Bismillahi Rrahmaan Rraheem.
This chapter is quite interesting, hehe.
We are past the thirtieth chapter, it's time for our story to take pace. Now our girls' lives are added with spice.

So Buckle up. And enjoy! *smiles*
___________

We are continuing our journey in this World from a new point. As we enter university we acknowledge that we are going to be more free and more independent than we have been before.

Neither of us has been a good Muslimah back in the days, but we believe the time has come for us to start being serious and fear The Lord who created us and created Jannah so as to admit all those who have been grateful to his favors.

Lali.
Dear Dad,
You're buried beneath heaps of sand and soil awaiting for the day of Judgement to face your Lord. Dad, I had vowed to strive hard to do all I afford so as to improve my record.

As I write dad.. Am nowhere near,  nowhere close, with each passing day my faith I lose, I keep missing my prayers. But I am starting with a renewed resolution; this time I won't stop dad. This time I won't lag behind, I will do my best to attain Allah's pleasure; praying on time, wearing full hijaab, among many others.

You won't get to read this but my hope is that you will see the fruits of this heart to heart.

Rest in peace dad.. For we shall soon meet under His shade.

***
Arafah.
Dear Mom, I pray that Allah rewards you for all the efforts you put in upbringing us righteously.
Mom, you invested sweat and blood in getting me to love Allah and his Prophet yet I am truly sad to admit that I am nowhere near.

I think I am now on a turning point in life and I write this to promise myself that I won't ever falter from this path. This is the path of the Prophet and of all those whom Allah loves, and I yearn to be among those of that status.

Mom, keep praying for me. Your du'as keep returning us to Allah.

Mom, I really hope that you don't read this now but in the future when you're fully pleased with me by being on the straight path I would love to see your reaction.

Stay blessed mom. I hope that my future state shall leave you ever serene and calm.
_________________

“Lali, your letter is so touching." Arafah placed her arm around Lali's shoulder as she rested her head on it.

"Aaaawww. Arafah no. It's yours that's glittering. I love your choice of words." Lali smiled to Arafah and Arafah smiled back.

"This wasn't a coincidence. Allah planned for you to see this note last night, right?" Arafah asked Lali and Lali nodded reminiscing the moment when they had written that note. They had attended a convention themed The Companions' love to the Prophet may peace be upon him and the level their faith had reached that day had inspired them to note what they had noted down.

"True. I thought about it too." Lali agreed with Arafah. A short moment of silence passed. The old joke of 'The car moves and the trees move too' which was commented by a village boy upon his first ride in a car being clearly depicted through the window beside Lali and the two just lost themselves to the scene. No matter how many times they tried, a talk concerning Allah and the Hereafter always ended up hanging in the air with rarely any conclusions reached.

This time though, something had tempted Lali to go on. Alhamdulillah. "Rafy," The nicknames she had used on Arafah were enough to name a whole generation. "Huh?" The way Arafah responded one could hear the yearning her heart carried expressing that she too wished they would talk more about it.

She knew that friends are the only people that have the greatest impact on one another. It was easier to influence friends as they were the ones one spends the most time with. Physically or emotionally, the distance covered by friends is a distance no other person can fill. Which is why we say, 'So and so live as friends rather than mothers and daughters' or 'My sister is my best friend.' Subconsciously, we are agreeing that friendship is where love, trust and affection are well nurtured and protected.

My friends become my family, My family become my friends,
And the point at which they meet, is where true love never ends.

"Why is it so hard for us to be steadfast?" Lali asked her eyes pleading to hear an elaborated reply from her fellow. "I mean.. I can name a hundred of people who were just away from Deen and all, but right now Maa Sha Allah may Allah bless them. But why don't we ever make it?" Her lips had lost the smile Lali always wore.

"Perhaps it's because we aren't serious enough. I mean we aren't really serious Lali. We just let Iblees tempt us." Arafah wasn't really sure how to reply.

"Today I was so amazed while listening to Sabreena Maa Sha Allah. Did you hear how she insisted we go for the trip so as to raise our faith? I was like who thinks of faith in a study trip? Maa Sha Allah. And there is another thing that left me shocked... I seem to have forgotten it though." Lali's tone was soft and her voice low.

"Is it that she didn't take a picture in their wedding?" Arafah too was surprised to hear her say that though they both didn't mention it to her. From how close they were to Sabreena, they knew that she wasn't one to mind being seen with makeup by outsiders let alone her own family. It was true what Lali says that Sabreena was changing for the better.

