Finding Emaan

Epilogue

The streets of Hamilton were quite. Houses lined up next to one another in a nice neat row. Mothers pushed their baby strollers and fathers played catch with their sons. Everything seemed perfect, except for the Hassan’s.

 “I’M NOT GOING AND YOU’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ME!”

 Noora Hassan was throwing everything in her path. Clothes, books, papers; if Noora could reach it, it was thrown. Zahir followed behind Noora picking up things as he went. “Noora you’re acting like a 3 year old, calm down and see sense!”

“BABA YOU CAN’T FORCE ME INTO DOING ANYTHING! NOW GO AWAY!” she called from upstairs and slammed her bedroom door.

“Ya Allah help me” Zahir sighed massaging his temple.

Noora paced in her room. She needed an escape plan and she needed one fast. Her father had thought she would actually agree to this! No way! Not going to happen! She would wait for Mom to come. She would complain to her mother and she would understand! She couldn’t leave Hamilton now she just couldn’t. She knew what she had to do. She would go talk to her mother right now before her father got a chance to persuade her. She got dressed and headed out the door.

 “Alright class that concludes our lesson on how Adam became the first man to exist on earth. Class if you have any questions or if you would like to bring a hadith for me to discuss, go right ahead okay? As-salaam alaikum class!”

“Wa'alaykum as-salaam wrahmatulllahi wbarakaatuhu”

The class filed out chattering away about the lesson. The teacher stood at the front of the class erasing the notes of the chalkboard. A woman with an emerald hijab and light brown eyes entered the classroom and coughed dramatically.

“Working hard are we?” she questioned sarcastically

“It seems you have to much free time on your hands Amina, how was your class today?”

“Ah it was good Emaan, except could you stop telling my students what they’ll be learning in my class? They come in everyday always prepared and ready! Its so aggravating” Emaan laughed and turned to embrace Amina.

“You have chalk all over your abaya”

Emaan looked down and noticed the faint light blue smudges on her black abaya “Oh well, I’m going home anyways”

“Speaking of home I’m guessing Zahir told Noora the news by now”

Emaan sighed deeply. She was preparing herself for the “family meeting”. “How did you guess”?

“Oh nothing just Noora came into in my classroom all breathless and worn out demanding to see you, maybe that’s why? I don’t think she took it too well”

Emaan huffed and clasped her hands “I don’t get why she’s so upset, it’s not like she will be going alone, and Safia is coming too right?”

“Yup, Safia reacted the same way. Abyan was about to give in to her but I put my foot down”

Emaan laughed “Abyan was always a big softie”

“You think? I realized that after I forced him to attend my Islamic studies class back in Marrakech”

She had remembered Amina’s plan to help him. Because of Amina, Abyan became the man that he is today. He now worked to help the Islamic youth of Hamilton become better Muslims and strong role models. Emaan didn’t know how he managed to balance being a human rights lawyer and a Muslim youth advocator. Her mother in law was so proud. Both of her sons had achieved their careers. One son was an engineer while the other became a lawyer.

“I told Noora you’d be home soon so you better get going, I believe she inherited your angry glare”

Emaan laughed and prepared herself for the argument she’d have to deal with. “Pray for me Amina”

Amina smiled

“Always”

“Mom please don’t make me go! Please! I already have plans Mom! You can’t ruin this for me!”

“You act as if were sending you to jail, it’s a family trip Noora not a death sentence” Emaan responded annoyed by Noora’s tantrum. You can’t blame her

Zahir reached for Noora’s hands but she jerked away “No Baba this is all your fault! You put this idea in mama’s head”

“Your father had nothing to do with it, me and Amina decided this on our own”

Noora was devastated by her mother’s confession. She shook her head “That only makes it worse! I don’t care anymore! I’m not going and that’s final!”

“Noora please try and understand-“

“No I can’t understand! How can I understand someone who doesn’t understand me! I hate anywhere you take me! I hate you!”

 Emaan was tired. She knew Noora was just saying this to get a response from her but it was going to happen. She wanted this conversation to end in agreement.

“Noora how can you say this if you’ve never even been there it’s beautiful! You’ll love everything about-“

“No I won’t Mom! If you love it I will not love it! I AM NOT LIKE YOU AND I WILL NEVER BE LIKE YOU!” she stormed up the stairs whispering viciously along the way.

Emaan sighed deeply. So much for ending in agreement, Inshallah this works out Zahir sat next to her. He reached for her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze. “You worry to much Emaan she’ll come around, besides this will be good for us, I needed a break from work”

Emaan appreciated Zahir’s attempts at consolement. She thanked Allah for giving her such a caring husband. It seems everyone else knew about the future they’d share together. She blushed remembering how many people told her that she would in the end marry Zahir. It had come at a surprise to her. Sure they attended the same college but they rarely saw each other, and if they did he would glance briefly and run off. Emaan was astounded when he came to her house that one day asking for her hand in marriage. Shocked and completely baffled. Her parents were expecting Emaan to say no like she had with the others. Emaan simply told her father that “she would think about it” and now they’re married.

 “You still haven’t told us where were going Emaan, or did you plan on telling us when we landed? I hear Amina hasn’t told Abyan yet and he keeps pestering me”

Emaan smiled “Where do you think were going? Marrakech of course”

Zahir chuckled “Ahh another adventure, I do hope you don’t plan on sending our daughter to a party half naked”

Emaan laughed recalling the memory of the party she attended when she was younger. She had spoken to Zahir for the first time that night and his words of wisdom had such an impact on her. It still does

“Of course not Zahir, Noora will have to face her own obstacles all we can do is watch and pray for Allah to guide her”

“Such wise words from my beautiful wife, what do I do about Noora now though? She doesn’t seem to want our company”

“Leave her alone for the time being, she needs her space. She’ll understand when we get there” Emaan got up and reached for her hijab “Its Maghrib now so lets go pray”

Emaan and Zahir gathered for Maghrib prayer, Zahir leading and Emaan behind him. They prayed for their daughter and they prayed for the safety of their trip. Emaan woke up very early the next morning and prayed for only one thing; a miracle. She hoped that miracle would itself to her like it did with Emaan when she first went to Marrakech. She prayed her daughter would see the light that she had seen. She will, I know it and Allah will be the one to guide her.

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All right you guys and that’s the end of the story! Thank you all so much for reading up until this point! This was my first actual novel or novella so I still would love to hear how you felt about it. Did you love it? Or did you hate it? Anything you have to say I’d love to hear it so let me know! Who knows maybe Finding Emaan will have a sequel Inshallah ;)