"By Allah, I knew that the Messenger of Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation from on high has come to an end for us.."

-Umm Ayman(Second mother to Nabi SAWS)

__________________________________

Quickly, without a second glance at the saintly girl, it retreated to the deeper woods, howling all the way.

From start to finish, the girl never even showed a hint of fear, and remained calm as an unrippled lake reflecting the vast sky. Arkaan was at a loss for words. Seeing that he was safe, the saintly girl smiled faintly. It was a warm smile, and yet Arkaan felt a sense of profound sorrow within it, like pleasantness within melancholy, calm within storm, the very essence of peace within the turbulent phases of life itself!
It made his heart to flutter in ecstasy, and at the same time ache with sorrow. Whoever this girl was, she must have undergone untold sorrow and pain even at her age. Arkaan was no new to this feeling, and could easily recognize it from anyone who possessed it, even slightly. Yet this girl's own was unlike anything he'd experience before. Perhaps, he might never know her sorrows, but even stranger was that she looked peaceful - content... unlike him. If not for his past experience with such feelings, and his keen perception of such emotions, it would have gone unnoticed to even him.

Now that his moment of crisis was over, he realized the saintly countenance of the girl accentuated lightly by a melancholic pale complexion. Her lips which might have been natural bright pink before like petals, betrayed a pale pink hue...and her dark lined eyes with kohl which looked like spring pools, vaguely hinted profound sorrow and excessive shedding of tears. Arkaan didn't know who this girl was, but one thing he knew for sure was that, whoever crossed her paths would feel an unreluctant heartache and sorrow on parting from her. She had a sense of contentment amidst the melancholy, like one at peace, and free from the chains of all true sorrow of the world. One would wish to be a close friend, so one could learn how she went through all of it and yet, overcame. It was a strange feeling...just to be acquainted even for just a single moment, one would be willing to do anything for companionship. It was the love Allah places in the hearts for His loved ones. It was also that, Arkaan felt empathy, though he felt he needed it more than her." Her trials may be deeper than anyone else's, but she has reached a level of freedom, and is unchained by the world...I wonder who her tears are now for, though?..."

Even as he pondered on all this, the girl nodded slightly at him, then turned to leave...
"Wait!"، Arkaan called to her desperately, his heart felt deep sorrow. He felt if this girl was to leave him right now, he might never have the chance and blessing of meeting her again. His heart throbbed with a yearn to make the best of the encounter, and even though they had just met a moment or two ago, he couldn't bear to part with her. There are some people who exist in this world: Once you meet them, even if its only for a moment, you'd feel the blessing and fortune of being in their presence - as if the Heavens would grace you upon their behalf; how could you possibly bear to be bereft of their blessed company. That was the feeling Arkaan was going through at that instant; this was an encounter that would mark an important event in his entire life and affect its flow.

The young girl who was previously retreating turned back, her face calm and tranquil. With such an aweinspiring aura, one would expect aloofness and looking down on all worldly humans enamoured by the worldly pursuits and desires, and yet - this girl had something of humility and consideration for all - a disposition of loving-kindness. Arkaan wouldn't find it hard to believe if this girl showed consideration for even the worst evildoer on Earth, and seek to purify him. He could tell just from her enlightened expression when she turned to face him, as if she was pleasantly surprised by his call earlier.

Now that he had her attention, he suddenly realized he didn't have anything to say to keep her company, or at least receive some words of spiritual benefit from her. How did she attain such peace in her visible melancholy.

"Thank you... for earlier..."، Arkaan said, trying his best to think of something to keep her present for a while,"I'm a Muslim..." He thought perhaps she'd see him differently, since most people would rarely discern he was Muslim from his looks.

She smiled faintly at him once again, saying something that might have been audible in her ears, but Arkaan didn't hear it. After waiting a while without any of them saying anything anymore, the girl turned in the direction she was retreating to previously when he called, she seemed to think that was all he wanted to say.
Arkaan couldn't bear it. He felt it was now or never. He wasn't any good in too much speech without a reason. If he had a reason to speak though, and was well versed in the subject of discussion, he could easily stay in a discussion lasting several hours. But without a reason to speak, and a good subject, he was at a loss for words. Naturally that was only when he was with strangers...

"Why is there so much sorrow and suffering in the world?!!"،he blurted out surprisingly superfluously. Halfway through his statement, he felt somewhat silly. What kinda question did he just ask? What did it have to do with this situation?
Yet, seeing that he had already began, he continued...
"Even if some people are in joy and happiness... What is the significance of others suffering in this world? Can't everyone be made happy, and live content, beautiful lives with their loved ones...Why is there so much strife and struggle in this world?!...What is the essence of it all..." Almost to the end of his questioning, his voice was already fading. A hint of sorrow appeared in his voice, as he felt his own heart tearing up within.

Somehow, whilst he was talking, the words seemed to trigger sealed up emotions in his heart, and his words gave vent to what was truly in the recesses of his soul. When he finished asking, his eyes almost turned bleary as tears threatened to flow. He reflected on his own self...his own life...hunger, separation, despair, feeling of loss of spirit and motivation to live...all this...what was the essence of it all...
Arkaan didn't notice, as his eyes faced down at one point during his speech out of shame and modesty, but the young girl had completely turned to face him with all her attention, walked to a position directly in front of him from across the stream, and knelt in front of the flowing waters, knees held tightly against her chest, her cloudlike generously wrapping veil encompassing her entire being.

