Kolkata, 3 Ramadan 1445 H
Pakizah (60) POV
I may be old to the world, but I still remember that this was the last day of the competition that Ruqayyah, my only granddaughter, participated. Ruqayyah is a conditioning for my eyes and heart, of course I will come to the competition to encourage Ruqayyah. I will not leave her alone in every struggle. I stepped my feet into the building area confidently. I forget all the awkwardness that has been a part of my life. I started combing every place in the building for Ruqayyah's whereabouts. I really didn't think the building would be this wide. Hopefully this trip will not eat up too much of my energy which has been eaten by this age. However, I had to meet Ruqayyah at once. I hastened my steps towards the building hall, because most likely Ruqayyah was there. I combed every area of the hall, from the stage to the rows of audience seats, but I still couldn't find Ruqayyah. My gaze stopped at the person walking like a broken iron between the rows of audience seats. He is Sumayyah. How unlucky I was to meet her here. I realized from my daydream, when the host announced that it would be time for Ruqayyah to come on stage. I returned to my previous goal, looking for Ruqayyah.
Ruqayyah (20) POV
I'm sitting here, on the floor of the musala where it feels so cold against my feet even though I've put on my socks. But that shouldn't bother me at all, I have to continue reading the qiraah of the Al Quran that I am chanting. I try to stay focused on my reading even though I hear the voices of small children who are learning to read the Al Quran beside me. I tried to pronounce my voice softly so that I didn't disturb the children. The children learned to read the Al Quran with Sadiqah, she is my neighbor who is also a participant in the Al-Quran tahfiz competition that is being held, just like me. Maybe Sadiqah is easier to memorize the Qur'an by teaching these children, but not with me, I need a calm atmosphere to do that. Telling about Sadiqah is endless, it has taken up a lot of my precious time. I better focus on my memorization.
wal-qowaa'idu minan-nisaaaʻillaatii laa yarjuuna nikaahan fa laisa 'alaihinna junaahun ay yadho'na siyaabahunna ghoiro mutabarrijaatim biziinah, wa ay yasta'fifna khoirul lahunn, wallohu samii'un' aliim
"And old women who have stopped (from menstruating and conceiving) who do not want to marry (again), then there is no sin to take off their (outer) clothes by not (intending) to reveal jewelery; but keeping honor is better for them. Allah All-Hearing, All-Knowing. "
(Surah An-Nur 24: Verse 60)
laisa 'alal-a'maa harojuw wa laa' alal-a'roji harojuw wa laa 'alal-mariidhi harojuw wa laa' alaaa anfusikum an ta`kuluu mim buyuutikum au buyuuti aabaaaʻikum au buyuuti ummahaatik buyuuti au buyuuti ikhwaanikumowa buyuuti a'maamikum au buyuuti 'ammaatikum au buyuuti akhwaalikum au buyuuti khoolaatikum au maa malaktum mafaatihahuuu au shodiiqikum, laisa' alaikum junaahun an ta`kuluu jamii'an au asytaataa, fa izaa dakholtum buyuokutan faiyimu minibah 'ala induyat mahaahifuba' , kazaalika yubayyinullohu lakumul-aayaati la'allakum ta'qiluun
"There is no hindrance for the blind, neither (nor) for the lame, neither (nor) for the sick, nor (also) for yourself, eating (with them) in your house or in your fathers' house, in the house of your mothers, in the house of your brothers, in the house of your sisters, in the house of your brothers of your father, in the house of your brothers and sisters of your father, in the house of your brothers and sisters who men, at the house of your mother's sisters, (at home) where you have the keys or (at) your friends. There is no obstacle for you to eat with them or individually. When you enter the house- house let you greet (to its inhabitants, which means greeting) to yourself, with greetings full of blessings and goodness from Allah's side. Thus Allah explains (His) verses for you, so that you will understand. "
(Surah An-Nur 24: Verse 61)
innamal-mu`minuunallaziina aamanuu billaahi wa rosuulihii wa izaa kaanuu ma'ahuu 'alaaa amrin jaami'il lam yaz-habuu hattaa yasta`zinuuh, innallaziina yasta`zinuunaka ulaaaʻikallibaaziina yu` faminuuna billauahi' dhi sha`nihim fa`zal liman syi`ta min-hum wastaghfir lahumulloh, innalloha ghofuurur rohiim
"(The so-called) believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and when they are with him (Muhammad) in a common business, they do not leave (Rasulullah) before asking him for permission. those who ask permission from you (Muhammad), they are the ones who (truly) believe in Allah and His Messenger. So if they ask permission from you for a need, give permission to who you want among them , and ask forgiveness for them from Allah. Truly, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. "
(Surah An Nur 24: Verse 62)
laa taj'aluu du'aaa`ar-rosuuli bainakum kadu'aaa`i ba'dhikum ba'dhoo, qod ya'lamullohullaziina yatasallaluuna mingkum liwaazaa, falyahzarillaziina yukhoolifuuna 'an amrihiii an tushiibahum fitnatun au yushiibahum 'azaabun aliim
"Do not make the call of the apostle (Muhammad) among you like a call by some of you to some (others). Indeed, Allah knows those who come out (secretly) among you by taking refuge (to their friends), so let it be. Those who disobeyed His apostle's orders were afraid that they would be tested or suffer a painful punishment. "
(Surah An-Nur 24: Verse 63)
alaaa inna lillaahi maa fis-samaawaati wal-ardh, qod ya'lamu maaa antum 'alaiih, wa yauma yurja'uuna ilaihi fa yunabbiʻuhum bimaa' amiluu, wallohu bikulli syaiʻin 'aliim
"Know, verily belongs to Allah what is in the heavens and on earth. He knows your present condition. And (also knows) the day (when they) will be returned to Him, then He explains to them what they have done. And Allah knows everything. " (Surah An-Nur 24: Verse 64) "Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." A greeting from behind the entrance to the musala sounded familiar to my ears.
