24th July, 2019

"My another wish that I kept to happen after marriage also came true today, I'm fearing whether our lord will make us together forever, so please make dua for our marriage to happen In sha a Allah"

Her words keep on lingering in his ears and a sudden question erupted his mind 'Am I compelling her?'. He doesn't expect that Ridha will take him to theme park. Every time he asked to spend more hours with her, she will say big lecture regarding Islam and her parents, even that truly defines her character. She is restricting what needs to be restricted in Islam. Ahmed reached his home guiltily and expected when they will get a complete happiness with each other's satisfaction.

He searched many jobs in this one month and he didn't find nothing as his suitable career. Last week he attended three interviews, he got selected in the three. But they providing the same package as his previous company and he doesn't find that those companies will give him a better future. Anyway he doesn't wants to be a burden of his family, so he chose the best of three companies.

Ahmed came to know that his chacha family had planned to go for a All India tour from his parents. They felt bad that they have not even invited them for a name sake.

His chacha is quite rich with a three storey own house but he is not rich by hearts. Unfortunately the situation made Ahmed's family to stay in the second floor with them for the past one year for a rental pay.

"Assalamu alaikum", Ahmed heard a knock on the door. His mother let his chacha inside their house. Ahmed doesn't care for him so he remained in his room readying himself for his first day office.

Later few minutes he went outside seeing her mother's face go dull. He knows that the one who visited so early brought sadness to his mother. When he asked about the details behind her sadness, she explained that his chacha is asking to return the debts that they purchased a nine months before with the interest.

He hardened his fist as his face boiled in anger and shouted,
"Is he a Muslim, How dare he can ask the whole amount when we are paying him every month, that too with interest, tell him that asking interest itself is a Haram(Prohibited) thing, how can we pay all of a sudden?"

He shouted for making his mother sad, he shouted because he can't ease the troubles of his family, he shouted for being helpless to his own family. He really felt sad last day when his parents are being ignored for their family tour. He wanted to take them and show that greedy one that his parents has his only son, Ah'med. He will give them all sort of happiness to his parents one day. But internally hoped for that day to come.

It's been a month, he will come to his office, do his work assigned to him and go to his home when the clock shows 7 in the evening. Only benefit he got from this office is 'Every Saturdays and Sundays are off'. He likes that only one policy from his company. But still he is depressed of what to do further.

Last two weeks before, he attended an interview in Tech Mahindra. He got selected to the first round and they said they'll reach him in call once he gets selected. He got a call but he couldn't attend the call that day. He tried many times after seeing those three missed calls, they didn't pick up.

'It's called fate,
You don't know what fate decides for you,
You'll get what Allah destined for you,
Nothing will go away from you
if it's yours
And nothing is meant for you
if it's not yours '

----------------------------------------------------------
Ridha's past starts:

'How dare he can lie to me and make sympathy on him?
He lied to me that he has no mother for him when her mother is alive,
He is a shit, He also misbehaved many times with Ridha,
He definitely needed my bloody punch,
It's right to give him what he deserves to get,
Though he is my class mate, I won't even turn to his side anymore',

With his anger filled thoughts, he left the place where he hardly punched Aarav infront of everyone. Ahmed is so kind to others, mostly towards his poor friends. He will help with all his heart and soul. But this stupid Aarav took his kindness for granted and played with his emotional feelings. When Ahmed came to know his true nature, his kind hearted turned angrier. He left all the thought on the way and hit his bed with much tiredness and a thought of his one and only love,

'Ridhu, Accept my proposal and please Be my girl soon'

The next day, Ridha went early to her school after readying herself and her sister Sana. She took out her school diary and saw the empty box above the Parent's signature. She was literally worried to get scolding from her class teacher, Mrs Gita.

"Bhurhan, do you got sign in your diary?", She asked her friend who sat besides her everyday.

She quickly searched for her diary in her bag and checked the yesterday's homework page. Later she took a pen from the box and signed her mother's sign neatly and smile in gratitude for Ridha's reminder. Ridha saw her up and down and said no to her heart which says to follow the way her friend Burhan did a minute ago.

When she was worried, she saw a familiar face standing on the ground and waving her hand to Dhurvesh.
'OMA, thank you Rabbu', she prayed in her heart and ran towards ground calling her name loudly,
"Asmaaaa Auntyyyyyyyy"
"Aunty, please wait a minute", she said with heavy breath.

