The Circle Of The Qur'an #2[The Arkaan Series|Book One]

10 |The Marabout's 1000 Profound Steps.[Seeker..]

AsSalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh treasured readers! Hope you are all fine!

May Allah make things easy for us all! Allahuma Aamin:)))

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RECAP

The Official challenge of the Grand Marabout's 1000 Profound Steps is well underway, and a lot of things are at stake, - for Abdul Bâqi at least, one of the five Quraa' of the past halaqah of the South district of Tâ Hâ and the Sayyid of his generation of Quraa'. He must come out victorious in this quest or face the consequences of being an outcast of the Circles of Qur'an in the Kingdom.

Will he be able to garner as much ayaat as would put him on a pedestal above the Nine Mureeds, or would he fail and lose his title as the Sayyid? And whilst he's doing that, what secret of the Marabout is he going to have revealed at the end of his quest - a secret that even the Number Mureed is desperate to unveil!?

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On a distinctive high tower nearby, a young boy stood with an opened book in hand, watching through the window the happenings at the 1000 Steps pyramid. This particular tower was salient from all the others as it had an imposing height overlooking the entire school grounds and its environs, white and shiny like an untainted obelisk, secluded from the mundane world. This tower stood at the fore of the madaaris, facing the Colosseum as all the other five architecture were, the Colosseum at their epicentre.

Among the many names it was known by, this tower was called the 'Ivory Tower', and was the place where the Grand Doyen resided. Doyens and scholars would visit this tower whenever there was a need. But the only two among students, who had access to this tower were the Grand Doyen's apprentices themselves - the Number One and Two Mureeds!

"What's going on down there, Shabaan?" An aged voice asked from within.

The dark orbs that were glazed in thoughtful moments as they observed the proceedings down below, now regained their full clarity as the youth turned to face the white-robed old man seated in a cross-legged fashion in the room's middlemost; his master. The old man, upon a finely embroidered rug, had an air of sobriety about him, with volumes of piled books on every side. A number of them had been opened right before him, and his right hand had been turning over a page when he asked the question, upon seeing his apprentice looking out lost in thought, whereas he had been calmly studying before.

At his early octogenarian age, the Grand Doyen still had such sharp eyesight as an eagle would have; he saw the minutest expressions on his apprentice's face even though they were at a considerable distance apart.

But even more incredible was how these eyes were able to discern all people. He was far from being blind, both physically, and spiritually, Alhamdulillah. Even though he rarely intervened in the matters of the school, he was ever vigilant on the main events going on down below in Sky Legacy Haven.

Within this 'Ivory Tower', the Grand Doyen held his austere seclusion from the school and the rest of the world, only once in a while making an appearance. He spent most of his time in the tower, immersing himself in the reserves of knowledge and engaging in many an Ibaadah, and mulling into the jurisprudence and about ways of succouring the country. Due to this, it was the Seven Doyens who were generally overseeing to the administration and management of the school, in lieu of him. Yet, whenever there was a need for religious counsel in general, or a grave matter concerning the school, he'd be the first one to be approached, by the King and all the Doyens.. He was after all, the Grand Sheikh of An Nûn.

Only the High Council of Senior Scholars in the Yâ Sîn province could hold a candle to him.

"An official challenge of the Marabout's quest is ongoing at the moment, Jaddu." The boy said in a revered sort of tone, and yet there was a feeling of warm familiarity to it as he spoke.