"Allah created both night and day, if its dark in your life right now, be patient. The sun always rises. And if its light right now, be thankful. But know the sun must also set. Praise your maker for both the night and the day and know that he never sets."
________
*Few years later*
The alarm went off for tahajjud and the couple was deep in slumber because of disturbance during the night.
"Wake up Ayesha." A heavy voice sounded from under the blanket.
"You wake up first Ahmad." A sleepy voice shoot back.
"You take longer time." He said giving a push to her and she uttered a hmm sound tangling her hand into his to give her five minutes more and slept again.
The alarms went off one after another but it seemed that the couple was really tired of something.
"Ayesha wake up, only fifteen minutes are left." Ahmad exclaimed sitting up trying to get off his wife's grip.
He recited the dua for waking up and read the last ten ayahs of surah All Imran as per sunnah. It's been years since they practised these sunnah so it was obvious that they have memorised it by reading it daily at tahajjud. Looking at his wife in deep slumber, he smirked. It was time to again fulfil the ahadith about waking up your spouse at tahajjud. He sprinkled drops of water at her wife and she twitched her lips in annoyance and then her eyes flew open.
"How much time is left?" She asked sitting abruptly.
"Calm down there is enough time. Don't panic it's not good for you." He said rubbing her back.
"Go do wudu and siwak till then I'll check up the kids." He said leaving the room.
The girl after reciting the duas picked up her lazy body from the bed just for the sake of Allah and went to freshen up. As she was doing siwak her beloved hubby appeared with smiling face.
"They are soundly sleeping." He said picking up the miswak from the opposite side.
"Ayeshaaaa." Ahmad took her name stressing at the last part of her name and she gestured what?
"You are again brushing from my miswak." He exclaimed glancing at his own miswak which was in her mouth.
"Eww." She said pulling it out of her mouth and examining it thoroughly.
"That's why I say that you should wake up first." She uttered.
They hurried to offer their salah at the time of fajr was not far than ten minutes. He lead her to the tahajjud prayer and this was the best time spent together of the couple during the day, in the remembrance of their lord. The fajr soon arrived and Ahmad went to masjid to pray in congregation.
How can someone leave the fajr prayer in congregation when they know its virtues?
Al-Tirmidhi (223) and Ibn Maajah (781) narrated from Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Give glad tidings to those who walk to the mosques in the dark, of perfect light on the Day of Resurrection." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb.
Ahmad came back from masjid and found her wife still sitting on the prayer mat with Qur'an on her hand.
"Done with the revision?" He asked and she turned her face with a smile.
It was her turn today to recite him some surah among the surah's which they have memorised together. Turn by turn they recite to each other so that the shaytan doesn't make them forget the words of their most beloved Allah.
"Yup." She said and recited him surah yaseen which they had memorised competing with each other.
"I learned a new hadith today in the fajr khutba." Ahmad said glancing at her wife.
"I was waiting for this." She said catching his hand.
The husband and wife never did leave an opportunity to educate each other about Deen and the one who learned something new would narrate to the better half.
"Juwairiyah (radhi Allaahu anha) reported that one day the Prophet, peace be upon him, left her apartment in the morning as she was busy observing her dawn prayer in her place of worship. He came back in the forenoon and she was still sitting there. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to her, “You have been in the same place since I left you?” She said, “Yes.” Thereupon the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “I recited four words three times after I left you and if these were to be weighed against what you have recited since morning these would outweigh them, and these words are:
سُبْحـانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْـدِهِ عَدَدَ خَلْـقِه ، وَرِضـا نَفْسِـه ، وَزِنَـةَ عَـرْشِـه ، وَمِـدادَ كَلِمـاتِـه
Subhaanallaahi wa bihamdihi: ‘Adada khalqihi wa ridhaa nafsihi, wa zinata ‘arshihi wa midaada kalimaatihi.
Glory is to Allaah and praise is to Him, by the multitude of his creation, by His Pleasure, by the weight of His Throne, and by the extent of His Words (Recite 3 times in Arabic). [Muslim 4/2090]."
"Did you eat anything?" He asked her in concern for she never took care of her.
"No." She said shortening her eyes because she knew she did wrong.
"Why don't you take care of my baby growing inside you?" He scolded her but in concern, in care for her and his child.
