Deeds are by intentions إنما الأعمال بالنيات

Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ وَإِنَّمَا لِامْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ

Verily, deeds are only with intentions. Verily, every person will have only what they intended. Whoever emigrated to Allah and his messenger, his emigration is for Allah and his messenger. Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 54 

***

Mehendi ceremony is one of the important pre-wedding ceremony in India. It is one of the colourful and fun celebration that is held a day before the wedding. It is a ceremony to wish the bride good health and a happy married life. Many people believe that mehendi signifies the amount of love your soon-to-be-husband has for you based on the stain. The deeper the stain, the deeper the love of the spouse.

Aahana wore a simple peacock green coloured salwar suit. She was sitting in her bedroom while all the girls were downstairs. She had not worn her hijab. Her hair were neatly tied in a single braid. Her face did not carry tons of makeup but a simple makeup that was done by her cousin. Her black eyes looked more beautiful with the kajol that she had applied. Her lips had a light pink gloss and her cheek looked pink due to the blush. Her hands were covered in dry henna that was applied to her in the morning so that she can get her sleep at night.

Bushra and Khadija entered the room with their daughters trailing behind them. The two ladies were decked up in a yellow coloured salwar suit. The ladies had decided that except Aahana, all the girls of the house were going to wear yellow.

They smiled at Aahana and made her stand up. Aahana had her head lowered. They guided her to the backyard where the function was going to be held.

The backyard looked bright and colourful. Vivid coloured drappings surrounded the entire place. At one end of the place was kept a couch for the bride. There were dreamcatchers hanging above the couch while the back was decorated with peacock coloured drapes. It gave an entirely different look to the whole backyard. It was like all the colours were brought in the backyard. Aahana had always been the bright, cheerful and fun loving person in their family, so the boys had set up the setting, just the way that could perfectly define Aahana.

The girls stood at the entrance of the backyard on either side with a plate full of rose petals in their hand. While all the girls wore yellow or yellow and white salwar suit, there was exception and that exception was Rida. She was wearing a yellow coloured kurta paired with black jeans and a black pearled hijab. Even after the girls pressurising her to not wear black, she stuck with her outfit. She did not like bright colours. She believed that such colours attracted eyes and she never liked it. She hated being the centre of attention in a crowd.

The girls threw the rose petal at the entry of the soon-to-be-bride. Aahana smiled looking at the girls. They had gone beyond their limits to arrange the ceremony and they could see it all worth it because of the million dollar smile on the bride-to-be.

Bushra and Khadija made her sit on the special seat that was kept for the bride-to-be and since Aafia was the helping hand of Aahana she was made to sit besides the bride. Rida stood at the corner and saw the rituals starting. There were few older ladies sitting in the front singing geets. Geets are usually sang by the ladies during the time of application of the mehendi. Aahana's mother walked forward with her sister-in-laws. While Fahad's mother made her wear green bangles on both her hands, Aafia's mother took a long bunch of Gajraas and pinned in on her braid. She rolled it all around her braid and after she was done they put the dupatta on her head. They kept a leaf on both her hand and applied the mehendi. They made her eat the sugar that was kept. Since Aafia was the helping hand, they applied mehendi on her hands too while keeping the leaf and made her eat the sugar.

Rida giggled when she saw the look on her best friend's face. She could clearly see her not enjoying the attention but Rida was clearly enjoying her friend's misery. She sat down at the end with the other girls. The ceremony was going on as the way it was planned. While there were some ladies surrounding the bride, there were some ladies who had their eyes on the unmarried girls for their sons while there were few ladies who had met after a long time and were enjoying the juicy gossip that they couldn't let stay in their stomach. The kids were playing in between as the normal kids while the boys of the house stood at one end of the backyard talking to themselves avoiding gazing at the opposite gender.

Rida glanced up to see Sakina and Ifza serving snacks to the guest. She got up from her seat and walked upto Sakina and took the tray asking her to get the next and serve the rest people. While the they were serving smiling at everyone they came across, a few ladies gave the girls curious looks.

"Masha Allah you are looking beautiful." A lady confronted looking at Rida taking her by surprise. She was never good with sudden remarked. After thinking for a second she smiled at her lady politely not showing the sudden raise in her heartbeat.

