Bismillah Rrahmaan Rraheem..

Hope you guys are all good.. Allah yahfadhkum (May Allah protect you)

@AlmaLeeb2 roses for you.

For all those who waited for an update, you are in my prayers. Am sorry for taking soo long. Otherwise enjoy and vote O Enchanted readers. 

I remember when I first started posting my book, I used to pray a lot to have you readers and now Alhamdulillah 663 reads, May Allah bless you all. Thanks for proving the inner me wrong when she kept telling me it's a silly prayer to make.

hope am not the only one who adores loong chapters. *winks*

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A soft knock was heard on the door of Salma and her mother Husaynah's house. Salma rushed to open it with a sweet smile on her face. She was delighted that Tasneem had finally paid them a visit, after what seemed like ages. "Tasnii, you are alone, right?" She asked fearing that Aliy, Tasneem's husband might have accompanied her.

"Yep." Tasneem replied. The second that word slipped her mouth, in a speed quicker than sound travelling in air, the wooden door was swung open and she was engulfed in the most coziest of hugs by her friend, Salma. "Salmaa!!! Wallahy you are crazy!" She managed to say when she was finally released from the breath-taking embrace.

"Assalaamu Alaykum Habibtyy." Salma asked her green eyes reflecting the joy she felt regarding her mischief that just turned successful. Her what-she-called the Salmhug. It comes as a surprise, unexpected, a bit too tight and the best part being you are only released when you are almost suffocating with an expression of annoyance.

"Waalaykumu Ssalaam yaa Annoying one." That just made Salma more amused. She was laughing by now. "This is how you welcome guests, huh? What a wonderful way of showing hospitality." Tasneem huffed as she headed inside. After a couple of steps she turned back with narrowed eyes, "And.. How did you know it was me?" Tasneem asked as she recalled the moment when Salma asked whether she was alone or not.

"Ooh Tasnii Honey. I know you like I know my palm." Salma replied with all pride as she rolled her eyes. This made Tasniim smile. Upon seeing the smile, Salma stuck her tongue out at Tasniim, "I hereby grant you the award of the worst actress in the whole World." Tasneem raised one of her eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"Well, you just failed in your part of Act Annoyed to Salma."

"Well, then I award you with the ugliest sarcasm ever." Tasneem pulled a duck face, as she bat her eyelashes, Salma really knew how to pull the teenager in her.

Now as they were both even. Normal conversations could go on. "When's auntie going to come back?" Tasneem asked for Husaynah, after she removed her jilbab and abayah, in the sitting room. She had full access to all the rooms but thanks to her laziness and double thanks to Salma for being the amazing host she is. "How did you know she isn't around?" Salma asked, surprised.

"What about, like I know my palm? 

Unless she is sleeping, which I know she isn't as this isn't her nap time. There is no way I would have met that most horrible welcoming with her around." Salma just laughed at that. Tasneem had no idea how re mentioning that incident made her feel extremely victorious.

"Salz, seriously, what was that hug? I mean we just met this week." Tasneem still hadn't overcome that shock.

"I introduce you to The Salmhug. And I have declared you as the best fan. Nobody loved it like you do. Salmhug, its from Salma and hug fused together pronounced as Sal- mug with a silent 'h'. The hug comes out to special people on special occasions only. You should actually feel previliged.

And yeah about us meeting, a week is enough for you to win yourself the Salmhug." She ended with a win, leaving Tasneem wonder how on earth her friend manages to do all that ramblings and still remain sane.

She mouthed an Ooh and commented, "Maa Shaa Allaah." Tasneem didn't feel like she had the energy to feed Salma's ego.

"Do get me a charger please, my phone went off." Tasneem requested Salma. "Ok" she replied and with that she left for it.

A moment later, Salma was back, "give me your phone so that I charge it."

"Sure." Tasneem searched for her phone in her handbag, and handed it to Salma. They both heard the main door open, and felt happiness engulf her, for she knew Husaynah was back home and it had been a while since they last met. She smiled to herself as she remembered Salma's excuse for giving her the 'Salmhug'.