Her face reflected perfect peace and serenity that would be rarely found in a thousand people who might possess the whole world. After a while of pouring his heart out in the questions, Arkaan looked up to find the young girl crouched over by the stream, facing him. He would never have known at that time, the kind of profound sorrow and suffering the girl he was asking had gone through, even now...

Yet, she was still smiling - a contented smile, one that could permeate the world, and soothe every heart engulfed in all sorts of distress and darkness, and illumine their path with understanding and enlightenment...
Essentially, her heart and mind were tranquil, reflecting the state of her soul - one at peace and contentment!

"Have you ever wondered...on the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an..."، she began, her voice as clear as autumn breeze.
" Why it is also known as Surah Al Hamd, the Chapter of Praise and Thanks..." Her every word seemed to flow like brilliant pearls from a stringed necklace, eloquently " Why, everyday, every Muslim, no matter what we're going through, recite it - so it's also called As - Sab'al Mathâni, The seven off-repeated verses..."

The golden sun shone upon the clear stream which was like a diamond by this time, reminding Arkaan of the time. He had left approximately after the asr prayer time, and not long after, encountered the wolf..and the girl. Now it was heading towards sunset, in about two hours time...
A gentle breeze, cool and refreshing, blew along the flowing stream waters that glowed like liquid gold under the piebald golden-white sun. Among the trees, fireflies danced, and songbirds called out, the previously deathly silent forest seemed to spark with invigorating life at this ethereal time of the day.

"Also, why - without it, our salah - our prayer, the most important of our practices after faith in Allah, The Lord and Sustainer of the worlds, would be incomplete... invalid?...
Her eyes, like deep pools of clear sparkling water seemed to be completely immersed in deep contemplation... as if seeking to understand a profound truth she had come to grasp hold of, and contained universal clarity leading to a straight path, disillusioned from all untruths...

Even as she mentioned 'Allah', Arkaan felt a soft sigh with elation, and peaceful contentment in her voice, as if only the mere mention and sound of the Grand name was enough to drive her into pure ecstasy, and love with rapture! Even as she continued to speak, Arkaan felt his heart and mind open up to new truths... It was as if, a vast and indescribably new dimension and way of thinking had been opened to his heart and mind, and he could soar into the farthest reaches of all creation.
Her every word contained unshakable certainty and faith, which could move the world and perhaps, turn every disbeliever believer!

" ...They ask 'Are the Heavens blind?...does Heaven have no eyes to see the predicament of the people and lend a helping hand?'...Have they not heard the word of Allah ' My mercy embraces all things...' But only those would see the grace, who search for it..."
As she spoke, Arkaan was so caught up in enlightenment of rare and profound truth, that he didn't notice the golden-white sun turn pure golden, and sink below the dazzling horizon, heralding the beautiful ephemeral hues of twilight. Even as sunset drew infinitely close, the saintly girl stopped, realizing her time had come to depart.
Then she spoke gently a couplet of five lines that Arkaan marked in his heart never to forget for the rest of his life...

"It's time for me to leave..."، she smiled faintly at him, her eyes shone with happiness at having met him, and shared what she had gain enlightenment of, with him.
" We might never meet again. But I would...like to leave you with a few words. These words...are amongst the most dear to me after the sacred scriptures, ahadith, and discourses of the salaf. I formed them from what I truly felt in my heart's depths...
"No matter how many things I can't help forgetting, I seem to always remember them among the other important words...

At this point, she looked at Arkaan directly in the eyes, as if to imprint them directly from the recesses of her own soul to his. Arkaan gazed into the most pure and beautifully innocent charming eyes he had ever seen. It made him even more pained that the time of departure from the owner had suddenly arrived.
" These words were a form of Dhikr(remembrance) for me...reminding me of what's most important to me, and bringing me relief, peace, and comfort in my most trying times...please remember them."

In a voice serenely pleasant, that resounded with a feeling of profound gratefulness from the heart towards One whom Arkaan did not know yet, she recited;

When everyone had turned away...
You turned to me in flawless grace...
So now I made an oath in my heart,
If ever the world were to turn away from you...
I'll remain by Your side...always - I, the servant of The Most High!"

Her words resounded in Arkaan's heart, the awe of it struck his very heart chords, and he could feel as if those words were his very own, from the depths of his soul - profound gratitude to an unparalleled Benevolent Entity, and a solemn promise...eternal...

Even as Arkaan attempted to commit those profound wordings into his heart, and gain understanding of them, he suddenly realized something of enlightenment.
"What is most amazing about the words she spoke isn't the profound gratitude felt by the receiver of the flawless grace. Neither was it the eternal promise of being loyal and being worthy of the goodness bestowed... Even the kindness of the Grand Benefactor - the Entity whose benevolence was unparalleled in all eternity and infinity - in all of time and space, and existences in all the worlds - was just secondary...