"Wa’alaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." I answered, and all the people in the musala where I live.
I turned to see who had come. And it turned out that it was my grandmother named Pakizah. She is my grandmother who I have considered my own mother. I learned everything from her. Today I have the courage to take part in the tahfiz Al Quran competition, one of the reasons is because of the support from my grandmother. Grandma entered the musala and sat next to me.
"Grandma followed me here?" I asked grandma.
"Of course Ruqayyah. This is the day of determining who will win the competition. Grandma must come to cheer you on." Grandma answered.
"I thought Grandma would come. Thank you Grandma, for all the love and support you have given me." I said.
"Grandma will always support you in kindness. Your mother will be very proud of you Ruqayyah." Said the grandmother.
I hugged my grandmother tightly. It was my grandmother's hug that had been able to ease my longing for the love of a mother who was eagerly awaited by an orphan like myself. "Ruqayyah, the emcee announced that soon it would be your turn to perform. So let's get ready for the building hall." Take Grandma. "Yes, Grandma." I answered
Me, and my grandmother got up from our seats. Suddenly the wind that blew opened the veil that protected my face.
"Aren't you wearing pins, Ruqayyah?" Asked the grandmother who saw my veil that was messy.
I shook my head slowly. My grandma took the pin she was carrying, then confirmed my veil. After that, we rushed to the building hall to enter the competition.
Sadiqah (20) POV
I am sitting here, on the floor of the musala which is at the far west of the building. This morning is very cold, several times the wind from the window fluttered the veil and veil I wore. I am very grateful that there are only women in this building, otherwise I will be embarrassed later. Currently I am teaching the children from the orphanage next to my family's house, reading the Al Quran. They are orphans, just like me, but I am grateful to have a mother who is always there with me. The children and I sat on the north side, while a girl sat alone on the south side. That girl is Ruqayyah, she is my neighbor who is generally the same age as me. But somehow the relationship between us was never more than neighbors, why couldn't we be friends? I don't know why I feel that my grandmother and Ruqayyah's grandmother prevented us from meeting, let alone being friends. It is as if there is a wall of selfishness blocking the relationship between the two families. And I will find out what causes it all, isn't reconciling 2 people who are at odds is a noble deed?
Flashback on:
It was Eid al-Fitr. Ruqayyah (5) sat in front of the porch of his house, I (5) came out of my house. I said hello, and went to Ruqayyah at that time. I wish her a happy eid al-fitri. I also asked her what she was doing at that time. Just as Ruqayyah wanted to answer, Grandma Pakizah (45) and Grandma Sumayyah (45) pulled us back into the house.
Flashback off
"Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh" Greeting someone from behind the entrance to the prayer room, neglecting me from my activities reminiscing about my past. "Wa’alaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." I answered and all the people who were in the musala where I lived.
I turned to see who had come. And it turned out that what came was Ruqayyah's grandmother named Pakizah. Grandmother Pakizah is the same age as my grandmother named Sumayyah. Grandma Pakizah immediately entered the prayer room, and chatted with Ruqayyah. 3 minutes later, Grandma Pakizah and Ruqayyah left this prayer room. Now it's only me, and the children who are learning to read the Al Quran.