"Yeah." Lali drew in a deep breath. "It's not easy, I swear. Everytime I see someone just change like that I am reminded of the Prophet's companions. Look at Umar Ibn Khattab for example, he was out to kill Rasul but the moment he uttered shahada there was no turning back."

"There was Khalid ibn Waleed, he was a fierce and reliable soldier whom the Quraysh valued so much, when he became a Muslim he never wavered Maa Sha Allah." Arafah commented on the Sahabas too.

"Yeah. All of them. How I wish." Lali fantasized leaning on the bus window. Arafah held her hand and gave it a soft squeeze, "We will too Lali. We will make it too. Mom always says that friends have the biggest influence on one another. We must give one another a push."

"We have been doing just that since forever dear." Lali was worried, "I guess now we need a new friend. Someone we can get fully attached to, someone who would be a great boost to our Iman as we would totally relate to her struggles."

“Your best friend is the one who: seeing him reminds you of Allah, speaking to him increases your knowledge, and his actions remind you of the hereafter.” (Al-Muhasibi)

Above all other things, the things that I found to benefit a person most in this World and the Hereafter is a suitable friend.

Once the Prophet may peace be upon him was asked, "What person can be the best friend?"
"He who helps you remember Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and reminds you when you forget him."

"You're not suggesting a friend hunt are you?" Arafah asked slightly horrified by the idea. She was accustomed to the natural flow where you just find yourself in the middle of pure friendship and none of you can even remember how it started. Lali smiled faintly after so long. "Yes. I love treasure hunts. But I think we have to pray to Allah to bring the right person."

Lali suggested the most excellent solution that ever existed to the problems we face. And if they were true and sincere enough, Allah would grant them not just one but two.

The breeze caressed Arafah's face as the bus moved and before she knew it, she too had dozed off whilst leaning on the bus seat. Around an hour later, a colleague of theirs had tapped Arafah on the shoulder indicating that they had reached their destination.

"Lali. Wakey. We are here." Arafah startled Lali by being a bit too loud to which Lali let out a deep breath which she had just inhaled. "You startled me!" Lali yelled at her and Arafah gave that sorry not sorry smile. Who apologizes to their friends anyway?

"Let's get down." Arafah picked her handbag and Lali's rucksack - which Salim didn't have to know know that they both referred to it as Lali's as she descended the vehicle.

"It smells of fish." Arafah commented. Along the shore where they were to board boats, there were many fish mongers who have aligned their small tables with various types of fishes ready for sale hence the smell.

"Arafah you're a genius. Wow." Lali started her drama and Arafah crinkled her brows awaiting the explanation behind her teasing. "You just gave out a golden statement. It has to be recorded on the World Records. 'Sea smells of fish'. I'm going to give mine too 'The land smells of human'. We will go to the World's meeting together and discuss our profound wisdom."

"Luuuul!" Arafah demanded her to stop rambling. "Be serious." Arafah rebuked her earning herself a grin that did good in proving that Lali was indeed biologically siblings with Salim.

Lali's post sleeping mood was either too grumpy or too cheery and Arafah just discovered that she hated both.

A short distance from where they stood a crowd had formed where one of the lecturers had gathered the students delivering some announcement. "Look at that, let's hurry and listen." Arafah ordered as they headed there. "Let's hurry or let's scurry?" Lali whispered annoying Arafah who was trying to catch what was being said. "Lali, you're such a pain."

"Then be glad you got someone that makes you gain. No pain no gain." She wiggled her brows. Arafah huffed out knowing too well that whatever she would say shall be used to further annoy her.

"So, we shall meet in a few minutes. Just stay near." The lecturer concluded making Arafah glare at Lali. Lali not really feeling guilty over what she had done decided to end her game and roamed around looking for someone comfortable enough to ask.

As she spun around, a certain someone grabbed her attention, "Riffat!!" She shouted from shock after noticing him amidst a small group.
"Riffat! At school without a test! Quite interesting." Riffat was a friend of theirs who only attended class for coursework.

"Everyone knows I score an A in attendance as long as it doesn't involve boring lectures." Riffat boasted. "What did the teacher say?" Lali asked. "Well I am not one to listen. Was busy with my phone but I guess it's something to do with we got to wait for the boats from the other side."
Riffat helped them out and the girls gave an 'Oh' expression.

"See you around then." They bid him and walked away. Riffat asked, "Can't I join you?"
"No!" "Yes!" The girls answered at the same second and Riffat's eyes popped. Why? Lali asked Arafah using eye language and Arafah responded with a just like that using the same language.

"In a while Riffat." Lali zoned him away. "Alright. I will just chill here then." He said with a shrug cause part of being a man meant overlooking petty dramas, if it was a woman she would have had her heart filled with hate already upon noticing she had just been zoned.

