"What you seek - is seeking you.."

-Rumi

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The feel he got from the recitation though faint, was goosebumps appearing on his skin.

He suddenly looked at his arms which had the black sleeves folded; all his hairs were raised. Arkaan's heart thumped suddenly as he felt his soul stirred. Immediately, he developed a fervent desire and a yearn to draw close. He wanted to hear more...

The recitation of the Qur'an from the masjid cleared all his mind's morning cloudiness. He suddenly felt clear. His heart tranquil. As he listened, he found himself more and more, attracted to the voice. The recital could be described by anyone as perfect. The voice was soothing even as he trailed it, almost subconsciously. Zak stood, watching from his position.
He knew what it was, and who was reciting.

Even he, was affected by it, yet he wished to see how Arkaan responded to it, so he stood and watched from a distance.

As Arkaan drew nearer to the white masjid with the green minarets, he felt as if he had completely left the mundane world, and everything of sorrow and worry associated with it, behind...It felt cool and refreshing, like a new world had been opened to his heart, and its scenery exposed for him to explore. Zak sighed. That eventful day at the Hâ Mîm towns, before that great crowd, Ayatullah Al Hamdy christened Ukashah's recital- The infinite spirit states: Myriad realms of the Qur'an!

That man had travelled far and wide, and had made a name for himself in virtually all the Eastern countries. He was a charismatic man who, was strangely acknowledged by even the Kings and royalty. Though no one knew his exact origins, they knew this much about him; he voyaged to listen to Qur'an recitation all over the land, and he was a gifted orator and Qaadi, with connections in almost every kingdom.

He carried news to and from every town, and though many high officials abhorred him for that, and some would literally chase him from their town, he was loved by the common people. His enemies seemed to be only those who feared his influence and popularity; for wherever he went, reformation and help arrived. The common people loved him, and his word was weighty amongst them, so the Kings could only try to befriend, and maintain good relations with him.

It was said that, Ayatullah Al Hamdy had travelled many lands, listening to different recitals of the Qur'an, and sermons of great scholars, doctors of the heart. Throughout his voyages, he had named seventeen people whose recital seemed to have tapped into the treasures of the Qur'an, with profound effect - to the extent that one would think if the reciter were to make a supplication with this, the effect would be immediate!

Of course it was approved of, to ask Allah in supplication with good deeds like Qur'an recitation. But sometimes one could feel that certainty that this supplication would surely be accepted!

Some scholars frowned at his eccentricities. But the effect later seen was that -people rushed and moved, just to listen to the recitals. He sparked high aspirations in the Muslim youth of the generation to seek the pinnacle in learning, and provoked a desire in the older generation to seek the same. In the whole of Tâ Hâ, apart from Ukashah, there were four others who were made famous by Ayatullah for their recitation, and the backlash was seen later, when their scholar left. Though no one knew why he left, many people linked the two events, to draw their conclusions.

Even as Zak thought about all this, Arkaan was already by the masjid. It was large with four sections; a prayer and gathering court in the very middle. It had fountains for ablution, and many exotic and wild attractive flowers and plants, as well as birds of all kinds. Arkaan's eyes seemed to be oblivious of the beauty around him, as only his sense of hearing seemingly was the only one operating, his soul was being stirred by the recitation. Arkaan had not gone so far in his studies of the Qur'an to know Tajweed in its entirety. Yet, he could tell by the recitation, that each letter had its attribute pronounced. Each had a unique place from where it emanated from. The voice was simply beautiful. It had the effect of flowing rivers, and yet, not of this world; as it took your mind to the hereafter where the souls belong, at peace with their Lord.

To every letter, its right and what was due it.

The pitch sometimes went up and raised your spirit and heart with it, and other times, came down, and so doing immersed your heart, body, and mind in an ocean; as if the whole world had suddenly become calm and quiet, only his smooth voice sailed through the world like waves...
It played not only on the listener's heartstrings, but the very inner spirit, moving the life wire, and seducing one to contemplate on the words.
If one didn't understand, then just by the raising and lowering, and other effects of the voice, one could tell the various phases of the verses being recited.
It was an ethereal sensation.

Zak knew those verses; it was the beginning verses of Surah Al Fâtir( The Originator). He entered into deep contemplation, even as he trailed after Arkaan into the masjid:

All Praise and Thanks are Allah's, the (only) Originator
of the heavens and earth, Who made the angels -
messengers with wings, two or three or four.

He increases in creation what He wills.
Verily, Allah is Able to do all things.

Whatever of mercy, Allah may grant to mankind
None can withhold it; and whatever He may withhold
None can grant it thereafter.

And He is Mighty, the All - Wise.

O mankind! Remember the grace of Allah upon you!

Is there any other creator than Allah who provides
for you, from the sky and the earth?

