" Life is like a beautiful ocean, Some days there's warm sunshine and miles of blue water. Other days there is nothing, but darkness and raging waters, but Allah SWT always makes the sun shine again. You can't change the past nor control the future, but you can change the mood of the day by touching someone's heart with a smile."

A hue of fiery red and burnt orange, mingled with a tinge of pink painted the horizon.  The best and most famous artist in the world would never be able to exceed the natural, astoundingly, breathtaking painting of the Most Magnificent of Creator's. Surely Allah Ta'allah is the best of Creators.

Yuasaira performed her Maghrib Salaah, kneeling and bowing down to the only Being Who is worthy of being praised. She then read the Surah's prescribed to read after Maghrib. 

After the darkness of the night encompassed the light of day. The sun settled in its appointed place, allowing the moon to flaunt it's mesmerizing beauty, amidst the sterling stars that embedded the velvet sky. The dazzling moon stood out, amongst all the twinkling stars.

So beautiful were the creation of Allah SWT. Just gazing at it, took your breath way, yet despite their admirable beauty they remained subservient to Allah SWT.
A lesson for humanity indeed !

Yusaira strode over to her room window, moving aside the curtains that were drawn, concealing the beauty of the night.

She gently slid open the large alliminium windows, allowing the soothing yet nippy breeze to carress her now pink tinted cheeks.

Breathing in the fresh air, she gazed at the sky, mesmerised by the stars that winked down upon her, so close yet so far away. The sight of the stars would always intrigue her, she would gaze at the glimmering moon, sarounded by the shimmering stars countless of times, yet she would always be awestruck by its enchanting beauty.

She exhaled a sigh of frustration, frustrated with the way she was living her life. Even though she had passed the phase of depression in her life, there was not one day that she did not feel the void in her heart.
There was not one day that she failed to miss the absence of her birth parents. There was not one day that she did not hope to see them, every single day. Once solitude became her companion, questions upon questions invaded her mind.

She sighed as she rested her chin on the window sill, realising that none of her questions would be answered. She wished she could live a life of happiness, a normal life with her own family, her very own parents.

Her leather pumps sqeuked on the slick, wet pavement, as she walked towards Starbucks, Leyyas hand tightly clasped in her own, Laeeq in tow.

Laeeq was clad in his thawb, and a  snuggly fit hoody. Leyya was clad in her pink and purple rain coat , along with matching rubber boots. Yusaira wore a long black dress, blush pink pumps and a  blush pink leather jacket, paired with a plain black scarf.

Once inside, they ordered their hot drinks and settled in a far corner of the cafe.

Patting her jacket pockets, she realised that she had forgotten her phone in the car. After informimg Laeeq to watch over Leyya , she stood up and made her way out of the cafe.

As she unlocked the car and grabbed her phone, another car with blasting music pulled up beside her , filled with young boys.

Quickly lowering her gaze , she locked the car and walked away, but  not before hearing one of the boys whistling. The others laughed as she scurried inside, anger bubbling inside of her.

How shameless!

Before she could disappear completely, she heard another voice and for some reason the voice sounded fimiliar but she couldn't place a finger on it.

" Have some shame guys ! At least leave the girls who don't have interest in you!"

Well atleast one of them had some brains!

She scurried back into the cafe, huffing.

When Laeeq saw her red face, he became concerned and questioned the reason for her hurry and if she was alright.

Knowing how possessive he could be, she waved it off, telling him she rushed because of the cold. She knew if she told him the actual reason, he would hunt those guys down and beat them to pulp.

Suhaib sighed after scolding his friends for whistling at a decently clad girl. She seemed so scared when she scurried off, her black dress flying behind her, he watched as her blush pink jacket dissapeared behind the glass doors.

He hadn't realised he was still staring at the glass doors that she had just went through, until Talha nudged him in the rib.

He glared at Talha.

"Why are you admiring from afar? Why not approach the chick and ask her for her number, get to know her , go out on a date with her?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Suhaib.

Suhaib hit his hand on his forehead.
"Firstly I wasn't even looking at her in that way. I didn't even realise I was staring. Secondly, dating and speaking to a girl before marriage is forbidden. Thirdly she seems to be the type of girl who most probabaly never spoke to a strange guy before, and if I really was interested in girls I would consider getting married instead of dating."