"Cholly." She said with a puppy dog face.
"I'll bring some apple for you to eat and learn to take care of yourself." He said tapping her forehead.
"Wait."
"What?"
"I was thinking what will we name our child, have you thought of some names?" She asked him looking at her slightly bumped tummy.
"Umm no I was thinking to discuss it with you, but I already know what names you must have thought." He asked.
"Really?
"Yeah."
"If it's a boy then the name will be Haroon and if it's a girl then Aasia." He said confidently which turned out to be right.
"How do you know me so well?" She asked looking at him while both were still sitting on the prayer mat.
"Because you have told me this hundred times." He said laughing.
"I want to have a boy. What if it's a girl?" She asked fixing her eyes at him.
"What if? I want a girl only." He said raising his eyebrow.
"No I want a boy." She said folding her hands.
"Whatever Allah gives us, I'll be happy to have but personally I want a girl." He said folding his hands too.
While they were having their 'boy' 'girl' fights, a girl came entering the room rubbing her eyes with her little hands.
"But...." She tried to keep her point but was disturbed in between by a cute voice of a little girl 'Abbu'. The little girl made her way to the lap of her father.
"Assalamu alaikum princess khadijah." Her Abbu said embracing her.
"Walekum cham." She said and her father laughed at her while kissing her forehead while her mother sat there watching her life.
"Khadijah what do you want? A sister or a brother?" Ahmad asked the little one to come to a conclusion of their argument.
"I want a chichter." She said cutely going against her own mother while her dad was more than happy for the daughter took his side.
"Why you already have a sister. Don't you?" She said widening her eyes as both Ahmad and Khadijah wanted to have a girl inspite of the fact that they have another daughter 'Mariam'.
"Becauthe boyth aal bad (Because boys are bad)." She said twitching her face.
"Is not your Abbu good? He is also a boy." Ayesha said raising her eyebrow.
"No Abbu idh a man. Itha (Isa) ith a boy and he pulls my hail. He ith bad" She said showing them her long hairs and her parents laughed at her. She and Isa are always on a fight whenever they meet.
"Now you sit with Ammi under the blanket, till then I'll get you something to eat." He said and placed the little one on the bed with Ayesha and went towards the kitchen.
"Ammi whele will baby come flom." She asked innocently.
"Allah ta'ala will send a baby for us just like he has sent you to me." She said kissing her daughter.
"Why does Allah ta'ala gives uth tho muth (us so much) Ammi."
"Yes because he loves us sooooo much. Did you recite the dua of waking up?" She asked her and the daughter nodded a no. She recited the dua and her daughter repeated after her.
Its been four years since now when they were blessed with a daughter Khadijah. It was after their hajj when she felt that she would soon give birth to a baby growing inside her. The moment she told Ahmad about it, he went straight away in sajdah to thank Allah for his bounty. She had never seen this side of Ahmad and she was glad to witness this and being the reason of this happiness. As Ahmad is a doctor too, he took every step of precautions for her and to be specific he took care of her when she didn't even think that she had to be taken care of. When she had morning sickness it was he who stood behind her rubbing her back to calm her down, when she didn't feel like eating even a morsel it was him to who tried different new dishes to cook for her, when she couldn't sleep it was him who used to talk to her all night trying to distract her from weird feelings, it was him who used to take her to a walk when she didn't even had the courage to step up from her bed and it was him who was beside her catching her hand when she delivered princess Khadijah with tears in his eyes and a smile on his lips.
"Ayesha have this." Ahmad said handing her a piece of apple and snapping her out of the past memories.
"I don't like apple." She said making a face.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor way." He shoot back to her nagging and gave a piece to Khadijah.
"Forget the fruit if the doctor is cute." She said pouting referring to Ahmad as a doctor.
Ahmad looked at Khadijah while she was busy in eating so he gave a quick kiss to his beloved wife.
"The doctor will love you more for this." He said and Ayesha looked at Khadijah and gave a quick kiss to Ahmad.
"Kith (kiss) me too." Khadijah said poking her face out to them and both of them looked at each other for a while and burst out laughing.