"Assalaam Alaykum warahmatullah." She greeted Salma's mother as she kissed her cheeks and ended by kissing her palms out of love and respect. "Waalaykum Salaam warahmatullah. How have you been habibty? We have missed you. A lot."

"Alhamdulillah, can't complain. It's just that I have been a bit occupied with chores and stuffs." "Yeah. I understand habibty. Don't worry that's part of a ladies life." Husaynah comforted Tasneem with a warm and loving smile.

"Where is Salma? Why did she leave you alone here?" Husaynah started the typical mom's questions infront of their daughter's friends. "Salmaaa!!!"

"Am coming yumma!" Salma yelled from the inside.

Tasneem was surprised to realize that Salma was not in the sitting room. She was just there. She was giggling inside proud of the goodness within her concerning how she found it extremely unnecessary to defend Salma. She surely deserve an award for the smartest best friend.

Then it hit her. The minute Husaynah entered Salma raced inside to hang Tasneem's abaya, jilbab and niqaab (face veil) in her room. She was saving herself an Allah-knows-how-long lecture on how to treat guests.

Tasniim wriggled her eyebrows. It was finally time for tit tat. Everything is fair in War and War. "Yummah." She called her like Salma did. "Did you name Salma after Salamah bin Al-Akwaa. The fastest companion?" Husaynah chuckled, she had a feeling that Tasneem was upto something but she couldn't figure it out. "Why? What did she do now?"

"I am surprised she was here, when you opened the door. She just raced inside to go and hang my abayah's." The expression on Husaynah's face was mind blowing. "I came in too lazy, so I just took them off in here." She added the last part just out of courtesy, after all, she was a best friend, wasn't she?

Before Husaynah spoke anything, Salma rushed inside attempting to change the topic. She glared at Tasneem who had a big smile on her face. "Assalaam Alaykum yummah!" she greeted her mom, "Waalaykum salaam habibty. What is this am hearing? Is this Ikraamu Dhhuyuuf (being generous to guests)?"

Succeeding in getting mom's to change topics only happens in movies and cartoons. Not in real life. "Moom!! Sorry, it's just that I was too overwhelmed on seeing my 'supposed' best friend." Salma whined as she side glanced at Tasneem who was laughing hard now, Husaynah was also laughing along.

"Plus. I need some clarifications here. Yummah, we had agreed that you shall leave Tasneem to me. She is my friend not yours, right?" Salma put her drama-skills on show. "Relax dear. She is all yours." Husaynah smiled at her daughter's chilidish behaviours.

Husaynah and Salma shared a sister-sister relationship more than that of a mother-daughter. Something which was influenced by many factors. Like, how Salma's dad went missing six years back, when Salma was 13yrs old. Not only that, but also how Salma had never had any close friends before meeting Tasneem, all her ex-claass mates thought she acted too extreme.. Salma graduated high school when she was sixteen and never went to college, because she did not want to leave her mother alone as the college she got admission to was far away from their town and they couldn't afford the ones near.

Another factor was their age difference, Husaynah was only fourteen when she married her husband and fifteen when she had Salma. Being thirty four then, while Salma was nineteen years did play a big role in many people confusing them as sisters. They shared a strong loving bond, for Husaynah had learnt from her husband that true love is the pillar for all relationships.

"See. Not even a glass of water for Tasneem." Husaynah teased again. "No. Yummah I had just entered when you came." She had got her revenge, time to be a good darling friend. "Aaaww Taaas, am flattered." Salma said throwing flying kisses to Tasneem. "My pleasure Sallu." Tasneem winked at her.

"You and your nicknames, hmm." Husaynah said shaking her head. "Salma go get the fruits from my shopping bags. I got a surprise for Tasnuu." "Haha mom, that's funny." Salma commented on the name 'Tasnuu'.