"JazakAllahu Khairan Khair aunty, you look good too." Rida said the first thing that came to her mind handing the lady a glass of juice trying not to show the lady her trembling hands, while the lady did not take her eyes off Rida. Rida was aware of the eyes on her but avoided them. She could not stand there under such heated gaze anymore and all she wanted was to ran away so slowly she tried to slide away and serve the other guest when the lady called out to her.

"Can I get your photo?" The lady said taking Rida by surprise. She was confused and hesitated for a few seconds looking around to find an escape but when she did not find any she nodded her head smiling at the lady. She looked at the serving tray in her hand looking for a place to keep it when the lady took the try and handed it to her daughter who was sitting besides her. Rida stood straight not giving away any expression. She did not smile nor did make any face at the camera. When the lady was done she thanked her before Rida quickly ran away from the lady. She then did not serve anyone because she did not wanted to land herself in any more awkward situation. She told about her encounter with the lady to Aafia when she had escaped from besides Aahana. Aafia had laughed at Rida while she did not understand the reason behind her laughter but then Aafia explained her the reason behind her laughter.

"The lady you are talking about is my father's cousin sister. A far away one, we are not much in contact. She has a son who is Aahana Appi's age and she wants the 'perfect' girl for him. So I guess she just found her 'perfect' girl." Aafia said and the girls who now were with them started laughing making Rida embarrassed.

"What are you girls laughing at?" Safa asked making her way inside and all the girls smiled at her. Rida got up from her seat making Safa sit down while she searched for another. She found a chair at the far end. She started walking when she felt a gaze on her. She turned to her right to see Fahad staring at her. He smiled when he saw her looking his way. She did not wanted to be rude so she pretended to have not noticed him and walked to the empty chair, taking and walking back sighing in relief that he hadn't come to talk to her.

She sat down in between Aafia and Safa listening to their talks. Safa was talking about how lately she was being moody but Saif did not complained about it and was being supportive. Rida smiled a little hearing her friend being happy in her life. She was happy for her. She still felt Goosebumps thinking about what all Safa had gone through in her past but Alhamdulillah she was happy, and she deserved the happiness.

"Did you meet Appi?" Safa asked Rida breaking her chain of thoughts. She looked at Safa smiling at her.

"No." She replied shaking her head and turned to Aafia who was telling about her experience making all the girls giggle.

"Let's go meet Appi, I have to leave early." Safa whispered in Rida's ear making her turn her head to her in confusion. She raised her eyebrow and understanding her question she answered her that Saif had some important work and have to leave early.

"Saif is here?" Rida asked and Safa nodded her head and pointed out in their left where Saif was standing talking to the boys. She nodded her head understanding the situation.

"Can I come with you guys too?" Rida asked after thinking for a long time.

"Won't you be staying?" Safa asked her forehead ceased and Rida told her about how she had to attend college tomorrow due to the presentation.

"No problem but we need to leave early." Safa said stating the obvious and Rida nodded her and both the girls after informing Aafia walked to Aahana to meet her. They applied the mehendi and made her eat sugar. Everyone asked Safa about her health. After Safa had met everyone they walked back to their seats.

"Aafia I'll be leaving with Safa. Insha Allah I will be there tomorrow at the Nikaah ceremony or I'll directly come for the reception at the venue." Rida informed Aafia gaining her full attention while Aafia raised her eyebrow.

"You are not going anywhere." Aafia stated and Rida rolled her eyes shaking her head to let the understand.

"I hope you know that I have a presentation to submit tomorrow." Rida said raising her eyebrow not at all planning to be absent. She did not wanted to let all her efforts go in vain at any cost and more than that it was the marks that she was more concerned about.

"When do you have to submit the presentation, at what time?" Aafia asked her mind racing. Rida raised her eyebrow asking her what was going on in her tiny mind because she very well knew her friend, she would plan something she wouldn't like and she did not wanted to upset her.

"10 maybe?" She said not completely sure. She knew that she had to submit the presentation by 12 but she had purposely told her the wrong time so that she cannot do anything because at 10 the family was gonna apply haldi to the bride.

She did not wanted the last night's event to occur again!

"No problem my dad would be going there, he had told me that he had some work so he will drop you. So chill and relax." Aafia said smirking at Rida because she knew there was no escape.