"So?" Lali asked for an explanation. "Remember the other time? With mom's friends?" Arafah had hung around with some boys from their class and a friend of her mother's spotted them. The way the news found their way to Arafah's mother was of a speed quicker than light. And she had totally no desire to have that repeated.

"You got a point sis." It was deploring that they found no harm in getting close to the non mahrams despite Allah having warned us against it severely. Because being comfortable meant involving jokes and a joke and another with them may lead us to easily transgress Allah's limits. May Allah guide them and us.

The Riffat-distraction had already dissolved both Arafah's bitterness and Lali's silliness so they were to start at a fresh page. "Let's take some snaps as we wait, huh?" Lali suggested. "I was about to say so." Arafah smiled as she said that and as expected Lali gave out their beloved quote, "Great minds think alike."

Since they were by the sea shore it was easy to spot nice areas for photo shooting but again since they were girls they had to waste a few minutes looking for a perfect one just as girls do when their male relatives are waiting for them to get done.

They had reached one rock shaped like a piece of cheese with a smooth base on its top and agreed to take photos. "I'm lucky I charged my phone this morning." Lali said as she rummaged through her bag looking for her phone. She had a piece of her scarf in her mouth preventing it from falling from her head completely.

"Oh Holy Gosh!" Lali cried as she glanced on her phone's screen which had a photo of a quote written I believe in love at first sight as I have been loving my mom since I first saw her. Arafah knew that when Gosh turned holy things weren't favorable, "What's up?" She quickly asked with a glare that warned her friend from any exaggerations or unwanted jokes.

"We didn't inform we are coming. It just slipped my mind."  Lali explained as she had already started dialing her mother’s phone. Arafah just shrugged it off, the so called reasonable part in her reasoned that if her mother was as understanding as Lali's she too would have informed her of the trip.

She walked ahead towards the sea as the waves tickled her feet. Her heart enjoyed the view as the eyes conveyed the beauty of the sight ahead. Shades of blue to bluish green from where her toes had sunk to as far as her eyes were destined to see, Arafah let out a deep breath as she could swear she felt exactly like the drug dealers claimed to, complete serene and peace, only that hers was pure whilst those of the drug abusers was nothing but filth.

And anyone reading her mind at that moment would have begged her to atleast once praise the Creator yet one thing was important Arafah had to change from within.

Because,
Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it.  And there is not for them besides Him any patron.
Ar Ra'd 11.

"I made gosh holy unnecessarily." Lali joined Arafah sinking her feet adjacent to her friend's as she spoke with a cute pout on her face. "Mom went just like, take care, have fun. You should have seen me explaining myself and apologizing that I forgot to tell her earlier."

Arafah chuckled, "I was like who is this gosh? It took me seconds to realize you meant holy gosh." She said as she moved towards the rock they had located earlier. "My apologies honey. I keep forgetting that while speaking you I need to consider your low level of IQ. I'll be careful next time." Definitely, Lali bat her eyelashes as she teased Arafah.

"You called your dad?" Lali inquired knowing well that Maimunah wasn't an option in informing about trips. She squeezed herself in the same rock that Arafah sat on and Arafah just smiled upon witnessing one of the million childish acts Lali still possessed.

"No, Mom gets upset whenever she finds out we told something to dad first. Let it be."

"Alright. Mom knows we are together so it's cool." Lali too believed that an angered Maimunah was not the best person to recieve call concerning a surprise school trip.

Lali finally started snapping around. She liked how her scarf moved as the wind blew it away from its secured place. Arafah had a jilbab - which she had to pick considering how she left in the morning after making her mom angry - which was by then flowing behind onto her back revealing a good glance of the shape of her bosom. They had just read the notes they had written yet the tears they had shed and the effect of the notes which had clearly touched that same morning was sadly washed away from their hearts like the waves washed the sand on the shore. That moment, Iblees observed as he felt victorious that yet another step closer to Allah had taken a U - turn towards his accursed temptations. We seek refuge from the cursed.

"Breeny look." Lali directed her phone to Arafah. It showed a photo of them which they had just snapped, "Look at the green pearls." Lali smiled as she referred to Arafah's eyes. Breeny was the nick name her cousins gave her as her eyes changed colours whenever her eyes hit sunlight for a bit too long they would turn from brown to green depending it's depth depending on the amount of ultra violet rays that contacted her lens.

"I didn't bring my glasses." She had special spectacles which the optician gave her to wear whenever she is out in the sun in order to protect her pupil from weakening. "It doesn't matter. You're cool with both colors. My cute Breeny." Lali complimented her with a flying peck and Arafah smiled from her heart. She felt blessed to have a lovely friend she called sister.

