IlmFeed
Abdul Elenani’s coffee shop Cocoa Grinder in Brooklyn, New York was broken into following a series of robberies at other restaurants.
Instead of seeking justice, he decided to forgive the robber and printed out a message of forgiveness which he displayed on the shop’s door.
The message reads:
Through this door you came & through this door I write!
Dear John/Jane Doe,
Hope this letter finds you and your family well. What happened on the night of the 17th of August was a mistake and not cool. After hearing about all the restaurants getting robbed and broken into on a weekly basis then Cocoa Grinders turn came around that night made me just stop to write you and hopefully you read it.
If you were to ask me personally “Would you rob to survive?” I’d say “I’m better off not surviving and of course not be a reason to mess up some ones day or life” but of course at the end of the day everyone has their own personal opinion. Well sir/madam, I didn’t report this and I didn’t check the cameras to see who you are. I’d rather just not know. If the money you stole was to better you and your family’s living, then I forgive you. If it was stolen for you to go out there and ruin yourself and health, I still forgive you and ask of you to fix yourself.
“Every human being commits sins, and the best of sinners are those who frequently repent.”
– Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
“You do not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you deal with them with forgiveness and kindness.”
This was said about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
With love,
Abdul Elenani
Islam allows victims of crimes to seek justice or to forgive and Abdul decided to forgive. What an amazing act!
