The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make the path of Jannah easy to him.

The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does.

The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the oceans seek forgiveness for him."

(Riyad as-Saliheen)

...

AsSalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, treasured readers! Hope y'all doing well!

Okay, so I've some news for you.

The first is that this is the last but one chapter of TCOTQ Bk. 1. I intend to end at the 114th chapter for personal reasons and not to make the book too bulky for anyone who wants to start it..

The second is that I had decided to end the book with the Marabout's Crescent. Y'all must be wondering why it's named that – well your answers are coming in their due time. Just trust that by the end of this Crescent, you'll surely understand and relish every step of reading it! :D

Okay, so back to 'I'd decided to end with the Marabout's Crescent'—but the chapters were too long, so I kept on sectioning till now there are more than three chapters on the Marabout's Crescent! That being said some of the spoilers I gave you guys in the preceeding chapters might appear in later chapters of this Crescent.

Also, I'll still end at the 114th chapter. You might ask, then what happens with the other chapters of this Crescent..?

Well, I've prepared a separate book for it, as well as the other chapters which also still had to feature in Bk. 1 of TCOTQ; such as the night of the Welcome Party, the arrival of the mage and the jinn, and Arkaan's meeting with his mother..(which are all scenes in Bk. 1). That book would be uploaded soon in shaa Allah with the last chapter of this Book. So be looking out on my profile for a new book called: The Circle Of The Qur'an[Part One Endings]. These are outstanding chapters you'll not want to miss, and they give a lot of spoilers, setting the atmosphere for Book One, Part Two!:D

P.S.(It's not TCOTQ Book 2 btw, XD).

That being said, let's dive into Sky Legacy Haven and witness Abdul Bâqi's story being carved into the annals of SLH history for centuries to come(in this book of courseXD)!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People said Ukashah used to be absorbed in his Qur'an to the exclusion of everything else. Abdul Bâqi had thought so too. Then a day came when he had actually done his Tadabbûr of Qur'an in the presence of others. The boys from the Circle said he had been brooding on the verses for hours nonstop, and had missed out on important events he didn't even realize were happening.

After that episode, Abdul Bâqi had made it a point to do his contemplation indoors; his doors locked to the outside world, his Qur'an and books on Deen with him, no one to interfere for hours as he just sat there, contemplating and revelling in it!

Earlier on in the masjid, he had to choose between silently contemplating, and reading the Qur'an out aloud. Knowing what his recitation would cause if he had started, he opted for contemplation.

Now that he was in his authentic sphere of reflections, his spiritual insight and understanding into the verses had sharpened, advancing by leaps and bounds, even as he dived wholeheartedly into the sacred words of Allah.

Having spent the entirety of the morning on the verse of AnNûr (The Light); studying its Tafsîr, and mulling over the first statement about Allah being the Light of the Heavens and Earth, something wondrous had amazed him about the verse as a whole. It was its structure, its eloquence, the parable and its exegesis, the commentary of the scholars about it; the ayah of AnNur never seemed to always baffle him.

It was said that out of all the 6000 plus Ayaat of the Holy Qur'an, this verse had more commentaries than all of the other verses in the Qur'an. So one can only imagine the profundity of this oft-most commented verse.

He revised the meanings in light of; Khalaqallahu nuur (Allah created light), Nuurulhuda minallah (The light of guidance is from Allah), and finally in the asma'i wasSifât – Ismuhu AnNûr (His Name is Light). No creation can comprehend that, and that is part of His Izzah!

He pondered over the narrations of Allah's hijab being Nûr; were He to lift His hijab, the Nûr of Wujuh (His Noble Countenance), would decimate and lay waste to all creation.

He was fascinated by Musa alayhis salaam's conversation with Allah, when he asked to see Allah, to which Allah replied: Lan taraa nii.. (you cannot see Me..). And when Allah manifested a ray of His light upon the mountain, Musa alayhis salaam swooned and the mountain crumbled to dust.

This afternoon, he was onto the parable. Analyzing in his mind the many several interpretations he had read before, he focused on the commentary of Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhu, a leading figure among the honoured Sahabah (companions), famed for his surpassing knowledge on Qur'an Tafsîr. Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhu said the parable talked on the light of Imaan in the believer's heart.