Upon opening the bags, she found a large round pawpaw, green and a bit yellowish in colour. Tasneem's favourite, and the softness was just how she likes it. There were apples too. She washed the fruits, cut and peeled them, placed them on plates with a jug of water and glasses on a tray, and went to serve the others.

"Mom! You brought her favourite. How did you know Taass is here?" She asked and laughed remembering how she and Tasneem asked each other something similar. "What is that phrase you use? I know you like a...?"

"Palm!" both friends shouted as they broke into fits of laughters. "Yes! No other reason why your room would look sparkling clean." "Moom. Remember am a teenager, for His sake!" Salma groaned then, went on explaining what happened to her mother. "Ooh darling! How could I forget? And F.Y.I I had a four yerars old you at your age, and a husband." Her mother replied emphasizing on the word husband.

Husaynah had tried several times to talk Salma into getting married, but Salma insisted she shall wait till her father comes back. With all due respect to her faith in Allah, Husaynah also had that spark that Abdullah would be back by the will of Allah, the fact that nobody knew his whereabouts made her act strong and do her best in advising her daughter to move on. Yet, to no avail, for Salma was adamant on her decision.

Salma understood the emphasis well enough. If she couldn't change her mom's topics, she could atleast avoid them. "Oops. Sorry I forgot to bring water for you guys to wash your hands. Just a minute." Salma hurried into the kitchen and brought a jug of water with a bowl. "Narrated Salman al-Farsi: I read in the Torah that the blessing of food consists in ablution before it. So I mentioned it to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: The blessing of food consists in ablution before it and ablution (i.e washing hands) after it." she said with a smile. Salma and Husaynah had this habit of reading a verse, a hadith or a prayer everytime they did something corresponding to it. That way it was easy for them to memorize them.

"Yummyy. Maa Shaa Allaah. This is the most delicious paw paw I have ever tasted. JazaakiLlaah kheyr yummah." Tasneem licked her lips as she expressed how lovely the fruit tasted. "Wa anti fajazaakiLlah kheyr habibty."

"And Salluu, May Allaah bless you and grant you more knowledge. Allah says, 'And Say: O My Lord grant me more knowledge.'Suratu Taha not sure which ayah." Tasneem was well aware of the tradition. "And to you too sister. It's actually verse number 114." Salma replied back as she got up to wash the utensils they had just used thanking Allah for granting them such a wonderful sister in islam, who has become their own.

Husaynah didn't want to be left out. "The prayer after you are done eating. All praise be to Allah, who fed me and given us drink and made us one of the muslims."

"See how she avoided the husband topic." Husaynah whispered to Tasneem. "But till when is she going to be like this?" she asked as she stared at the sofa in front of her, her thoughts definitely roaming somewhere far. She had expressed her fears to Tasneem before. "Don't worry auntie. I will try to talk to her. Though it will take time."

"Yes! Please do. And if you find a suitable young man just bring him along. Perhaps she may reconsider her decision if she finally sees a handsome face in her home." Tasneem smiled saying, "I will." Husaynah sure was the best mother in the whole world. Awarding her won't be a bad idea.

"I hereby award you as the best mother in the whole universe." Tasneem told her as she moved her arms as if she was holding some trophy. Salma barged back right on time to witness an award taking pace without her consent. Excuse her! She was the queen of Awards. "For the millionth time now! MOOM!!! Tasneem is your daughter's friend and Tash! Yummah is your friend's mother. And No! I don't want to know what you two talked about." She ended with a huff as she went and laid herself on the sofa leaving the two giggling.

"Tasneem. You asked if we named Salma after the fastest companion of the prophet Salama ibn Al-Akwaa." She took a quick breath which was slightly deep and went on, "Actually Salma was named after my late mother-in-law, May Allah have mercy on her."

Her face bore the expression she bears every time she narrated stories from her past. The longing that was hidden deep inside the heart would resurface. The eyes. The eyes would reflect that search her heart wished for, yet having no clue on where to start. And Oh! Her stories, every single word, every single letter would carry the pain accompanied with the love she felt then, making the audience understand well, how that love was true and never ever fathomed. Blessed are those few who found that love.

