A Frightening Encounter on the Road

Today something truly terrifying happened. While being driven home here in Pakistan, a woman suddenly approached our car and tried to open the door. Alhamdulillah, it was locked. When she couldn’t get in, she pressed herself against the car, wrapped her arms around it, and - unbelievably- licked the window while making strange faces.

My heart began to pound faster and faster. I wasn’t being physically harmed, yet I felt completely frozen. A part of me wanted to scream for help, but all I could do was stare out at her in disbelief and pray for her to stop. Finally, she let go and walked away, but the aftershocks stayed with me. My hands trembled, my chest felt tight, and even now, recalling it sends shivers down my spine.

I keep thinking, what if the door had opened? What would she have done? What was she capable of? For the first time in a long while, I don’t feel entirely safe - even in my own bed tonight. My mind keeps replaying the images, imagining hands reaching out in the dark.

My little one, who was with me, was just as terrified. The moment she left, he exclaimed that “the monster wanted to eat us.” As innocent as that sounds, it broke my heart - it showed how unsafe even a child can feel in moments like that.

This incident reminded me of the sad reality of living here: how fragile our sense of safety can be, how quickly it can be stolen by one disturbing encounter. Whether that woman was mentally unwell or pretending, no one knows. But I pray that Allah deals with her in the best way possible and protects others from any harm she might cause.

Tonight, as I write this, I hold on to one truth - Allah protected us once, and He continues to protect us still.

May Allah protect us and our loved ones from harm - seen and unseen - and grant peace to hearts that have been shaken.