28th, July, 2018

"Assalamu alaikum"

"Wa alaikum salam"

"How are you?"

"Alhamdhulillah"

"Why didn't you message me la?"

"Nothing da"

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.
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After keeping her phone aside, she had gone to sleep. It was her school friend, Afeera, a good Islamic girl, Ridha's best friend from her VI grade. Sadhia , Afeera and Ridha is the three idiotic characters who makes fun of each other in their tour, going madharsa , having fun at class, sharing worries, guiding each other and advising Islamically ,etc till she vacated her house from JJ nagar to coastal area. She used to text them, talk them once in a two or three months. Soon after she shifted her home from JJ nagar, she missed all the fun, happiness and suffered a lot for more than a year all alone. As the days passed, her feelings turn to beautiful memories...

"Sana, please wake up, you are missing fajr daily", Ridha shouted.

Then turning on the light and off the fan, she made her way to do ablution and after completing her fajr, she wanted to take a nap since Sunday morning. A sudden urge to take her phone to see some texts, she took her phone from the charger, a bitter truth displayed on the screen. She couldn't believe what she was a seeing is true or any fake message arrived or she misinterpreted to read the text, she again look into the message,

"My dad passed away, please make dua for him"- Afeera's text at 4 am...

She don't know how to react, she got plenty of questions in her mind, 'the day before she texted me well, what happened now...' Many unanswered questions encircling her mind, then she tried to call her, not attend, then she called her cousin Bhurhan, she also not picked the call, then no choice to confirm about this news, so she texted Ahmed,

Ridha - "Assalamu alaikum"
Soon after he replied, 'thank Allah he is online',

Ahmed - "Wa alaikum Salam"

Ridha - "I need to know about one thing. Did you know that Afeera's dad passed away the last night?"

Ahmed - "What happened? I don't know"

Ridha - "Well, can you ask Bhurhan's brother about this, let me know soon?"

A minute later,

Ahmed - "Yeah, her dad died due to heart attack, my friend is returning from native to see him"

"Inna lillahi Wa inna ilaihi Rajioon (Indeed we return to Allah). Thanks a lot for this information"

After that, she passed the news to her school friends group and tried to inform the other best one, Sadhia. Finally her dad picked up the call, stating she went to her sister house the last night. Ridha told to inform Sadhia about the news and ended the call. Then she informed to her family and left her place to JJ Nagar with her dad.

Many crowded on the street, then she entered her house. She saw a man sleeping in the hall with the white cover on his entire body except his glowing face with a smile. Besides him, her friend stands by wearing a black Abhaya(black long cloak) and covering her face with nose piece, keeping one hand on her dad who fall asleep a ten hour before, this picture made her messy in that atmosphere where all are shedding tears silently around him.

Ridha made her way to her friend, she doesn't know how to react to her in that situation. She mostly seen her as enthusiastic friend who makes fun and remain happy. But today the scenario is quite opposite. On seeing Ridha, she cried even more. Ridha engulfed her in a hug consoling her not to cry. With short of words, she stood nearby her. Mohamed stood in front of the peacefully sleeping man and he recited the Salam and left outside by signalling Ridha.

After an hour, she called her dad to stay in masjid, she will leave her friend after Duhr namaz. Sadhia and the other friend came that time, sat beside Afeera. From the past one hour, Ridha called her to take some rest inside the room instead of standing near her dad from 1 am, she just had some tea once or twice, she resisted to have food, and they tried to divert her friend. Again and again, she cried like a baby asking,
"Vaapa, Vaapa".

Finally Ridha put up her words,
"Don't cry la, your dad is here watching you, if you cry, he feel bad, make dua for him, please don't cry la, Allah will take care of your father than you, so be satisfied that he is going to meet our Rabbu", she knew that it is not easy to make up the mind that 'my dad is no more in this world, I have to keep going'. It is very painful to engulf such thought to one's mind.

