The night we almost missed our flight - Al Mulk

It was a last minute decision to go back as soon as possible from Abu Dhabi.   The flight home was at 2 am.  Tina and I reached the airport about 11pm or so and lingered around.   There was nothing much to do there, not too many place to linger around at.

When the boarding gate opened, we headed there.   The boarding area we were at had no enclosed area for a specific flight.  There were so many people around, but we managed to find some empty seats near a corner for us to sit.

Diagonally across us, about 2-3 meters away, was a couple who looked like they were in their 60s. Actually I couldn't tell the age of the wife because she was wearing a niqab.  The wife was quietly listening to her husband.  Her husband was reciting Al Mulk by heart, quite softly - but loud enough for his wife to hear.  His recitation sounded soothing.  I thought to myself, that was quite the sweetest thing I have witnessed of a couple.

I too listened to the recitation, what I could make of it from where I was sitting.  Soon I was feeling too sleepy, so I closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes after what seemed like just 15-20 mins later, the couple was gone.  In fact, the place was almost empty.  Then I realised, there was only Tina and I in the area, other than some airport staff and 2-3 other passengers.  Tina had also fallen asleep.  I woke Tina up and quickly went to check with one of the officers at the door and informed him our flight number.  He immediately radio-ed someone and told them "passengers found".  Apparently, everyone else had gone to board the plane.  We were almost left behind!  Alhamdulillaah, we woke up just in time for immediate boarding.

Immediate boarding means, taking the bus to where the plane was.  However, the bus was stuck in airport traffic and because of that, we along with few other late passengers, reached the plane late. The plane missed it's departure time window, and had to wait another half an hour before it could depart.


Now on nights when I remember to recite Al Mulk, sometimes I'd be reminded of that couple at Abu Dhabi Airport and how we almost missed our flight.


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Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "There is a Surah in the Qur'an which contains thirty Ayat which kept interceding for a man until his sins are forgiven. This Surah is 'Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion.' (Surat Al-Mulk 67)."

[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

Source : http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/9/26