Ha, Meem.

By the clear Book,

Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.

And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom.

Az-Zukhrûf, 43:1-4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PART ONE(Ramadan day 15)

He couldn't see, but in his heart was contentment.. Zayn was happy to be live another day.

He got up to perform ablution again, into a nearby bowl he had placed for the purpose. Moving around in his blind state this early would have disturbed his companions who were fast asleep. But his movements were so nimble even with his disability, that you'd think it was the breeze passing.

It was no fault of people then, when they referred to him as one of Al Wildânum-Mukhalladûn. He indeed, seemed perfect; beauty, piousness, gentility, even wisdom in his young age of thirteen. But he alone knew what burdens that came with..

Saying his salah, he recited the verses from the Qur'an he loved most for Tahajjud; - Âyatul Kursiyy and the last verses of Surah At-Tawbah.

After giving the salaam, he sat down quietly to read the Qur'an once again. This time, he contemplated on the meanings.

He was still learning under his Ustadh and thus, understood the Arabic language enough to understand the Qur'an. With tafsîr he had from his Ustadh, he was sufficed.

The pocket Qur'an in braille that Hilya had given him was nicely kept. She was his Ustadh's daughter and the girl he had felt strongly about. He had his guidance to Islam through her, and found a home in her and her father. They three travelled together for a while, until she went missing. The only personal thing she had left with him of herself was this Qur'an. So he had treasured the Book, the only connection between them.

As he would normally do, he randomly opened the Qur'an at once. Whichever two pages he opened, would be where he'd read and contemplate.

Lemme see what my Lord has for me this dawn..

The verses were from Surah Al Mu'minûn..

Hayhaata hayhaata limaa tuuaduun

In hiya illaa hayaatunad-dunya, namuutu wanahyaa wa maa nahnu bimab'uuthîn..

How far, how far, is that which you are promised.

Life is not but our worldly life - we die and live, but we will not be resurrected.

(Qur'an 23:36-37)

Zaynal-Âbideen paused and looked up.

These must be the words of the disbelievers to the Holy Prophet, alayhis-Salaam. He sighed. At first he thought differently upon reading the first aayah alone. That was why verses weren't to be taken out of context..

Outside he heard the pitter-patter of the raindrops. It was still raining outside ..for two consecutive dawns.

But the heavy downpour had subsided to a tranquil rain, the sounds, - even melodic, calm against the quietness of the dawn. He always woke up to it, since they arrived in Hâ Mîm a day ago.

He placed his slender fingers against the pages of the book, reading into the next page, fascinated by every word and every letter of the Holy Book!

Nearby, Ukashah woke up from sleep. He checked the time. Holding his forehead in frustration, he lamented.

How had he slept so much that it was almost Fajr salah time.

Looking to his side, he saw Zayn reading Qur'an braille. Zayn raised his head raised up, as if he could sense him. But he stared out into the unlocked window. The shutters kept the rain out.

He followed the direction of Zayn's eyes to watch what he was looking at. From the open window, the night had clear rain, drizzling from a dark sky. Heaps of dark multicoloured clouds completely covered the outside sky.

It was so peaceful. So tranquil.

Perhaps Zayn could sense that. Although, he couldn't see it for himself..

Then again, Zayn always did these weird things as if he could see. Yet, he was blind. For example, he had kept a lamp beside him all this time whilst reading.

Ukashah had once shown him how to lit the lamp upon his request. Since then, Zayn had taken to the habit. He told him it could come in handy one day. Not for himself..but for others.

So if one didn't know his true state, one would think he was reading the scripture with help from the light.

The adhan began calling about this time.

Over the rain, in this clear and calm night, the sound of the adhân calling Allah's name into remembrance, felt all so blissful.

The scene of the rain and night, with adhân in the background, was so beautiful, and Ukashah wondered what Zayn was thinking about as he had his tea-coloured orbs fixed outside at the moment. He probably didn't know someone was awake, watching him.

"Ya Allah.."The words flowed from Zayn's lips, his voice as soft and ethereal as ever, as if one were speaking to a lover. As if he were one of the eternal youth of paradise, who had stepped through their window that night to worship their Lord.

"The dawn is broken..

and eyes are asleep.

Yet, ..You wake me up to witness such a beautiful dawn..

Though I know not the night,

I feel its calm and serenity.

I still see same darkness, both night and day.

The cool breeze from night rain,
And the darkness which surrounds me,

Neither has matched the sounds of Al-Adhân,
that calls me to Your remembrance.

From its calling, I perceive the light,
embracing me in this void.

Sounds of rain and tahlîl in the call,
Make me feel as if this time should never end..

Ah - What joy is there except in this -
Existing in Your beauty and presence, ..my heart at peace with Your remembrance?

No need for light,
for I see Your nûr.