Ahmad gave her a kiss on one side of the cheek while Ayesha on the other side at the same time and simultaneously they heard the crying of their other daughter and Ahmad rushed to get her. She had been lately not well which irritates her and she cries a lot. She was the reason they couldn't have a good sleep last night. Ahmad brought her and she flew her hands high to go to her mother. No matter how much close a father is to their daughter, the daughters run to be with their mother when they are not well as their mother serves to be the comfort zone during illness.
"Come let's walk in the fresh air." Ahmad said and took Mariam from Ayesha while Khadijah caught Ayesha's hand.
After having walk, watering the garden and having breakfast, the family was in one room getting ready for their works. Mariam was playing on bed with a toy, Khadijah was trying to wear her school shoes as she has joined school recently and as usual Ayesha was tying the tie of Ahmad.
"Ammi." The little Khadijah called who failed to wear her new shoes.
Ayesha looked at her and then Ahmad and smiled.
"Your daughter won't leave us alone." She said and Ahmad laughed.
"She just can't live without you just like me after all she is my daughter." He said with a whisper and winked at her which made her blush after years of their marriage.
"What now." The mother asked keeping her hands on waist.
The little Khadijah stood up and showed her shoes which made Ayesha giggle and Ahmad made his way to them, and then trying to hide his smile.
"You wore the left shoes on the right, and right one on the left." Ayesha said suppressing her laughter while making an attempt to sit down and change her shoes.
"Ayesha what are you doing, I am here to tie her shoes." Ahmad said and tied her shoes while Ayesha went to check Mariam.
"Abbu I will tie this." She said and she started tying Ahmad's tie as she sees her mother doing everyday. Ahmad was on his knees and the little daughter didn't miss a chance to be like her mother. Children often try to copy their parents, so they don't listen to what is said to them instead they watch what is being done.
After Khadijah tied the tie Ahmad stood up and we both tried to suppress our laughter watching the tangled tie on Ahmad's neck.
"Khadijah bring your bag." Ahmad said and she went to get it from the other room and we finally laughed at the tie.
"She's is just like you." Ahmad said while untangling his tie.
"I have three Ayesha's and I want one more." Ahmad uttered while Ayesha tied the not of his tie on around his neck.
"That's not fair, I need a little Ahmad too."
"Anyways how is Mariam's fever." He asked looking at the two year baby sitting on the bed.
"The fever has gone alhamdulillah." As she finished saying her phone started ringing.
Ahmad picked up the call and put it in her ears while she was tying his tie.
It was Hana who called her and the first thing they did was greeting each other as usual.
"How is my daughter in law?" Hana's voice came from the other side.
"Daughter in law?" Ayesha raised her eyebrow and took the phone from Ahmad's hand as the tie was finally done.
"Yeah I was just refreshing our college life memories and that just reminded me that we had decided to marry off our children to each other." Hana said laughing and soon Ayesha joined her too which made Ahmad curious.
He gestured her why was she laughing and she gestured him that she will tell later.
"I remember how we use to make plans for our future."
"But of course it will be our children's choice, we won't force."
"Yeah."
"Isa was saying to meet Khadijah so I was thing to meet up today." Hana said while there was a fight going on her house.
"Yeah in sha Allah let's meet up in ammi's house, Khadijah was saying to meet Fatima too." She said while Khadijah entered with her little bag.
"Uff these kids won't let me live, talk to Asmah." Hana said and handed the phone to a three and a half year old daughter of hers as she was continuously pulling her dupatta to have a talk on phone.
"Acchham Khala." She said from the other side holding the phone cutely. She loves to talk on phones and always bugs her mother to call people and talk to them.
Hana and Hammad both came to the same spot at the same time looking for their kids who were fighting.
"What's wrong Isa?" Isa was a chirpy one and Musa was a grumpy one.
"He is beating me." Isa said answering his dad.
"And why are you doing that?" Hana asked glaring at Musa.
"Mama he was saying that Fatima is my wife." Musa said grumpily. Musa and Fatima are best friends and Isa is always the one to tease them although he doesn't know what wife is. Once he asked his father who are wife and husband? His father Hammad told him that wife and husband are best friends to each other just like Hana and Hammad. Since then Isa tease them husband and wife although Musa is more matured than Isa, he acts grumpy when Isa says that.
"Come on pack your bags, you people are getting late now." Hana said while taking her one year old child from Hammad as he had to leave for office and drop them to school.
