3rd November, 2015  

"If you had all relied on Allah (SWT) as you should rely on Him, then He would have provided for you as He provides for the birds, who wake up hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs at dusk."

[At-Tirmidhi]

Chapter 13:

One Step Closer

Fuming.

The term, used to refer to an angry person whose face is red with burning fire, would not do justice to Rashida had it been used for her. She was seething with rage and if she were to be a time bomb, she would have exploded by now.

When Dina came home, the minute she laid eyes on Rashida, her nose red due to all the crying and her face a brighter shade of smoldering metal, Dina knew this was not going to be easy. She had attempted to utter something after Salam, but when she was forced to be a witness to tears and mumblings of how Rashida would not be able to ever look at Zulfia in the eye from now on, she had thought it best to remain silent. Dina had walked up to her room, locking herself in until Maghrib, and now, deciding it was finally time to face the consequences of her decision, she had made her way to the kitchen.

"Mom," she breathed, after ten minutes of bearing Rashida's silent treatment as she pretended to be busy in chopping vegetables.

Rashida ignored her and carrying the chopping board with the vegetables, she walked out to the couch and continued her preparation for dinner.

Aarifa was sprawled on the floor, her books open in front but her gaze glued to the television. She turned to look at Dina, but even before their eyes met, she turned away, clearly depicting her own anger towards Dina for disappointing Rashida.

"Mom, I had told you earlier that I do not want to marry Tabrez. Why are you so upset then?" Dina finally managed to question, her tone polite.

"But I did not know you would go one step ahead and accept the other man's proposal. How? How could you choose him over Tabrez?"

"I just want to marry a practicing Muslim," she defended meekly.

"And what is Tabrez lagging? He prays five times a day. Apart from the time he misses a few prayers in the day because of some important stuff. And firstly, it's not like you are on time with your prayers."

"I'm not, I know I skip Fajr every alternate day but I'm trying."

"And you could continue trying even after marrying Tabrez. You don't have to marry some extremist with a beard who's going to snatch away your freedom."

"He's not an extremist."

"Oh really? You seem to know too much about him. Looks like you two have met quite a few times then. No wonder he sent the proposal for you. So tell me, Dina, how much and how well do you know this Bilal?"

"I don't know him at all."

"Don't lie to me."

"Like I told you last time, I know nothing about him except the fact that he is Naila's brother and likes doing social work."

"What do you see in him, Dina? Why are you doing this? Tabrez finds you the most beautiful, he will keep you like a princess. Can't you see the love in his eyes when he looks at you? Does Bilal look at you that way?"

Dina managed to suppress the foreign smile that threatened to grace her lips at the question. "Bilal does not look at me that way. His gaze is lowered most of the time. And honestly, I find that better than all those looks casted by Tabrez."

Dina did not want to sound defensive, or frank, but she thought it would be best to let Rashida know her reasons.

A man who could lower his gaze in front of a woman, and respect her, was far better than any man who promised her love through suggestive glances before marriage. Because one man, through his actions, portrayed his love for Al Wadood, while the other man showed the way to earn the displeasure of Allah.

However, all that Rashida could see was how Tabrez would be perfect, and was the only one for Dina. The thought had such firm roots that she could not let herself think of any other possibility.

"You are deluding yourself. You don't know that boy; I've found out that he and his family are extremists. You may not be given the liberty to step out of the house. All these good qualities that you are blinded with now, will vanish when reality sets in. Marriage is no joke. After the first night of your wedding and within the first week, this ghost of love that's ruling your mind will disappear, and at that time, you wouldn't be able to do anything. This is the most foolish decision, I'm warning you. I will never support this, Tabrez is the only man who you should marry."

Dina's face fell as she heard Rashida. She knew it would be hard, almost impossible to convince her, but she wanted to try. She did not want to enter this new relationship by hurting someone. After a very long time, Dina had taken the risk of choosing something that her heart desired. All this time, she was so used to suppressing every wish of hers, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be happy.