No need for sight,
for only then, the grace of being able to behold You

When first my eyes will open,
that day would not be forlorn.

Ya Allah! Make it be that,
You be the first one I behold
..the day I have my sight back.."

Ukashah sat still on the bed, quietly listening to Zayn's dua. Zayn.. He felt sorrow fill his heart. He couldn't possibly imagine what the blind boy could be going through..

This was a conversation between an Abd and his Lord.. Something he was not meant to listen to.

But time for Fajr salah was near, and they had to wake up early this day.

He made some small movements of awakening on the bed, alerting Zayn who quickly got up, holding his cane.

"Ukashah?" Indeed, he was the first to awake always, after he and Ustadh had awoken. He wondered why Ukashah had woken up late today.

"We're going for the first time to witness today's Musâbaqah, right?" Ukashah asked.

Zayn nodded. He's always lucid upon awakening.. Ukashah.

"Let's get the others up."He smiled.

This was no small feat, as they had suffered this since they first slept in same room as their other three companions.

Urwah would wake up first. All serious and alert, such that sometimes, they wondered if he wasn't really pretending to sleep.

Zak who had smiles whenever he was asleep, was next. He woke up in a cheerful mood daily.. It pissed Ukashah off. It seemed like this guy, even though he was fifteen, had never had any problem in life. He also had this childish self always.

Abdul Bâqi was the most difficult of the lot. He enjoyed his sleep. But always awoke with a dream about his aspirations.

"Guys! Guess what!"He said as they walked toward the masjid together. He wriggled his eyebrows, as he walked in backwards, facing them advance.

"You had a dream!"The four companions said in unison.

"Yh~ How'd you know!"He looked around excitedly only to meet their unsightly expressions. Even Zayn looked exasperated.

Nevertheless, it didn't dampen his spirits at all. He seemed even more invigorated.

"Aww~ So you care~~ Even stone-face Ukashah?"

Ukashah didn't bother to mind him.

Suddenly remembering something, his eyes lit up again, as he exclaimed,

"Guys, guess what it was about?!"He sauntered.

"About me writing a book that become known all over the Muslim world?"Zak said, covering his yawn with a hand,"Yh.. I had that dream too."He smiled dreamily.

Abdul Bâqi looked at him with a frown. Then facing the others, he continued,"I saw all of us, - Us Five! Fin-Nihaaiyât(In The Finals)!"

"Maasha Allah.."Zayn said.

Ukashah scoffed."You probably dreamt that you were the star of the show right?"

"How'd you know, Ukash? I'm starting to wonder, could we be having some form of telepathic connection?"He beamed excitedly at Ukashah.

"Naa - It sounds like something you'd dream up. Come to think of it, where's Ustadh?"

Last night, they all retired to bed early after the day's hectic activity. Their Ustadh must have been the last to sleep.

"He left early dawn.. He said he had to do something before the quiz began."Zayn answered. Ustadh sounded weak and tired when I awoke.. Did he not sleep?

"What could be so important that he'd leave us to attend the quiz by ourselves? Doesn't he want to witness us performance?"Abdul Bâqi asked in surprise, a hurt expression on his face.

Urwah who was by some inches taller than him, earning recognition as being tallest in their group, pinched his cheek.

"Yeeouch!! Urwah!"

"Probably had something to do with the registration. Also, he's already watched us perform so many times, in the preliminaries. Plus, of all people, he's probably heard us recite most, being our Ustadh."Urwah said coolly.

"Zayn??"Zak turned back to question Zayn who had just stopped back abruptly.

How? Zayn paused, his head slightly shifted in Urwah's direction. Could it be true.. that he doesn't sleep?? For that was the reason Inaayat gave before he left.

Urwah gave a cryptic smile. Zayn couldn't see it. The others didn't also know what was going on. But Zayn's turn in Urwah's direction wasn't so as would raise suspicion.

"Let's go."Zayn softly said.

•••

"Abdul! Urwah! 'Ajaluu!(Hurry up!) We'll miss the show. Everyone knows that the first part is the most entertaining part of the whole Musâbaqah!"

"It's not our fault.."Abdul Bâqi said with great difficulty. He held his stomach tightly as his facial expression underwent a variety of contortions.

Urwah too had an unsightly expression on his face.

"Yaa Salaam! How long does it take to make wudhu?"If not that he was feeling the haste of the moment, Zak would have broken down with laughter by now.

"Zak.. It really is not our f-fault. It seems yesterday's meal took the wrong path-- "Urwah muttered, suddenly excusing himself.

"That's what happens when you take too much of everything."Ukashah said as a final note of caution.

"Yaa Salaam! What the.."Zak cried out, pinching his nostrils shut.

"Akhii Ukashah, d-do you think it's really the fault of eating yesterday's melons.."Zayn said, his eyes had an innocent expression to it.