Talha rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Hang out with us a little more and you will be saying none of those things anymore." he promised.

"Allah forbid."
Suhaib muttered.

He hoped that never came true.
He was firm on changing his friend's ways and once he was adiment upon something, he would not waver until he fulfilled that which he aspired to achieve.

He had decided not to question his friends regarding their encounter with the druglord, he would take things into his own hands and try to reform them into better people, he just supplicated to Allah SWT that he would be an influence to them and not the other way around , for he knew, if that happened, he would be in utter turmoil.

* * *

The sun shone brightly, casting it's radiant glow onto the lush green grass.

Yusaira, Laeeq and Leyya had decided to spend their Sunday afternoon in the park, rather than indoors.

Exams would commence in a few days time, so they needed ample fresh air , rest and energy. Yusaira took shelter beneath the shadow of a large tree, near the bank of the lake.

The water sparkled beneath the radiance of the sun, the ducks along with their ducklings happily bathed in the warm water.

Clad in a denim, sports abaya, a black scarf wrapped around her head and black converse shoes, she leaned against the bark of the large tree, a book propped on her thighs , as she lost herself into another realm.

She had been so engrossed in her book, that she hadn't been able to dodge the ball that hit her directly on her head.

Shocked by the sudden knock, she almost fell down.

Annoyed,  she closed her book with a thud, glaring at her brother who was chuckling.

"Sorry !" , he smiled sheepishly.

" I didn't mean to hit you that hard, but I was calling you and like always, whenever you're engrossed in your book, you were so oblivious to my constant calls.  I had to use force!"
He justified.

Yusaira rolled her eyes , knowing that what he said was true.  She decided not to retaliate and asked him what he wanted instead. He asked her not to be a nerd , leave her book and to join their game of soccer.
Reluctantly she agreed, not wanting to be called a boring , unfit , nerdy girl.

Oh why when she had come to the best part of the book did they have to disturb her !

* * *

While the siblings walked on the pavement, chatting and laughing, Yusaira came to an abrupt stop, her eyes filled with tears at the sight in front of her.

There was a little girl on the sidewalk, seated on a piece of cardboard, clad in a thin dress that barely covered her arms, with disheveled hair , and a dirty face she looked at people passing by with their parents , warmly clad in  boots and fluffy jackets, while she was left to suffer in the chilly cold , and would have to suffer the biting cold at night while everyone else cuddled into their warm blankets.

When Yusaira noticed that the little girl had one arm missing, she was unable to control her emotions.
She approached the little girl and crouched infront of her, tears rolling down her cheeks, she asked what was her name.

The girl gave her a sad smile.
"Lily. " she replied , pushing forward a tin can that had been half way filled with coins.

Yusaira looked down at the can, her heart squeezed in pain.

How many thousands of people were suffering in the street, while she lived a life of luxury. How ungrateful she was for the bounties of Allah SWT! She pulled out her wallet from her dress pocket and searched for some extra coins, but stilled as a thought came to mind.

How much were little coins worth in today's time ? How many coins would she have to save up to buy a decent meal?

Zipping up the section where she stored her coins, she took out a two hundred rand note instead. It wasn't much, but the little girl could atleast buy a good meal and and maybe even some hot tea....

Lily looked up at her, her eyes shone with happiness.

Nobody had ever been so generous. They would always have to scrape up the little coins and ponder over what to buy to fill their bellies.

Yusaira patted her head and gave her a sweet smile. She was not done as yet, she glanced at her wrist watch. There was still forty five minutes remaining till Asr time, enough time to do a bit of shopping and return home.

Before she could walk back to where her siblings waited for her, a boy around ten years old approached the little girl, clad in a thin trouser and thin jacket, that looked rather small for him.

He approached the little girl, placing down his own piece of cardboard and a small box of sweets, he sat down besides his sister, while he rummaged in his jacket pocket, taking out a handful of coins, he tossed it into the silver tin.

Oblivious of Yusaira's presence he spoke, tiredly rubbing a hand over his face.

" I didn't manage to sell much sweets today. I hope we have enough money to buy a decent meal atleast."