"The last to the Casuarina is a slave." Lali shouted as she pointed to the Casuarina tree a decent distance ahead of them. She raced towards the destination as Arafah stomped behind her. Blessings had a habit of posing as trials and Arafah thought that Lali had proved to be just that. The bliss she felt as she ran carefree made her start laughing uncontrollably as sweet memories of childhood engulfed her. Lali who was also laughing a few feet ahead of her cheered as she reached the tree before her friend.

"You cheater!" Arafah accused as she struggled to breath. "Yeah. You're right. Cheetahs are the fastest animals on earth. So I do deserve the honor." The queen of sarcasm stated.

"I have always told you you're fatter than me. See now?" Lali blabbered and Arafah just laughed upon hearing the baseless allegations. "Let's race back." Lali ordered again as her feet took flight.

"Lali. Wait." Arafah hadn't yet regained enough air as she had earlier tired her lungs with laughing while running . She forced herself to jog back as Lali had left her far back and half way towards where Lali was Arafah stumbled on one rock she hadn't seen and felt a bone leave the knee joint. "Aaaaaah." She let out a loud yell of pain startling Lali who immediately went rushing.

"What's wrong? ARAFAH!" Lali cried. Arafah just shook her head out of pain as she lied down with her injured leg laid straight and her other leg swinging right and left. "Aaah. Allaah!" Arafah cried as tears clouded her eyes. "Yaa Allah." With fisted hands and closed eyes Arafah just turned left and right trying to find solace.

At that moment Arafah realized that Allah was indeed keen on having his believers worship Him. She realized that Allah really cared for his servants and often sent tribulations to serve as wake up calls to return us to Him. She had just forgotten about the emotional note she read just that morning but Allah never gave up on her, He used another way.

Speaking of giving up, the image of her mother's radiant face crossed her imagination as she allowed her tears freely regretting all the moments she had made her angry. Despite the pain being highly unbearable Arafah didn't feel like she was dying. Yet she was amazed that it seemed as if Allah chose that pain as weighing scale for her to weigh out what really mattered to her in this World. And weighed she had, Allah and His religion and the twinkling star of the sky, her mother, she realized, were gems irreplaceable.

"Arafaaaaah! You can't faint okay?" Lali begged as she sobbed heavily. "Heeelp! Please!!!" Lali called to some men who passed by in a boat.
"Where does it hurt!?" She yet again begged Arafah. Arafah just pointed to her knee as she too sobbed and sniffed. Laa Ilaaha Illa Allah she chanted with a slow voice. Laa Ilaaha Illa Allah. "Lali... My knee... My bone... It's out." Arafah's pain was so immense that she couldn't even form a proper sentence.

Lali subconsciously fisted the knee each time harder than the previous one and as one of the men approaching them shouted that, "Don't do that!" asking her to stop so as not to injure her more, at that moment they both heard a loud sharp knock and Arafah let out a cry of relief as her bone just returned back to the socket. "Alhamdulillaah Lul. It's back." Arafah told her and Lali hugged her out of relief. "You scared me. Thanks God you are looking at me now." Lali used the back of her palm to rub her tears.

"I scared me too Lul. Don't worry. Alhamdulillaah." Arafah joked to ease the tension.

"Be careful girls." One of the elders advised them from where they were in the boat. "Are you sure you can walk?" Another one inquired making Arafah stand and walk albeit slowly. "Yes. I can." She confirmed along nodding her head. "Thanks for your concern." The men smiled, prayed for their well-being and waved them good bye as they sailed to where they intended.

"It's time to leave!" A girl from the Architectures yelled at them and Lali and Arafah turned to see the boats decked already. "Let's go!" Lali walked first and Arafah followed suit. She slightly limped as the pain the accident had caused her had not fully subsided. "Lali you should have gone to boxing." She joked recalling the fists her friend landed on her. "Yeah. I didn't know what I was doing. You know.. you weren't saying anything at first. But am glad Allah saved you. It would have been a disaster had anything happened." "You're right Habibty. Allah truly saved me. I was thinking of him alone at that moment. Remind me to text mom once we cross the other side. I guess I should just tell her." Arafah thought after surviving the immense pain. The moment the bone left her joint and hung outside the cavity, she cannot explain how she felt as she had calculated how it would feel like to walk with a clutch or worse enough move on a wheel chair for as long Allah had decreed. The fact that she was walking a few minutes past that incident was something that she believed was a miracle. Glory be to Allah.