And even now, that happiness was incomplete. Rashida was her mother after all, and it hurt her to know that this was not what she wanted. Despite the relationship they shared, Dina respected her. And although she could never make her happy, for their views were as divided as oil and water, this did not stop her from trying.

"Mom," she tried for the final time, as she moved closer to her and held Rashida's hand. "I know you like Tabrez, and I'm sure he will find a girl who will love him eventually, but please, we're not meant for each other. At least try to have an open mind towards this proposal. Please?"

As Dina yet again indirectly declared her decision to marry Bilal, her tone soft yet having an air of finality, it caused Rashida to roughly free her hand from Dina's affectionate grasp, and she stalked into the kitchen. While her face was hot with anger, Dina shivered from the cold that bit her skin and tugged at her heart.

It was true, when a person, after fighting the turbulent winds, finally decided to sow the seed of happiness, the very moment, the clouds thought it best to bestow a destructing storm.

But come what may, this time, Dina was determined to grab her only chance to her happy future. And although Rashida's attitude was causing a storm in her life, just like she had won over her inner turmoil and decided to take this step, she was willing to persuade her till she accepted this decision.

Because the heart had decided to work towards forgetting the events that had passed. And for now, let's keep aside the fact that the scars from the past are usually not sympathetic enough to not interfere in the future.

***

Dina bit her fingers and after five minutes of mindless thinking, grabbed her phone from the bedside table. A full twenty four hours had passed since the events with Rashida, and now she was undergoing a crisis. And in a situation like this, she couldn't help but think of any other solution, so she typed a message, relying on the two important people in her life to rescue her.

You guys won't believe what's happening. - Dina

Dina waited for all but ten seconds before her phone beeped with multiple messages.

Whaaaaaatt? - Simran

Bilal's family is coming to your place in an hour. Tab keeps a tab on everything because she's cool like that B) - Tabbo

How did you know? - Simran

Naila told me! - Tabbo

Apparently dad called me when I was at work but I didn't answer. Obviously, mom didn't find it necessary to try giving me a call after my working hours. And now, when I came home, I was told they're coming. AAAAAAAAA. What do normal people do in such situations? - Dina

For starters, you need to relax. - Simran

And take a chill pill. I mean only your would be husband's family is coming home to see you. Nope, not a big deal. AT ALL. Lol. - Tabbo

This isn't funny. What do I do? What do I wear? Do I need to cook something? Will I have to see them or are they only coming to see my parents? And what's going to be the end result of this meet? Are they going to say no? - Dina

Hush. Stop being negative. Alhumdulilah, it's already a big fat yes from their side, hence they put forward the proposal. Besides, in sha Allah, they may decide on the wedding dates and stuff. - Simran

And OBVIOUSLY they are not coming only to see your parents. You are going to be their son's bride, not your patents. Just saying... - Tabbo

Fine. Now when I think of it, I should relax. Whatever happens, happens by the will of Allah. If they don't go forward with this proposal, even that'll be because of His will. - Dina

OMG Dina stoppppp saying that. - Simran

Sorry. But it feels weird. - Dina

What feels weird? - Tabbo

Idk. I've not been so excited over something in a very long time. So I just have this feeling that it'll all be over with the blink of an eye. Besides, mom isn't too happy about this. So that's upsetting me a bit. - Dina

Sorry to say this, but she's never been happy about anything you do. She wasn't happy with the choice of your college, the course you took up, your job, and now, your spouse. - Tabbo

Does that mean I'm being stubborn by doing everything she asks me not to? - Dina

It's not that, Di. Your decisions are taken for the sake of Allah. For example, you took up the job because you wanted to help little children, please Allah. And now your decision to marry Bilal is because he really is such a nice Muslim ma sha Allah. And your dad, although he never says things, has given his consent. In sha Allah, Rashida Aunty will come around. Besides, it's not like you've ever been rude to her. So just stop over thinking and start getting dressed. - Tabbo

I agree with Tabasum, you can't always make everyone happy. But you can always do the right thing. And we all know marrying Tabrez is NOT the right thing. - Simran

You guys are honestly wonderful. Thank you for this :* - Dina

Together forever, Di :* Besides Simmy, take your own advice and pleasee do the right thing yourself. - Tabbo

Dina smiled at their texts to ease her burdens, and was grateful to Allah for blessing her with them. Although Tabasum's last text that hinted at Simran to marry Asif caused her fingers to twitch, in need to type a reply, she really had to put her phone aside and focus on cleaning her room and getting dressed. So she got up from she was seated on her bed and walked towards her wardrobe, not before reading the latest text.

