Book I: My Muslim Man | COMPLETED

Chapter 37: Painful Goodbyes

. . . And fear Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the (relations of) wombs (that bore you); for surely Allah ever watches over you. ( Qur'an, 4:1 )  

  In Islam, there is great emphasis on observing ties of kinship, for those are ties that were not our choice but the choice of The One who knows us more than what we know of ourselves. If we are going against this decree of Allah than we are transgressing. Guarding these ties is a duty bound to us as a Muslim but blinded by stubbornness, pride and grudges, we often forget that we are not only severing our relationship with a family member but with Allah as well.  

Imran's POV

"Should I get you a bucket?", I asked Mariam who was packing Zaid's bag. Unlike herself, she had offered to help since Zaid left to check on his car. 

"Why?", she asked, confused. 

"Because the amount of crying you're gonna do requires one. Remember last time?", I smirked and then waited for her reaction. 

She hit me on my arm, and I winced a little, "At least I'm not cold blooded like you!", she retorted. 

"Yeah, I know. You're a drama queen", I rolled my eyes. 

"And you're a-"

"You packed everything, Mariam?", Zaid entered. 

"Yes bhai", she smiled and somehow I could tell by her eyes that she forced it. 

"Thank you mera bacha!", he hugged her sideways.

Since day break, a deep silence had taken over the house. Everyone was sat in the living room where the TV played at a low volume and Areej was alseep in Ammi and Abbu's room where Amna api was keeping an eye on her. I've been trying since morning to fight this empty feeling in my chest by annoying Mariam who will easily make you laugh but even Mariam wasn't herself today. 

"Come everyone. I served tea", Afaaf said standing at the door, We followed her to the living room. Zaid was going to leave after tea. My heart suddenly felt heavy. 

"I'll take this and keep it outside", Zaid said reaching for the luggage bag. 

"No!", Mariam refused immediately, "First let's have tea in peace", she said as if the bag was taking the peace of her heart away. It was doing the same to me. 

"Ok", Zaid left it. 

We went to the living room to have tea. There Ammi made him sit beside her. We started talking to Zaid about his work. He recently informed us that he had been talking to a few seniors of our society about job opportunities around here. He had decided that if he'd find a good enough job then he'd move back here. But he couldn't risk losing his job there because he didn't preplan this. He told us that he'll go back and think more about it. We enjoyed Zaid's company,  oblivious of time which flew away too fast.

"It's time", Zaid said reading his wrist watch. He rose from the couch followed by the rest of us. I looked at the wall clock. It was time for him to leave. He needed to leave early to get back to his place because tomorrow morning he had work. We couldn't keep him here anymore. 

Zaid went to take his bag and Mariam went after him,  while Amna api joined us carrying Areej who snored peacefully in her arms. When Zaid and Mariam stepped out of the room, Mariam dig her head into his chest, her lips curved downward as she sobbed into his shirt. Zaid put his hand on her head hushing her and rubbing her back. 

"But c-can't you... s-stay for ...o-one more hour", she cried wiping her tears which were soon replaced by more. 

"I wish I could", Zaid spoke softly but we could hear him very clearly in the silence.