TABUK, 28 March 2004 — The execution of a murderer was averted with only moments to spare in the crowded execution square here, according to a local press report.
The executioner was about to do his duty when the father of the murder victim, Ayed ibn Muhammad Sabr, shouted at police to stop the execution of Abdul Kareem Al-Ghoraid, 20, because he forgave him.
The killer had spent five years in prison, where he memorized the Qur’an.
Joy and tears mingled as the family of Abdul Kareem prayed for the father and thanked him for forgiving their son.
“I arrived from the south with my son’s uncles. After the sentence was read, I wrestled with myself — I had to choose between deciding to let God’s will be done or forgiving him,” Sabr told Okaz newspaper.
“In the end the choice was easy. I forgave him without seeking a financial reward. My reward is from God,” he added.
Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, and Asir Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal helped persuade the father to forgive Abdul Kareem.
“What the father did is a heroic act,” said Nasser Al-Arfaj, of the Tabuk police. “He was entitled to blood money, but he waived it. I thank everyone involved, especially the tribal leaders” who assisted in negotiations, he said.
Abdul Kareem told the paper he was numb with disbelief when people in the execution square started cheering. “I knew I’d been given a second chance at life,” it quoted him as saying.
“Disputes happen between friends — that is normal,” he said. “The murder victim was my best friend. I never thought I would kill my best friend in a moment of anger, and I’ve regretted the accident throughout my time in jail.”