Everyone had boarded as they neared the two boats and some boys teased the girls who had tucked onto one another for fear of drowning in the middle of the ocean.

"I'm so excited. It's my first time across the sea to an island." Lali beamed. "Have a blast then babe." Arafah winked at her. She had been to another prison which they had visited back in the days.

They had to raise their abayas to prevent them from getting wet as the boat was not able to pick them from the shore. As Lali securely sat with a toddler's smile and grin on her face, Arafah handed her their bags and walked foward to do the same when one of the captains called out.

"Please. We need two people to balance our boat. I see you guys will do without two."

Their captain replied that, "Alright. Ask the sisters at the back if it's okay Ma'am?" He turned to their lecturer asking for permission. "If the weight is not balanced, the passengers would be at a risk of having their boat turned upside down by the waves. The deep sea is not as calm as what you see here at the shore." He tried to explain to his clients.

"Do you mind, Arafah and Lali?" Their teacher asked. "It's okay." Lali gave that official duty smile and Arafah was just fine.

"Follow me then." The captain walked towards another boat and as they reached they noticed a small group of women in black. Some with Niqab while other just jilbab and Lali somehow felt out of place while Arafah silently cursed. If one of those Niqabis was friends with her mother then hell just broke loose.

She moved ahead with trembling legs praying that they are total strangers. They reached the boat first after the captain and another whom they believed was his assistant had already boarded. The ladies with some teens joined afterwards and the warm greetings and cozy smile became the medicine to Arafah's trembles as she breathed relief sensing that their eyes weren't familiar.

The Niqabis sat facing against the two men so as to get the chance to raise their Niqab. Lali and Arafah mentally high fived as Arafah signaled that none of them were friends with her mother.

"First of all, let's all recite the remembrance for traveling." The supposed leader directed her team and everyone obliged. Lali and Arafah had to move their lips so as not to feel left out.

"Allah bless you." The lady prayed for them when they finished. "Now we are on a trip. The prophet taught us that Allah most likely answers our prayers when we are traveling. So everyone silently make dua of anything you need. Don't forget to pray for our beautiful sisters who were kind enough to join us and leave their friends Alhamdulillah. We really appreciate your act sisters. May Allah reward you."

Lali had lost count of the number of times Allah was mentioned in the short speech. Unlike Lali, Arafah was accustomed to being near such people as her mother had tons of friends with such character.

They all engaged in individual prayer including Lali and Arafah until the same lady spoke again, "Maliha habibty. You're the youngest in this trip. Do you mind making a du'a for all of us?" She asked the five years old girl with love. "Yes aunty." Maliha replied with a contagious smile that melted everyone's hearts.

"O Allah reward our two Auntie's who helped us. O Allah forgive my parents and grant them Jannah. And forgive us all and grant us Jannah. O Allah make me pass my subjects and make me a nice daughter who will learn Qur-an. Ya Allah make me big already please my mom says I cannot wear Niqab until I am big. Ya Allah aunt Ibtisam agreed to take me to Taftish, please take her wherever she wants." She said that as she wiggled her eyebrows. Everyone smiled and responded amiin to the sweet du'a. "Wait. Aunt Ibtisam did you say any du'a is answered? Even if I am asking something difficult?"

"Yes dear, anything."

"Allah won't get mad if I ask Him something not easy?" She asked again as if confirming. "No Habibty. Allah loves it when we ask Him. He tells us in the Qur-an to keep asking Him if anything we want. You know you have to ask Him even for new clothes of eid." The lady leader whose name was Ibtisam explained to her and Arafah couldn't help but caress her shoulder.

"Woow." She beamed as if she could already vision her new dresses which Allah would send as she pray. "Then everyone please pray for Uncle Ashur's parents to return. He doesn't know where they are." She pleaded and it was sad seeing how her smiled had faded as she said that.

Lali and Arafah too joined the prayer despite not knowing who it was as enhanced by Islam's profound beauty. And aunt Ibtisam added her part, " Jazaakillaah kheyr sweet one. You reminded me too I know a sister whose husband has gone missing too for many years. Her name is Husaynah so please include her in your prayers too."

As she said that a not so small wave hit their boat and all those sitting on the right side were splashed with water. "Allah Akbar!" Everyone except Lali and Arafah shouted. "Alhamdulillaah" added others thanking Allah that He saved them from any thing scary.

The rest of the trip was spent with the sisters asking each other Islamic questions as Lali found out the teens were going for a friendly quiz with the madrasah at the Taftish Island. Lali and Arafah joined in answering and it was a great trip as the fear of drowning was nowhere in the boat.