They had four children, the twins Isa and Musa and then Asmah followed by Zaid.
"Come soon today, we have to go to Shirana's house today." She said looking up to her husband while Isa and Musa went up to take their bags.
"You don't give me time." Hammad said with a puppy dog face.
"What should I do, your kids are so naughty." She said scrunching his nose and Zaid started jumping in happiness when Hammad uttered an ouch.
"Zaid is happy to see his father in pain?" Hammad said pulling his cheek and Zaid started jumping and made the couple laugh at his innocence.
"I was thinking it's the time to fulfil our wish to make our children Hafiz." Hana said remembering the decision they had made years ago. It's their biggest dream to see their kids Hafiz and Aalim as well.
"In sha Allah we will admit them to Madarsa this year." He said and kissed his son Zaid followed by his wife Hana.
The twins came back with their bags ready and then the three men marched out to the house bidding their mother goodbye with a salam.
Hana remembered something and ran towards the door with Zaid on her hands.
"Don't forget to read the dua." She said shouting while the three men looked back at her call and nodded and waived their mother and Zaid goodbye and Zaid waved them back jumping.
Hana came back to the room and found her daughter still on phone.
"Yach." Her daughter uttered nodding her head and Hana came forward to her demanding her phone and keeping Zaid on the walker.
"Chirana." Asmah said handing the phone to Hana and Hana face palmed watching her daughter.
She took her phone and greeted Shirana and simultaneously told Asmah to call her Shirana aunty.
"Asmah is so obsessed with calling." Hana said watching her daughter and she in return gave back a naughty smile.
"Haha your daughter talks so cutely." Shirana from the other side said laughing.
"Cute or naughty. My kiss are too much naughty." Hana exclaimed.
"Haha for me it's cute. Anyways she told me that you people are coming over here today?" Shirana asked as the little one informed her.
"Yes in sha Allah. My daughter is so fast, sometimes she acts like she's my Ammi and I am her kid." Hana uttered and they laughed.
"Yusuf is crying, catch you later then." Shirana said and hung up the phone.
"Ahmish why is Yusuf crying." She turned to see his one and a half year child and saw him on the shoulders of his dad Ahmish.
"Ya Allah he's afraid, put him down." Shirana said taking him from Ahmish and consoling her child not to cry.
"I was just trying to make him laugh." He said innocently to his beautiful wife.
"Like this?" She said rolling her eyes.
"Come to daddy." Ahmish said gesturing him to take Yusuf with her but the little baby declined.
"He's mama's boy." Shirana said and Yusuf embraced her with a smile.
"Abbu Chachu cheatal (cheater)." A little three year old boy named Ibrahim entered from the door to running to his Abbu and Ammi.
"Now what Abdullah has done? He becomes kids with kids." Ahmish uttered and went out of the room with his child.
There was a little five year old girl sitting with her grandmother in her room while getting ready for school.
"This is done." The grandmom said looking at her long pretty black hair.
"Jazaki Allahu kh.. dadi." She said stammering in between.
"It's khair." She said completing her word which was left in between.
"Have you packed your books, lunch and water bottle?" The grandmother asked in concern. Fatima was her grandmother's favourite and grandmother was Fatima's favourite. They shared an unbreakable bond.
"Yes Dadi." She said and her Dadi kissed her forehead.
"Now hurry up for school." She said and she bid her salam.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of aloo ka paratha made by Shirana. She had already packed and given the lunch to her kid, but the biggest kids lunch was still left to be packed. Shirana handed over Yusuf to Abdullah and went to pack her husband's lunch. She made her way to the kitchen and her husband followed her to scare her when she is busy.
"Boww." He said when he saw she was alone packing his lunch.
"Ya Allah when will you grow up. Your kids are growing now at least for them grow up." She said slamming her back.
"My kids are growing and their mom doesn't give me time." He said catching her from behind.
"Ahmish leave me, this is not our bedroom." She said trying to remove his hand.
"Boww." The three year old Ibrahim tried to scare his parents just like his dad tried to scare his mom.
Ahmish immediately left her and Shirana blushed as well as laughed at her husband.
"Come on Ibrahim go and play with Chachu." He said in shame after being caught.
"Dadi ith calling." He delivered his message and went running out from the kitchen.
"What if it was Ammi?" Shirana said raising her eyebrow.
