Al-Baqara : 124
وَإِذِ ابْتَلٰىٓ إِبْرٰهِۦمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى الظّٰلِمِينَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [Allah] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."
***
Euphoric. Thrilled. Jubilant. Rapturous. Rehan couldn't describe how he felt at the moment. He was having a great time grasping what was actually going on. The feeling when you know when an uncertain situation turns out to be the best day of your life. If yesterday someone had told him, that he was the one getting married to Rida, he would have laughed on their face because he had clearly heard what Zakir had said and he had started trying to accept the reality that, Kaif and Rida were made for each other.
Rida who had her head hung low the entire time, was now staring at Rehan and her dad throughout the conversation. She couldn't just believe what she had heard.
Had she heard it right or was it her mind hallucinating things?
She noticed her father strap the watch on Rehan's hand, clearing the doubt that she had glancing at Rehan to see him still having a shocked expression on his face. She looked around the people in the room to see everyone having a warm smile on their faces. She looked at her mother who nodded her head at her, giving her a smile and she couldn't help the dancing of the animals in her stomach.
She was getting married to Rehan!
She was getting married to one and only Rehan Shaikh.
Rehan.
REHAN!
'Stop it Rida' She heard her inner voice, giggling at her ownself.
She looked down at her hand, where the ring rested on her finger. A few minutes earlier she felt tied down, her dreams crushing but now she felt a different feeling looking at the ring. Rida realised that it was no one's ring but Rehan's ring on her finger.
Rehan's ring!
She couldn't help but blush a deep scarlet colour and everyone started congratulating Rida while she still had her head lowered, feeling a lot of things at once. She had lots of questions in her mind and she was waiting to be left alone with her parents or anyone who could answer her unasked questions.
"But why?" Rehan asked after a few seconds not understanding how everything turned out to be not realising that Rida felt her heart almost breaking at his question.
Did he not wanted to marry her? Was she that bad?
Her eyes started welling up at his question and she was glad when Safa questioned her unasked question and she couldn't help but feel glad.
"Don't you want to marry Rida?" Safa asked raising her eyebrow looking between the newly engaged couple clearly knowing how Rida's mind would be racing in there, while Rida held her breath waiting for his answer and he looked at Rida and back at Safa, his eyes wide, shaking his head vigorously.
"WHAT? NO.... I mean it is nothing like that, uh no wait I asked a wrong question I wanted to ask.. shit I am sorry." Rehan stuttered feeling embarrassed and he rubbed the back of his neck feeling the heat.
He did not understand what had gotten into him that he was speaking such rubbish.
"So that means you want to marry her?" Kaif asked smirking while raising his eyebrow and everyone tried hiding their smile.
"Of course! Uh.. I.. I mean like who wouldn't want to marry Rida." He whispered feeling that the ground should just swallow him before he embarrasses himself more since he already did it. Not once, but twice in just one minute.
Everyone started laughing loudly making Rehan to smile nervously. Rida tried hiding her smile feeling herself happy and at peace while the blush not for once leaving her face.
"I never knew Rehan was so eager to marry Rida." Saif said smirking at Rehan and he couldn't help but glare at him because he could clearly see the huge smirk on his face.
"Well all thanks to our Kaif bhai who arranged all this and if it was on this idiot, he wouldn't even send the proposal even if Rida di would get married and have children." Faiz said glaring at Rehan who had his eyes wide enough while heat rushing on his neck.
Rida controlled her giggle, a smile making it's way on her lips, the blush clearly visible on her face while biting her lip in nervousness.
"Okay enough of troubling Rehan, poor boy." Zakir said hiding his smile and everyone laughed.
"So when is the Nikaah?" Faiza asked almost jumping with happiness, after controlling her excitement for such a long time
"Control your horses angry bird." Faiz nudged in between making Faiza to glare at her.
"I have been quiet of a very long time if you noticed." Faiza said throwing draggers at him.
"So cant stop yourself anymore?" Faiz asked and Faiza was almost on the verge of killing him with her bare hand but stopped looking at everyone.
"Yeah Faiz she actually was quiet more then for a long time, actually to an excited girl that she is." Shehnaz said and Faiza looked at her mother, pretending to be hurt but ending with grinning.
"We still did not decide the date since both of them came to know about their wedding right now." Zakir said moving his hand between Rehan and Rida and both flushed avoiding eye contact with anyone.