Sumayyah (60) POV
I'm really confused right now, it's about time for the competition, but my proud granddaughter, Sadiqah is somewhere. I had been waiting for her in the hall of the building, but my waiting seemed in vain, I don't know what was missing Sadiqah from the race. Hopefully nothing happens to Sadiqah. I became more and more worried when I saw Ruqayyah on stage. If Sadiqah doesn't come then Sadiqah will be disqualified. I can't just stand by watching Sadiqah's ideals just crumble. Yes, I have to search all over this building. I ran between the audience seats, and left the building hall. I browse each room in this building one by one. Honestly, I was very tired running through a fifth of the building, whether I could continue my journey and find Sadiqah, or I just finished exploring this building after the sun rose tomorrow. I'm really not in the mood for strenuous exercise during fasting like this, but what else can I do? I rested briefly on an empty bench located between the aisles. Just then it occurred to me to call Sadiqah. I don't know maybe because I was too excited to run, I forgot this very important thing. I also took the cellphone from the bag I was carrying. I typed in Sadiqah's phone number after that. How disappointed I was when I heard Sadiqah's cellphone ringing sound from inside my bag. What's the point of Sadiqah having a cellphone, if she never carries one and can never be reached at a time like this. I also decided to look for it again and finish this break.
Sadiqah (20) POV
I am still teaching children to read the Al Quran today. I set an example, and they imitate what I read.
lay yastangkifal-masiihu ay yakuuna 'abdal lillaahi wa lal-malaaaʻikatul-muqorrobuun, wa may yastangkif' an 'ibaadatihii wa yastakbir fa sayahsyuruhum ilaihi jamii'aa
"Al-Masih is not at all reluctant to be a servant of Allah, and so are the angels who are closest (to Allah). And whoever is reluctant to worship Him and boast, Allah will gather them all to Him."
(Surah An-Nisa '4: Verse 172)
fa ammallaziina aamanuu wa 'amilush-shoolihaati fa yuwaffiihim ujuurohum wa yaziiduhum min fadhlih, wa ammallaziinastangkafuu wastakbaruu fa yu'azzibuhum' azaaban aliimaw wa laa yajiduuna laum min duunillaahi waliy
"As for those who believe and do good, Allah will perfect their reward for them and increase a portion of His bounties. While those who are reluctant (worship Allah) and boast, Allah will punish them with painful punishment. And they will have no protector and help other than Allah. "
(Surah An-Nisa '4: Verse 173)
yaaa ayyuhan-naasu qod jaaaʻakum bur-haanum mir robbikum wa anzalnaaa ilaikum nuurom mubiinaa "
O people! Verily, we have arrived at the proof of the truth from your God, (Muhammad with his miracle) and We have sent to you a bright light (Al-Qur'an)."
(Surah An-Nisa '4: Verse 174)
fa ammallaziina aamanuu billaahi wa'tashomuu bihii fa sayudkhiluhum fii rohmatim min-hu wa fadhliw wa yahdiihim ilaihi shiroothom mustaqiimaa
"As for those who believe in Allah and hold fast to His (religion), then Allah will enter them into the mercy and grace of Him (heaven), and show them the straight path to Him."
(QS. An-Nisa '4: Verse 175)
yastaftuunak, qulillaahu yuftiikum fil-kalaalah, inimruʻun halaka laisa lahuu waladuw wa lahuuu ukhtun fa lahaa nishfu maa tarok, wa huwa yarisuhaaa il lam yakul lahaa walad, ing fa ing kaanatasnataini fa lahal-sulusaani wa mimhwatar ʻAn fa liz-zakari mislu hazhzhil-unsayaiin, yubayyinullohu lakum an tadhilluu, wallohu bikulli syaiʻin 'aliim
"They ask for a fatwa from you (about kalalah). Say, Allah gave you a fatwa regarding kalalah, (that is) if a person dies and he does not have children but has a sister, then his share (the sister is) half of the property he left behind, and his brother the man inherits (all the assets of the sister), if he does not have children. But if the sister is two people, then for the two of them two thirds of the property left. And if they (the heir consists of) brothers "Male and female, then the portion of a brother is the same as that of two sisters. Allah explained (this law) to you so that you do not go astray. Allah knows everything."
(Surah An-Nisa '4: Verse 176)
"Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." A greeting from behind the entrance to the musala sounded familiar to my ears.
"Wa’alaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." I answered, and all the people in the musala where I live.
I turned to see who had come. And it turned out that it was my grandmother whose name was Sumayyah. She is my grandmother who I consider my best friend. I learned a lot from her. Today I have the courage to take part in the tahfiz Al Quran competition, one of the reasons is because of the support from my grandmother.
"Sadiqah, are you here?" Ask grandma to me. "Yes, Grandma. Sorry if I made grandma worry." I replied to grandma.
"Children, we will continue to study later, okay? Now I will take part in the competition first." My message to the children.
"Sister, can we come to see your appearance there?" Ask Aisyah (7) to me.
"We beg you, sis" said the other children, before I gave my answer.
"You don't need to ask permission for that. You will be very happy if you are with you. So let's go together now" I answered.
