recovery.

Mehraj realised that dream can come true and begging was indeed a curse. He now left begging and searched for a job. He was a young boy and got a job in a restaurant. Mehraj earned less money than he did while begging but at least it was a dignified life.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 23rd, 2015