Even as Abdul Bâqi reflected on it, an air of enlightenment and wisdom encompassed him.

“Mishkaat is the crevice of the chest where the Misbaah, the lantern of Imaan exists. The lantern is within Zujaajah, a crystal glass, which represents the Qalb.

The purpose of the crevice is to protect the lantern, focus and project its light outward. Thus the chest, or the body for that matter, manifests the light of one's Imaan by one's actions..

The Qalb is like glass.. How is the Qalb like glass..?”He raised his head in thought, ruminating on the sayings of the predecessors. Suddenly his eyes lit up brightly,“Fragile or firm, fine and clear!

The heart of the believer is firm, fine and clear! Firm in Imaan, kindness is fine, clear as truth!”

Upon acknowledging this, he lowered his head again, murmuring,“The tree of Imaan... Light upon light; light in the believer's heart, light from the Qur'an..

All light is from Allāh!”

He raised his head at this point in his contemplation, exclaiming a bit more loudly in exuberant elations than his previous murmurs before. It was as though he had grasped hold of a secret the world would die for, something unfathomable.

“Yaa Allah! It's true what they said! You do have the eyes of an angel!”His view was blocked by a widely grinning face. The owner cheered with brimming excitement,“Just like mine!”

The boy was brown with a cheshire smile, and had angry hair covered hafly by a black cap. He wore a cream garb over a loincloth, just like Abdul Bâqi had seen his Sheikh wearing the day he was accepted as an apprentice under the flowering pavilion. His loincloth was a piece of pure gray with intricate embroidery, woven in teal thread, and wrapped around him from the middle, to rest just above ankle length.

“It's called the samping in my language, but I wear it as an Izar.”The new intruder said with an innocent grin, when he noticed Abdul Bâqi staring at his not-too-common attire – at least for those at SLH, for a second longer.

Abdul Bâqi surmised that it was only the old Sheikh and this guy who probably wore it here at SLH.

“Number one, Jaahil,”He said in a half serious tone, and with a half nonchalance, his eyes turning to the white pages of the Mushaf,“The name's heterochromia—”

“VWHAT!?—I thought they called you Abdul something!?”The boy asked, confusion and excitement all mixed in one. Abdul Bâqi didn't know where the excitement was overflowing from though. It looked like he might actually burst out with it. For Abdul Bâqi who wanted to return to his Qur'an, this guy's asininity had obliged him to answering him, to clear up the wrong facts.

“Your eyes.. ”He said, pointing out in the blinking sunlight passing through the flowered treetop, at the boy's differently coloured eyes; strange dark nightsea and light lake-like hues, unlike his own which were piercing like an eagle's, obsidian dark and lighter brown.“Our eyes are not the same. Yours are way more freakish—Two, Where did you ever see an angel's eyes to know how they looked like?

Even more importantly is three, I retreated here for the silence which was very much appreciated. I'd like things remained the same.”

“I know, paysan! But nice way to start an acquaintance right! Ohh Salaam! This must be the longest conversation you've had with anyone of us!”The boy said happily whilst sitting down in a cross-legged fashion, across from Abdul Bâqi. Abdul Bâqi looked at him with an iron gaze.

“Vwhat?”The boy said in mock surprise, facing Abdul Bâqi's glare with his happy-go-lucky grin. He hardly showed any intent of leaving that precinct anytime soon.“You didn't say I should leave, did you?”
Abdul scoffed.

“My name is Mika'il by the way. You know, after the greatest archangel!” The boy said in good cheer, stretching a hand which Abdul Bâqi pretended not to see, his eyes on his Mushaf. But the boy continued anyways,“I was sent here to be your tour guide through your entire stay here, Abdul! Can I call you Abdul!?

Let's take care of each other, Abdul.”He concluded with his cheshire smile, which came so naturally it was amazing. Apparently he didn't need Abdul's consent to call him Abdul.

Abdul Bâqi felt a headache coming, just being in this guy's presence. One thing that set him off was when people got their facts wrong, and another – more recent one, was when people didn't know how to keep to themselves. Worse enough was that, this guy's behaviour combined them all in so perfect a nutshell that it irked him.