Afeera suddenly asked Ridha,
"Today he will see me, tomorrow???"

Suddenly her words ached Ridha's heart, no words to utter a reply to her earlier question. She silently prayed inside that Allah will give her best in time.

Ridha left her after praying Duhr namaz in nearby ladies madharsa. She loved to be in that place. After 4 years, she got a chance to pray, that too with her friend Sadhia. Everything got changed in her madharsa, they rented a place above the madharsa too to sort out the place for students, in addition to 14 ustaads. Masha Allah, she loved to be there. That was the place to remain neutral from the worldly desires and sorrows. She visited there daily with her friends Sadhia and Afeera four years ago. Afeera became ustaad there itself for evening class students. A little girl came near Ridha,
"Did you come to Afeera's ustaad house?"
"Yes dear. Are you a student of Afeera ustaad?" Ridha asked by seeing her innocent words.
"Yeah, you are her friend right?"

Masha Allah! So cute of her framing questions and after bidding everyone Salam, she had gone out of the madharsa to leave her place that gives a beautiful memories in the every corner of the street she walked in. Soon after her dad came, she just said salam and hugged her friend. Though she suffered inside, she hold her patience. Every time, Afeera's attitude remind of a favourite believer to her Rabbu,
As Allah says in the Quran....

"Allah is with those who is patient"
(2:153)

---*---

"No problem in doing this brother, you take care of you now", Ahmed said to Afeera's brother who was still concern on people who visited his father's funeral. Then soon after Ahmed visited the shroud, he came outside to arrange chairs for the other visitors. An hour later, he went to his home, then he texted Ridha,
"I saw a girl with nosepiece, crying all alone by sitting on the stairs, I think she is your friend, so tell some of the nearby friends to accompany her".

Really he always wish to see Ridha in their place, so called JJ Nagar, but this time the reason for her visit made him to feel bitter. He knows that he cannot see her because they made themselves control not to meet each other for months. They love each other so truly, wished to satisfy every one's heart, sometimes their love exceeds their control. That made their dear ones feel unhappy. But the bond between them made stronger even though they are in distance.

Ahmed saw her dad Mohamed. At the same time in Masjid, they both gazed at each other for a few seconds. Suddenly Ridha's dad rushed out of masjid after Duhr namaz. Ahmed couldn't find his urge after his sight. He felt a bit uncomfortable due to her dad's avoidance in that peaceful place. After asking some dua, he went to Afeera's home for doing some help, one of his friend uttered,
"Just a minute, you missed her. Now only she left with her dad". Soon after few minutes, a message popped up,
"My dad rushed me to leave after Dhuhr namaz, and so I'm leaving to my home "

Finally he found the reason for the urge of her dad. He felt so miserable for his secure behaviour to his daughter and he feared whether his daughter will be his wife in sha a Allah, will that happen?

The two hearts in the nearby distance in this three hours, longed to see the other soul in their favourite place. Anyhow their mind convinced them about the reality and made their way to their respective places. Distance doesn't matter for the true love to happen. It made way for the better understanding and hope for each other.

He remembered the past days when he found her at first at the school corridor, walking with carefree, murmuring some words to her own self, with a happy face and a little dancing in her walk. The first sight made him to fall for her. She didn't even notice his presence that time. Her fairness, careless behaviour, her beautiful and happy face attracted him, even though her face covered with scarf and full sleeved uniform was shown outside. After several sights of her near the staff room, made him understand that she is the one whom he wants to travel the rest of the life. Still the days are so fresh when it is imagined for him. The hidden beautiful memories drove a satisfying happiness in the heart.

They know, he loves her and she loves him, then they don't think the several miles between them as a barrier. They just believed their Rabbu will do favour for them for the sacrificing heart. Thahajut is the key to any treasure from their lord. They found the real happiness whenever any unexpected things happen in their life. Because it was from their Rabbu.

Will they live an Islamic life together???