"Did you meet her?" Tasneem asked hoping that it was a wise question to ask. "No! She passed away before my husband left his home town let alone marry me." Tasneem mentally scolded herself for asking such an absurd question.

"Ooh. Am so sorry! I didn't mean to..." Tasneem apologized with an incomplete sentence as she was not sure how to complete it.

"No! Habibty, it is okay." Husaynah assured her. "Mom! Please tell us about her!" Salma begged. She loved listening tales about her courageous and brave grandmother.

She smiled. Salma knew all the details about her grandmother, and had heard it over and over again but still she acted all joyous when her tales were mentioned carrying the same excitement she had back then when she was a little joyful girl, when her dad would narrate her tales as bedtime stories.

"Her name was Aasiyah AsSaalimah. Allah had guided her through her son, my husband, Abdullah. He had a hard time choosing a name for her because he had learnt about a lot of female believers by then, and he wished her mother to have the traits of each of them. After much thinking he was left with three names. One, Swafiyyah bint Huyayy, the Prophet's may peace be upon him's jewish wife. As they were jewish like her. Then, there was, Aaasiyah who was married to Islam's biggest enemy and lastly Salma, the Mother of Abu Bakr As Siddiiq for he had been praying hard for his mother to revert to Islam, just like he, may Allah be pleased with him did."

"They then settled with the two names, leaving Swafiyyah as they feared people would call her Sophy, the way chrisitians name one another. My husband said he had never prayed for something so hard like he did for his family's guidance. He spent the nights fearing that he would wake up and see one of them dead, doomed in Jahannam {Hellfire} forever after. Until that day Allah bestowed light upon his mother, she had entered his room and found him on his praying mat, with a copy of Qur-an in his hands. Nobody knew he was a muslim by then. He says, her mother just stood there for ages staring at him, and he almost thought she would tell him off to his ferocious father. But All praise to Allah, she moved forward and embraced him in a hug with tears streaming down her cheeks. The words she said are exactly how my husband narrates them to us, as I have heard them more than ten times.

'My son. Illuminate me by the Light of the Owner of Light. Do not leave your old woman in darkness.'" Husaynah stopped talking as soft sniffs escaped her. Both girls had tears too, as they all knew what followed next. She embraced Islam.

"My husband taught her the shahadah, Alhamdulillah, and sent her off as he feared someone would eavesdrop and spread the news. Later on, when he asked her if she knew about his reversion to Islam, she said she didn't but she did notice his change in behavior and how his face glowed from the Divine Light."

"She was his best friend and he was her loveliest son. Even years and years after her death, she spoke so fondly of him, as if a loyal subject speaking of his Queen. May Allah protect him." Husaynah was on the verge of dropping tears but she did her best to restrain as she did not want to break her daughter's heart.

"Mom! Tell us about Eema (mother in Hebrew) Aasiyah's death, please." She looked kind of happy, and by then Tasneem wasn't so shocked because she had a feeling that the woman left a legacy.

"After she was given her Islamic names she fell in love with Aasiyah, the wife of Pharaoh. She could no longer hide her Islam like my husband did. Despite my husband's refusal she faced her husband, and declared her faith, despising all their acts of associating Allah's with partners. Her husband immediately slapped her so hard, and ordered that she be chained. From there on, he started punishing her all sorts of punishments and day and night Allah's names would be heard throughout their house. She did not know any Qur-an, save for Bismillahi Rrahmaani Rraheem. And she knew many of Allah's magnificent names. Abdullah would sneak into her and speak to her as she explained to her son how delicious the sweetness of faith tested.