Lily grinned at him, excitedly she tugged on his arm , revealing the two hundred rand note that was safely rolled up in her hand.

"Mark, that kind lady gave me this."

His eyes rounded and he looked towards where his sister was pointing. He walked over to Yusaira smiling at her , his eyes glowing with appreciation.

"Thank you miss you are so kind. My sister and I are all alone in these dark and lonely, cold streets. I sell sweets to make a living, but sometimes we barely have enough money to buy food to fill our hungry stomachs. Today I will be able to buy ourselves something hot to drink too."

Ysuaira nodded, smiling at him.
" Why are you all alone, my boy ?"

He looked down at his tattered shoes, his eyes filled with sorrow.

" My mum died a few weeks ago right here on these cold streets. She passed away because she was ill and we could not afford to take her to a hospital or doctor, and my dad kicked us out of his house two years ago.
He had found another prettier, younger and wealthier wife. He divorced my mother and left us to suffer on the streets."

Yusiara patted his shoulder , conforting him.

Her heart wrenched in pain, her eyes filled with tears, she could not bear to see these little children suffering, she made a promise to herself that she would help them out and try to provide for them a shelter.

Currently she could not do much , so she walked over to her brother, who also looked close to tears hearing the little boy's story.

"Do you have money on you?"
He nodded.

" Follow me. "
She lead the way , as her siblings followed her silently.

Once she reached the Pep store that she was looking for, she grabbed two baskets and handed one over to Laeeq.

" Go over to the boys clothing section, get one comeplete warm outfit for that poor boy, warm tracksuit pants, long sleeve vest, long sleeve top, a jersey, a thick fleece jacket, preferably a hoody, thick socks, gloves, and a thick warm hat. "

Laeeq nodded. She took hold of Leyyas hand and together they walked over to the girls section to buy lily some warm clothing.

Laeeq and Yusiara did not earn their own money, as they were still schooling, but it was their habit and their hobby to spend their money on the less fortunate.

Once done they made their way over to the siblings. Lily now clad in her brothers jacket, as he shivered in the
cold, wearing nothing but a thin t-shirt.

The smiles and apreciation that they received was so heart warming.
On their way home, the images of their smiling faces never left her mind.

Once she snuggled up into her cozy bed, allowing the warmth of the fluffy blankets to warm her frozen toes, she sighed in contentment. Her lips moved silently, praising and thanking Allah SWT for the countless bounties He had bestowed upon her.

* * *

Recalling how ungrateful she had been for her foster parents , a fresh wave of guilt hit her, realising how fortunate she was compared to many other people.

She never knew who her own parents were , but Allah SWT had bestowed her with foster parents who loved and cared for her like they did for their very own children. They never kept her short of anything , nor did they ever single her out, or make her feel unwanted. They treated all their children equally and never made her feel like an outsider, they welcomed her with wide spread arms, and loved her like she was their very own daughter, and for that she would forever be grateful.

Her phone beeped, indicating that she had recieved a WhatsApp message from the general advice group she had joined recently.As she clicked on the message, and scrolled down its content, the message that caught her eyes was so apt, as if the message was meant just for her.

Message from :

The Quotes Group

🌎 THE WORLD IS MINE 🌎
(Author Unknown)

Today, upon a bus, I saw a very beautiful woman
and wished I were as beautiful.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and used a crutch.
But as she passed, she passed a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two legs; the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes; the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child I knew.
He stood and watched the others play,
but he did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
Why don't you join them dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
I forgot, he couldn't hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears; the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go,
With eyes to see the sunset's glow,
With ears to hear what I'd know,
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

_________________________

With tears in her eyes, she locked her phone and slid it onto the pedestal, perpendicular to her bed. She silently supplicated to Allah SWT to forgive her for being an ungrateful servant.

As she succumbed to the throes of sleep, she repeated a supplication, until slumber overtook her.

اللهم أعنى على ذكرك و شكرك و حسن عبادتك.

Allahuma A'inee A'laa Thirika Wa Shukrika Wa Husni I'baadatika.

"Oh Allah assist me in your rememberance, in showing gratitude to you and in fulfilling your worship in a beautiful manner."