This almost drew tears to my face. It is so touching! Balal was sentenced to death by hanging 7 years after he stabbed Abdollah Hosseinzadeh during a street brawl in Royan, Iran. According to he sharia law of retribution, the victim’s family were to push the chair on which he stood and perhaps watch him choke to death. But, the unexpected happened that fateful day.

Abdollah parents appeared at the last minute. The mother approached, slapped and then decided to forgive him. Her husband removed the noose off his neck. I’m sure he must have thought he was in another world. Balal’s mother who was already on the ground, stood up, walked to the grieving mother and hugged her.

It wasn’t that easy though, the victim’s father explained what prompted the extraordinary decision. “Three days ago my wife saw my elder son in a dream telling her that they are in a good place, and for her not to retaliate … This calmed my wife and we decided to think more until the day of the execution.”