The Three Struggling Muslimahs

24

Khawla and Rayhannah finished preparing the last of the meals as Muhammad, Khaleed and Umar took the dishes to the dinning table. Day twenty eight! To say the least, Ramadhan had pretty much zoomed by. Rayhannah had began getting used to praying under Muhammad's lead and spending the whole afternoon with him in class that she couldn't imagine how she'd fare off in Shawwal. Khawla on the other hand, had enjoyed teasing her brother who evidently couldn't stop thinking about her best friend. He'd go to her room in the evening and make her listen to him talk about how he doesn't want to stop teaching at MCC because it felt like 'home' already!

'Ha! Muhammaaaaaaaaaaaad!' She always thought after he was done sulking.

After the adhaan was sounded, everyone grabbed a few dates, a glass of juice or water and broke their fast, each with a duah in their hearts. The two mothers in the room had decided to pray for the same thing - the union of their children. But honestly, everyone in the room was praying for the same thing since it was evidently a struggle for both of them to keep their gazes low. Swalah was led by Umar and Khawla couldn't help but feel unexplainably lucky to have prayed ever so close to him. When swalah had ended, they all went to the dining table and engaged in small talk as they had their supper/iftaar.

"This feels soooooo nice," Ummu Rayhannah said smiling from ear to ear. "We have to continue doing this even after Ramadhan ends. Wafaa, promise me!" Laughs were heard around the table as these two ladies acted like complete teenagers in front of their children. "I promise lovely. I promise."

"Muhammad are you seriously only going to eat the Chinese rice!? You are finishing it for the rest of us." Khawla complained.

"I know I don't give you much credit but I swear Khawla this is good. I'm impressed." Muhammad replied with a mouth full of food.

"First of all, that's just disgusting. How do you talk like that!? And two, Rayhannah made the rice. Not me." Muhammad's face turned a shade of red that even his own mother had never seen on him. "Weeeeeeell, Say Masha Allah or something. I don't want your evil eyes affecting my bestfriend's cooking." Rayhannah's head felt so light she had to place it on the table as she stepped on Khawla's foot with all her strength. "Oooooow!"

"Masha Allah Rayhannah. This is really good." Muhammad muttered.

"Her husband will be a very lucky man right Habib?" Ummu Khawla asked, hoping to get a reaction.

To Muhammad, it felt like everyone had shifted their gaze to him and lit a spotlight right above him. "Yeah he will." Rayhannah couldn't wait for supper to end for she was sure she wouldn't be able to swallow anything else from that moment on. Khaltu Wafaa and her mom kept whispering to each other and staring at her and Muhammad. Could they make it any less obvious!? She doubted.

After supper had ended and the boys helped to clean the table and wash the dishes, Khaleed called Rayhannah aside. "Babe can I talk to for a second?"

"Yeah sure."

"I need something from you."

"Bismillah!"

"Khawla's number"
Rayhannah screamed and Khaleed put his hand over her mouth just in time, or so he thought.

"What's wrong Rayhannah?" Her mom asked from the living room.

"Umm.... Nothing. She just stabbed her toe!" Khaleed lied. He was a terrible liar an even he knew it. "If I uncover your mouth, will you scream?" Rayhannah shook her head. "I'm trusting you on this Ray. Please!" He removed his hand slowly and she kept her end of the bargain.

"Okay. Why do you want Khawla's number? Uuuuuuuu! You like heeeeeeer. Hahahaha." She teased.

"You didn't see me laughing when I saw how Muhammad saved you as Hayaty on his phone." The room started spinning all over again. These comments were clearing getting to her head. Khaleed helped her sit on the staircase as they continued talking.

"Its not me who wants it. But I can't tell. So please don't ask."

"Ah! You and I keep secrets from each other now!?" She faked a tear face.

"Stooooop! Come on. I can't tell! Understand me princess."

She kept up with her act but suddenly it hit her! Umar!

"Umar wants Khawla's number." She stood up all excited and started jumping around. "Umar likes my Khawlaaaa. Umar likes my Khawlaaaaaa."

"Shuuuuuuush! And act like a nineteen year old! God! You can't tell though! Sooooooo, what happens now? Do I get the number?"

"I don't know if I should give it to you or not. What I mean is would Khawla want me to?"

"She didn't think twice about giving yours to Muhammad so return the favor."

"Enough! I'll go get my phone!" She said blushing her head off.

After 'Ishaa:

By the fireplace, Khaleed passed a piece of paper to Umar.

You owe me lunch at the new pizza place.

+1 (612) 345-3917
Khawla Nurein

The smile that plastered his face as soon as he read it warmed Rayhannah's heart who was standing at a distance looking on her two brothers. Her Khawla was about to receive what she'd been praying for for a long time now and what could possibly give her more happiness than that.

"Khaleed! A moment please," Rayhannah called out and he immediately stood up. The connection these two had was one anyone would want to have with his or her sibling. One of complete honesty.

"Anha. Tell me. What's on your mind? Apart from Muhammad that is!"

"Okay stop! Literally stop! This is weird! You are my brother. You should be like, 'if he texts you tell me. I'll beat the hell out of him'" She said as she deepened her voice to imitate him. He laughed - genuinely.

"He's a good guy. And he's going to talk to baba soon so I don't see why I should deny it, you get?"

He lost her the minute baba Ramy Nagib was mentioned.

"Like honest to God?"

"I thought you knew. You see this is why people are not supposed to tell me stuff! God! I'm such a big mouth."

Rayhannah started tearing up. "Subhanallah Rayhannah I'm joking. Hahahahahahaha. You really like him that much."

"Aaaaaaagh! Foolish! How do you do that to meeeee?! I don't even want talk to you anymore. Uffffff! Get out of my sight."

Khaleed smiled but deep down his heart was filling with guilt. Rayhannah was his ultimate favorite and hurting her in anyway destroyed him more than he could say. Since Muhammad and his family had gone home, the only way he could get him was by text.

To: Muhammad
Assalamu Aleikum Habib. Hope you guys got home safely. I just joked about you coming home to ask for Rayhannah's hand and she started crying. I hope you are serious about her. Because it would break her if you weren't.

From: Muhammad
Waaleikum Salaaaam Habib. Yeah we got home safely Alhamdulillah. And how do you do thaaaaaat. Come on! Get her to stop crying please. I mean really Khaleed!? And I'm so serious about her. That's why I don't wanna mess anything up. Wallahy I'm not bluffing. But first go check on her. And lemme know what happened. ASAP!

Khaleed didn't need anymore proof. He had gotten what he'd always wanted. Happiness for his sister, so he ran up the stairs to talk to Rayhannah. When he got to her room, he knocked about three times and when she didn't answer he got worried so he walked in only to find her asleep on her muswalah. He carried her to her bed and covered her. She'd left so many thing on the floor so he picked them up for her and he saw her phone. A number was beaming on the screen.

Qalby!

He didn't need to look at the number to know who it was.