"So what?" He said folding his hands.
"So wha...?"
Before she could argue, he stole a kiss and went out running out of the kitchen making her speechless for the nth time.
It was soon evening and the handful of children were running in the house of Umm Ahmish. The house was on fire today with these many kids which were the noor of their parents eyes.
"Khadijah eat it." Abdullah said giving her ice cream but she declined.
"Ammi will scold." She uttered and folded her hands saying no to it.
"I won't tell your Ammi, promise." He said trying her to convince as everyone else wee eating it around her.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I have promised." She said showing how important parents orders are. She was none but the daughter of righteous couple and they gave her the best virtues they could. Children are a mirror image of their parents, their virtues speaks volumes how their parents have brought them up.
Shirana was in the kitchen making salad which was the only thing left for the preparation of dinner. Fatima was roaming around so she called her to bring some cucumbers from the fridge but Fatima was busy with something unusual which made her arrival delay. Ahmad accompanied Shirana in the kitchen to ask about her health and was observing things. Finally Fatima arrived with it and he picked her up and kissed her on forehead.
"How is my princess?"
"Alhamdulillah." She said smiling.
"How is school."
"Good except homework." She said which made Ahmad giggle.
"What made you delay in bringing the cucumber?" He asked all innocently yo her.
"I was playing with Khadijah."
"Does Khadijah trouble you?" He asked scrunching her nose.
"No we were catching each other." She said gesturing her hands just like how kids do when they talk.
"But you know whom Allah loves very much?" He asked.
"Who Mamu?" She said innocently.
"The one who listen to their parents and does the work immediately without delay." He said trying to explain a five year old girl.
"If I do this then will Allah love me more than Khadijah?" She asked innocently.
"Haha yes Allah loves the one who obeys their parents as soon as they call them." He said trying his best.
"Okay mamu I will always listen first to them and then play." She said and went on playing with Khadijah.
The kids heard the call of adhaan and everyone rushed to do wudhu for salah just as they saw their parents doing. Isa and Musa fought on who will lead the prayer while Khadijah and Fatima helped each other to tie their hijab neatly and the others were spreading the prayer mat.
Ayesha had tears on her eyes watching them from a far place. She missed her dad, her inspiration. Her dad left them an year ago after a major surgery. She would have broken into pieces if Ahmad was not on her side as a support, as a guide, as a soul partner. She never thought her dad would leave them so soon but she realised that this is life. Who said that there's happy ending in this duniya? Indeed there's always a sad ending when someone you love extremely is taken away by Allah. That's the ending of love and that's the fact of life that at last someone or the other will leave. One day you will cry for someone's death and someday your death will be the reason for your loved ones tears. But life goes on until you reach your death bed and in between the only hope which makes us stronger is jannah. The hope that no death will make you apart from your loved ones and you will live your eternal life with them. Who said duniya has no sad ending? Duniya always ends up hurting at the last and it is only Jannah which will last eternally where we would live a blissful eternal life with our loved ones.
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. [2:154].
A hand wiped the tears of Ayesha before it fell from her eyes and before she could hide it from him, he squeezed her hands in assurance.
"One day we will all enter the door of jannah together in sha Allah."
________
Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.
I can't belive I am done with the epilogue. I wanted to write more but I think I have written too much on this. Urgh I hope it wasn't boring. Was it? May be you people wouldn't love the ending part of this but I wanted to end up with truth of life. May be it would be a little disappointing but who said there's a happy ending in this duniya and who said there's always a happy ending of a book? Hope this made sense.
And a big jazakum Allahu khair for voting on crystal awards for me as door to jannah is nominated there. I don't dream to be a winner but the thought that someone gave a little time and voted there, makes me feel happy and makes me think that some people did love this book.
And I would be updating a chapter conclusion next. It wouldn't be long though but yeah some extracts from the book for lessons of life. So I was thinking that you can write up an article if you are interested regarding anything which inspired you, which you think was a thing to be thought upon, something to be focussed upon so that people can focus on those things separately and change themselves wherever they are wrong. I was writing about it and thought some good writers can help me too for this with their good thoughts. Don't worry I'll dedicate your article to you in sha Allah. It would be better if you send me the text on Instagram or somewhere I can copy it (just lazy things). Hurry up if you are interested.