He held his stomach wondering if he had also eaten too much. That'll be bad. Especially if it occurred at public places, - like where they were headed at the moment. There was going to be a large gathering there.

"Laa ba'sa. Even if the melons are the cause, Zayn.. - You're not that type."Ukashah said sombrely. Zayn turned red.

A second or two, and Zak burst out laughing hysterically. Did Ukashah just joke??

Of the five, only Ukashah and Zak didn't eat the melons. Ukashah gave no reason except that he was full. He always ate so little. Zak though, held the belief that he had allergies to melons. After eating a slice, Zayn was done.

But the two foodies, - Abdul Bâqi and Urwah, dived into the remainder, completely annihilating the large fruits, extra from the old lady's kind gesture.

Could it be that the melons were already too far beyond ripe?? Ukashah thought.

Thirty more minutes later, and they were making their way down the narrow streets of the Hâ Mîm town Thalaathah(Three). This was the town out of Hâ Mîm's network of dozen towns and cottages where their inn was located.

In a total, there were thirteen such towns. The middlemost and thirteenth town, was the market of Hâ Mîm.

It was actually the largest of all the towns, and was comprised of three parts in a concentric form. The outermost circle was the factual market, designated as - Adh-Dhahab(The Gold).

As they passed through this circle, they realized that the crowd of people who had populated the market square the day before, had thinned out.

Yet still, the place swarmed with many people. It had all the features of a grand market, and included hotels and inns for visitors.

It was a place all came to buy and sell, but only the middle-class in society could afford to stay there.

The second inner circle, was the bazaar, - Al Fiddza(silver). It was the largest there was ever to see.

Even lesser people were here now, as compared to the decrease in the market's population.

They saw an auctioneer nearby, bawling prices to an intensely fierce crowd of spectators. But the people who were interested the day before with the articles on display, were even fewer than would be expected for an auction.

This was because, something more monumental for the city was about to take place.

"Hey, it's the saint boy!"A shout hollered in their direction. Two lanky boys in brown thobes approached. They had naturally tanned brown skins, and were beaming with smiles.

"Who- ?"

"They're from Sâd city.."Urwah said solemnly.

"Hey, how do you know?"said Zak who had been earlier cut short in his sentence.

"It's obvious. Tanned skin. Lanky forms.."

"That's not enough to tell their origin."Zak pouted childishly. He disliked the fact that Urwah seemed to know everything, while they were all new there.

"They wear brown thobes, and are headed towards the Colosseum, - AnNahâs(copper). Everybody else is heading there for the Musâbaqah, hence the thin crowd.

As for their thobes, only contestants wear these colours; cream for the elegance of Al 'Ãsimah(The capital city), blue for the edification of Yâ Sîn - city of scholars, yellow for the harvest of Hâ Mîm, maroon for the vineyards of Qâf city, brown for the mountains of Sâd, green for the Tâ Sîn forests, and white for simplicity of Tâ Hâ.

Need more evidence??"Urwah raised an eyebrow at Zak.

"Tsk! It's obvious, bro! Anyone can see that."Abdul Bâqi chuckled as he pushed Urwah and Zak out of the way, meeting with the approaching duo.

"Salâm yaa Akhawân(Salaam Oh brothers)!"He greeted them with a warm smile, before they even got near.

"Salâm! A'Antum bikhayr(Are you all doing well?"They seemed surprised at the boy coming forth to meet them. He radiated an air of familiarity with them, they almost couldn't believe he were not a close friend.

"Alhamdulilaah, Nahnu bikhayr(All praise is for Allah, We're fine) I guess you guys must be headed for the Colosseum right!"Abdul Bâqi replied.

"Na'am! The third most inner circle of the thirteenth town of Hâ Mîm, - AnNahas. We saw you guys earlier at the market yesterday, and knew you were contestants as we are. We could join your procession then, in shaa Allah?"A boy with a mole under his right eye asked, looking behind, where Zayn was lagging at the back.

"Na'am. You're welcome to join us."

"Shukran Jazeelan!(Thanks a lot!) I'm Irshad. This is Jar, Jarûllah."The boy said hurriedly, waving to Zayn at the back,"Boy Saint!"

"Er-erhm.."Abdul Bâqi cleared his throat,"It's pointless. Zayn is blind." And he's not comfortable around strangers.. Or why else would he have taken the initiative to meet them.

"Oh yh.. Qaala dhâlik fiil marratal ãkhirah(He said it the last time.) Nice meeting you all though."He faced the rest of the team whom he'd not interacted with since he arrived,"Hope we have a fun time at the tournament grounds today."

Ukashah nodded. Urwah kept a levelled stare at them. So until now, we were absent..

Zak turned away with a chuckle of annoyance. Urwah held Zak's head and turned it upfront, finally saying with a simple smile,"Let's have a fun time at the quiz today. I'm Urwah."

They then properly introduced themselves.

