A saint in Al-Islam once said"When the heart and the mind become whole, the tongue would speak from the recesses of the soul."

Another said,"Be like wax, illumine the world and burn yourself. Be like a needle and work bare. When you've achieved all this, a thousand years will become to you as a hair."

(The latter saying was attributed to Rabi'a Al-Adawiyya, who was of Basra. She was a well known woman ascetic in the first generation of Tabi'un, the Muslims of second generation after the Holy prophet, Sallallahu alayhi wasSallam.)

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Arkaan opened his eyes, looking blankly into a finely furnished room. It was a room having the most beautiful examples of Islamic art, even the architecture itself exuded a sense of dense Islamic spirituality.

The bed he lay on was very comfortable, with white sheets spread all around.

He also realized that he was no more in his black top and deep brown leather trousers; he was in all white - a white thobe on white loose pants.

Wait, was he in heaven?!!! As soon as the thought came to mind, he felt his mind spinning with a sudden headache. He held his head in agony. No, that can't be right.. Heaven does not look like this.

Although the things around him looked impressive and spiritually inspiring; to him, it was far from the descriptions he had read from the Qur'an. He breathed. And Heaven has no freaking headaches!

Arkaan raised his incredible green eyes, gazing into thin air as he recalled the events that happened leading to his current situation.

He had fallen off the mainland's ferry into the open sea, out of his maniacal exuberance upon sighting his homeland. Oh, how long had he been away from Tâ Hâ. His homeland waves seemed to have been eager to welcome him and had viciously dragged him far away from rescue under the concealment of the dawn.

Arkaan lamented at the scornful waves.

Fortunately for him he had taken his eight years' lessons under his aristocratic grandfather seriously, and had use his skills in swimming to successfully wade through the rogue waters and overcome their turbulence. With the ferry drifting far enough away from him, he ended up having to cross the remaining distance to shore, and was drained by the time he touched land. He immediately blacked out and fell into a long deep sleep. He didn't even know when and who had carried him here!!

Arkaan looked around, trying to make sense of where he was.

It was someone's home alright.. – most probably those who saved him from the shores. He sighed, looking at his white apparel again. A half-smile made its way across his face. That family might have surely worn him a white cap to complete the attire, had they only known his faith.
Since he had been unconscious, they probably couldn't guess that he was a Muslim.

With pale white skin and green eyes, Arkaan was foreign to this island in appearance. But only in appearance.

He'd need a while under the tropical climate to regain his previous tan from years ago. These thoughts flowed in his mind, and then he felt a profound feeling of anxiety grip him.

There was a reason why he was back here.

Arkaan only hoped things would work out as he had thought it in his mind.

More importantly.. He owed gratitude to those who brought him here. Who knows what could have happened had he been left on the shores, at the mercy and whims of the tides.

Even as he tried to recollect his thoughts and stabilize his mind, Arkaan saw a boy in white, perhaps about a decade old, walk by his room.

Wait, this little guy must be an angel, the little ones perhaps..? He grasped his head in both hands, shaking crazily and fiercely, as he feared himself going insane by his previous thoughts of the current location.

The young boy retraced his steps, noticing their unconscious stranger had woken up.

"AsSalamu alaykum, WA RAHmatullah, WA BARAKATuhu"He greeted, with much enthusiasm.

He was a handsome young boy with a friendly smile.

This was probably the first time Arkaan had met a fellow Muslim who knew next to zero about him, and yet had not mistaken him for a foreigner and non-Muslim. He didn't know whether the family already knew him somehow, or the boy greeted everyone that way.

"Wa alaykum salam."Arkaan replied coarsely before closing his eyes, with the hope that the boy would take cue and leave him alone to reorganize his thoughts. He was grateful, but some peace and silent would do for now.

After a while of strange quietness, he opened an eye, then the other, and raised an eyebrow at the boy standing even more obstinately at the door.

