"When words cannot describe your love towards someone that is what I call true love"- Mohammed Zeyara.

SANAM'S POV

The brilliant winter morning had succeeded to the tempest of night and I rambled down into the garden to feel the breathing of a fresh and fragrant breeze.

I was comfortably revelling in the green fragrance around, and the beautiful soft blue overhead when the guard informed me that Shiraz was driving in.He had been out for some time leaving me the company of Masarrath.Meanwhile, I prayed isha and tried to help Masarrath with her assignment.But time seemed to tick slowly.He had taken with him the serene atmosphere I had been breathing in his vicinity.

He dismounted his black car and walk towards me as I played with the withering roses.

"Night-walking amuses you, huh?" He asked, stopping in front of me.I turned to face him.

"Or were you getting bored without your loving hubby? " He had a strange joyful glitter in his eyes that altered the aspect of his whole face.I could not tell.My lips didn't answer him.

"Will you have some dinner? " I asked, "You must be hungry roaming about in the night! " I wanted to discover where he had been but I did not like to ask directly.

"Well! It's only nine and I have been away from my wife for two hours.But yes I'd love to have dinner with you."

He held my hand in his and walked me in.I had never felt so warm and secure before.His love for me was far greater than mine.

* * *

"Hey! take this one," Shiraz said, stuffing a spoonful of custard pie into my mouth.

" I will have it myself.Why don't you eat it though? "

"The Prophet Mohammed ( Sallallahu alaihi wassallam ) said : You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allah's sake, even if it were a morsel of food which you put in your wife's mouth." (SAHIH BUKHARI )

"Jazakallah khair! " I replied.

" Pass me your glass, " he demanded.At first I didn't understand why he was asking for a used one.But when he searched for the spot from where I drank and sipped from the same I got my answer.

As thirsty creatures vying for love, we spend our whole life in the quest for it and at some point the heart wrenching search ends.We either win or lose,there's nothing in between.But today as I look back at my life, I was never a loser.Whatever I had lost was compensated by the ceaseless love of my creator.He had placed wonderful humans in my life to fill the missing pieces.Only the realisation came late.Perhaps its the ego or the Mister right criteria that prevents us from understanding.

At a most miserable period of my life I had a notion of a kind, I lost faith in true love.My life a varied field of hopes and fears,I was afraid to give my heart and soul to someone.But like for every human, Allah had written a perfect story for me.Indeed, I was late in its comprehension.

I have deciphered that there's no comparison between His story and a fairytale.Human imagination would never be able to compete with His flawless direction.

As I stole few looks at my other half, I couldn't help saying alhamdulillah.Someone who loves you for the sake of Allah is hard to find and I got him without even asking for.

"You need not steal glances at me.You can have me altogether, " Shiraz said,holding my chin and bending few inches to meet my eyes.A girly blush crept on my cheeks and I looked away from him.

" You know what? I never knew you were so shy.Nevertheless I love every quality of yours."

"The Prophet Mohammed ( Sallallahu alaihi wassallam ) said : Haya ( shyness ) is a part of faith ( imaan ).

I smiled at his appreciation and advanced towards the dressing room.He gave me a toothy grin and resumed his packing.

After the dinner,Shiraz revealed that he had bought two tickets for umra(holy pilgrimage).We were to board the flight to Jeddah in the next 24 hours.Precisely, we had only eight more days before getting back to our duties.Shiraz's father wanted us to go for a honeymoon but my hubby secretly planned a trip to the holy city of Mecca.

On our wedding night when he had asked me about a special gift I didn't tell him of my wish go for umra with him.I thought it was too early.But I had prayed that the first place I would like to visit with him be the holy city of Mecca.And Allah fulfilled my wish.He conveyed my wish to him without me verbalising.

"I am so thankful we got the tickets in a short time.Otherwise we'd have to wait for six more months till we finsish our internship."

"This is the best gift ever! " I said,smiling through my eyes, a genuine one.He gave me a soft chuckle and read out the flight details.

Even after a week of having him around I still felt wierd.It wasn't an awkward kind of weirdness but there was something about him which made my heart melt into puddles.Perhaps it was his sweet words or his mesmerising eyes or the way he took care of my every little thing.

Though I was very silent and reserved in the beginning he endured it with patience.He never made me feel like an outsider.From the day I came here he was no longer the same sassy Shiraz: with him came many new feelings, every association that had made this house in some degree a home to me.He was like a KISS OF DESTINY on my forehead.A soft and loving one which would vanish every frown from my forehead.

After granny left for her place,Masarrath gave me company whenever Shiraz wasn't around.Aunt Heena didn't interact much with me but it didn't matter as she was busy all the time.Her demeanour made me feel like she had an aversion to me so I had resolved to make a place in her heart.It is our deeds and love that have the power to melt people.

"I can't wait to see the kaaba with my naked eyes! I can see myself doing the tawaaf already, " Shiraz gushed.

"InshaAllah! I am delighted to get the blessed feeling again," I replied.

"This time with someone special, " He winked.

"Astaghfirullah! We're going there for a holy pilgrimage not for...."

"Not for what?" He teased, keeping a pillow on his lap.

