Broken Vow

Chapter 15

Abu Salama reported:
I used to see dreams (and was so much perturbed) that I began to quiver and have a temperature, but did not cover myself with a mantle. I met Abu Qatada and made a mention of that to him. He said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: A good vision comes from Allah and a (bad) dream (hulm) from the devil. So when one of you sees a bad dream (hulm) that he does not like, he should spit on his left side thrice and seek refuge with Allah from its evil; then it will not harm him.

Sahih Muslim, 2261 a
In-Book Reference: Book 42, Hadith 1

*****

Hanan was peacefully sleeping when she heard her phone ringing. She wondered who would call her so early in the morning.

Reluctantly, she reached for her phone and glanced at the caller ID, she wasn't surprised when she saw the person's name. She answered the call. "What?" Hanan said abruptly.

"Assalamu alaikum to you too," Arif sarcastically replied from the other end.

"Waalaikumussalam. Why did you call me this early in the morning?" Hanan asked, slightly annoyed.

"You're asking me the reason I called you? After everything you've done! Hanan, I never expected this from you," Arif said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"What did I do now?" Hanan asked, although she already knew what he was referring to.

"Great! You don't even know what you did. That's a clear sign that I'm no longer important to you, now that you're married to a billionaire. Arif, what has become of your life since your other half abandoned you?" Arif said, adding a touch of drama that made Hanan laugh.

"Pumpkin, are you talking about the gifts I didn't send you?" Hanan asked, giggling.

It had been three days since they returned from their honeymoon, and yesterday Hanan had sent gifts she bought during their honeymoon to her family. She gave gifts to everyone except Arif. She intended to annoy him, even though she had bought a gift for him, which she planned to give him later.

"Yes! Hanan, I can't believe you sent gifts to everyone but forgot about your other half. I'm deeply disappointed in you. You even brought a gift for Sameer but forgot about me!" Arif complained.

"Hey, don't compare yourself to Sameer. Sameer is my son, and you're not," Hanan said playfully.

"Where is my gift now?" Arif asked, ignoring what she had just said.

"I didn't buy you anything," Hanan said, stifling her laughter.

"What? How could you?" Arif exclaimed.

"If you don't have anything more to say, I'm hanging up now," Hanan said, not waiting for Arif's reply before ending the call.

Arif stared at his phone, mouth wide open. He couldn't believe Hanan would do that to him. Wasn't he her other half?

"That's what he gets for spoiling my sleep," Hanan muttered to herself.

Fully awake now, Hanan realized she couldn't go back to sleep. She got out of bed and decided to freshen up first.

***

"Assalamu alaikum," Hanan greeted as she entered the dining room and found Ammar having breakfast.

"Waalaikumussalam," Ammar replied, and Hanan took a seat beside him.

"Why are you up so early in the morning?" Ammar asked, looking at her.

"Oh, Ya the Arif spoiled my sleep by calling me," Hanan pouted, making Ammar smile.

"How could he? Why would he spoil my wife's sleep? I must talk to him," Ammar said.