Me, Grandma Sumayyah, and the children walked towards the audition venue in the building hall. Grandma Sumayyah, and the children sat in the audience seats, while I kept walking towards the stage that Ruqayyah had previously occupied. Even today Ruqayyah is still on stage.
Author POV
Ruqayyah is reading QS. Ali Imran verse 5, at that time Sadiqah came.
innalloha laa yakhfaa 'alaihi syaiʻun fil-ardhi wa laa fis-samaaa`
"With Allah there is nothing hidden on earth and in the sky."
(Surah Ali 'Imran 3: Verse 5)
Without hesitation, Sadiqah continued Ruqayyah's reading by reading the QS. Ali Imran verses 6 - 10.
huwallazii yushowwirukum fil-ar-haami kaifa yasyaaa`, laaa ilaaha illaa huwal-'aziizul-hakiim "He is the one who formed you in the womb according to His will. There is no god but Him. All-Mighty, All-Wise."
(Surah Ali 'Imran 3: Verse 6)
huwallaziii anzala 'alaikal-kitaaba min-hu aayaatum muhkamaatun hunna ummul-kitaabi wa ukhoru mutasyaabihaat, fa ammallaziina fii quluubihim zaighun fayattabi'uuna maa tasyaabaha min-hubtighooo taighoilih wabt wiilahuuu illalloh, war-roosikhuuna fil-'ilmi yaquuluuna aamannaa bihii kullum min 'indi robbinaa, wa maa yazzakkaru illaaa ulul-albaab "It is he who sent down the Book (Al-Quran) to you (Muhammad). Among them there are verses that are muhkamat, those are the main points of the Book (Al-Quran) and others are mutasyabihat. As for those whose hearts are inclined towards heresy, they follow mutasyabihat to seek slander and to search for takwilnya, even though no one knows theG meaning except Allah. And people with deep knowledge say, We believe in him (Al-Quran), all from the side of our God. anyone can learn a lesson except those who are sensible. " (Surah Ali 'Imran 3: Verse 7)
robbanaa laa tuzigh quluubanaa ba'da iz hadaitanaa wa hab lanaa mil ladungka rohmah, innaka antal-wahhaab
"(They pray), O our God, do not incline our hearts to heresy after you have instructed us, and grant us mercy from Your side, verily You are the Giver."
(Surah Ali 'Imran 3: Verse 8)
robbanaaa innaka jaami'un-naasi liyaumil laa roiba fiih, innalloha laa yukhliful-mii'aad "O our God, it was you who gathered mankind on a day that there was no doubt about him. Truly, Allah did not break his promise."
(Surah Ali 'Imran 3: Verse 9)
innallaziina kafaruu lan tughniya 'an-hum amwaaluhum wa laaa aulaaduhum minallohi syaiʻaa, wa ulaaaʻika hum waquudun-naar "Surely those who disbelieve, for them will not be of any use to their property and their children against (the punishment) of Allah. And they (become) the fuel of hellfire."
(Surah Ali 'Imran 3: Verse 10)
Ruqayyah continued Sadiqah's reading by reading the QS. Ali Imran verses 11-15. After that Sadiqah continued Ruqayyah's reading by reading the QS. Ali Imran verses 16-20. And so on so that the reading of QS. Ali Imran resolved. During that time, the judges watched them carefully and then discussed to determine the winner. The discussion lasted about fifteen minutes. After that, the female host came on stage.
"As we have seen, the contestants have finished their memorization very well. But after all, we must still choose the best among them. The jury has been discussing to assess the appearance of each contestant. The jury has also decided who will be the winner. . The first place winner in the tahfiz Al Quran competition in 1440 H was won by ....... "Said the presenter while hanging, making the audience nervous to think about who the winner is.
"Sadiqah" continued the presenter. Sadiqah, Grandma Sumayyah, and the children were grateful and very happy to hear all that.
"The second winner was won by Ruqayyah binti Salman. The third winner was won by Sarah binti Imran. The fourth winner was won by Alysha binti Zulkarnain. The fifth winner was won by Jihan binti Zubair. The sixth winner was won by Ufairah binti Abdurahman. The seventh winner was won by Asma binti Abdullah, and Bilqis bint Abdullah. Eighth winner was won by Zeenab bint Amru. Ninth winner was won by Nafisah bint Umar. Tenth place was won by Afizah binti Yusuf. The winners were welcome to receive the prize that had been prepared. H has closed. " Said the host.
The jury distributed prizes to the winners of the competition one by one. After that they all took pictures. The photo program has ended, the contestants gather in the special contestants' room. They talked about a lot of things there. "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has given you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, Nafisah and Afizah." Said Sadiqah (19).
"Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has given you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, Nafisah, and Afizah." Said Ruqayyah (19).
"Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has bestowed you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, Nafisah, and Afizah." Said Sarah (19). "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has bestowed you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, Nafisah, and Afizah." Said Alysha (19). "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has given you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, Nafisah, and Afizah." Said Jihan (23). "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has given you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Asma, Bilqis, kak Zeenab, kak Nafisah, and kak Afizah." Said Ufairah (18). "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has given you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, kak Zeenab, kak Nafisah, and kak Afizah." Said Asma, and Bilqis. (18).
"Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has bestowed you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Nafisah, and Afizah." Said Zeenab (25). "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has bestowed you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, and Afizah." Said Nafisah (25). "Barakallah Fii Ilmi, Allah has bestowed you to be hafiz Al Quran 30 juz, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah, Sarah, Alysha, Jihan, Ufairah, Asma, Bilqis, Zeenab, and Nafisah." Said Afizah (25).
"Sis Sadiqah, and sis Ruqayyah, you both live in Kalibadi, Kolkata?" Asked Ufairah.
"Yes. We are neighbors." Said Sadiqah.
"So you are friends?" Asked Ufairah again. Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah nodded doubtfully. "Ufairah, where do you live?" Asked Sadiqah.
"I don't live in this city. I live in Khasmir." Ufairah replied.
"How does it feel to live in Khasmir, a city where 90% of the population is Muslim?" Asked Sadiqah.
"There the Islamic nuance is more pronounced. Even my parents also agreed to this." Ufairah replied.
"Your parents are also here?" Asked Ruqayyah. "Yes sis. Because Muslim women are not allowed to take a safari without a mahram." Said Ufairah.
"You are right Ufairah. This is for the safety of Muslim women themselves." Said Ruqayyah.
"I wonder why this race is being held in Kolkata?" Afizah asked.
"That's called fair sis. Last year the competition was held in Khasmir, this year it was held in Kolkata." Said Ufairah.
"Asma, Bilqis, are you two sisters? I heard that your father's name is the same." Ruqayyah asked to change the subject.
"Yes, sis. They are not identical twins. They are my cousins from my father's side. Their father is my father's twin. They both also live in Khasmir. They are both very shy, especially Bilqis." Said Ufairah.
"So you are related." Said Sadiqah concluded. "Yes. Even I still have other relatives among the contestants here." Said Ufairah openly.
"Will you introduce them to us?" Said Ruqayyah.
"Of course you are. Ms. Afizah binti Yusuf is my sister-in-law. Ms. Afizah married my brother 5 years ago Is that right, sis Afizah?" Said Ufairah "Yes, Ufairah." Say Afizah (25)
"Ms. Alysha is my cousin from the father's side. Ms. Alisha's mother, is my father's younger sister. Ms. Alysha and her family live in Bopal. Ms. Nafisah, and Ms. Zeenab are sister-in-law of Asma and Bilqis. Ms. Nafisah is from Mumbai, while Ms. Zeenab are from Lucknow. So they are my cousins's sister-in-law. " Said Ufairah.
"Doesn't Sarah also live in Lucknow?" Asked Sadiqah.
"Yes sis, I forgot to explain it to you. Sarah is Asma and Bilqis's cousin from her mother's side. Ms. Sarah's mother and Bilqis's mother are sisters. So Sarah is my cousins's cousin." Said Ufairah at length times height.
"Yes, Ufairah. You are always eager to explain something very clearly. But you are not explaining something but a truth." Said Sarah, who was amazed by Ufairah's easygoing.
"Yes, Ufairah, we know you as an honest person." Add Alysha.
"O Allah, may You not punish me for what they say. Forgive me for what they do not know. And make me better than they think." Prayer for Ufairah after hearing praise from Sarah, and Alysha to herself.
"Do you also know Ms. Jihan?" Ruqayyah asked in amazement because almost all of the finalists were relatives of Ufairah.
"Yes, sis. Ms. Jihan is from Mumbai. Now Ms. Jihan and his family live in Khasmir. Ms. Jihan works as a nurse. Our family became close when Ms. Jihan took care of Ms. Afizah who was sick." Asked Ufairah.
"you are right Ufairah." Jihan answered.
"But it does not rule out that we will truly become relatives in the future. In fact, I would be very happy to be related to Sadiqah's sister, and Ruqayyah's sister too." Said Ufairah.
"It seems you are never lonely at home. You have many siblings." Said Ruqayyah.
"Yes sis. I have 3 brothers, 1 sister-in-law, 3 cousins and 2 sisters-in-law cousins. How about you sis? How many siblings do you have?" Ufairah replied.
"An only child." Sadiqah replied.
"I also an only child. So I often feel lonely at home." Ruqayyah replied.
"What about the female cousin?" Asked Ufairah again.
"I don't have one." Sadiqah replied.
"I don't have either." Add Ruqayyah.