“Mika'il isn't the greatest archangel. Jibril is. AlayhimusSalaam. Why are you really here again, Mika'il..?”Abdul Bâqi quirked an eyebrow, in a serious kind of bored tone.

“Shukran but no shukran, bro. I knew that.”He smirked,“Just wanted to get some words outta ya, bro! I came to pick you up, bro. There is a new arrangement, bro—”

“Enough with the 'Bro'—New arrangement.., what new arrangement?”Abdul Bâqi perked up at the news, his heart picked up pace.

“Yeah—Lessons begin now, and after 'Asr, and all students are to converge at Myriad Circle Hall for Tajwîd sessions.”Mika'il said as a matter-of-factly, giving Abdul Bâqi a lazy smile.

“That's great!”Abdul Bâqi had actually feared something undesirable had come up, but it was actually good news for him,“The scholars have finished their summit? So soon?”He asked. He was now the one surprised.

“No bumpkin! The Apprentices are to take us. But you wouldn't know, would you?”Mika'il sniggered,“You are the boy who was ostracized, aren't ya—Or was it you who ostracized the whole school..? Must be proud of ya self hahn.

Whichever one you're, Baba set me in charge of you. He's the Ustadh you sold yourself to.”He added smugly.

“I told Ustadh I can take care of myself. He doesn't have to have his son following me around.”Abdul Bâqi voiced. It happened that, after the old Sheikh had accepted him as an apprentice, he had offered to have his son follow him around as a guide in the school. Abdul Bâqi had rejected it at first, but the old geezer had insisted. Finally he just sighed in acceptance.

He didn't really want company.

“Countryman, If you were not tarrying here, while the entire school has retreated to Myriad Circle Hall for a long while now, I'd believe you Any. Other. Day.”Mika'il punctuated for effect, rolling his eyes in mockery as he leaned back upon his palms and inhaled deeply,“But what do you say, this place is really a good spot for solitary retreat! I should be coming here of'n..”

Even as he said this, Abdul Bâqi looked up, straining his ears for sounds of Qur'an recitation from the masjid. He had chosen this spot not only because it provided peace and silence, but also because it was close enough to the masjid so he'd note the changes in sounds or silence from the reciting students. That way, he did be able to tell if something was going on in the masjid or not. It was a good spot, as Mika'il had said. Only that if Mika'il had planned on coming here always, he didn't think he would return here ever again.

The sounds had stopped!

According to Mika'il, it must have been a while ago. His first day of Qur'an lessons, and he was already late. He facepalmed.

“I wonder why no one alerted you though, that it was the period for Tajwîd Circles.”Mika'il mocked,“Didn't you tell anyone where you were going? Oh yeah—”Mika'il suddenly said, as though he remembered something quite important he shouldn't have forgotten,“I HAD to SEARCH the ENTIRE school grounds for YOU!!!”He was almost shouting now in frustration,“Geez bro, I'll not say every character here in SLH is pleasant, but there has to be at least that one nice guy around whom you can speak to.”

“Isn't that why you're here.”Abdul Bâqi scratched his nose with a contrite smile. With how he had treated the other students earlier, it was no surprise. He only had himself to blame.

“Hahah, smooth~,”Mika'il wriggled his brows, pointing at him smugly, then suddenly went blank and paused for a thought,“Wait. A. Minute—”His face lit up with the widest of his cheshire smiles ever since he arrived,“Did you low-key just call me a nice guy!?”

Then quickly added in swagger, before Abdul Bâqi could rebut,“With me around, bro, you needn't have to worry. With me around, you needn't have to worry.”

Abdul Bâqi hadn't meant it except to have a good comeback. He really wasn't looking forward to having anyone following by his side. He quickly brushed it off with,“Where's the Myriad Circle Hall?”

Apparently, he was going to need that 'guide' his new Ustadh had talked about. Though he would not give Mika'il a ten out of ten score as a good one, he'd still need him for the time being..

•••

There was a system of hierarchy built into place here in the Sky Legacy Haven. Three levels of authority that were accorded the utmost veneration.
First from the bottom, ranked the apprentices, who were above all students. They were chosen by appointment of the scholars, and were to be shown respect even as the scholars of the Madaaris were accorded, and had a personal level of training under the scholars. Without being said, these students enjoyed close fellowship with their respective Sheikhs.