"Did anyone tell you that you've got a perverted mind?" I recommenced.

"Hmmm.No! Only my wife knows about it. "

I retaliated by stroking his hair roughly in an attempt to spoil his gelled ones.It was a comeback secret Masarrath revealed to me that morning.But it proved to be a failure as he pushed me down.I had forgotten that he was much stronger.

******

"Wake up! It's time for tahajjud, " I said, rocking his sleeping figure.

"Let me sleep for few more minutes, " he mumbled, pulling me towards him.I tried removing his covers so that he'd wake up, but he didn't.Perceiving it vain to attempt further, I emptied a glass of water over his face.

"Ya Allah!" He cried, wiping the liquid off his face.

"Mrs.Shiraz Haroon! Iam so not going to leave you," he warned, jumping off the wooden bed.

I ran towards the living room to escape.Minutes ticked by and he didn't descend downstairs.Thinking him to be praying, I busied myself with a Qur'an which was placed in the high showcase.

Surah Al-Ankaboot, Verse 45:

اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book and keep up prayer; surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do.

In the peaceful silence of the night, whispering his words and remembering Allah was the best feeling ever.To love Him and feel His love for you amidst the chilly winds,the sleeping trees and the sparkling stars.A million favors bestowed on undeserving beings.Who can be more loving than Allah?

My thoughts were interrupted by silent steps coming from kitchen.

" Sanam? What are you doing in here early in the morning? " Masarrath enquired.She was holding a juice can and looked like she had been studying all night.

" Me? I got up to pray tahajjud."

" The Prophet Mohammed ( Sallallahu alaihi wassallam ) said : The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when 1/3 of the night remains and says 'Who will call upon me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of me that I may give him? Who will seek my forgiveness that I may forgive him?"
(SAHIH BUKHARI and MUSLIM )

"SubhanAllah!Thanks a lot for sharing this hadeeth.InshaAllah from now I'll try waking up for tahajjud prayer.Pray for me during the umra, " she said.

" InshaAllah. "

"Where's Bro? Is he off to the mosque? " She asked, landing on the couch.

"No.He is in our room.Must be praying."

"Oh! Then why are you here alone?" She asked, sipping the juice leisurely.

"Uhh.. ..."

" She wanted to make some pasta for me.My tummy was growling with hunger, " Shiraz answered.

"Awww! That is so sweet of you.Iam hungry too," Masarrath chirped.Shiraz gave me an evil grin and joined his sister on the couch.He had learnt from Mikael that cooking was my weakness.

What a comeback Mr.Shiraz!

I had not attempted to cook much after getting married.And I had no idea how to make white sauce pasta.I didn't wanted to embarrass myself or make a bad impression on my sister in law so I obliged with a half smile.I headed towards the kitchen and googled all the ingredients.Thinking it best to call for help, I rang my sister.

"Assalamualaikum! Everything okay Sanam? " Shaila asked.I could sense the worry in her tone.It was an odd hour for a phone call but I had no choice.

"Walaikumsalam! Iam good alhamdulillah.Actually I need you to help me make pasta."

"At this hour? "

"Ohh Please! Stop asking me questions.Help me for God sake! " I pleaded.

"Oh..Okay! "

With the aid of her super fast recipe I prepared pasta earlier than expected.When I arranged the plates on the table, it was almost fajr.The azaan echoed from the nearby mosque to call the faithful to prayer.

"You will be late for salaah.The food can wait, " I said, pushing him to the front door.He wanted to eat but I attempted to delay it, to tease him a bit.I was never an easy girl.

While he left for the morning prayer to the mosque, I did my salaah with Masarrath.We started digging into the pasta even before he turned up.I wanted to wait but Masarrath was really hungry.When he returned, he wasn't pleased with the sight that welcomed him.Empty plates and a hungry man.

"My share?" He asked, pointing towards the plates.

" It's all over! You're late bro," Masarrath replied.His face fell a bit on her revelation.Shiraz handed her a chocolate bar and she thanked him with a hug.

" I am gonna miss you bro! But don't forget me in your prayers.InshaAllah I wish to visit Mecca one day."

She was very tired due to her night out so she excused herself. Shiraz climbed upstairs without sparing me a look.I didn't knew if he was upset or he took it on a lighter note.But his silence disturbed me.I followed him with a bowl of steaming pasta.I had hidden his share in the microwave.

"I am sorry.I didn't mean to hurt you, " I said, placing the bowl over the coffee table.He closed his book and fixed his brown pictorial-looking eyes full on me .Having stared at me with a grave expression, he broke out into fits of laughter.

"You are so naive.I was just trying to get a reaction from you," he said.Confusion gripping me, I raised brows at his words.

"By the way,your pasta was awesome, " he said, lifting the bowl off the tray.

" How did you know? "

"I sneaked in through the back door and tasted it while you were doing wudhu."

I chuckled at his reply and watched him lick the spoon.I had often been unwilling to stare at him, because I feared he might learn of my feelings. But I felt like lifting my face to his now, and display my affection by its expression.

He was all the dreams that I ever dreamt!

******

A / N

Assalamualaikum guys!
Long time I know but the summer heat and hospital duty is making me lazy.
Hope you guys enjoyed!

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