"I pray that you get a sister ... um ... no two sisters. So you won't feel lonely anymore, because after that you will face every problem together with your siblings." Said Ufairah. "Thank you for praying Ufairah." Sadiqah answered, and Ruqayyah while looking at each other.
"Guys, I have something for you. Wait a minute." Said Sadiqah as she opened her locker, and took a large plastic bag.
"This is for you Ruqayyah --- this is for you Sarah --- this is for you Alysha --- this is for you Jihan --- this is for you Ufairah --- this is for you Asma --- this is for you Bilqis --- this is for Zeenab --- this is for Nafisah's sister --- and this is for Kak Afizah. ” Said Sadiqah when distributing the packages in the big plastic to everyone present.
"Thank you." Said everyone who received the package from Sadiqah.
"You've already given gifts to your neighbors first, right?" Asked Afizah.
"Give gifts to the neighbors whose house is closest to you (HR. Bukhari no. 78). Of course sis. I have given gifts to my neighbors before giving gifts to you." Sadiqah continued.
"This is part of my effort so that Ruqayyah doesn't refuse my gift. Because Grandma Pakizah will definitely prohibit Ruqayyah from accepting gifts from my family and vice versa." Thought Sadiqah.
Ufairah was very excited to open the package. "Don't open Ufairah yet!" Prevent Sadiqah. "What's wrong, Sadiqah?" Afizah replied.
"The tree in my house is bearing fruit. I was thinking of giving you the fruit. Promise that you will open the package when it's time to break your fast. I don't want to be your reason to break your fast." Sadiqah replied.
"We promise." Said everyone except Sadiqah.
"I think that's enough for today's introduction, Sadiqah, Ruqayyah. It is time for me and Ufairah to go home. You will go home yourself too, right?" Said Afizah interrupted.
"Yes sis. We will go home with our grandmother." Said Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah together.
Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah looked at each other. "Sadiqah, Ruqayyah you are like twins. From earlier you have said the same words in harmony. I am so surprised." Said Afizah. "Forget about that, sis. We are also surprised ourselves." Said Sadiqah and Ruqayyah together.
Afizah and Ufairah could only smile and shake their heads at the cohesiveness of Sadiqah and Ruqayyah even though in the eyes of the world they are only neighbors.
"We'll go home first, Sis Sadiqah, Sis Ruqayyah." Goodbye Ufairah.
Afizah, Ufairah, and other contestants have gone home, only Sadiqah and Ruqayyah are left in the contestants' room. Not long after, Grandma Sumayyah came from the west door, and Grandma Pakizah from the east door. Because Grandma Sumayyah didn't want to enter the door that Grandma Pakizah entered, and vice versa. Grandma Sumayyah and Grandma Pakizah grabbed their grandchildren by the hand and took them home. When they got to the grandmother's house, they had already interrogated their grandchildren.
"What did you talk with Ruqayyah in the contestants' room earlier?" Grandma Sumayyah asked Sadiqah.
"We just congratulate each other, Grandma." Ruqayyah answered to Grandma Pakizah's question.
Apparently the two grandmothers were asking the same question for their grandchild. Even though they are in different places.
"How many times have I told you not to talk to the family. Including Ruqayyah." Grandma Sumayyah's message to Sadiqah.
"How many times have I said, don't talk to the family. Including Sadiqah." Grandmother Pakizah's message to Ruqayyah.
"But Grandma, in the hadith narrated by Muslim no.2162 it reads: from Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu 'anhu, the Prophet sallallaahu' alaihi wa sallam said, "The rights of Muslims to other Muslims are six." Then someone asked, "What are the six things?" Then he -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, "(1) When you meet him, say hello to him, (2) If you are invited, fulfill the invitation, (3) When you are asked for advice, give advice to him, (4) If he sneezes then he praises Allah (saying 'alhamdulillah'), pray for him (by saying 'yarhamukallah'), (5) When he is sick, visit him, and (6) When he dies, accompany his body (to the funeral). " I only meant to do my duty. That's all Grandma. Is carrying out an obligation is a disgraceful act. Wasn't it my own grandmother who taught me how to be a good Muslimah? Then why do you forbid me now? ”Sadiqah replied, and Ruqayyah was compact even though they were in different places. "Except for their family. You don't have to do your duty to their family. Grandma won't let you do that. If you do it again, grandma won't want to talk to you anymore." Threatens Grandma Sumayyah and Grandma Pakizah to their respective grandchildren.
"But Grandma ..." said Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah was compact even though they were in different places.
"No buts. Grandma doesn't want to talk about this anymore." Said Grandma Sumayyah, and Grandma Pakizah together even though they were in different places.
"Sorry if I ruined Grandma's mood today." Said Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah together even though they were in different places.
"Sadiqah, aren't you holding iftar together at the orphanage today?" Grandma Sumayyah asked Sadiqah.