It's not always easy to do what's right. Because sometimes, the right thing is the most difficult to do. - Simran

Simran's text, and her current state played in her mind as Dina chose her clothes. If there was one person who deserved happiness, it was Simran. She had been with Dina through each and every moment of her rough patches, along with Tabasum, and it hurt her to think that a genuinely amazing girl like her had to face the consequences of her mom's decision. But Dina had this feeling that since Simran was doing this for the sake of Allah, abandoning her dream so as to not go against her parents, her efforts wouldn't be wasted.

For verily, Allah does not waste the rewards of the righteous.

Seconds rolled into minutes, and minutes turned into one full hour and Dina finally stepped downstairs, into the kitchen. She was wearing a full length top, which had a straight cut with two slits in the side, right from the waist. She had teamed this sky blue top with black palazzo pants and a matching dupatta was neatly wrapped to cover her hair.

The fact that Rashida was in the kitchen and preparing snacks, gave her some hope that she may eventually give this proposal a thought. Then again, this could be Dina's wishful thinking.

Dina was about to offer help when the door bell rang and she jumped up. She peeked from the kitchen as Khalid walked out from his bedroom and walked towards the door.

"Go and wait in your room till you're called," Rashida ordered gruffly and that was all it took for Dina to hurry upstairs, just as she heard Khalid greet the people at the door.

Initially, it was decided that the talk was to happen in the main hall and as Dina stood outside her room, listening to the conversation of men, her eyes widened in surprise when she heard a lady request Rashida to give them another place as they wanted to be seated separate from the men.

And in a few seconds, she dashed to her room this time as she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her.

Although inside, with the door closed, Dina could still clearly hear them talk as they were now seated on the couches in the small hall like passage that was between the two bedrooms on this floor.

"Please feel comfortable. I'll join you all in a bit with some snacks," Dina heard Rashida say.

"Oh we can have food later, we'd love to talk to you for sometime before that," a lady, whose voice sounded vaguely familiar, answered.

However, Dina knew well that Rashida would want to know what Khalid was speaking, and what was being spoken among the men, before she proceeded to talk to them. For definitely, Rashida wasn't in any way prepared to be civil with the women of Bilal's family. So she made an excuse and walked out, leaving them all by themselves.

Dina waited patiently for ten minutes, she even mentally calculated and concluded that this was sufficient time to serve snacks to the men downstairs, in case Rashida was busy in that. But after waiting for five more minutes, when there was still no sign of Rashida, Dina thought it was incredibly rude to leave the guests unattended, and therefore did not hesitate in unlocking the door and stepping out.

"Assalamu alaikum," she greeted with a small smile, her voice confident but her heart beat accelerating a tad bit.

"Wa alaikum as salaam," the ladies echoed and Dina had to remind herself that these were overly affectionate people when Naila and her mom engulfed her in a hug.

"So good to finally see you," Naila said and Dina had to bite back a grin when her mom spoke.

"Will you believe me if I told you that when I saw you at Omar's wedding, I didn't know who you were but I had this feeling where I wanted to see you for Bilal. Naila laughed when I suggested this to her, saying you were Dina and the very same girl Naila herself liked for Bilal and we had even sent a proposal. Subhan Allah! Don't you think Allah's ways are truly beautiful?"

"They definitely are, Aunty," Dina nodded.