At a distance from them were a group in cream.

"Yaa Ammar! Andzar hunaaka(Look there). The Tâ Hâ and Sâd groups seem to have built rapport.

It's rare for competing teams to form such harmonious relationship with one another."A guy in their group said to a fair guy who carried a bearing of nobility and seemed to head their group.

"And that too, between a mainland city and the forsaken island city!"

"Na'am yaa Ammar, we've to remind the Sâd group of their etiquette. Mingling with such people will bring nothing but trouble."Another assented.

"Forget about them.."The leader called Ammar spoke.

"But--"

"They're nothing but petty lowlifes from a backwater city."He said sombrely.

"Let's hurry and meet Ustadh at the grounds."This meant that the conversation was over. However, looking over to see the smiling faces of the two conjoined groups, a look of derision masked his face.

"Ta'aalu ma'il aan!(Come with me now!)"He called out to his group, hastening forward.

Like this, all seven provincial city main groups advanced, in addition to other notable groups who didn't particularly represent any city.

•••

Bam!

"Now tell me, ..truthfully",Inaayat's voice iced over,"What are you really doing here?!"

He had a dead-calm countenance on. But behind those dead tired eyes of the once bright scholar, was unrest. And Sâmuddîn knew why.

He laughed. Although awkwardly, due to his position.. The scholar had him drawn against the wall, and held him firm against it by the shoulder.

"My! My! That's no way for a scholar to behave.. Have you forgotten the hadith about taming your anger. I wonder how the kids would feel, if they saw their benevolent Sheikh like this. Don't let the Shaytân make a use of you, Al Iskandarī. My sincere advice~"He raised his hand in mock surrender.

The scholar was livid, but he still had some reasoning left. It wasn't a simple thing when people plot against you like that, when you actually even had no idea about what's going on.

He let him go.

"Ãhi(I feel pain..)"He said, trying to regain his composure, rubbing his shoulders.

"You'll be feeling more than that if you do not start talking.."

That cold tone again.. Who would have known he - Sâmuddîn would live to see the day Inaayat lost his cool and compassionate demeanour.

But then again, that was to be expected. The man has undergone much emotional hurt, and is still standing.

If it was he, he would have broken down by now. Only, perhaps he should be compassionate to his longtime rival for once, and spare him the news. Still-

"Hâ Mîm is a dangerous place for you to be at this time.."Sâmudîn said, a smug smile on his face. It seems he just enjoyed seeing the always nice scholar whom everyone liked like a Buddha, going through so much of hardship..

"I know already.. and you made it so!"He shot him a cold and deadly look,"What is this Saint stone I'm hearing so much about? Something I do not have nor even know, and yet everyone out there with avarice for it, is now out to get me.

Even the Sultan Dhul Qarnayn!"

"Where did you get that info?" Sâmuddîn's eyes widened, flabbergasted.

Unless inside people, how could he have obtained such secret information.

"I have my sources."It was Inaayat's turn to smile smugly, though his eyes held coldness in them.

Seeing that he was cornered, and some info had already leaked out, he might as well make him understand what for he was being used as a scapegoat. He owed that to his long-term rival at the very least.

"The Saint stone.. It's said to be the relic of a saint, left behind in the Hidden Valley.. You and I know which creatures inhabit that desolate area.."

"Continue."

"It's said to bear the Ismul 'Azam(The Greatest Name of God)!"Inaayat's eyes narrowed at this. There were many narrations and opinions of scholars on the Ismul 'Azam. But nobody could claim authentic knowledge on it. It was as hidden as the actual night on which Laylatul Qadr fell on.

Ismul 'Azam.. The Greatest Name of Allah by which all invocations are accepted. Having it was like having the keys to the treasures of the worlds!

"Continue."

Satisfied that he had evoked the placid scholar's interest, he continued happily. At this point, it'll be easy to manipulate his strings..

"Due to the actions of graverobbers, as well as the wrath of the jinns, the stone was shattered, and now, -- there are nine pieces of this stone.

All I know is that, the Sultan is searching for it. He needs it for his daughter, the princess Hafsah. You know her predicament.

There are also some who would also kill to possess it.. and they're not only from the human race.."Sâmudîn saw the scholar of South's halaqah lost in thought.
If only he knew.. that the part of the story that was most important to him was its relation to his daughter, Hilya.. He would have searched for it too. But that'll destroy all his plans!

"Inaayat.., at the moment, news circulating around says you've a piece of the stone!!"

_________________________________

Next four chapters would be released next week around these same times in shaa Allah.

Until then, try to read from the beginning of the Hâ Mîm chapters again, I'd made some small changes, due to their ages.

This occurred two years from the actual time. So Zayn is thirteen, and the others are fifteen to sixteen.

Till next time when we meet in Hâ Mîm,

Fee Amanillah!

Wassalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!