Clearing his throat, the boy said,"Yaa Akhii, that would not do. Haven't you heard the word of Allah in Surah An-Nisaa'...?"

The boy then recited a verse from the Holy Qur'an in a voice that left Arkaan in a daze.

The only one Arkaan remembered whose voice, the boy's own seemed to rival was that of the middle-aged scholar from years ago, who wore a verdant kaftan – his Ustadh. He could still remember the embroidery of a tree and the number '١١٣' etched into the kaftan, and the look of melancholy on his saint-like countenance when he seemed to be reminded of something about that peculiar design.

It was only one verse, so the recitation wasn't long. Yet, even as the boy went on to translate the verse, Arkaan was left stupefied.

The young boy proudly reiterated, looking much like a little scholar,"..and when you're greeted with a greeting, greet (in return) with one better than it or (at least) return it (in a like manner). Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant."

Realizing that Arkaan was only staring blankly at him, the little boy shook his head and walked over.

Holding Arkaan's cheeks in both palms he shook him vigorously."Earth to Akhii! Earth to Akhii!!"

Even as Arkaan tried recovering from the shock of what had just happened, for he could never have imagined it in his wildest dreams, the boy held out a hand to Arkaan with a smile,"Yaa Akhii, that would not do.

My name is Abdullah Ibn Ya'qûb Al Maghribi."

"Arkaan..."Arkaan answered.

Seriously, this kid needs some good spanking, that'd do some good. Arkaan mused.

He still wished for solitude so that he could organize his plans on his purpose for arriving on the island in the first place, but sadly this boy would not leave him to himself.

"Arkaan – What?"The boy looked at Arkaan, a bit disappointedly,"Yaa Akhii, first of all, you return the gesture by returning my handshake."

"And wouldn't it be impolite that I give you my full name, and you only reply with your first."He sounded sincerely wronged, and yet he was smiling.

He was a charming kid when he smiled, making his exceedingly white teeth visible.

No, I take it back, this child isn't a little angel,—more like a fearsome demon!!! Arkaan thought wryly.

Considering that this little boy's family was the one which saved him, Arkaan could do no more than bear with the child. After all, he owed this family his gratitude, and then again the boy had done nothing unfriendly since they met.

He held out his hand to a firm handshake. He could tell little Abdullah was putting all his strength into it.

"Arkaan, Arkaan Ibn Yahya."Seeing that the boy still had his wide smile plastered on his face, looking directly at him unyieldingly (it seemed as if the boy could smile forever without a strain on his facial muscles), Arkaan yielded a smile.

Though his smile was soft, and not as much as impressive as the young boy's, it was enough to lighten up his face, and let the young boy feel acquainted with him.

Even as he smiled, Arkaan felt some warmth enter the deep recesses of his heart, to fill the void-like feeling deep within that he had come to bear..

He was back home – in the city of Madinatu-Asghar.

Arkaan didn't realize, but Abdullah's unyielding stubbornness to leave him to himself, had opened up his constricted heart, and lightened his previous anxiety and the conflicting feelings deep within.

"Mother..."He sighed in his heart.

•••

Even as young Abdullah led Arkaan to the family masjid, he took his time to recount numerous ahadith about the virtues of greeting the full salaam, and handshakes. He looked very much like a little scholar.

All at once, he came to a stop, having realized Arkaan never had replied the full greeting. He looked over at Arkaan.

Seeing how miserable Arkaan looked over the endless chatter, he smiled; feeling a bit sorry for him, he decided not to push things any further.

The family had already finished the Maghrib prayer. So Arkaan prayed, led by Abdullah.

After Salah, he decided to stay in the family masjid to recite the Qur'an. That was partly because, he wasn't ready for any intense conversation with the family.

He felt gratitude but, at the moment he just wanted peace and quiet. Also there were his plans - why he had come back home after eight whole years away...

Unexpectedly Abdullah came and sat in front of him, smiling.