"Tell my dear", She replied with a gentle smile. She is her neighbour, who is living on the second floor of her house. She came to send off her son, Dhurvesh to the school.

"Aunty, can you help me in putting your sign here", Ridha asked with a innocent face.

"I forgot to get sign from my mother, yesterday", She added when her neighbour is laughing at her innocence.

"Okay dear", she said and gently put her signature by getting the pen from Ridha who chased the pen from Burhan before started running towards the ground.

"Thank you, Bhurhaan", she said by giving her pen. She saw Ridha in a confused manner and asked that was spinning inside her heart for a long time,

"Won't you know to put you mom's or dad's signature?"

"I didn't practice to put theirs, And I won't need it anyway", She said and smiled softly. Ridha doesn't like to put her mom's or dad's signature even it's her diary book. It is what her mother Nisa taught her daughter that,
'It's a mistake, even it's atom sized small'

Three weeks went by, the three friends can meet in Madharsa as well after completing their day in school. Ridha is happy that she is able to give equal importance to Akhirath studies by joining her name in Aalima course. Her friend Sadhia and her little sister Sana also joined that course with her. The usthaads (teachers) are under Ridha's age but they are well versed in Islamic knowledge right from thajweed (pronunciation) to Islamic literature. But they won't walk with proud that they know everything about Islam. It's the beauty of Islam in being simplest before his Lord like our Habib Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

When the first part of class starts with one usthaad who teaches about woman in Islam and their rulings when they are on their periods. Ridha and her other mates listened carefully and realised how woman are special in Islam. When her usthaad quoted one hadeeth about woman's rights, she mesmerised on how Allah gave equivalent rights to a Muslimah.

"Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty and her religious commitment. Seek the one who is religiously-committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper)."

Al-Bukhaari (4802) and Muslim (1466)

And this hadeeth also applies for a woman who is looking for a pious man, along with the will of her Wali (her father or gaurdian). Ridha understood why Allah insisted for a woman to show her willingness by saying yes three times. He gave permission to choose his or her bride and he also suggested the way to choose a pious spouse for him/her. But Islam insisted it to handle it in a halal way to avoid committing sins.

She simply kept her gaze on her fingers that criss-crossed with one another on the way to her home. It shows her that she is in a deep thought when Sadhia mingled with Sana and her friends. Ridha ignored about their passing funny comments at each other. Her mind deeply involved with her usthaad's teaching of woman's choice in choosing her husband.

When she kept her madharsa notes on shelves and hanging the Abhaya behind her bedroom door, she walked to her Balcony and started gazing the half moon that spreads it's coldness to the sky in the form of light. Her mind suddenly asks a question,
'Will Ah'med pray five times a day?'

Her heart doesn't know the answer and her mind debated why she thought all of a sudden about Ahmed and his Islam. She thanked Allah for providing the pious parents who guided them in a right way. When she is about to turn to step inside the room, she saw someone who is gazing at her by stopping his byke from the corner of her street.

She couldn't get the clear picture of a young aged man wearing his dark blue t-shirt with a black stripes on it. She suddenly touches her head to find whether her baby pink veil is covering her hair or not. It covers half of her hair at the back leaving the
front strands of her thick black curls hides behind her ears. When the unknown man put a relaxed comforty smile on her face, Ridha deeply noticed his features and came to the conclusion that the young aged man who is staring at her for a whole minute is none other than Ah'med.

She quickly sat on the staircase that attached to the balcony to hide her. She hurts a little when seeing him hurt due to her avoidance. It's being three weeks when she saw him sitting on the stage during Miss Sherli's evening special class. She didn't find him walk before her nowadays in the evening. Though she tried to stop her heart to find his presence everywhere on her way to home, she finds her heart ache a little for that one person who visits her mind everyday.

---*---

"Hello"

"Hello"

"Anyone there?"

"Ridha", she heard a familiar voice pronouncing her name so rightfully from the other end. Her face becomes sweating and her body gets shivering besides her mom's presence when she heard his voice after a long time. It's after Duhr time when her mother Nisa came to house from her half day school and both the sisters are
enjoying their weekend at home.

She gradually descended the staircase from her balcony to hide her worried face from Nisa. She reached the ground floor by the time and responded to the other end by lowering her voice,

"Why do you call me again, How did you got my mom's number too?"

"How Ridha? How did you get it's me?"

"Allah!!! Not like that, just don't imagine such thing, I found you because I remembered your caller ID last time to stay alert from you", she lied.