They were endorsed and authorized as accredited students who could teach the others when called upon. And whenever the scholars were not present, they could organize circle meetings on their own. That showed the level of trust and honour the scholars put in these apprentices of theirs. They were their very representatives and aides!

Above the apprentices were the Asaatidhatuddîn – The pantheon of scholars. They were the tuition force for Sky Legacy Haven, and comprised of all scholars of the school.

Qur'an, Hadith, Fiqh, Seerah, and what have you – these scholars were proficiently learned and accomplished in at least one of these subjects of study, and each was an authority to be called upon at any given point in time. However, even among them were those who aced in three or more fields of study. They were known as the Doyens. The whole Sky Legacy Haven, there were no more than seven of them!

Finally, standing above all the Asaatidhatuddîn and literally looking down upon all from an ivory tower, was the Grand Doyen of the Madaaris himself. He was the overseer of everything happening in Sky Legacy Haven, and took the final decision in all cases. His level of scholarship was unfathomable as it was unknown. However, it was undoubted he was a top expert of several sciences of Dîn!

All these, Mika'il blabbered about to Abdul Bâqi, as they walked down the cloisters, headed towards the Myriad Circle Hall.

So that means he had inadvertently gotten himself the Number three position of authority in all of SLH!Abdul Bâqi thought to himself in pleasant amazement, even as they rounded a bend. He wondered what the other apprentices of Sheikh Zeeshan would be like. Would he also get to lead a whole halaqah for himself..?

Well, as long as he got the advantages of learning directly under a great scholar like Zeeshan in apprenticeship, it didn't matter if he were to bear some responsibilities too.

Even as they moved along, Abdul Bâqi was taking note of how much Mika'il was the human version of a trained parrot. It seemed he could go on talking for all eternity and would not run out of energy, or stuffs to talk about.

For Abdul Bâqi who wanted to live a new life of quiet here at SLH, having left behind his past at South Circle of Tâ Hâ, he suddenly realized it wouldn't be wise to have Mika'il tailing him everywhere on the school grounds. The next chance he had to shake himself off of the boy, he'd go for the broke, he resolved.

They arrived at a quadrangle which was several acres, and had standing imposingly at its middle, a state-of-the-art lofty building, which exuded a golden style, elegant and yet simple. It took Abdul Bâqi some while of gawping at it and the chuckle of Mika'il to know he was now behaving like a student from the backwater countryside like how Mika'il had called him. He realized he hadn't really taken the time to tour the school well in its entirety.

This was surely the school for children of the nobility from all over the country!!! He thought, somberly remembering how much of a miracle it was that he was even here.

Even as they approached from the sides, the sound of many voices intermixed with Qur'an recitations like a chiliad of mantras sent Abdul Bâqi staring through the mullioned chest-levelled shutters. What caught his eyes through the glazed windows, sent them widening in disbelief.
Back at the South district of Tâ Hâ, in Masjidur Rahmân, the circles of his Ustadh were many, like – they could form so many so as to fill the entire western prayer hall, and sometimes they could form one big one in concentric form.

But the number of circles here in the Myriad Circle Hall of Sky Legacy Haven was formidable!

You could say even if there were more students to form more circles in the South district of Tâ Hâ so that they could fill the entire Masjidur Rahmân, it would not reach one-tenth of the circles that were present here in the Myriad Circle Hall at the moment!!!

It seemed earlier in the masjid, not all the students here were present. It made sense, since he did not remember seeing Mika'il on the lower floor when he was in the masjid. He surmised more students were within the other top floors before the Jumu'ah began. And yet still, it seemed as though even more students had joined, adding to that number. A thousand of circles seemed to be assembled right here within this very hall!!!

Abdul Bâqi then turned to examine the interior even as they stood outside. It was a large spacious hall with only one floor, and its ceiling towered to the very top, with many windows opened above and chandeliers hanging down from great heights. The deafening hum of voices, assailed the hall.

“What're ya doing?”