"Yes, Grandma." Sadiqah replied briefly. "Prepare the dishes immediately, or it won't be finished later." Said Grandma Sumayyah, who was really good at changing the subject.
"Fine Grandma. After I shower and change clothes, I'll make the dish. Grandma just rest, grandma must be tired to accompany me all day." Said Sadiqah.
Sadiqah and Grandma Sumayyah went to their respective rooms. As she said, after taking a shower and changing clothes Sadiqah walked to the kitchen. Sadiqah kept thinking about today's incident.
Sadiqah (20) POV
I really can't believe what I saw today. What's the matter between these two families. Why can't we get along at all? Actually what is grandma hiding from me? I'm sorry, Grandma I will never obey what my grandmother said. However what Grandma said is not true. As a Muslim woman, I can't keep my sisters quiet, it's the same as I decided on ukhuwah Islamiah. I am not afraid of the threats that my grandmother gives, because I know that my own grandmother will not last long to silence me. I have to investigate this matter so that I can reconcile these two conflicting families. This is the promise of a Muslimah to build an Islamic sisterhood.
Author POV
Time flies so fast, evening call to prayer magrib has resounded. Sadiqah's family had gathered at the orphanage half an hour ago.
"Childrens, let's pray to break the fast now." Invite Sadiqah.
"Dzahabazh zhoma'u wabtallatil 'uruqu wa tsabatal ajru insha Allah. Meaning: Thirst has disappeared, the throat has been wet, hopefully there is a reward determined, if Allah wills (Sahih Hadith, Narrated by Abu Daud [2/306, no. 2357])"they all said.
"Children, we drink the milk first, then after that we pray maghrib in congregation. After maghrib prayer, the event of breaking together is resumed again." Said Sadiqah.
"Why is that sis?" Ask Aisyah (8)
"Prayers at the beginning of that time are very rewarding, besides praying with a full stomach is very unpleasant, moreover there is research that states that drinking 30 minutes before eating is good for helping the digestive system work. By praying maghrib first, we have given distance. between drinking and eating we do. " Sadiqah answered wisely.
"Sister, really loves us. So that you think about such details. You always think about the benefits and disadvantages before doing something. We love you. Let's pray evening prayer in congregation." Said Aisyah.
Sadiqah, Mrs. Salamah (40), Grandma Sumayyah, Mother Khadijah (35), and the children praying evening prayer in congregation in a special prayer room. After that they pray, make dzikir, and read the Koran individually. About 30 minutes later, they returned to the place to eat to continue the iftar together. "Sister, why did we drink milk, not a tea?" Asked Aisyah.
"Drinking milk on an empty stomach is very good because milk helps the body absorb nutrients more optimally. However, not everyone can drink milk comfortably when the stomach is empty, so they have to choose the appropriate milk. Many have sensitive stomachs, so that is not the case. when exposed to milk, it can cause nausea or bloating. " Sadiqah replied.
"Childrens, let's pray before eating." Invite Mother Khadijah.
"Bismi llâh." Pray for them all before eating. After eating they prayed again
"Al hamdu li-l-lâhi ladhî at'amanî hâdhâ wa razaqanîhi min ghayrin hawlin minnî wa lâ quwwatin. Meaning: praise be to Allah Who gave this to me and Who provided sustenance to me without my power and strength." Prayers to all of them.
"Aftara 'indakumu s-sâ'imûna, wa akala ta'âmakumu-l-abrâru, wa sallat' alaykumu-l-malâ'ikatu. Meaning: may those who fast break by your side and good people eat your food. , and angels pray. Allâhumma bârik lahum fîmâ razaqtahum wa ghfir lahum wa rhamhum.
Meaning: O Allah! Give blessings what You sustained to them, have mercy and mercy on them. "Prayers of Mother Khadija, and children to the family of Sadiqah.
Sadiqah, Mrs. Salamah, and Grandma Sumayyah tidied up the dining area. Meanwhile, Mother Khadijah prepared a place for evening prayers and tarawih in congregation. After Sadiqah, Mrs. Salamah, Grandma Sumayyah, and Mother Khadijah completed their respective tasks, they immediately performed the evening prayers and tarawih eight rakats and witir 3 cycles in congregation. After greeting them, they made dhikr, prayed separately. After that the children read the Koran for 30 minutes taught by Sadiqah. Meanwhile Grandma Sumayyah and Mother Khadija came out to chat.
"Sister, when is a good time to drink?" Asked Hafshah (8) after they finished reading the Al Quran.