At her last days, she was so weak from the punishment she recieved. It was the week where my husband would be declared as the successor of the chieftain of his village. Guest from all over were invited including great leaders, he couldn't stand it anymore. He sought his mother's permission, and declared his faith too. SubhanaAllah I wish you saw how he expressed the way he felt. He says he felt a great burden was lifted from his shoulders and chest, and SubhaanaAllah! Here we are taking Islam for granted. His angry father stormed straight into his mother's prison and started pulling her hair cursing her for converting his successor."

"Yaa Allaah!" Tasneem felt shivers run down her spine. She indeed was an Aasiyah. May Allah have mercy upon her.

"Dad was held by the guards. He couldn't help her." Salma remarked, not wanting her dad to seem like a coward.

"As the guards dragged him outside, his mother bid him goodbye. Her last words with her was, 'Live and spread Allah's light. Live long son, and know that your mother is pleased with you. Know that your eemah shall live and never die.' That night the house felt so empty without her voice singing Allah's praises. Amidst that thick silence, one thing was clear, Eemah Aasiyah had attained her martyrdom."

"May Allah forgive her and have mercy on her. May Allah be pleased with her." With that she ended speaking of the great legendary Aasiyah AsSaalimah 

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For anyone who is interested, here is the story on the Companion who was faster than a racing horse:

Salamah bin Akwah

 Ghabah was a small village about four or five miles from Madinah Munawwarah. Nabi's SAW camels were sent to that place for grazing. Abdur Rahman Fazari, with the help of a few disbelievers, killed the person looking after the camels and took them away. The bandits were riding their horses and all of them were armed. Salamah bin Akwah RA was going on foot in the morning with his bow and arrows when he saw the bandits. Although he was only a boy, he ran very fast. It is said that he could beat the fastest horse in a race. He was also a very good archer (expert shooter with the bow and arrow).  

As soon as he saw the bandits he climbed up a hill and shouted towards Madinah Munawwarah to call for help. He then chased the bandits and on approaching them, started sending arrows one after the other. He did this so quickly and continuously that the bandits thought they were being chased by a large number of people. If any of the bandits happened to turn his horse towards him, he hid behind a tree and shot the animal with his arrows. The bandits at once ran off at full speed to escape from being captured.Salamah says: "I kept on chasing the bandits until all the camels taken away by them were behind me. While escaping they left behind 30 spears and 30 sheets of cloth of their own. Meanwhile, Uyainah bin Hisn (another bandit) and his party arrived to help the bandits. They had meanwhile come to know that I was all alone. They now chased me in large numbers and I was forced to climb up a hill. As they were about to approach me, I shouted, 'Stop. First listen to me. Do you know who am I? I am Ibnul Akwah. By Him who has given glory to Muhammad SAW, if anyone of you chases me, he cannot catch me. On the other hand, if I run after any of you he cannot escape me.' I kept on talking to them in this manner to fool them till, I thought, help would reach me from Madinah Munawwarah. I looked anxiously through the trees, as I talked to them when at last; I noticed a group of riders headed by Akhram Asadi coming towards me.As Akhram approached the bandits, he attacked Abdur Rahman and cut one leg of his horse. As Abdur Rahman fell down from his horse, he attacked Akhram and killed him. Abu Qatadah had meanwhile arrived. In the fighting that took place Abdur Rahman lost his life and Abu Qatadah lost his horse."It is written in some books of history that, when Akhram was going to attack Abdur Rahman, Salamah RA advised him to wait till the rest of his people had joined him but he did not wait, saying: "I wish to die in the path of Allah ." He was the only person killed from among the Muslims. The bandits lost a good number of their men. More help reached the Muslims and the bandits ran away. Salamah asked for Nabi's SAW permission to chase them saying: "O, Nabi of Allah! Let me have one hundred men, I shall teach them a lesson." Nabi SAW said: "No. They would have reached their homes by now."Most of the historians say that Salamah was about 12 or 13 years old at that time. Look, how a boy of such a small age was able to chase so many bandits single-handed. He recovered all the stolen goods and also took a great amount of booty from them. This was the result of Iman and Ikhlas, which Allah had filled in the hearts of those blessed people