Jannah. [SEQUEL TO DAWUD]

Chapter 5 - Muna & Akhlaaq

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

If the time of prayer has been called and you haven't prayed before reading this, please do so.

***

Muna's P.O.V

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that rests in between. I thanked Allah silently, balling my hands into fists and placing them under my chin excitedly. My husband Akhlaaq slipped on the thobe I bought for him a few days back after endless pleading and begging. The thin and perfectly white material brought out the caramel specks in his eyes, making him look all the more youthful. I leaned against the door, admiring him as he stepped towards me. 'How do I look?' He asked me quietly, pulling at the sleeves. Akhlaaq was never this insecure. He always wore a side of unfaltering confidence paired with his hoodies and jeans. It was a hassle getting him to dress more modestly. I couldn't help but look back at the first days of our marriage, where he'd step out of the apartment in jeans tighter than leggings and shirts revealing his heavily prominent muscles. I began to smile remembering my reaction. I was shocked, to say the least. Slowly but surely, I started teaching him how to observe the hijab decreed for men. Starting from loose-fitted clothes to bare-ankles, I gave him the complete rundown. Working at an Islamic bookstore, Akhlaaq knew the rules and regulations decreed within Islam, but like every imperfect human being, he fell short of what was expected of him. It was my job to give him that little push and to help him become the best he could be. He compared the fashion transition to the likes of taking in bitter medicine, fully aware of its benefits but hesitant due to the initial dislike.

'Like a prince from Saudi.' I told him, opening my arms to hug him. Akhlaaq quickened his pace and placed his meaty hands at my waist, lifting me into the air. I laughed, pounding his back after he tossed me over his shoulders. The two of us froze upon hearing the loud sound of fabric tearing apart. He set me down and lifted his arms, revealing the slashes created by the large width of his muscles stuffed into the cramped space of the sleeves. I groaned, pulling at my cheeks with hopelessness. 'This is the second one you've ripped this week, Akhlaaq.' I barely said, rubbing the shredded and lifeless material between my fingers.

My husband pulled the thobe off and dragged himself back to his closet. He returned wearing loose-fitted jeans and a loose t-shirt. 'How is this, babe?' He spun around with a hand on his waist goofily. I chuckled shaking my head. 'Let's go to school. I want to get my last year over with already.' He groaned, slipping on a pair of brown leather sandals. I tossed him the keys to the apartment and waited by the elevator. Akhlaaq was by my side in minutes, with an arm wrapped around my waist. 'You should come over to the gym with me sometime.' He suggested shyly. Almost instinctively, I pressed into my abaya, checking the flatness of my belly. Akhlaaq clicked his tongue with disapproval. 'I don't mean it like that, Muna. I was reading a book concerning the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and found that he and Aisha would race one another. I thought, why can't we do that? I'm at the gym more often nowadays anyways.' He added.

I shrugged, stepping into the elevator. 'Well, we can't reject the Sunnah (the way of the prophet) can we?' Akhlaaq smirked and pulled his hair into a man-bun. The elevator landed and the second there was a little break in the door, I bent down and pulled off one of his sandals. Racing towards the exit with my cellphone in one hand and my husband's shoe in another, the people basking in the quiet of the apartment lobby watched me with surprise. In my defense, he asked for it. My weighty backpack bounced against me, nearly knocking me over as I tried to make my great escape. It wasn't long until I made it to the parking lot, and it wasn't long until Akhlaaq's hands scooped me up like they always did. I shrieked, dropping his sandal and begging him to put me down. He chuckled and I could feel the vibration from his chest against my ear. A voice came from behind me, causing both my husband and me to freeze.

'Excuse me, Miss? Is he hurting you?' Akhlaaq turned around and brought the frail, elderly woman into view. She was leaning on her cane, using it as her primary support. Her bare knees quivered, unable to carry the weight of her hunched body.

Returning to my senses and realizing that it was my statement she was waiting for, I patted Akhlaaq's firm chest with a smile. 'No, Mam. My husband and I were just goofing around.' I explained, feeling silly cradled in his arms. Knowing my husband, he had no intention of putting me down.

The old woman laughed, shaking her frame with every chuckle. 'Alright then. You two behave now, ya' hear?' She warned, waving a shaky and wrinkled finger in our direction. She then turned her body with a few steps, slow and steady. Akhlaaq and I watched her until she entered the building safely.

I looked up and pulled my husband's beard, making him look down at me. 'Don't you ever get tired of carrying me like this?' I asked, struggling to get on the ground. He shook his head, rocking me back and forth obnoxiously.

'I have to practice.' He defended. I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what he meant. 'You're not going to ask me what I'm talking about?' He asked after some time.

'Nope.' I sighed, popping the 'p'.

'Okay, okay, I'll tell you! There's no need to get all fussy, Muna!' Akhlaaq defended. He set me down and I stretched my legs, smiling at his goofy character. The ground felt foreign under my feet. 'I gotta get used to holding heavy things because when you give birth to my seventeen kids, I'll have to carry all of them.' He explained batting his eyelashes as if what he just said was innocent.

I looked up at him surprised and then we both laughed, throwing our heads back hysterically. I clutched his arm for support as the giggles escaped me. 'Akhlaaq, you make me laugh.' I whispered after I wiped the tears from my eyes.

He adjusted the straps of my backpack and grabbed my hand. 'That's my job. Now let's go to school.' He said confidently, grinning down at me.