"A woman wearing make-up contradicts her wearing hijab as make-up contradicts hijab."
______
"Abaya."
"Checked."
"Neatly wrapped hijab."
"Checked."
"No makeup."
"Checked."
"No perfume."
"Checked."
"No extra adornments."
"Checked."
"Lowered gaze."
"That cannot be checked right now Mehwish." asserted Arbish.
"I will do that in sha Allah." replied Firdaus.
"Nervous?" asked Arbish.
"Umm very much." Firdaus said biting her lips.
"Don't worry appi, it'll all go well in sha Allah." added Arbish.
"The experienced one says." Commented Mehwish to which Arbish gave a laugh.
"I declare that to be the 'Nervous Day' of my life."
"Tell me about it." Firdaus said while making her sit beside her.
"It was winter and I was sweating so much and simultaneously drinking water, one glass after another. And my husband looked so calm, he asked me to calm down and ask my respective question but me being me." laughed Arbish.
"Then did you ask?" asked Firdaus.
"I had a list of questions but I asked just one due to nervousness when he insisted me to ask."
"What was it?"
"Umm that will he ever come in between me and Allah?"
"And then?"
"And then he said 'no' for it while she said 'yes' for him. Tada a cute looovveee story." said Mehwish exaggerating the word 'love' to which Mehwish blushed.
The door bell rang off which indicated that the expected guests were here. Firdaus was in her room whilst all the other members of the family were doing their assigned duties.
"Niki aunty." came little voices one after another and a number of favourite children of Firdaus showed up.
Khadija
Mariam
Saif
"I am so glad Ayesha, you're here for me on this big day Alhamdulillah." said Firdaus as she hugged Ayesha.
"I am not here for you." Ayesha said winking at her.
"Then?"
"It's a surprise." said Ayesha and upon insisting, Ayesha denied to spill the beans. She suggested her to be patient and after spending some time with her group of favourite people, she was invited to come down in a room where his brother was accompanying a guy. A guy whose name was even unknown to her and at the same time a guy who could be her companion not just in this life but also in the hereafter.
Before entering she saw the guy's back and saw Yahya looking at her with a plane smile. She hesitated to enter the room buy Yahya assured her with his look to calm down and enter without hesitation.
While entering she bid her salam and as she came in contact with him face to face, her face turned into a bucket of surprise.
"Danish?"
"Yeah?" Danish looked up at her.
She said nothing because there wasn't anything right now to be said. She was planning to slay Ayesha for not telling her about this. She never expected that Saif's father would come to take her hand.
"Shall I begin or you want to ask first?" asked Danish.
"After you." replied Firdaus.
"You already know about Saif. He doesn't have a mother and I haven't planned to remarry anyone because I am afraid that I won't a find a good mother for her. But Ahmad had insisted and made me realise that he really needs a mother. So my question is that will you be able to take care of Saif as a mother?" asked Danish.
"I have no problem in taking care of him. I love him more than any other child I've met because there's something which attracts me to him."
"Now will you be able to love him the way you will love your future children? A lot of people have step children and sometimes they are not mistreated but neglected. You know what I am trying to say?"
" You mean that I'll love my children more than yours. Well I may have done this when I was ignorant but now when I am learning, I will try my best not to be partial. The best example is my mother." she paused a little bit to look towards Yahya and said after smiling "I never find my step mother being partial Alhamdulillah. She's such an inspiration to me although I always had the idea of cruel step mothers but she changed my perspective towards it. She's a gem and my role model and in future I'll be honourable to take that place."
"That's it. I am done with my questions. You may proceed with yours."
"So my first question is 'Where is Allah'?"
"Above the seventh heaven, on his throne." said Danish as he smiled at her question. She was a new revert and still was concerned about the deen. Very few born Muslims consider about the religion while they look at appearance and bank balance.
"How do we understand our religion?"
"By the understanding of the sahabas."
"Do you not consider look as a factor in a marriage tie?"
"Of course I do. A man should look at a woman and vice versa so that they do not develop a sense of disliking for each other after they tie the bond."
"Do you have any problem with my look as my half face is burned with acid?"
"Well! I wouldn't be sitting here if I had."
"What if you develop a feeling for someone else because she is gorgeous than me?"
"Of course not In sha Allah. There's a reason why Allah has asked us to lower our gaze."
"What if your relatives talk about it. I mean asking you marrying such an ugly girl."
"I don't fear society rather I fear Allah who looks at our hearts and not appearances. Even if I marry the most stunning girl of this world, the society will point out something ugly about her."
"Do you know my past that I was a non Muslim?"
"Yes."
