In God's Hand (Islam based) (Completed)

THREE

Dear Diary,

So yesterday I've met some of Mama's family. I heard there are more but they were unable to come due to work and such. There's this particular family - Uncle Ariz and Aunt Farah's. Their daughters were very happy upon seeing me. They keep whispering about someone named Danial. I was told it was their elder brother. I don't really understand what the excitement is about though. But they were kind to me. Helping me understand the conversation between our parents and relatives. The kenduri consist of some prayers which Dina told me it was called 'doa selamat dan kesyukuran'. It means a thanksgiving prayer for Mama and me. And it takes half an hour for them to finish - Yes! I've check my watch countless times. Luckily Dina was around to speak to me. It gets me through the kenduri without falling asleep.
I was watching my grandfather all night. He seemed more relax among his siblings and I actually saw him smiled. It's really a sight to look upon. He does look handsome when he smiles. I just wished he would smile upon seeing Mama's face. There must be something that I could do about it.

Love,
S.H.

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Danial

When Danial sat at the dining table for breakfast that morning, his two sisters were happily engaged in a conversation. They were talking about the newest shawl collection by a famous model and a wife to a famous Singaporean/Malaysian actor, Diyana Halik. They were intending to get some of the new collection and deciding to share the cost as Dahlia was still schooling.

Of course Dina was prepared to pay the bigger portion as she was the one working. Being an Administrator at a law firm gave her great pay and good benefits. She even asked her father to quit his work but was rejected. Ariz preferred working then sitting at home, doing nothing.

Danial shook his head, thinking of the shawls he saw hanged in their room. There were so many kinds of shawls and so many different shades of colours yet they were getting more. He wondered how many shawl a Muslimah can have.

While munching on his butter-and-nutella-spread bread, he realised both his sisters went silent. He gazed at them and saw them smiling cheekily at him. He frowned, swallowing his food as it's a Sunnah (verbally transmitted record of the teachings, deeds and sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as various reports about Muhammad's companions) before speaking, "You two ate your crazy pills yet?"

Dina glared at him, not finding his question amusing while Dahlia still keeping her smile on her face.

"Don't you want to see? Aren't you curious Abang?" Dahlia asked as she wiggled her eyebrows up and down. She held up her phone and shook it into Danial's face.

Just in time, their mother walked into the dining room with a tray of hot tea, some china cups and a tall glass of milk. She placed it carefully on the wooden table and took a seat next to Dahlia. "You girls teasing your brother again?"

Dina nodded enthusiastically, smiling as she poured a cup of tea for her mother. Then she poured two more for Danial and herself. She knew Dahlia only drinks milk in the morning. It's good for digestion, she said. Dina handed the tall glass to her little sister who accepted it with her free hand.

"Wasn't Sofea pretty Ummi?" Dahlia cooed as she showed Farah the phone.

Farah looked at the photo shown on the phone and almost giggled, but she masked it with a smile and nodded in agreement. "Very beautiful. With dark brown hair and brown bright eyes. Aunt Aida told me she's good at baking and making desserts. In fact, she made the delicious corn pudding."

Dina grabbed the phone and put it up in her face, making Danial more curious on this mysterious girl - Sofea. But Danial maintained his iman (denotes a believer's faith in the metaphysical aspects of Islam) and told himself that he did not need to know any of this. Plus checking out a woman non-mahram (someone who you can get marry to) was not permitted. He continued eating his breakfast while ignoring the ladies.