serene vortex
21-05-08, 09:05 AM
During a shopping trip with my friends an unpleasant incident occurred which a dilemma was presented.
A Muslimah from out group who extracted money from the cash point noticed a woman loitering nearby, when we went to the store she was there as well appearing distracted. Whilst shopping my friend realised that her money was missing, it was three figure sum.
She realised that it was the woman loitering near us and that she had taken her money when my friend was looking at something whilst away from us for a few minutes.
The dilemma is not regarding the money, if it was I would replace the money and that would be the end of the topic.
We managed to get thr security guard ti help us and he showed us the woman coming into the store and showed us what she looked like clearly and presented us with a decision
To press charges or not?
The problem is the woman herself- I persuaded my friend not to for the following reasons
1) She was dressed as a refugee maybe Bosnian as she was light skinned she was wearing a scarf on her head- maybe she was really poor the refugees that do come from Bosnia they do beg :( and they have kids too- maybe she was desperate? I know it doesn’t excuse what she did but I’d rather she took the money out of desperation like this than some drug addict desperate for money for their next fix
2) She could be Muslim, she wore a scarf around her head and as she is female (whether she is Muslim or not) i don’t feel comfortable that she would spend time in jail, it’s a sad outcome that I wouldn’t want any woman to be in
3) i don’t have much faith in the justice system – they’ll probably file a report and that’s it, it’s not like this case will take precedent over other larger issues.
My friend thinks my feelings are clouding the issue and believes
1) the woman was a professional thief as the money was deep in her pocket and she did not feel a thing and that the scarf could be a cover up
2) That I’m looking at the issue wrong and that my feelings are clouding the scenario as if it was drug addict male then I would have no problem letting her report him.
i managed to persuade her not to go forth and pursue it further but let it go yet i am in turmoil – did I do the right thing?
i would like to pray Istikhara but then the feeling in my heart already shows that not reporting the woman was best yet it’s about justice as well, i feel that woman will be accountable for the crime she commited if not here then in the court of Allah on the Day of Judgement
Yet I am so conflicted if I did the right thing and persuaded my friend to let it go- personally if it was me I would let it go, money is money and I wouldn’t want to place a female in a cell, she didn’t look tough at all- just a short, middle aged woman.
Did i do the right thing?:(
As it's still not too late to press charges all we have to do is let the security guard know we changed our minds in the next few days.
A Muslimah from out group who extracted money from the cash point noticed a woman loitering nearby, when we went to the store she was there as well appearing distracted. Whilst shopping my friend realised that her money was missing, it was three figure sum.
She realised that it was the woman loitering near us and that she had taken her money when my friend was looking at something whilst away from us for a few minutes.
The dilemma is not regarding the money, if it was I would replace the money and that would be the end of the topic.
We managed to get thr security guard ti help us and he showed us the woman coming into the store and showed us what she looked like clearly and presented us with a decision
To press charges or not?
The problem is the woman herself- I persuaded my friend not to for the following reasons
1) She was dressed as a refugee maybe Bosnian as she was light skinned she was wearing a scarf on her head- maybe she was really poor the refugees that do come from Bosnia they do beg :( and they have kids too- maybe she was desperate? I know it doesn’t excuse what she did but I’d rather she took the money out of desperation like this than some drug addict desperate for money for their next fix
2) She could be Muslim, she wore a scarf around her head and as she is female (whether she is Muslim or not) i don’t feel comfortable that she would spend time in jail, it’s a sad outcome that I wouldn’t want any woman to be in
3) i don’t have much faith in the justice system – they’ll probably file a report and that’s it, it’s not like this case will take precedent over other larger issues.
My friend thinks my feelings are clouding the issue and believes
1) the woman was a professional thief as the money was deep in her pocket and she did not feel a thing and that the scarf could be a cover up
2) That I’m looking at the issue wrong and that my feelings are clouding the scenario as if it was drug addict male then I would have no problem letting her report him.
i managed to persuade her not to go forth and pursue it further but let it go yet i am in turmoil – did I do the right thing?
i would like to pray Istikhara but then the feeling in my heart already shows that not reporting the woman was best yet it’s about justice as well, i feel that woman will be accountable for the crime she commited if not here then in the court of Allah on the Day of Judgement
Yet I am so conflicted if I did the right thing and persuaded my friend to let it go- personally if it was me I would let it go, money is money and I wouldn’t want to place a female in a cell, she didn’t look tough at all- just a short, middle aged woman.
Did i do the right thing?:(
As it's still not too late to press charges all we have to do is let the security guard know we changed our minds in the next few days.