One sister asked Maliha, "Don't you fear to drown?" And Maliha proudly answered, "Uncle Ashur taught me whoever fears Allah will fear none and whoever doesn't fear Allah will fear everyone."

The way she spoke of her Uncle Ashur so fondly piqued the girl's curiosity as Arafah ended up concluding it's Aunt Ibtisam's husband the woman she spoke of as fondly as the uncle while Lali thought it would be one of her parent's sibling.

What was the out of place feeling at the beginning of the journey ended up as a yearning to just stay by them at the end as they had reached their destination and Llai and Arafah were forced to part.

"I am Ibtisam The president of the Proud Muslim Girls." She introduced herself. "Here are my cards. And these are my teammates we are a group that come together to encourage one another to do sunnah out in the open with proud hearts and heads held high. Just visit our website written their at the card for more information. I don't want you to be late for your class."

" But before you go. Your names? Please? It's sunnah to exchange names upon your fist encounter with your fellow Muslims." Aunt Ibtisam urged. " I'm Arafah." Arafah knew she loved the woman already. "And I am Lali." Lali was dazzled by her confidence and charisma. "Nice to have met you auntie." She added.

"Nice to have met you too."

"And my name is Maliha." The heart warming princess extended her hand for a shake. "It means everything nice and good and wonderful and lovely." She revealed. "Aunt Ibtisaam says we must know our names' meaning. Hers mean a smile. It's cute, right? What does your name mean Aunt Lali?" Her hands held onto her small scarf she was wearing at that moment.

Lali rolled her eyes as if thinking, "I'll have to ask my mom. She never told me what it means." She ended trying to sound pitiful to the little angel.

The girl gave an Oh and nodded her head, "Don't worry auntie. I also didn't know until mommy told me." She extended the e in the me with a wide smile.

"And you auntie?" She asked Arafah. "I was named after the day of Arafah. Do you know it? The day before Eid?" She asked Maliha. "Yeah. I do. We always get soo tired at that day. Cooking and cleaning and ironing new dresses and Oh." Everyone laughed as she dramatically wiped her forehead. "Don't even remind me. Auntie, does that mean you were born on that day?" She added as her eyes shone radiantly.

"Exactly Habibty." Arafah gave her an equally glowing smile as she bent down to kiss her cheeks. "Aaww. Auntie. It's just like Uncle Ashur. He was named after Ashuraa day."

"Maa Sha Allah." Arafah complimented yet again wondering how that Ashur actually looked like.

"Ok then." Ibtisam held Maliha's hand her face reflecting the true meaning of her name. "If we happen to leave at the same time, we'd love to have you on our way back too." She ended up with pecking their cheeks. " Pardon me. We were supposed to have done that earlier but you know the anxiety of being in a boat. Everytime I cross safely I don't stop marveling by Allah's power. SubhanaLlah. And I will be honest, it's only after Maliha read the hadith that I relaxed. Babies are such angels." She never ended a phrase without thinking of Allah. Maa Sha Allah.

"Fii ri'aayatillaah." (under Allah's protection.) The sisters bid them and Arafah and Lali blushed at the attention that was directed to them. With all the girls smiling wonderfully at them.

Their boat was faster than their batch's they realized as they could still see them sailing in the ocean. Lali and Arafah moved towards a small roof so as to shelter themselves from the sun. Near to the shelter, something had caught their attention.

"Take it off." They heard a girl not more than fifteen years pulling her fellow's Niqab. "Can't you see you make us feel ashamed. It's a trip for goodness sake!" She shouted as she kept on pulling the securely clutched Niqab. "Please. Leave me alone." The girl in question pleaded and to Lali it rang as if she was directly calling for her help.

The group of people that stood around them others staring while others minding their own business made Lali more angry as she raced towards the scene.

"Why the bother? Please just leave her." She held her hand using enough force to pull it away from the Niqab which she succeeded.

"Oh missus. Please mind your business." The girl mocked her after she scrutinized Lali from top to bottom.

"Excuse me. I am still a miss. And my sister I won't let you oppress." Games aside. She wasn't ready to allow any bullying especially when it concerned matters of faith. Her tone told the girl that, if you're in for a rhyme then bring it on.

The girl let out a laugh. A hollow one in fact. She confused the girls seeing that she too had a decent hijab covering her body. They didn't understand why Niqab bothered her as such. "Oppression.. Oppression.. She has to know we're in Era of fashion." She stated as her hand tried yet again to pull the Niqab.

Lali moved foward and this round pulled her whole body away from her. Arafah was both angry and worried. Angry at the youngster demeaning her friend and worried that one of them might take it a step further. She started to walk towards the girls and didn't fail to notice some of the men around moving foward.

