Hunain:

Working continously at the garage had made me tired, ammi was calling continously to come and have lunch but I wanted to finish of the work first. I had decided to tell about my feelings for Diljah today at home.

Wiping away the sweat on my face I sighed tiredly, asked the coworkers to take care of the remaining tasks and got in my car to get to home.

Reciting the dua for traveling, I had my seat belt secured when I glanced at the side mirror and saw her.

She was struggling to escape from the hold of some man whose back was facing me and I could not see him. Her hijab was roughly taken off her head and it revealed  her dark brown hair falling on her face. She began wriggling in his hold and was trying to get away from him when she did the unexpected act of slapping him. My heart felt the happiness and I wanted to tell her that what she did was right and wanted to admire her for the rest of my life.

Smiling giddily, I took the turn for my street once I saw her getting free from his hold and moving fastly away from him inside her house. But why did she move into someone else's house? Of what I remember her house was near the school and not near my garage. Well, I need to brush this off.

Reaching home I quickly took off my shoes and loosened my shirt buttons and went straight to my room for getting fresh. I switched on the shower button and let the tiredness, and all the grease and garage smell flow down the drain and afterwards I applied my cologne and dressed and got down. I said salam to ammi and abbu and then was waiting for an appropiate moment to tell what was in my heart.

" Ammi... umm.. i want to tell you something? "

I struggled with my inner voice contemplating on if I should tell her now or not but then I gathered courage and spoke fluently.

" Ammi I think I have found someone to be your daughter in law. "

I said straightforwardly. She looked at me bewildered looking from me to my father , and then back at me. I chuckled lowly at her reaction , this was expected.

' So who is she? '

She asked plainly.

" Diljah. "

And I saw colours vibrant on her face, not that of approval and admiration but of remorse and gloominess .

' But beta, how can you marry her? Don't you know that she is Christian ? '

" What?? "

Now it was my turn to face regret and sadness. It all became clear why was Ma'arij not interested in her becoming my life partner . She knew this but she hid from me so that I'm not hurt.

' But don't worry beta, we have a good news for you. I have found a beautiful bride for my handsome son. Ma sha Allah. She is a practising muslimah, and a wonderful teacher. We are going to visit her house tomorrow. Is it okay for you? Uhm... Are you in consent with my opinion? '

Another truth had slapped my face and I was shaken back to reality when my mother asked for my response. What could I answer her? Why was fate playing with me?

" As you wish maa. "

I gave in to the circumstances life was surprising me with. I didn't know where this would lead me, but I surely knew one thing I was never going to be able to love anyone else dearly as much as I loved her. God forbids, but this was the reality. Yes I loved Diljah. And even though I got to knew of her religion clash today, but still my heart held great esteem and affection for her. I know this was prohibited , I know I was supposed to lower my gaze, I know I was supposed to guard my purity, I know I was supposed to confiscate the evil desires and oblige to the commandments of Allah... But I was a human. An epitome of errors and sins. And I had committed  sin. A sin of loving someone more than I am supposed to love anyone besides Allah.

Diljah:

Days passed since my mother's demise and I was not able to take off her burning body's picture from my mind so I tried indulging myself more in islamic activites. I joined the local masjid that had the evening classes for females separately that taught the knowledge of deen, the basic concepts of Quran, the right method of reciting Quran(it's tajweed) , the translation and understanding the tafseer, discussions on seerah .

I had made a friend there named Sarah, who was a beautiful young lady as an assistant teacher. She knew that I was a revert and helped me in great deal. We had exchanged numbers and most of the time our talks would be regarding how to please Allah and what should I do to try to come out from that family who kind of had adopted me. She shared my heart and one day when we were just strolling in the park after our evening class, she surprisedly asked for my hand for her elder brother. I thought she was pulling my leg and joking off, but her expressions were real. She held my hand and made me sit at a bench. Then she sat beside me and said that she was happy that she could find as gorgeous as me as a sister in law for  herself, I still couldn't hold my astonishment and so I gasped. She chuckled at my reaction and then continued praising me , I was feeling shy. But then my mind reminded me of a certain someone, for whom my disobedient heart had started feeling , Ma'arij's brother Hunain. It was the day since he fought for me at the Dunkins, protected me from Nadir, gifted me an abaya and then my life began gradually changing. It was all because of him that I came towards Islam. It was all becausw of my love that I found purity . My love for him was pure. But how could I confess it? I couldn't .

She shook my hand slowly and brought me back to the present, I laughed it off by saying that I was engaged already . Though she knew that, Nadir was a christian... But she didn't press the issue further. She said that she was ready to wait for my response as her brother was already getting too old so it wouldnt matter him turning a few days more older.

" You know what? Today some people are coming to see me! I am so excited! "

She chirped , switching the topic from me to her. It again striked me with amazement but I was happy for her too.

' Ma sha Allah. So who is the one and only guy who is getting luckier to have you in his life? '

" Oh dear. He is a mechanical engineer by profession and has his own garage. He has a sister and... "

My mind began revolving around the possible similarities the dots were connecting to amd I was not ready to accept the coming response of my brain.

' Who is he? Is he practising ? '

I gulped down my fear of hearing his name and prayed silently that it should not be him.

" Hunain sheikh. "

The smile slowly began creeping away from my face, forming into an unacceptable frown... I tried covering my face by the action of coughing ,trying to suppress my amger and grief... Particularly at no one.

She ran her hand back and forth my back and made me drink some water, oh such a kind person she was. But, how will i love her the same way i used to after knowing this that she is going to get a proposal from the one I dreamt of marrying...

" So I will be waiting for your answer, may be we get to be married together. Friends amd marriage togther. Doesn't it sound wonderful?? "

She winked at me and I forced myself to give her a small smile.

Life played unfair at times, but who are we to act culprits to it?

Assalam.o.Alaikum

This time it got me really late updating, sorry guys .I was not well actually. Alhamdulillah I'm better now.