Chapter eight ~ Unexpected encounter
~ Ahmed's point of view ~
I was strolling aimlessly around the neighborhood after lunch and getting done with my assignment. I planned to send it later on in the day after a final check.
I checked the time with my hand watch, 5 pm, and decided to visit Dawod. I put my hand in my jacket's pocket and pulled my phone out to call him and see if he had time to hang out. He answered after three signals and replied to my greeting.
"Waaleykom alsalam Ahmed. I am a little busy right now so if it is not urgent, I hope you can excuse me until I am free and then I will surely call you." His voice sounded different, as though he had caught a cold and hardly could speak.
"Oh okay, no its nothing urgent so please continue on doing whatever you were up to. Oh by the way, I just wanna be sure, you are not sick or anything right?" I knew that I was being overly sensitive and thoughtful, but there was certainly something wrong with his voice. I just had to make sure, and the assurance had to come from him.
"Great, I am great, do not worry about me dude, it does not suit you to be all softy." He laughed, but in my ears it just sounded bitter and sarcastic. "Just be the usual carefree you, because that is what makes you a pleasant friend. Bye now, I will surely call you later today!" Even though I was relieved that he was able to joke, I still sensed that something was off, but I could not point my finger at what that was.
He did not even wait for me to reply before he cut the line. So when I answered to his farewell with a Salam, it was directed towards the air in front of me. I did furthermore not let that get to me since I knew that in Islam it was granted that when no one answered to one's greetings then your the angels would, and the benevolence of that is so much greater.
I started heading home as I wanted to get my gym bag and sweat a bit in the gym nearby. I was in front of the house when a thought creeped into my mind. When Dawod described me just now he mentioned that I was a pleasant friend. Did he possibly mean that I was not his reliable friend whom he could get mental support from?
I felt really bothered and in no mood to take on a sweat in the gym. Instead I shifted my steps towards the bus stop arriving in the neighborhood where Dawod lived. I thought that if he did not believe in me as a multifunctional friend, I would prove him myself that I was.
I marched towards the apartment building which he lived in but did not press the bell. I would wait outside in the sun till he calls me so that I can get over to him directly.
I looked around to see if there was anywhere to sit, but there was not. There was some planted grass beds beside each apartment building surrounding them expect for from the front, where you get in. I laid down close by in the shadow of the building for a while.
Soon I felt like it had become too cold so I stood up, meaning to get further to let the sunlight warm me up. I heard a ringing sound and reached for my phone in my pocket, but when I was holding it, there was not any caller. I looked around and spotted where the noise was coming from.
There was a lady standing in front of the building which Dawod, and certainly this woman's acquaintance lived in. I did not seem to be needed so I just laid down in an spot where the sun reached with it's shine. I enjoyed the summery atmosphere as the scent of the bitterness from grass went up my nostrils. I took a deep breath and sighed, I could not believe how relaxing spring could be. I opened my eyes to capture the scenery of the floating clouds above me but shut them just as fast. The intensity of the sun blinded me and got me back to reality.
I sat up in disbelief and laughed at my goofiness. I had forgotten myself in the midst of the wonderful situation and forgotten to thank Allah for it all. I put the sides of my hands together to form a small cup and stretched it up. "Alhamdullilah, Subhanallah, Allahoakbar, Lailahaillaallah." I suddenly felt like crying because of the pease I felt in my mind, the sweet flutter in my chest and the overwhelming situation.
I had such a great time exploring God's miracles and thanking him for them, while others did none of them. I could not believe that people went day by day without feeling what I felt by just thinking of Allah. That they could live doubtlessly of that this perfectly harmonious universe was created fortuitously. That the clouds, the ground and air had gotten stabilized and made into certain consistences by chance. Just poof and there you have it; your air to breathe, ground to walk on and clouds to gaze at when you are full of doubt.
Certainly they will stumble upon a day in which they will see that their beliefs were wrong. Because the Quran has by itself proven the existence of Allah the almighty and the truth in his religion in multiple biological, geological and physiological aspects. So those who hide from reality will someday witness the truth, whether they like it or not. That is only because Allah is fair, he gives chances to everyone, no matter how isolated they are Allah will send the truth along their way to lead them to the right one.
Plenty of them will waver but still push it away, probably willing to enjoy the worldly life and forget about all that could get in the way of their fun. Easily falling for the baits which Allah himself put out for them to test their endurance, falling for the charms of a momentary life. Forgetting the luxury which they won't reach to in the following life which is infinite. Losing all the possibility of getting there just because of selfish greed and search for pleasure.
There will of course also be some who will with sheer willpower push the devil away and start to pursue their life in the right path. These are the ones who have overcome all the obstacles which have been placed in their way just to take their lead towards the right path. The possibility of failure is huge, but who said that it is easy to live a honest life? This is like everything else in life, a test to determine your score and place according to capability and the extent of hard work.
I was so deep in thought that I hadn't noticed that the lady ,who had been pressing the bell, had her hand on my right shoulder and was carefully shaking it, uttering with a worried voice "Son, Son!"
"Oh sorry, I had not realized that you were calling me as I was thinking really hard." I sat on the grass and noticed that the building had cast it's shadow over the place where I was seated, so it was quite cold.
"Son I saw you laying here in the sun, so now that the sun has changed direction I thought you would change your spot. You did not for a long while, so I thought you had slept and worried that you would catch a cold if it suddenly rained or anything, so that is why I am waking you up." As she was speaking I got a chance to observe her and felt like her brown eyes looked familiar.
I used the fact that she had a scarf on as a reason to try to converse longer with her. "Oh thank you, I am sorry for being a burden! I think that you look a little familiar, have I seen you somewhere? And by the way, is there anything I can help you with? Because you should be in the apartment building by know I am guessing."
"Don't even mention it son! oh really? I have never seen you, so I probably just have a common lady's face." She laughed certainly amused by my politeness. "And I was wondering if you knew anyone in that apartment building, because my son is not answering when I am pressing the bell. But if I am able to get in I can easily get into his house as I know the passcode." She smiled as she was talking, alternatively lowering her gaze in shame for what she was asking from a stranger.
"No problem! My best friend lives there and I can ring his bell so that you can get in, just follow me ma'am." I stood up and gestured for her to walk in the lead. As I pressed the numbers for Dawod's room and waited for him to answer, the lady just sighed.
"Son, that is the same number as my son's room, I think you pressed the wrong one." she sounded rather tired now, which made me wonder how long she had been waiting for her shameless son to open the door. I felt so sorry for her until the meanings of her words made sense in my head.
I looked at her and could then immediately tell what was familiar with her, she had the same eyes as Dawod, and she was apparently his mother!
"Ya rab, so you are Dawod's mother? I am pleased to meet you! I guess I found your eyes similar, which made me think that I knew you." Her expression softened and she smiled widely.
"Does that mean that you are Ahmed? I have heard a lot about you from Dawod. And I see that even all the exaggerated parts were true!" I smiled unsurely, what did she mean by that? When she saw the doubt in my face she put her hand assuringly on my elbow. "Don't even think too hard about it, I have only heard good things about you, which made me critical to the relevance of what my son was describing you as. But know that I see you, all I can say is MashaAllah!"
I smiled wholeheartedly, it felt so awesome to be complimented by someone who looked as wise as her. I dug in my pocket for my phone and called Dawod a second time, to make sure that he was home. The voice I heard was all but Dawod's, it sounded feminine and sweet, but even though it sounded a little familiar I was unable to tell who it was.
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