"Why not after Rida graduates? Like after 4 month?" Amina asked as if deep in thoughts looking at everyone for their opinion.
"4 months!?" Rehan exclaimed a way little too loudly making the boys to turn to him with a smirk on their face while the girls trying their best to control their giggle, but failing miserably.
"I think the groom is way much eager to get married." Safa said giggling, winking at Rida and she looked down back again while Rehan tried his best to not smack his own self.
"I don't think that is a good idea." Shehnaz said trying to keep her point and almost everyone nodded their head.
"Yeah I think the same too." Zakir said looking at his wife and she nodded her head, agreeing to whatever they were fine with.
"I was thinking why not we get them married as early as possible since we can save the both falling into committing any haram, though we trusts them but we know right that dragging an engagement without any reason can cause fitnah and sometimes long term engagement results in nothing but disasters." Saif said maturely, keeping his point very obediently trying not to hurt any elder that was present in the room while Safa looked at her husband in aww. She couldn't help but fall in love more with her husband with every moment.
Rehan looked at Saif with proud smirk. He could clearly see how his best friend had turned into a matured man and all the credits goes to the lady standing a little away from him, her gaze on him.
Rehan turned his head to the elders who were giving Saif a warm smile. He was sure that they were actually impressed of what he had spoken.
Rehan glanced at Rida who was sitting on the couch while playing with her fingers. He smiled at how innocent she looked. He concentrated a little more on Rida's face to notice the pink colour on her face. His heart skipped a beat realising that she was blushing, and the reason being their marriage. They were going to get married.
This girl here was going to be his.
Rehan's Rida!
He loved the sound of it.
"Ahem." He turned to his left to see Kaif standing besides him with a smirk on his face. He tried glaring at him but the smile wouldn't leave his head.
"Start trying to keeping your eyes to yourself man." Kaif said making Rehan to give him an awkward smile while he turned his face away while Saif who was now standing besides Safa, had his gaze on Rehan.
Saif noticed how happy Rehan looked. He had always known that Rida was the one for him, who would make his life a peaceful and happy place just like how Safa was for him but he still didn't knew why Rehan hadn't taken any step all the while and he felt grateful to Kaif for initiating their marriage.
Rehan gazed at Saif to see him staring at him. He raised his eyebrow and Saif winked at him making him smile and shake his head.
"We agree with what Saif had to say and I don't what anyone to commit any sin any error." Abdul said looking Rida and then smiling at Saif nodding his head.
"So we think it would be better if they get their Nikaah and we can wait till Rida's graduation for the reception, what say?" Zakir said looking at everyone, his gaze on Rehan who was deep in thoughts. Rehan looked at Zakir who raised his eyebrow asking him it was alright with him and he nodded his head with a smile on his face, agreeing to whatever they had thought.
"So maybe we can do the Nikaah two days before we leave?" Amina said and Zakir nodded his head and everyone waited to know the date.
"Yeah in 4 days then?" Zakir said making Shehnaz to shake her head vigorously.
"How are we suppose to do everything in like 4 days I don't think that is possible." Shehnaz said and Amina nodded her head understanding what a mother was going through.
"We can just do a simple wedding in the masjid we can leave all the preparations for walima." Safa said looking at Rehan who smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up making her sigh and smile at him.
Everyone agreed now busy with talking about the Nikaah and taking this as a chance Rehan glance at Rida to see her head hung low while Safa sat besides her talking to her. As if sensing his gaze on her she looked up at him and that is when they shared an eye lock.
They did not get any chance of talking this evening after the bomb was exploded on their head, but with just one look they knew they did not had to, because their eyes spoke volumes that words couldn't and they were sure, this moment here, they wouldn't forget in their entire lives.
In that moment they were sure that they both were ready to share the rest of their life with each other!
"Faiza, Safa, Sheerin you all can head in Rida's room if you'll want." Shehnaz said and everyone nodded their head.
Faiza started jumping making everyone in the room to laugh at her while Rida got up elegantly and walked behind Faiza and Sheerin with Safa on her side.
She had almost started climbing the stair, having a feeling of someone's gaze on her retreating back. She bite her lip and slowly turned around to meet a pair of black eyes shining at her. She smiled a small smile and he gave her one of his most charming smile, showing his dimples.
And before the blush could tinge her cheek, she hurriedly turned around and rushed upstairs.
Oh, How Rida almost felt herself falling in love with that smile!