“I'm scouting the place.”Abdul Bâqi said excitedly as he trotted opposite the direction of the imposing doors at the entrance, circumscribing the building, looking through the windows. These were glazed windows, on all sides and at all levels; the lowermost being chest-levelled, about the height of an average adult, and arched in gothic style, but on the bright side.

“Pfft—Villager.. Hey, wai'dup! Orang kampung!”Mika'il cried, scurrying after him.

...

“Woah! So many Circles right?! - I know.”Mika'il gave a smug smile as they walked from window to window, watching through the panes, at the gatherings of countless students sitting in Qur'an sessions,“I felt exactly the same way when I first came here.

Even though the number of Asaatidhatuddîn has reached into the hundreds, they still each have quite a number of students in hundreds to manage. It's no surprise, considering the students here are coming from noble families all over the country and beyond!”Mika'il offered.

Abdul Bâqi scoffed. This was the center of Islamic knowledge in the Capital of the whole Qalb-ul-Ard. Naturally, it was bound to host many students from all over the country—except Tâ Hâ, of course. He thought. I must be the first..

It was unfair; for if the scholars were distributed evenly all over the country, it would have given students from remote areas the chance to learn and benefit from all these scholars. Yet the Capital had hoarded them, so that unless you were capable of affording to travel to An-Nûn and also easily securing access into the institution, could you study under them. The worse aspect was that, entry was not based upon merit, but nobility!

“The children of scholars who teach here too are accepted into the institution.”Mika'il said, as though reading his mind. He was from a scholarly family in a remote village. So he understood what Abdul Bâqi must have felt.

It'd be foolish if they weren't.. Abdul Bâqi internally mocked.“Okay, so where's our circle?”

“Over there.”Mika'il answered, pointing to a group of students sitting close to a side of the wall,“Usually, students are sorted into circles based on their interests and the acceptance of their Sheikh upon a test of knowledge. However you had chosen my father as your tutor, so—”

“There is nothing going on in our Circle..”Abdul Bâqi said, cutting Mika'il off in shock,“How come there's no apprentice teaching your Baba's circle?” He cleared his eyes again to see if they were playing games on him. Yet it still remained as he had seen before; most of the other circles had students standing before them teaching one thing or the other, but the Circle Mika'il pointed to, had no one managing it whatsoever.

“You are the apprentice.”Mika'il deadpanned. It looked as though Abdul Bâqi had told a joke that was not funny,“That's the more reason why I came for you.”

“No, no, no.. There's no way! I'm new here! Don't tell me your Baba had no apprentice before me?”Abdul Bâqi said flabbergasted, but the look on Mika'il's face said it all. Abdul Bâqi had expected to come and be taught, not to come and teach. He had expected to see a number of apprentices in his master's circle, challenging and competing in scholarly discussions, ones that he would join and shake them all! Allah, he had expected everyone in his master's circle to be a genius of unparalleled erudition! But that was not what was present.

He was just a novice in this school. He was now learning how things were ran about here. How was he going to handle a halaqah!?

He looked once more in the direction of the Circle, his shock not having dissipated a little,“Your Baba's circle has really few people in it.”Abdul Bâqi said it as though he wanted to cry. Of all the circles in the large hall, that particular circle Mika'il pointed to, had the least number of members, aside nobody directing it. For him to be able to single out the circle as the smallest in the entire hall was telling of how small it really was, compared to all the others in the room.

Was this really the Circle of his former Ustadh's colleague who was famed to top the GQRC of their generation?! Abdul Bâqi didn't know why, but he felt as though he was cheated. He was containing within him an explosion that was about to explode. His facial expression turned to one of slighting as he looked at the Circle once more and turned.

“I'm joining another circle.”He said, without so much as giving another glance in the direction of his master's circle.

Once their master was absent, he could easily sit at the edge of another circle to listen to their discourses without much problem. If their Ustadh returned, then he'd also return to the circle.

“You can't—”Mika'il wanted to protest.

“Oh yes I can.”Abdul Bâqi said nonchalantly.

“What about the other students?!”

“They can join another circle. Together, we'll wait for your Baba to return.” That old geezer! Thinks he can just dump his students on me like that! Hmph! Grandiose dreaming! Abdul Bâqi continued striding, taking long steps with a vexed expression on his face. Mika'il struggled to catch up with him, with an expression of worry on his face. For Mika'il this flare-up was unforseen. Who knew the silent boy contemplating the Qur'an earlier, had a fiery temper!

