If ever there was an argument for religion or spirituality being truly transcendent, it’s definitely in stories like this.
Seven years ago, Saudi citizen Ghaleb Nasir al-Hamri al-Balawi faced every parent’s worst nightmare when his baby girl, 11 months old at the time, was killed. Balawi’s Indonesian domestic worker, identified as Masamah, became the sole suspect in the baby’s murder.
Instead of seeking maximum retribution against Masamah, Balawi did something unthinkable for almost anybody else in his position: he forgave her.
“I forgave the maid for several reasons. The most important is that God orders us to forgive, and I seek his blessings and love. Furthermore, my parents taught me to forgive others and they asked that I acquit the house cleaner. Third, seeing her punished will not get me my daughter back, besides I would have ruined her entire life especially that she is still young,” Balawi told Al-Arabiya last week.
Balawi said Masamah had only been working for his family for seven months before she allegedly killed his baby.
“She admitted that she muffled the child with a blanket and pressed her until she died. The maid was then referred to the investigation and prosecution services to carry on the inquiry,” he said.
As reported by Kumparan, Masamah has been kept in Saudi detention ever since. The Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Jeddah has been giving her legal assistance since the beginning of 2016. During that time, KJRI said they also pleaded with the local governor and Balawi himself, who they said became more uncertain over time that Masamah actually killed his daughter as police investigation into the case went on.
Balawi dropped the charges before the court gave Masamah their verdict, meaning that the domestic worker was not be sentenced to death as is usually the case for murder in Saudi Arabia. The court pronounced Masamah’s free on March 13.
Balawi said he asked for Masamah’s release because he was tired of reliving the past, and is even allowing her wish to go on Hajj pilgrimage before returning to Indonesia.
Following his daughter’s death, Balawi and his three wives dedicated themselves to raising their other 17 children without any hired help.
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