One day, I went to eat at a sandwich shop, and I placed my order online so that I would not have to wait too long in the restaurant. This restaurant is trendy, so it is usually very busy. When I arrived, none of the employees greeted me, and they just stared with a look of annoyance. I knew they were busy, so I did not mind.
When I asked if my order was ready, one of the employees told me that they were backed up, and that I would have to wait about fifteen minutes. He was nice, so I began to wait. After waiting fifteen minutes, I asked about my order again, and they told me to continue waiting. I still waited patiently.
While I was waiting, I noticed that people were arrived after me, were already receiving their orders. This made me get a bit frustrated, so I went back and gave my name to see if my order was ready. I went back to the same employee, and he said they were backed up. As I hovered over the counter, I noticed my order sitting on the table. I was very frustrated at this point, and hungry. I told the employee that I saw my order on the table. He apologized and handed it to me.
I accepted and took my sandwich. When I opened it, I noticed that it was cold. When I took it back, the employee refused to make another one, and said that if I wanted another, I would have to pay for another one. At this point, I lost my cool. I started yelling at him with a frustrated tone, and I kept complaining. I was furious and also gave him attitude. I demanded a remake and did not leave until he finally agreed.
I finally got my order and ate my sandwich. Afterwards, I thought about my reaction, and I regretted the way I handled the situation. I wanted to share this piece because although the employee may have been in the wrong for how he treated the customers, my reaction was equally wrong. I thought to myself, “Did I really start yelling and complaining about a cold sandwich….is this the way the Prophet (pbuh) would have handled the situation?” It taught me to learn how to control my anger. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The person who is strong is not strong because he can knock people down. The person who is strong is the one who controls himself when he is angry.” Comment down below if you have ever experienced a similar situation and if it taught you a valuable lesson. May Allah (SWT) help us control our anger, and may He forgive us for our sins. Ameen.
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