"Oh", his voice lowered and Ridha could able to feel his pain from the other end.

"Ridhaaaa, Who is on the line?", her mother called aloud from her house.

"My My... My Friend Ma", Ridha managed her mother and cut his call all of a sudden. Ridha doesn't know why she is sweating this much at his sudden call to her mother's phone and thank Allah that she picked the phone else how will she manage if her mother attends the call. She doesn't know she wanted to hide the truth about Ahmed. But she strongly believed that she has to solve this problem by herself to save his career life and to stay out of her guilty thoughts for him. She doesn't want to indulge fear in her parent's heart and they had grown her up to face every sort of difficulties that she is facing in her life.

The whole day she thought for a good decision to be taken so that both their life should be without any worries and any such guilty thoughts on destroying his career life. After she came from the Saturday's bayyan, she recalled what her usthaad said about the rights of a woman in choosing her husband with her Wali's permission. But Ridha knows that her parents won't accept for such love marriage because they believe that it will all go fake in the end.

At one stage, her thoughts grew higher and higher such that she started comparing her life with him. She started thinking ways how to solve the problem without affecting both the sides. Day by day, her heart got melted for his steadiness and a constant hope towards his love on her. She feared whether he will destroy himself if she keep on avoiding him with her hurtful words.

Initially she asked help from her brother Umar to convince Ahmed and it resulted in such a way that he got hurted very badly. And this time she doesn't want to create any problems and she wanted that no one should be affected and her effort should end up benefiting for each other's life.

'Ya Allah! Thanks For making me born in a good Islamic family,
For giving me a righteous parents
For providing me with Islamic knowledge from childhood,
I got many blessings from you so I'm thinking about Islam and my parents in every stages of my life,
I wish I have to be like this till my end comes,
But,
.
.
.
What about him?
Does he choose me for Islam?
Does he knows whether his parents will accept me as their daughter in law?
Does he given islamic knowledge from his parents?
Does he pray five times a day?
What if I directly make him understand all the things by teaching him about Islam?
Does he follows if I teach about Islam?
Let me do my part so that my guiltiness in spoiling his life will wash away from my heart in sha a Allah'

With her thoughts, she slowly closed her eyes so that the sleep drives off her to the another world where she can relax from the tension and worries of a teen age girl. She wanted to wander her own world like a bird flying on the sky with much freedom. She doesn't wanted to be a burden to anyone's heart. She wanted to give maximum happiness to others and she believes that,

'Happiness grows more in a heart where it intends to gives others rather than getting from others'

---*---

The next morning, she woke up in a fresh thought without any worries in her heart and any tension in her mind. She just wanted to teach him about Islam as how her mother taught her about it. She packed her lunch as well as for her little sister Sana, neatly pinned her black stole over her black Abhaya after wearing her school uniform. She just informed her sister,
"Sana!!! Don't forget to take your lunch to school, I'm leaving now. After you get ready, check whether you locked the house twice or thrice and come to school"

From last one week, Sana learnt the way from her home to her new school because Ridha has extra classes in the morning as well as evening due to her X Board Exam. So the two sisters leave the home separately and now Sana is the last one to step out of her house and first one to step in.

When she chit chatted with Sadhia and Afeera during break, Shabana came on her way with a serious face. Ridha understood that she is going to bring some hot news about Ahmed. Even though Ridha understood her inner thoughts, she welcomed Shabana with a little smile. Ridha said her salam,

"Assalamu alaikum, It's been a long time to see you sis"

"Wa alaikum salam dear, yes... And I just wanted to know one thing", Shabana asked Ridha with a serious tone.

"What sis, Sorry!! uh... Shabana?"

"It's okay, Call me the way you feel comfortable"

"Okay sis"

"Is everything in your home goes well, right? Or do you get any problem due to his yesterday call?"
"Because he just wanted to know what happened because he said that you have just cut his call when your mom asks something to you"

"No Problem sis, but just tell him that I itself make him a call, Unless and untill let him not make any call to my mom or dad's number", Ridha replied.

"Okay ma, sure I ll tell him to wait for your call", Shabana put a happy face at her comforting reply because she didn't expect that Ridha will give such a kind answer and she wanted to tell Ahmed about her sudden change in attitude.