"Well, don't mind if you caught me staring at you more than once at the wedding. I was just trying to picture you and Bilal together, and what a wonderful couple you'd make! Trust me, I'd hate to be one of those typical Desi Aunties who stare at you in weddings and then sneakily question you to extract information and send a proposal the same night."

Dina's eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and amusement as she heard Shabana, and as she saw a knowing grin on her face that mirrored Naila's, she did not hesitate to join them.

They spoke for the next ten minutes until Shabana said, "So Dina, there's something I need to ask you."

"Yes, Aunty?" Dina answered, suddenly going stiff and her mind thinking of all sorts of worst possibilities.

"Calm down; you don't have to look so worried. I'm not going to ask you to make perfectly round chapattis as a criterion to get married to Bilal. I believe that's every desi girl's nightmare," Shabana laughed and Dina couldn't help the smile that graced her lips at the jest.

Thank god for that, for most of the time, Dina's chapattis resembled the maps of various countries.

"Ok, so back to the topic. Following the Prophet's Sunnah, our family would like to have a simple wedding. Also, we'd like to do it as fast as possible in sha Allah. Keeping time between engagement and marriage contract opens doors to all sorts of fitnah, and we wouldn't want that. Of course, I'm not implying is haraam to delay marriage after engagement, but of what I've observed in the current society, this becomes the basis for haraam things and even leads to zina. So we wish to get the wedding done soon. Nikahs were meant to be simple, and we'd like to stick to keeping them as simple as possible. So will you be ok if we do the nikah the next Friday?"

Dina couldn't hide the surprise that crossed her features when she asked, "So soon?"

"Is there any reason to delay, my dear girl?" Shabana questioned, smiling at her reaction. "My husband is talking to your father on this, we want to know your opinion.

Dina was silent for a while, finding herself deep in thought. It looked like it was too early but then again, Dina could not think of any reason to oppose the suggestion. The more Dina pondered over the idea, the more she seemed to incline towards it. And even if she had any doubts, as she saw Rashida climb the stairs followed by Aarifa holding a tray, both their expressions depicting their distaste over the whole thing, Dina was more certain than she had ever been.

"If my parents are ok with it, in sha Allah, even I don't have a problem," she answered.

When Rashida heard Dina, it piqued her curiosity. And as Shabana narrated the plan to her, Dina chose to remain silent.

The next half hour flew in chatter and Dina respected Rashida for her effort to not come out as rude. A little while later, as they got up to leave since it was nearing the time for Maghrib, Shabana surprised Dina when she sat beside and slid a bangle bracelet in her wrist.

Dina looked at her, her lips parted in amazement, but did not get a chance to question when Naila spoke, "Alhumdulilah, it fits perfectly."

Shabana leaned in and kissed her forehead, and when she spoke next, she was beaming with happiness. "I can't wait to officially have you as a part of our family in sha Allah."

Dina found herself short of words, her lips quivering with the love that radiated off of Shabana.

"Thank you, Aunty."

"Ma sha Allah, you've got a beautiful daughter, Rashida," Shabana spoke as they made their way downstairs and Dina followed.

The men were already getting up to leave, and Dina didn't exactly know how to react when she saw Bilal from the corner of her eye, along with two other men. She muttered her Salam in a steady voice as she stood beside her dad and all of them replied to it without once looking at her.

As they bid their goodbyes and prepared to walk out, she stole a glance at Bilal while he was talking to a cranky Ishaq who had woken up from his nap a while back.

When he turned to look at the little trophy Ishaq was pointing to, his eyes fell on Dina and when their gazes clashed, both hurriedly looked away.

They definitely had so much to say, but at the moment, silence was the most fitting.

Bilal noticed the bangle bracelet that now clung to her wrist and couldn't help as a smile graced his lips and he focused his attention back to Ishaq.

Dina, on the other hand, couldn't quite describe in words how she felt. All she knew was that as she looked at her future from where she currently was, Bilal occupied a major part of it. And that made her happy.

Oh no. It made her ecstatic, alright.

Alhumdulilah, life was treating them well.