The girl signaled for them to stop as her eyes displayed a mischievous glint. "Now look who is joining the crew? Dear I don't remember inviting you." She rolled her eyes after she had released the Niqabi since Lali was too strong for her.

Arafah smiled sarcastically at the girl, "What attracted me is your enhanced beauty,
For I must say you're amazingly pretty." She paused as she noticed the change in the girls demeanor.

"Now, I'm totally amazed. The two of you had left me dazed.

One is a beauty with eloquence, Full of love, laced with confidence,

And the other a sweet precious treasure,

your encounter has filled me with pleasure." She smiled and it was wonderful how her smile had miraculously turned appealing and her face seemed to have gained extra beauty.

The crowd which they hadn't noticed had their full attention shouted Maa Shaa Allah to them and as Arafah crinkled their brows not understanding what was going on. The same girl spoke again, "Sisters. I am soooooo sorry. I am so truly sorry. This was just an act. We were doing a video for our project, STAND FOR YOUR RIGHT." Then, Lali and Arafah relaxed, glad that it wasn't anything serious.

"Ooh I am sorry for interrupting then." Lali sheepishly apologized. "No. Dears. I am the one to apologize, I know I sounded rude at some point cause I couldn't find a polite word that rhymed. I am still new at poetry but you guys totally rock." She covered her eyes out of shyness. "Do you mind if we share this video?" She pleaded. "I really loved your poetic style. And we can change the topic to STAND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT."

"It's fine sister." Lali concluded after spotting their school's boat. "No problem, we have to leave now. We are joining our friends."

"Jazaakumullah kheyran. So sisters once again pleeeease do forgive me. I won't be able to outlive the guilt if I realize you are hurt in any way. I know I should have told you earlier but it just your style overwhelmed me. And the fact that you were still calm Maa Sha Allah." She said the last part to Lali."

"No Habibty. You are on for a noble cause. In fact, I am happy you're aren't some street bully but a girl on daaw'ah. May Allah assist you all."

"My apologies too sisters. I am equally responsible as I didn't tell you that it's a show." The Niqab wearing sister apologized too to which the girls politely dismissed her and eventually left the grounds.

Lali wondered to herself that had the girl been of the appropriate age, i.e not too younger than her, she would have beamed from her heart that her du'a had just got answered.

They joined their fellows and learnt that the architectures were asked to draw the map of the old mosque which was more than 1000 years old followed by constructing a model of the same once they reached back to university.

At that moment Lali and Arafah realized that it was only Riffat, them and a few boys they didn't talk much to who weren't among the architecturers. They weren't to blame as Lali recalled how she had already envisioned her sweetheart bed as she heard that classes were canceled.

Not really confident enough to just roam around on a faraway island, they thought they should look for something interesting to do. Riffat was of no help as he had joined some men who were busy cutting the coconuts to drink and eat from it. "Yo! Come and relax!" Riffat called on them. The relax part referred to the music that was played by the island guys which Riffat totally enjoyed.

As transparent as they are, both Lali and Arafah gave an Ew look and Lali's eyes asked Are you crazy? Which she was sure going to ask in voice once Riffat was near them. They didn't mind the music that much, but a group of shore guys wasn't their definition of modesty.

Arafah and Lali ignored him and  joined the group to the masjid and obviously took a few snaps of the old Holy building which Allah had graced the members of that island with.

"For other than the batch, our brother here invited us to an event at one compound. He tells me its part of the community's tradition to host so and they would love to have us attend. I suggest that you go and entertain themselves as there would be performance of all kinds. Quizzes to poetry to dramas and so on. The rest of us would join once we are done."
Their lecturer announced and Arafah and Lali couldn't be happier. They sought permission from their teacher who allowed them promising that she was going to join soon.

Their friends i.e Aunt Ibtisam and her team were seated at the VIP seats at the front and Arafah and Lali decided to sit on one of the back benches which were directly made from tree logs.

The logs were aligned in a way that men sat on the left and women on the right with a narrow path between them. "Look at this crowd! Did all these people just come for the madrasa competition?" Arafah exclaimed as they chose a log which was the nearest to the men as that one gave a good view of the stage. "And did you notice how everyone is covered. Like in hijab? Maa Sha Allah." Aunt Ibtisam had somehow rubbed on Lali as she too had been influenced to mention Allah. Arafah didn't reply as by then, she had covered her nose and mouth as the strong wind hurt her.

They couldn't remember a time when they willingly joined any event to do with Islam unwillingly apart from the day they had heard one sister read a poem of Hijab. Which truth be told, they had entered for the purpose of shopping.