The two friends also got shocked like Shabana but they wanted to ask the reason behind her change once Shabana leave their friend, Ridha. Once Shabana bid salam, Sadhia started,
"What happened to you? Ridha! How come you behave so nicely to Shabana sister without any advice and any arguments"

"Yes, there is a reason behind this change, but I m not going to reveal once it is perfectly done", Ridha plastered the two friends mouth to avoid further questions from them. But Afeera becomes sad at her response because she will always ensure that her two friends are in a right track in the path of Islam. She feared whether her friend Ridha will fell in love with Ahmed one day and leave the right path of Islam.

Once the classes were done, the three friends along with Burhan left the school with a lazy walk and useless talks. When Sadhia's house is nearing, Ridha noticed a familiar happy face in the gang of her class boys. She also noticed that Hamza is also having much fun with him who left the school before two years.

'The day they left me was the painful day for me that they will never come to school every day anymore. She remembered the fun they had during Islamic Campaign, the three argued more about Islam with one another. Now every joyful moments with them never happen. Later Allah gave me one happiness and one sadness that moment when Hamza said that he is not leaving the school and only Yaseen is leaving the school because he chose to study in Islamic institute that gives education of both this dunya and Akhira from the IX Grade to College third year (i.e) for seven years. Then he will become a Aalim as well as Graduate. Initially Hamza also had the plan to take such course but his dad told to continue schooling till XII Grade, So sweet daddy... But not so good in conversation...', Ridha mentally laughed at the conversation she had with Hamza's dad when she went to call his two sisters for Summer class.

"Assalamu Alaikum, Yaseen", Ridha initiated the conversation when she passed the gang of her class boys with Sadhia, Afeera and Burhan.

"Wa alaikum salam", Yaseen replied with gentle smile and turned towards boys.

Ridha felt awkward first to talk with him because he looks like a ustaad in a full white jubba and wearing the golden-white cap in his full shaved head. He looks odd among the guys in uniform. So she showed bye to Hamza and said to him in lip movement that he should tell the details of Yaseen's change in behaviour the next day; and has left the crowd with Afeera and Burhan as Sadhia left to her nearby house.

On the way to her house, Afeera started asking her from the time Ridha spoke well with Shabana during their break time,
"Ridha", she called and Ridha nodded when Bhurhan walked infront of them.

"Why did you reacted like that with Shabana sister?"

"Why means? I spoke well, Anything wrong in my speech with her?", Ridha asked knowing her friend what she meant.

"Ridha, you know what I'm asking", Afeera said with some anger filled in her voice.

"Okay let me ask Frankly, Are you going to talk with Ahmed bhaiyya through phone?" She let out her thoughts.

"Yes", Ridha replied.

"Then you started liking him and going to say yes for his proposal, You are changing, Ridha", Afeera became sad and Ridha likes this part in Afeera that she'll ensure her path towards Islam.

"It's not like what you think, You trust me that I won't go astray, right?"
"Will let you know clearly when time comes, For now I have to take my turn towards my street", Ridha said and bid salam to both Afeera and Burhan.

After returning from her madharsa, she just workout some few math problems and packed her bag according to the next day classes. Nowadays Ridha practiced to wake for fajr and continue to study for half an hour since she has to score high marks in her X board exam. So she used to take her dad's 2G mobile with her while sleeping for keeping an morning alarm.

"Sleep on your side", Sana whinned when Ridha try to get some cool air from the table fan.

"I'm on my side alone", Ridha said by pointing the separation by a pillow between the two.

"No, you are moving the pillow to my side", Sana raised her voice.

"Could you both shut your mouth and sleep by reciting Dua", her mother voice heard from far end that made both the sisters to face their back and sleep in peace.

'Allahumma Bismika Amuthu wa Ahya,
(O Allah, with your name, I die and I live)'
When Ridha completed her dua for sleep, She took his dad mobile and set the time for alarm and kept besides her pillow. On closing her eyes, a sudden thought reminded her, 'What if he waits for my call? Because I said Shabana sister that I itself call him'

'No, you try to call him in the morning, Now is not the time to speak with him, Ridha, Shut your thought and sleep'

'What if my Mom or Dad notice me speaking to a guy in the morning, So It's better to call him now or just text him'

'What??? Call during this time, Are you mad? Don't forget that your sister is sleeping besides you'

'Ya Allah, What to do now? Texting him is a better option than calling. First of all, I need to recharge for message pack too, but how much will it be? How will I get money for it?'

'Okay, just text him that you want to discuss few things over mobile, that too by text message', her conscience finally came to a solution with her heart.