Laa ilaaha illa Huwa( none has the right to be worshipped
but He)
How then are you turning away ( from Him )?
[Al Fâtir 35:1-3]

The recitation was in pure and eloquent Arabic. Zak remembered that back in the day, Ukashah and Zayn-al-Âbidîn were the two students who had advantage over all of them in the study circle of the Qur'an.

Ukashah's mother tongue was Arabic, so he naturally found it easy, especially in the circle of Lugha Arabiyya( the Arabic language).

Zayn-al-Âbidîn... Zayn was different. The youngest of their group, and yet, since he had been with their Ustadh the longest, he rose to become one of the two acknowledged best among all five of them! The five were considered the 'chosen' in the halaqah, and the two - the crème of the best!

Even as Zak watched Arkaan enter into the door of the western section, he stopped at the doorway, watching him. The Qur'an had different effects on people, and so was their different recitals. For those who understood the words being recited, the effect was profound. But even for those who didn't, the effect was no less profound! Sometimes it even surpassed those who understood but did not contemplate.

The first time Zak had heard Ukashah recite, all his other senses seemed to have become confounded, with only his sense of hearing functioning as it immersed him into a seemingly new world.

Ukashah could recite, immersing himself wholly in, and the tranquillity of his recitation coerced others, willingly or unwillingly to be entranced, and enter into what Ayatullah referred to as the 'Myriad realms of the Qur'an'- a profound contemplative state.

But Zak also noticed something...

Ukashah's recitation concealed within, a hidden sorrow - one that was deep. Yet it went unnoticed by any who didn't analyze recitals like Zak. After all it was essential for his own form of recitation.

To Zak, Ukashah's recital was like one who found solace in escaping from the sorrows of the world, perhaps a great and painful memory from the past. He did so by immersing himself in the comfort and consolation of the myriad contemplative states of the Qur'an. Thus, those who had similar sentiments were the most easily affected, though it affected all, the same.

Arkaan seemed to have forgotten about Zak as he trailed after the serene voice. Even as he stepped into the Masjid's western section, where the mihrab(prayer niche) of the Imam was, and drew closer to the source of recitation, his eyesight became dazed. His mind seemed to be overwhelmed, and he felt like he could hear the faint chiming of chains on smooth rocks.
He could see that, in the whole prayer hall, there was only one person - a youth like himself, in a white short-sleeved shirt and dark trousers, probably a school attire. He had brown hair perfectly groomed, and an air of holiness and nobility covered him.

The youth was sitting cross-legged with the Qur'an in front of him on a rehal(x-shaped foldable wooden book rest for holy book, when reciting). He was completely immersed in his recitation of the Qur'an with joy, anyone could tell by just looking at him. His ecstasy seemed to fill the entire prayer hall, and permeate its walls.

There was only one person with his Qur'an reciting in the buildings, yet Arkaan felt like thousands of beings were all around in joy and ecstasy, filling the masjid entirely with a holy presence. The masjid was alive!

Arkaan drew closer, sitting nearby as he calmly paid attention to the recitation of the Qur'an by the youth. In this moment, peace and tranquillity seemed to encompass him wholly.

The sun appeared from behind the clouds, casting a bright and warm glow through the tinted glass windows on the walls, and upon the boy who was deeply absorbed in the Holy Book.
It looked ethereal to Arkaan, especially when the ruddy decorated prayer carpets in the rows were suddenly more apparent, bathed in the morning sunlight.
Suddenly, he could also scent a waft of musk, with a distinct lemon fragrance mixed in it. All of this made him feel such serenity and peace, that he wished would never end...

Arkaan watched as the youth came to the end of his recitation, and got up to perform four raka'at of prayer.

Those were the most beautiful units of Salah Arkaan had seen. The youth was in such submission in prayer that one could see that, he had entered into a state of complete mental and emotional depth, into a serene world, where everything and everyone disappeared from sight, except for the Dhal Jalaali wal Ikram( The Possessor of Majesty and Honour!).

Even as the youth stayed in communion with his Lord in prayer, Arkaan sat there with his heart in anticipation, with that desire to attain some of what this youth had come to attain in faith. He wished he could reach this level of peace and beauty, in both recitation and salah!

The youth gave his salam to mark the end of his prayer. The yearning Arkaan was already on his feet, making his way over to the boy.

"Salamu alaykum"Arkaan greeted, stretching out his hand, a look of amazement and respect on his face for the youth.
Though they were of similar age, what Arkaan just witnessed of the boy planted deep reverence for him in his heart.

Ukashah looked up, a bit taken aback. Until now, he was of the mindset that he was the only one in the entire masjid. Old man Abdul Sattâr, the caretaker of the masjid, had left just before Ukashah began his recitation, to obtain certain materials needed for the general cleaning of the masjid they had planned for the day. He left him behind to watch over the masjid.

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Alhamdulillah, and shukran(Thanks) to all those who've been actively reading, and have added this my humble book to their reading list, and the votes too. Please try to inform people on this book as much as you can.

May Allah grant you all good, and use this book as a source of dawah, hidayah, and ajr for all of us. Aamin