"What are you doing?!"Arkaan cried in shock. He was starting to think this child was from some realms of purgatory, and did not want to leave him in peace.

To Abdullah, most grownups in the family didn't have much time to spend with him, for him to do dawah and show how much of a good little scholar he was. So, seeing he had Arkaan's full attention, how could he let him go!

Smiling fondly at Arkaan, he spoke, much like the little scholar he was,"Recite."

Arkaan stared wildly, flabbergasted at the little boy sitting cross-legged across from him, looking much like the Scholar of all scholars. He didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

Almost at the same time, another child entered the Masjid, probably barely five years of age, completely dressed in a white thobe and cap like Abdullah.

The little boy had a wide grin on his adorable face, showing his milk white teeth. He was flanked by a little girl who seemed a bit older than him, but younger than Abdullah.

She wore a deep brown saffron robe with a bright red hijab which fluttered like wings of a beautiful delicate butterfly as she frolicked into the masjid.

"Recite!"The little boy repeated after Abdullah, having just heard him. His arms, as little as they were, opened up to embrace Arkaan, simultaneously taking his seat upon his laps. Arkaan had to raise the Qur'an above his head, even as the small boy playfully pulled at his cheeks.

"Abdullah!!"The girl called in open displeasure,"Where are the prayer beads Bibi Fatima gave me?

I want them back, now!.."

Then her eyes landed on Arkaan; she noticed the opened Qur'an above him, which he had raised to prevent her younger brother from touching. Her face at once lit up in a winsome smile.

In enthusiasm, she asked,"Eldest brother, are you a Qaari?!!"She beamed with a smile, looking as pretty and radiant as ever. One could tell that this girl loved people who were Quraa'. She seemed to have completely forgotten why she came there in the first place.

"Wait, wha-at-No-oo!..."Arkaan protested, trying to stop the children from inundating him. Just as he almost had things under control, he heard a sharp authoritative voice, and yet child-like and delicate, at the Masjid's entrance.

"What are you all doing here?! Don't you know the adab(etiquette) of the house of Allah?! I can't believe you guys are causing such a raucous in the masjid like this."

Arkaan turned to look at the entrance to find a young pretty girl with intelligent eyes. She seemed on par with Abdullah in age. She wore a dark abaya over her azure blue gown.

The little kids did not so much as turn back. They seemed to be used to the retorts of the girl at the entrance, and did not pay her any attention.

The girl stamped at the ground angrily, making jingling bell sounds to tinkle out, from her anklets.

It was there that she noticed Arkaan, and blushed. Arkaan noticed and laughed inwardly.

Seeing that the kids would not let him off, he finally succeeded in appeasing them with a promise to read to them the holy Qur'an. Yet he felt somewhat embarrassed, knowing that probably, these children had read most of the Qur'an and finished and were ahead of him in Hifdh.

Yet, it was not as frightening as when he realized his Tajwîd too was lacking.

Clearing his throat, he began to recite, much to the amusement of the children.

Occasionally, Abdullah would stop him and correct his pronunciations. Arkaan sighed in his heart. He had chosen this particular surah to recite; Yâ-Sin, because he had already memorized it.
Amazingly, he was actually quite far from that surah in Tilaawah. He had confidence in his being able to recite it properly though.

Even if his Tajwîd was not perfect, he felt it was somewhere close to the rules of proper recitation, since he had listened to the recordings of various notable Quraa'.
He'd followed them in recitation till he was a hundred and ten percent sure, – at least, that there was no disparity between his recitation and that of the audios.

Thus, it was to his utmost dismay as Abdullah and the girl with the intelligent eyes, whom he had come to know as Aasiyah, take turns in correcting him, as though it were a competition as to who was more knowledgeable!

When he reached the last verse, he closed the holy book in exasperation. He felt grievously wronged by these kids. What they had done was a feat that even the strictest Ustadh could never do!