"Do you any problem with my past or my background?"
"No."
"Will you teach me about Islam since I am a beginner?"
"Of course I'll be glad to."
"Last question. Why me?" asked Firdaus.
"Sorry?" responded Danish.
"I mean why did you choose me? You could get a better girl who would be more glamours than me."
"I could ask the same question. Why would you prefer a man who is marrying second time and also has a son?"
"That doesn't satisfy my question." said Firdaus ignoring his cross question.
"Well! I can't marry anyone who is pretty since I want someone with a good heart and not with a good face. I want someone who will not just look after me but also my son. I have seen you looking after my son and he actually loves you very much. He hasn't talked about someone so much except you. I also know about you from Ahmad and that assures me that you are the one I would prefer to marry. I can marry a born Muslim and she could be pious but sometimes we can't just rip open their hearts and know what actually resides in it. Plus you're a revert and I'll get reward for everything I teach you in sha Allah." said Danish.
"That's it." she stood up and left the room after bidding her salam. She thought she would be nervous but she turned out to be bold enough to secure her future.
"Ayesha." she came in and smacked her back.
"How was the surprise?" Ayesha asked as she realised Firdaus was back.
"Ahh why didn't you tell me? I felt so embarrassed when I was surprised."
"I and Ahmad thought about it a lot and discussed it with Danish and then your Dad. Your dad liked him and agreed and now its your turn. What do you think about it?"
"Umm well my dad's choice is my choice."
______
"Has everyone slept?" asked Hammad in a low tone.
"Yeah." said Hana as she was setting the dinner for her husband to eat.
"Ahmad had sent me some money. I don't know how did he know about my loss. I didn't even mention it to anyone that my business was burned down except few people." Hammad said thoughtfully.
"Your friend is gold Alhamdulillah. He must have sensed it and interrogated." Hana concluded.
"I've paid the bills from it. I was messed up thinking about bills and he sent it out of the blue. Surely we stress about things which Allah takes care of. I miss him a lot and I know you would be missing your best friend too but you never mention it to me." he said while Hana hummed ignoring to bring the topic into existence leaving the atmosphere in silence.
"I was thinking..."
"What?" asked Hana.
"Don't you think you're stuck with a looser?" asked Hammad.
"Huh? Stop talking nonsense about my husband."
"I mean I am really giving you a hard time. Isn't it?" asked Hammad.
"No way my dearest husband. There's nothing in your hand. It is all Allah's plan and all we need to do is to adhere patience at the time of hardship. So what we don't have enough money right now, we have each other as a companion. Ayesha (radiallahu Anha) used to narrate that months would pass by and they would kindle no fire to cook the food. At least Alhamdulillah we have food to eat and a secure place to sleep."
"Yes Alhamdulillah."
"You know what I was reading today?"
"Tell."
"I was reading that whoever is given a blessing will be asked about it and whoever is not given will not be asked. Like someone is rich, he'll be asked in the hereafter that where did he spent his money? He will be asked what did he do of his money? While a poor person will not be asked about it. Similarly if a person is given free time, he'll be asked where did he spent his free time? What did he do in those times? While a person who is busy with his life would not be questioned. Ofcourse we are to be questioned about our Salah and devotion to Allah but who isn't busy in anything will be questioned more. So never think that whoever Allah gives more, he's blessed. Yes he's blessed in this life but no-one knows if he'll be blessed in the next life because he'll be questioned about it and if turns out the other way, then he'll not be blessed rather doomed. It's like business, the more the business expands, the higher the risk is. And you know I also read a hadith today."
“There are only four types of men in the world: [The first is] a man whom Allah has given wealth and knowledge and he uses his wealth according to his knowledge, spending it according to its due right. Another is a man whom Allah has given knowledge but not wealth. He says, ‘If I had what that man had I would use it as he has used it.’ They will both receive a reward. Then there is a man whom Allah has given wealth but not knowledge. He spends it according to his desire, not where it should be rightfully spent. There is another man whom Allah has given neither wealth nor knowledge. He says, ‘If I had what that man had I would use it as he has used it.’ They will both incur sin.” (Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmithee. 2:270, no. 1894)
"You know what? I am the happiest guy in this world." asked Hammad.
"Really how? You were a looser few minutes before." Hana said smiling.
"Yeah" he scratched his head with a smile and said "Ibn Rajab says 'The happy one is someone who gets a good wife to help him with his faith." Alhamdulillah for you." said Hammad smiling at his wife fondly.
"Alhamdulillah we have each other to remind each other about Allah. I am scared to know the condition about Rida. Indeed one of the biggest trial of a woman is to loose her baby as well as her husband."