Ridha took the mobile and recollected his phone number that she saved in her memory, a month before. She just typed Salam for a minute by searching the letters in the 3×3 numbered buttons,

"Assalamu Alaikum"

She breathed heavily and pressed the send option and soon after a message popped on the screen with a loud tone. Her heart feared of the sudden loud sound in the eerie quite room. So she went to the settings and put it in the silent mode. She took half a minute to find where the silent feature is. She just used her mom's and dad's phone only to call her friend for homework that too during summer holidays. She never touched for using other than calling; those mobiles will make you bore if you keep it for more than five minutes.

She failed to read the message fully; Because of the noisy tone, she quickly pressed the exit button in a hurry. After a minute, her screen blinked when she thought to place the phone. When she opened the inbox, it was his number and a message,
"Wa alaikum salam" displayed. Again a message popped as,
"How are you?", It was also from the same number. Yes, it's him on the other end.

"I just want to discuss few things, I'll text once I top-up my dad's mobile", Ridha typed carefully taking two minute gap and clicked a Send button. By the time, she noticed that pop up message shows the message charge as 1 Rupee.
'Oh, then two rupees gone, What will I tell my dad if he asks?', she worried internally.

Meanwhile it showed two notification message in that two minutes gap. 'He probably has good experience in typing than me. My single message's speed equals his two messages', was her inner thought.

"You don't text me, you'll get charged." "By tomorrow, I'll put message booster pack for your dad's mobile" was his reply.

"Thanks a lot Ridhu, it's enough for me to sleep without second thoughts", she read his fourth message. She doesn't know why this boy is giving himself as granted when she mentally worried about his Dad's mobile balance.

'In sha a Allah, once the conversation gets over, I need to repay him in sha a Allah', was the only thought she remembered when she ended up sleeping.

When she switched off the alarm during Fajr time, she saw a message notification and she opened the inbox to see the recharge for 34 Rupees is being done. When she saw the time, it was 11 pm in the night.

'OMA, then he searched for Recharge shop in that time, It's quite hard to deal this super fast express', she internally feared about his showering love or affection or whatsoever. She just replied, "Thanks for recharging" followed by "Dont text, I'm going to keep the mobile in the hall"

'Will he finish his fajr Salah?', Ridha questioned herself when she opened her biology book after praying her Fajr. Some where in the heart told her to share some of her islamic knowledge with him so that he'll understand her heart at one point. Then it will be good for both of them to continue their own life ahead in the future.

Ridha past ends...
----------------------------------------------------------

"Ridhu",
Ahmed typed in a WhatsApp message seeing her online.

"Yeah, dear",
Ridha replied him back concerning what might happened to him.

"I feel crying now"

"What happened? Anything wrong in this new office?"

"No, nothing"

"Then?"

"I feel a lot that I can't even take my mom to the place she wishes to go"

"It's okay, when time comes, we can take our parents to Umrah itself"

"When?"

"Still my eyes are wet"

Ridha video called him to make him smile and erase his worries. She knows he is worrying for his incapablity to do comfort for his family when his chacha family is reacting so selfish.

He cut her call thrice and she did voice call and heard him crying even more. Her eyes begun to wet but she controlled and consoled him. But he is repeating the same as he couldn't fulfill his parents small wishes.

"You just go and pray Duhr, Cry to Allah, you really deserve more than you expects", Ridha said by saying Salam and went to do her ablution.

She didn't see Ahmed worrying this much for his parents. The day he resigned the job also he didn't talk so emotional or even cried like this. It's really bothering her every now and then. She wanted to remove the burden from her heart by doing dua in prostration. She raised her hands and asked Allah to grant him what he deserves the most. She also asked like she will ready to accept even he is separated from her by distance. She cried and cried and made plenty of dua for her beloved to get rid of these worries.

Soon after she folds the mat and opened her pins to send some energetic words, she gazed through one picture, it states that,

'True love is when you make dua everyday for a person you love'

Suddenly her intention says,
'If you love him truly, surely Allah should grant him the best in both the worlds and erase his worries'

She intend by her heart and had a complete faith on her Rabbu that He will always rewards the best who patiently waits. She kept her love for him as a amaanath(assert) to Allah so that he should get a good job and get rid of all his worries.

The whole night, he was restless by thinking why he is not capable of achieving anything good. He felt bad in getting the same salary as he got 1.5 years before. He also achieved many targets in a shorter period of time. 'Then why?
.
.
.
.

Nights are sleepless,
Days are restless,
And Totally becoming worthless,
Don't know when could be My start again,
Really life sucks more and more....'