"Appi I am so happy for you." Faiza said engulfing Rida in a bear hug as soon as she entered the room making them both fall on the bed while Rida giggled wrapping her arms around her sister.
"I am happy too." Rida whispered and tighten her hold almost feeling herself crying at how happy she was feeling.
"Alhamdulillah." Safa said and Rida opened her eyes and glanced at Safa who was smiling at her and nodded her head a tear escaping her eye,
"Alhamdulillah."
Faiza broke the hug and Rida sat up straight and looked at Sheerin who was standing and she felt embarrassed on the way they were reacting but she smiled when she saw Sheerin giving her a smile. Sheerin walked towards Rida and took a sit next to Rida, taking her hand in hers.
"I had been very happy when I thought that you were going to marry Kaif because I had always loved you and I felt a little sad when I came to know last night that the proposal was for Rehan and not Kaif but I am happy because I have known Rehan to be a good man and I hope you both stay happy always." Rida looked at Sheerin smiling at her.
"Sheerin Appi come let's get the sweets from downstairs." Faiza said knowing very well that her sister had lots of questions that needed answers and pulling Sheerin with her she left Safa and Rida alone, to let her sister get all her answers.
Rida praised Faiza a little in her heart for giving them a little space and now she could get her answers. Safa walked towards Rida taking a seat next to her and engulfing her in a hug while Rida hugged her back with a huge grin on her face.
"I know you want to know everything. Just a little patience and I will tell you everything." Safa said when she saw Rida open her mouth. Rida grinned awkwardly, embarrassed nodding her head making Safa to giggle at her expression while hitting her head slightly.
"Well yesterday we got a call from Kaif and he had told us that he would be asking for your hand in marriage..." Rida looked shocked completely taken aback by the piece of information but Safa assured her by keeping her hand on hers before saying
"..for Rehan. He said that he could clearly see that you both had feelings for each other and yes please do not deny that because I know what the truth is, so yes he said that he would do that but I guess he told Rehan some different story because when Rehan called Saif last night he sounded completely drained. We did not understood but then Kaif told us about everything. I didn't knew that you were unaware of it too, since you did not wait to listen to the entire conversation as told by Aunty and when aunty had tried talking to you about it in the morning you had completely turned her down. I had no idea about it but when Aunty told me about it, I thought of playing and not letting the confusion erase to see how your reaction would be." Safa explained and Rida looked at Safa with a small smile on her face.
Rida admitted that she had started developing feeling for Rehan and that was the reason his mere actions had such effects on her but she was not sure whether she could name the feelings as love but now when she was engaged to him and the Nikaah being just in 5 days, she was sure she would definitely fall head over heels in love with him.
"And the reactions! Oh My Allah you both should have seen your faces. It was like someone had given you'll your favourite toffee." Safa said giggling while Rida tried to hide the blush that was creeping on her face.
"Okay on a serious note, are you happy?" Safa asked taking Rida's hand and Rida did not know how she should put her feelings in words so she just nodded her head with a small smile on her face, the constant blush present on her cheek.
"I am so excited to see you both get married and welcome you to our small but crazy family." Safa said engulfing Rida in a bear hug making her giggle at her words.
'Trust me Safa it is me who is much more excited to get married to him.' Rida thought to herself but did not speak that out aloud.
The day passed on very smoothly, after the Nikaah date was final and talking about all the important stuff. While everyone were leaving, Rida still remembers how she had felt his gaze on her the entire time but she did not dare to look at him because one glance and she knew she would loose herself in his eyes. But they had shared an eye lock when she was standing near her window and he had looked up, a strong feeling of being watched. He had smiled at her while all she could do was blush and move away from the window.
Rida laid down on her bed, sleep far away from her eyes. She couldn't help but thank Allah Subhana watahaalah for blessing her life. She believed in Allah Subhana watahaalah's plan and indeed his plans are the best.
Few years back, she was dreaming of her life with someone whom she had thought she loved to the core but he had left her hanging for a girl whom he loved and now when she thought back to those days she couldn't help but laugh at her own self. And Rehan? Marrying him was the last thing she had ever thought but had anything ever gone the way she had planned? But she was happy. She trusted Allah Subhana watahaalah's plan and timing and Alhamdulillah even though she had gone through trials she was happy that Allah Subhana watahaalah had tested her to bring her more closer to Him.
Indeed seek help from Allah Subhana watahaalah, believe in him and everything falls in the right place.