Alhamdillah - its paradise for sure for the Sohail.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/02/new.york.robber.mercy/index.html
Merciful storekeeper changes robber's mind, religion Story Highlights
From Kiran Khalid
CNN
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A potential victim became a compassionate counselor
during a recent robbery attempt, changing the would-be criminal's mind
-- and apparently his religion.
Surveillance video shows storekeeper Mohammad Sohail holding a robber
at bay with a shotgun.
Storekeeper Mohammad Sohail was closing up his Long Island convenience
store just after midnight on May 21 when -- as shown on the store's
surveillance video -- a man came in wielding a baseball bat and
demanding money.
"He said, 'Hurry up and give me the money, give me the money!' and I
said, 'Hold on'," Sohail recalled in a phone interview with CNN on
Tuesday, after the store video and his story was carried on local TV.
Sohail said he reached under the counter, grabbed his gun and told the
robber to drop the bat and get down on his knees.
"He's crying like a baby," Sohail said. "He says, 'Don't call police,
don't shoot me, I have no money, I have no food in my house.' "
Amidst the man's apologies and pleas, Sohail said he felt a surge of compassion.
He made the man promise never to rob anyone again and when he agreed,
Sohail gave him $40 and a loaf of bread.
"When he gets $40, he's very impressed, he says, 'I want to be a
Muslim just like you,' " Sohail said, adding he had the would-be
criminal recite an Islamic oath.
"I said 'Congratulations. You are now a Muslim and your name is Nawaz
Sharif Zardari.'"
When asked why he chose the hybrid of two Pakistani presidents' names,
the Pakistani immigrant laughed and said he had been watching a South
Asian news channel moments before the confrontation.
Sohail said the man fled the store when he turned away to get the man
some free milk.
He said police might still be looking for the suspect but he doesn't
intend to press charges.
"The guy, you know, everybody has a hard time right now, it's too bad
for everybody right now in this economy," said the storekeeper.
__._,_.___