"But..." Rida couldn't complete her statement because Aafia ran off the moment she heard her mother call out to her while Rida looked at her running her words left unspoken. She turned to Safa who was standing besides her, her hand on her shoulder with a smile. She sighed and shrugged her shoulder not uttering a word making Safa nod her head as she understood. Safa about to walk away thought of something before saying,

"You should start keeping your thoughts in front of people. What you feel, what you want and what you don't. Just don't go with the flow." Safa said before walking away making Rida confused. She did not understand what happened that she had spoken such words to her. Safa always knew Aafia made Rida do things she never wanted, but that never harmed her or anyone but it was for her own good, then why did she advise her?

Not understand she walked to Safa to serve her food. Rida made her sit on the chair that was kept for the couple. Saif sat besides her, and Rida exchanged a few words with Saif before bringing them their plates. The whole time she stood near them asking them if they needed anything. After they had their food, she took their empty plates and handed them to the cleaning ladies. After Saif and Safa had said their Salaam she walked with them till their car to bid them farewell. Rida hugged Safa and after advising her to take care of herself she walked back to the ceremony.

She looked around to look out for Aafia but when she did not find her, she took out her phone to call Aafia when she noticed that there was a message from Rehan. She did not open the message but first called Aafia to ask her where she was, after she knew where Aafia and all the girls were, she ended the call and made her way inside to Aafia busy texting Rehan.

He had messaged telling her about his day. He always made it to point to tell her about his day to her. He never slept without texting her and the same applied to Rida as well. She made it a point that she at least message him a good night. She smiled after reading his late message.

You might be enjoying there where as I am here sulking. Wish I was there with you all:( -Rehan

She giggled and started typing her reply.

Just 4 months and you will be here. Till then keep sulking. XD -Rida

She was still smiling after texting her when her gaze landed on the person who was staring at her intensely, his eyes burning hole in her. Her smile faded and without waiting, she entered the room where all the girls were giggling watching something on the phone.

"Yo girls! What are you guys doing here?" Rida asked plopping herself on the bed while all the girls turned to her and ignoring her question they continued with they fun. She could hear a voice of some girl and she did not even had to get up to know what they were currently doing. They were busy watching the Indian serial that has now been popular.

She pulled out her cell phone and started reading a novel. With last year in the college she hardly got any time to read any novel. She was so engrossed in her boring books that she had lost connection with her social life, the life she loved the most. She scrolled through sighing looked at the unread books. She had so many books to complete reading. She did not even remember some plots of the book while some still were crystal clear in her mind as if she had just completed reading. She clicked at a story that she found interesting. She was curious to know what would happen ahead when she was disturbed, the thing she did not like. She locked her phone and looked at the person who had intruded her with a glare.

"Oops! Were you reading?" Aafia asked with a wicked smile making Rida to roll her eyes at her act. Aafia knew if she was deeply engrossed in her phone it either meant that she was scrolling through an interesting book or wasting time on Instagram.

"Why did you intrude me?" Rida asked sitting up straight on the bed finding that all the girls had disappeared.

"Mom is calling for dinner." Aafia said pulling her making her groan. She did not wanted to have dinner. She didn't knew why felt full but she did not wanted to face the warmth of Aafia's mom. She was a lady that Rida was scared of at some point of time. She would be very strict with prayers and food.

Without any tantrums Rida got down to the dining table with Aafia leading her. She went and sat down in between Aafia and Sakina. She was about to bring out her cell phone when she saw the plates being served.

She looked at the plate that was served for her. It was full and Rida was sure she wouldn't finish it. She turned to her right to see Aafia did not have a plate. She smiled a Aafia and showed her the plate. Aafia understood what she was saying. She shook her head and took her plate and started having her food. Rida said there sulking at the plate and with no option left she took the first morsel and fed herself. Half the food and she was already full. She took a deep breath. She turned to Sakina to take the remaining food from her plate. At first she did not agree when she saw that Rida had eaten half the food she readily took the food and ate it making Rida to smile. Rida turned to Aafia to see her glaring. She only smirked at her and got up and went to wash her hand.

After she had washed her hand, she was waling towards Aafia when she was called by an elderly lady.

"Yes aunty?" She asked bending to her position with a smile on her face.

"Are you not applying Mehendi?" She asked Rida taking her hands that had not stains of henna. She smiled at the lady and shook her head.