Lali opened her notebook at the page where she had saved that sister's name which she opened whenever she prayed for those who have taken her closer to Allah and scribbled down aunt Ibtisam with a heart beside it. hoping that this would not be their last encounter with her. Before closing it she prayed to meet the two other sisters Salma and Tasneem.

As she held her pen, caressing her head with it, the pen fell from her hand past Arafah onto the man sitting on the log beside theirs' thigh. She whisper yelled and Arafah let out a gasp as she turned around to face their neighbor. They both relaxed upon noticing the captains assistant as it had not escaped both the girls' notice that the assistant and his captain were both men of integrity as they never once joined the ladies in their conversation.

Arafah with half her face still covered tried her best to sound normal as she said, "We are so sorry." Her one hand extended to take the pen from him. "Jazaakallah kheyr." She had to speak on Lali's behalf as Lali would need to raise her voice so that the man hears him. The man nodded whispering an 'it's ok' as his beard moved along with his head, with his gaze still lowered something which didn't bother Arafah much as she was used to the bearded akhis, sons of his mother's friends.

Since her full attention was on what she was saying trying hard not to sound stupid, her brain and hand decided to betray her as the pen fell from her hands as she hadn't held it carefully.

She darned as the man picked it up again and this time raised his eyes for a moment to make sure the pen is held tightly, he took a bit long to release it until Arafah had to politely pull away as she locked her gaze with his. Oh how the man wished it hadn't, as the green jewels lying peacefully in the innocent daughter of Adam's eyes ahead of him promised sleepless nights and a restless heart. He had seen her earlier when they were asked to help join their boat and he was there when together with her friend they thought the show was an actual bullying and he had witnessed how she amazingly and intelligently approached her friend and her supposed foe.

It was surprising how he couldn't quite remember her face as all that while, he had not truly gazed nor stared at her enough to captivate her face, yet the camera and the memory card Allah had fixed in eyes and brain were keen to capture her portrait which only showed her green mesmerizing pearls with only the forehead as she seemed to have covered her face from wind directly affecting her. The portrait was saved straight into the long term partition as it was saved under the To be included in all prayers document.

"I'm sorry." He apologized sounding as gentle as the man he was. Arafah was too dumbstruck to answer anything as the man in question had already left more than scurried to an unknown destination. "Why is he sorry?" Lali yet again whispered to Arafah and Arafah just shrugged, "No idea." Arafah knew - from her experience with gaze lowering brothers - that the reason why he apologized was due to the locked gaze and the fact that he kind of withheld the pen for a moment longer. What she couldn't comprehend though was what exactly made her hide that from Lali.

Lali dismissed her and turned her attention back to the venue. Meanwhile, through the corner of her eye, Arafah spotted a passport sized photo lying under the adjacent log. She picked it up and there was the fine young man wearing what seemed like a labcoat. She flipped it to the other side and was astonished and dumbfounded to read the name she had heard the most during that day.

Ashur Sulayman.

At that moment, her brain decided it was of high importance that she recalled each and every minute and major details concerning him. From how he was modest and humble, to how his parents went lost. From how he is good with children to how his beard moves as he nods his head. And if she hadn't shaken her head profusely to shake the image, her brain was ready to remind Arafah how they were both named after Islam's holy days.

Her heart obeyed the brain as the beats raised giving a strange tone. She knew that it was a caution. She sensed the message that, it would take long before she would be able to forget about him and her heart conveyed that it doubted it ever would.

She searched around to see if she could spot him so as to return his belonging but her eyes could not find him. And she couldn't because he had purposefully chosen a log where he won't see the girls nor would the girls see him.

As Ashur sat from the particular log, he realized his brain had long ago saved her voice in the files to be perused every now and then and even minutes after he had removed his gaze, the fresh image of a certain beauty with green eyes that had just been embedded in his heart screamed one message to each and every part of his body.

Love at first sight.

I remember when I first met you..
I felt that God answered my call,

There was that one place I always thought about..
And I just wanted to be there with you,

A place that no heart has ever seen..
A place that no eye has ever perceived,

I had a great feeling inside in me,
That one day I'd be there with you..

Paradise.. A dream come true.
________
Phew. Now? How was the spice? Hehe.

Plus, who thought that Arafah was going to be crippled for at least a few days?

The same thing had happened to me years back and I too had thought I would need a plaster and a crutch but Alhamdulillah Allah miraculously helped me out though I did limp for more than a fortnight.
I also have a friend of mine to thank too for raining Fists on my knee. *smiles*. Wherever she is may Allah the Almighty protect her and grant her kheyr. Amiin.