By the time he finished, both brother and sister duo had enumerated to him countless mistakes and their corrections in his Tajwîd!

"Learn these, and I assure you that, in the next ten years, you'd be as good as I am now!"Abdullah looked proudly at Arkaan, his hands on his thighs as he sat cross-legged like a scholar. His eyes beamed with a doting expression as he sighed in hope and longing, as if he could see the future.

Though the whole posture was funny to Arkaan, it reminded him of a saint-like scholar in the past.

Ustadh Inaayat.. Arkaan sighed in his heart. If only he could turn back the wheels of time, and stay with that great scholar for a bit longer time than they had had, he probably might not just have been a Qaari with proper Tajwîd, but surely a Hâfidh too!

The blessings of these positions were known by many. Even those who didn't know the great favours of these in the hereafter, knew the apparent blessings and perks in this present life.

"Have you finished?..."The girl in the saffron robe and red hijab asked in a dispirited tone. He learnt her name was Khadijah, Abdullah's sister from a same mother. The other two, Aasiyah and Isa, also had a same mother, different from the former two.

It was obviously a polygamous family.

"Yes"He sighed, looking at Isa who was calmly sleeping in his laps. He smiled at the cute scene.

Just then, someone else entered into the masjid,"I see you're awake."

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Footnote

1. Salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu - Peace be unto you, and Allah's mercy, and His blessing.(This is the full version of the greeting in Islam. According to hadith, addition of the second and third parts respectively, increases the reward from 10, through 20, to 30 hasanât°)

Hasanât - The currency of good deeds, figuratively speaking.

2. Wa alaykum salam - And upon you be peace (The reply)

3. Yaa Akhii - O my brother, Yaa is the exclamation.

4. Surah An-Nisaa' - Surah means 'Chapter' as in Chapter of the Holy Qur'an. An-Nisaa' is the title of the fourth Chapter of the Holy Qur'an. It means 'The Women'.

The verse Abdullah recited was from An-Nisaa', chapter 4: verse 86.

5. Abdullah Ibn Ya'qûb Al-Maghribi - Abdullah means 'The Servant of Allah'. It's a very common name for Muslim boys. According to one hadith, it is the best name, together with Abdul Rahmân, 'The Servant of The Benevolent (Allah)'.
Ya'qûb was the name of the Biblical 'Jacob', also known as 'Israel'. In this story, Ya'qûb is the name of Abdullah's father. Abdullah is an Al-Maghribi.

6. Yahya - lit. Life\Living\He lives. The name is derived from the Prophet of Israel called John the Baptist. In this story, this is Arkaan's father's name.

7. Masjid - Arabic for Mosque

8. Ahadith - pl. of Hadith, a narration \Saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

9. Salaam - Peace(Can refer to the greeting)

10. Salah - Prayer. A good example is the five times daily prayer.

11. Ustadh of Asaatidhatuddîn- Ustadh means "Professor". Can also mean Teacher\Expert\Master.

Asaatidhatuddîn is the plural.

12. Bibi Fatima - Bibi means "Lady". Fatima was the name of the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet. Wiki says it's meaning is "one who weans an infant or one who abstains"

13. Prayer beads - in Arabic, it is called Masbahah. It's similar to a rosary, but a definite number. Usually, there are about a 100 beads.

14. Hifdh - Qur'an memorization or the act of memorizing the Qur'an.

15. Yâ-Sin - 36th Chapter of the Holy Qur'an.

16. Tilaawah - The Reading of the Qur'an. Usually, it goes together with memorization. With reading, you're learning how to recite whilst looking into the Book. Since most people can't read Arabic, and even for those who know the language, the reading of the Arabic in the Qur'an is unique, thus, Tilaawah exists for students to learn proper elocution and recognition of the Qur'an verses. It's like learning the language of Qur'an.

17. Tajwîd - Qur'an Elocution \Proficiency.