Abdul Bâqi abruptly stopped in his tracks when he suddenly saw a very large circle with numerous number of fellowers teeming it, making Mika'il who was directly behind to bump unto his back. He held onto the panes with excitement, his eyes opened wide,“That's. One. Large. Circle!”He gasped,“Who's that heading it?! That must be a good circle!”

Mika'il drifted to his side.

“He's one of the Nine Mureeds,”Mika'il said, his eyes drawn upon the lanky figure at the middle of the large Circle which had caught Abdul Bâqi's eyes.

“Mureed, as in Sufi apprentice?”Abdul Bâqi asked, gobsmacked. He couldn't really have wandered in a dervish convent, had he?

“No, Orang kampung.”Mika'il laughed, his cheshire grin returning at Abdul Bâqi's naivety about the school,“Mureed is the title given to the Nine Top-ranking students of SLH in Qur'an excellence. They're also the people who get to be accepted as direct apprentices under our Seven Doyens.

Anyone can be appointed as an apprentice of a scholar, with much hardwork. But to become a Doyen's apprentice, you need to first be a Mureed. You can imagine how shocking it was that my Baba accepted you, whilst you are not yet a Mureed..; he's a Doyen after all.

Even as Sayyidul Quraa, you're not a Mureed, and it's against the rules.”Mika'il hit the hard truth, making Abdul Bâqi realize a little bit of what he had done that day he forced the old Sheikh to accept him.

Mika'il continued,“Every scholar has a Qur'an circle, so also do Doyens have theirs. Naturally, the Doyens have more students patronizing their circle. This is because, most a time, a Mureed rises up from the general students under a Doyen's Circle, and he's then accepted by his corresponding Doyen to become a direct apprentice. Rarely, a Mureed might arise from a circle under a normal scholar, and has the choice to choose one of the Doyens as his master, or—to remain under his former master.

Consequently, some Doyens have have more than one Mureed as an apprentice, and others, —have none.

Students are very selective here in Sky Legacy Haven. It's not about the excellence of the scholar who teaches you, but about who can make you grow and progress by leaps and bounds in Qur'an cultivation; its learning and its nurturing.

When it comes to Doyens, people are even more selective. Everyone wants to be exceptional. So it doesn't matter if you are a Doyen or not, without having a student of yours become a Mureed it becomes even more shameful for a Doyen. He's suspected of inefficient teaching and having become a Doyen by passing through the back door.”

“Your Baba hasn't had any of his students become a Mureed, has he? That's why he has no apprentice, and that's why there were few students earlier in his circle, isn't it?” Understanding slowly dawned on Abdul Bâqi as to the politics of the school; who held power and who did not. Even a Doyen could be easily looked down upon. What a strange way..! It'd be better if he got himself acquainted with the system as quickly as possible, so that he'd be able to put his whole focus into his Qur'an studies. Sky Legacy Haven offered an opportunity unlike any other in the country, aside what Yâ Sîn could offer. Since he had the good fortune of making it here and not Yâ Sîn, he didn't want to waste any time moping as a confused rookie or dawdling about, looking for right circles to join. That was why he had gone straight for the Sheikh, to become an apprentice. But who knew this would be the case with the Sheikh's circle..? Was the Sheikh not as he had heard him to be? That couldn't be..

It was his second day here, and there was a lot he wanted to learn from the many learned people present. So you can imagine his disappointment just now, upon hearing everything about his Sheikh's circle. 

“A Doyen who has a Mureed under him means that his Circle can breed talents and raise exceptional students. Every student wants to be exceptional. Thus, Mureeds become the reason why some circles are more patronized than others. It also becomes the reason why others are not.”Mika'il was so sore on the subject, that Abdul Bâqi could feel his gloom.

“Your father's circle is filled with pretty lazy students, if I should say. If I were originally from here I'd also choose one of the bigger circles.”Abdul Bâqi confided indifferently.

“So you'll be leaving Baba's circle?”Mika'il asked in alarm.

•••