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1: Childhood and Family
My name is Shoaib Khalid. My life began in the beautiful village of Kalyam Awan, Pakistan. I was born there, and I spent twenty-one years of my life in that same place. Kalyam Awan is a peaceful village, but sometimes, within its silence, a sense of loneliness hides inside a person's heart.
Childhood was not easy for me. I never received the love that a child should get from their home. I often saw other children's parents talking and laughing with them, but my share was mostly silence. I often consoled myself, thinking that perhaps everything would get better one day.
During those days, I found some people in my life who compensated for the lack in my heart—Hamza, Haris, and Wasif. These three were my distinct friends, each special in their own way.
* With Hamza, I often spent time laughing, joking, and being mischievous.
* With Wasif, I talked about life and the future.
* And Haris—he was the most precious friend to me. He stood by me through every difficult time. Whenever my heart felt heavy, he was the one who understood, without me having to say anything, what I was feeling.
Thanks to these friends, my childhood became somewhat easier. Those moments are still alive in my heart today. I realized then that a relationship is not of blood, but of feeling (emotion). And perhaps these very feelings made me a stronger person.
2: Youth and Dreams (Disagreement and a New Journey)
Time passed, and I gradually moved from childhood towards youth. The atmosphere of kalyam Awan now felt somewhat constricting to me. The same streets, the same faces, and the same day-in, day-out routine. My heart desired something new in life, a change. I often thought that perhaps my destiny was written somewhere far away—there, where I could turn my dreams into reality.
It was during those days that an event occurred in my life that changed me from within—a disagreement with my close friend, Haris and I were very close; he was like a brother to me. But with time, some misunderstandings arose. I would leave this place, where these memories would be left behind.
My father, Khalid Javeed also wanted me to go abroad. I first planned to go to Europe. Some arrangements were almost complete, but the matter was halted due to the marriage of a close brother, touseef. Then, I tried to go on a visa for Bahrain, but suddenly the COVID-19 pandemic struck. All flights were suspended, and my visa was also cancelled. I was somewhat disappointed, but I did not lose courage. I thought that perhaps Allah had planned another path for me.
And then, suddenly, an opportunity arose—to go to Dubai. I decided without much thought. There was sorrow in my heart, and disagreement, but the desire to make a new beginning outweighed everything. Thus, I gathered my dreams and memories in my heart and set off on the journey to Dubai. This journey was not just a new destination for me, but a new chapter in life.
3: The Journey to Dubai
When I decided to go to Dubai, I didn't have any specific emotions in my heart at that time. Neither happiness nor sorrow, just an ordinary feeling—perhaps because I had never received the kind of love at home that would make a person sad at the time of departure.
The day of departure was not daytime, but night. Everyone in the house was awake; someone was looking at the bag, someone was checking the luggage. Both my mother and father were saying: "Take care of the bag, keep your passport and ticket with you, don't forget anything". The atmosphere was calm but busy, as if everyone was involved in preparations in their own way. I was silently watching everything. There was no special feeling in my heart, just a thought that a new journey was about to begin.
While closing the bag, I quietly said in my heart: "O Allah, You know best, just keep everything safe and sound". When I left the house late at night, a cold wind was blowing outside. As I sat in the car, I looked back—the house, the street, everything was the same, but I was about to change. I took a deep breath upon reaching the airport. No tears, no nervousness—just a quiet calm. My heart was saying: "This is my time; I must not look back now".
4: First Day in Dubai—Facing Reality
After arriving in Dubai, I was sure that the company person would come to pick me up at the airport, but no one came. When I called, he said, "Go to this location, and talk to us when you get there". I took a taxi and reached the given location—but no one was there.
Then I realized that the company was lying. I spent that night with great difficulty. There was worry, and also disappointment—but I did not give up hope. The next day, I went to a friend and stayed with him for a few days.
Then I got a job as a cashier at an Art House Café. I worked there for a few months. The work was good, the environment was good, and the salary was also paid on time. During that time, the company sometimes gave me small duties. Because of this, I traveled to almost 80% of the entire UAE. This was an experience for me—I not only saw new places but also understood people and life up close. When the work at the Art House Café ended, I was sad, but there was a peace in my heart that I had not wasted time; rather, I had seen life from a new perspective.
5: The Security Journey—With the Reality of Dubai
I did not lose courage after the company initially deceived me. After staying with a friend for a few days, I got another job. The work was good, the environment was fine, and I worked there peacefully for a few months. During this time, the company's small responsibilities also kept coming up. Because of these tasks, I traveled to almost 80% of the entire UAE, including Dubai. This was an experience for me—I saw new places, met people, and understood life up close.
Later, I got a job at a security company, and I am still working in the same company today—it has been more than three years. This job was not just a livelihood for me but a new journey of learning.
For two years, the manager of the building where I worked was Sir Shadab—from India, a dignified, honest, and kind-hearted Muslim. He always granted permission for Friday prayers (Jema’ah), and if anyone had an issue, he would personally come and resolve it so that the complaint would not reach the company.
One special thing about Sir Shadab was that he used to talk to me on various topics during his free time in the office. Islam, the world, life experiences—knowledge and truth were hidden in every conversation. Talking to him was an entirely new thing for me. I learned a lot from these conversations—my understanding of Islam grew, I learned new stories about the world, and most importantly, a new confidence was born within me. This was the time when I felt that if a person intends to learn, even an everyday conversation becomes a classroom. Thank God (Alhamdulillah), today I am more confident than before, and I have a greater understanding of life.
6: New Confidence—A New Way of Living Life
Ever since that new confidence was born within me, my thinking changed. Earlier, work just felt like a duty; now, every shift feels like an opportunity—an opportunity to understand a new person, or to learn something better within myself.
Although security work is not easy—long hours, a quiet environment, and sometimes tiredness—now I have started viewing every moment in a positive way. I learned that if the heart is satisfied, a difficult task also begins to feel easy.
Now, when people come and talk to me, I listen to them with full attention. The daily conversations with Sir Shadab created a balance within me for both speaking and listening. Earlier, I used to be mostly silent, but now I can express my thoughts in clear words.
I realized that confidence does not just come from speaking; it is born when a person is content with their heart and believes in Allah that every situation is under His control.
But the truth is, I never had a passion for a job from the beginning. My heart has always been inclined towards doing business. I still want to start my own work someday, with my own hard work, my own name, and my own identity. However, there are some compulsions due to which it is necessary to continue the job for now. Allah knows best when and how He will provide the opportunity.
And one thing has always remained in my heart—I have never saved money, nor made anything for myself. Whatever I earned, I spent everything on my father and family. For my father, for my siblings, for household expenses, and for their needs. My father's love has been behind every decision of mine. His sacrifice and hard work are included in my life's successes.
But one thing has always pricked my heart—perhaps my family never gave me the respect or love that I deserved. I always did everything for them, but in return, I never received the feeling that my heart desired. Still, I am grateful because Allah knows what my intention was, and I did everything with sincerity.
Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), I have never been greedy for money or worldly things. Thank God that He blessed my heart with lawful sustenance and the wealth of gratitude. My prayer is that Allah never puts the greed for the world in my heart.
I know this story does not end here. This is only the first part—the real journey is yet to come. Insha'Allah (God willing), if Allah wills, I will definitely write the second part of this story (Book 2).
Today, I am 28 years old (Year 2025), and I believe that the coming years will bring new paths and new dreams for me. Alhamdulillah—this journey was not just to Dubai, but a journey of self-discovery.
This is a powerful story of perseverance and self-discovery, starting from a village in Pakistan.