"Why?" The lady asked confusion etched on her face. She had always seen girls of this age dying to apply henna on their hands and she was curious to know the reason.

"I just don't want to trouble anyone." Rida said taking the old lady by surprise. She was not expecting such an answer to her question. Before she could say something, Rida was called. The lady nodded her head, leaving her hand to let her go.

The mysterious lady had now gained interest in Rida and now she was eager to know more about her.

***

The night was dark. It felt alive. Though the London streets were awake because of the young teenage who were wild and carefree, there was Rehan was who could not sleep. He was twisting and turning in his bed even for a long period of time but sleep still felt far away. He had a lot of things going on in his mind. The project that he was currently working, his dream project, made him feel empty. He always wanted to work out of his country and when he is here all he could think was go back to his country. With his company in India, he was doing great. He was rich enough to have a family. He had a small flat but he knew he could afford a huge house for his family. He had his friends who were much more like family. All in all he was happy and satisfied there. And thousands of miles away from his home town he felt homesick. He wasn't happy here even though he now had a good friend here, Kaif, but he still missed Saif.

He looked at the time and sighed. His routine was the same as usual. He was go by 9 do his work, have lunch with Kaif go back to the office, have a talk with Kaif and then he would come back home. He had lost the fun in his life. He got up from his bed and went to the washroom to do his ablution. After he had done wudu, he stood on the prayer mat. He prayed his tahajjud prayer. After he had prayed he neatly folded the prayer mat and kept it on the shelf and walked to the balcony. The cold breeze hit him making him close his eyes. He kept his hands on the railing of the balcony and stood there watching the youngster outside a pub with alcohol in their right hand smoking cigarette. They were making fun of the boys who the red headed boy while the boy cared least about them and rode past them. A bitter smile made its way t Rehan's lips. This was what he did not like about this place. People cared least about others and were busy with their own selves.

He sighed and walked back inside and took the Quran that was kept on the shelf with his prayer mat. He started reciting the Quran with so much concentration that he lost tract of the time. His alarm clock rang making him realise that it was time for Fajr. Without wasting time, he stopped at the Ruku and kept the mark so that he can continue after Fajr. He stood on the mat, praying with all his hearts.

Even though Rehan had gone through the worst he never lost faith in Allah SWT. He never knew what praying was but he had seen Saif's mother praying whenever he would visit her with his father. He had started off slowly not thorough with all the Surah's but when he was given a mobile phone by Saif, after he had escaped the first thing he had learnt was to do wudu and pray. He agreed he wasn't the perfect muslimah but he was trying his best to be one. There are still certain things he is unaware but he still tries learning them.

After he had completed his prayer, he took the Quran and continued reading it. He was busy reading when he heard his phone ring. Keeping the Quran carefully he received the call to see it from Saif.

"Assalamualaikum." He greeted as soon as he received the call smiling.

"Walaikumassalam Rehan, how are you?" Saif greeted his voice husky.

"Alhamdulillah, how are you? You seem sleepy." Rehan pointed out looking at the clock.

"Yeah, just prayed tahajjud and thought of calling you." He said yawning and getting up when he felt Safa stir in her sleep.

"Oh I just prayed Fajr." Rehan said and Saif talked about the mehendi function he attended, teasing Rehan a little by telling him how Rida was taking care of them. Rehan had a wide smile on his face hearing all these but he did not wanted to give wrong signs to Saif and s he avoided speaking anything further on it and told about his days that were going. He did not wanted to show that he was not happy because he knew Saif would not like a bit and would try calling him back. But at some point, he wanted someone to call him back and he was sure he would ran back to India without giving his dream job any second thoughts.

After talking to Saif for some more time, he ended the call letting him sleep and he started getting ready for his work.

Today he felt positive. He felt something good was about to happen and with that he walked out of he house, letting the positive vibe stay with him as long as possible.

***

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu Everyone.

How are you all?

I know I am not giving you all frequent updates and I am extremely very sorry for that. It's just that with my internals and my schedule I do not get time to write but whenever I am free I try my best to write.

Tell me yours views on the chapter and I would love to know your opinions, if any. It can be related to anything. My grammatical mistakes, my writing skills, anything but do tell me.

I have no idea when will I update next but Insha Allah I will try my best to update as soon as possible.

Till next time,
Assalamualaikum.
Sty blessed.
Keep smiling.