"When we wake up we can drink a glass of water to activate the organs in the body. Before taking a shower we can drink a glass of water, according to research drinking water before bathing can reduce blood pressure. We can drink a glass of water 30 minutes before eating, and a glass of water. after eating to help the process of digestion of food. We can drink a glass of water before going to bed at night. In addition we have to drink when we feel thirsty so that we are not dehydrated. But when we fast we cannot drink water even though we are thirsty, because that will cancel out the fast we're doing. " Sadiqah answered at length. "Thank you sis, for the knowledge. May Allah add useful knowledge to you." Said Hafshah. "You're welcome. Thank you Hafshah for the prayers." Reply to Sadiqah.
Sadiqah saw several children covering their mouths because they were yawning.
"Girls, now it is time for you to sleep." Said Sadiqah.
Not a single child got up from their seat.
"Are there any of you who are afraid to go to your own room? Don't worry, sister will take you to your room, how do you agree?" Asked Sadiqah.
"It's not like that, sis. We want to talk with you a little longer." Said Safiyyah (9)
"Rasulullah SAW did not like to sleep before the Isha prayer and talk afterwards." (Narrated by Bukhari: 410/2) Meanwhile, this hadith is strengthened by the hadith of the Prophet's wife, Aisyah RA. "Rasulullah SAW did not sleep before 'Isha' and did not speak afterward. He also forbade us from talking after 'Isha', which is forbidding with a warning to us." (Narrated by Ibn Majah: 396-397 / 02) There is also a lesson from this prohibition, which is to make it easier for Muslims to pray midnight prayers at night and merit to Allah SWT. and get up for sahur for those who are fasting, "explained Sadiqah.
"Okay sis, we'll go to bed soon." Said Aisyah (8) Sadiqah and Mrs. Salamah led the children to their respective rooms.
"Childrens, don't forget to pray before bed." Sadiqah message.
After all the children slept, Sadiqah and Mrs. Salamah came out. They saw and heard Grandma Sumayyah talking with Mother Khadijah (the owner of the orphanage).
"Thank you for allowing us to have iftar together here." Said Grandma Sumayyah. "You're welcome. Aren't we already like family? Grandma's family is very useful to us. We are grateful for all of that." Said Mother Khadija. "Today our family gets a lot of happiness from Allah SWT. Sadiqah has won the Tahfiz Al Quran competition. We are very grateful for that." Grandma Sumayyah's story.
"Congratulations, Grandma. May Allah bless the knowledge of Sadiqah." Said Mother Khadija. "Aamiin. We get a fortune from Allah. We intend to entrust some of that fortune to you so that you can manage this orphanage better." Grandma Sumayyah whispered while handing her a brown envelope filled with cash secretly because it was covered with plastic.
"Of course grandmother. Insyaa Allah, I will carry out this mandate well." Whispered Mother Khadijah.
"Insyaa Allah, this year our family will perform the Haj and Umrah pilgrimages. Pray for us to become a successful hajj." Grandma Sumayyah's story.
"Aamiin." Replied Mother Khadijah.
"You heard that, the bengalan family intends to perform the haj pilgrimage without a mahram. They have no shame. They are always half-hearted in practicing their religion." Shouts Grandma Pakizah, hearing what Grandma Sumayyah and Mother Khadijah said because Grandma Pakizah was chatting with her next door neighbor on her porch opposite Grandma Sumayyah's house.
Grandma Sumayyah was furious at Grandma Pakizah's insult. Grandma Sumayyah went to Grandma Pakizah's house.
"Do you think you are better than us? Do you feel you are good people by eavesdropping on other people's conversations? However we perform the Hajj, does it affect your life? It doesn't affect your life at all. That is the difference between us and you. We don't like meddling in other people's business, whereas you guys benefit from meddling in other people's business. " Replied Grandma Sumayyah.
"What are you saying ?" Grandma Pakizah asked in an angry tone.
"I'm just telling you the truth." Answer Grandma Sumayyah.
"The truth? We all know the truth. Your daughter is someone who has no shame, she ---" replied Grandma Pakizah.
"Don't you dare say a word about my family or else ---" said Grandma Sumayyah
"If it's okay? What are you going to do?" Grandma Pakizah asked. Grandma Sumayyah and Grandma Pakizah pulled each other's clothes. Sadiqah, Ma’am Salamah, Ruqayyah, and Mr. Salman tried to break up the two of them.
"Mother, what are you doing?" Mr. Salman asked Grandma Pakizah as she pulled Grandma Pakizah away from Grandma Sumayyah.
"You don't know the problem, Salman." Said Grandma Pakizah.
"Mother, let's go home." Bring Ma'am Salamah to Grandma Sumayyah after pulling Grandma Sumayyah away from Grandma Pakizah.
"Yes Grandma. Let's go home." Add Sadiqah. "Never mind Grandma, why say that?" Said Ruqayyah to Grandma Pakizah.
After that Sadiqah, Ma'am Salamah, Grandma Sumayyah, Ruqayyah, Mr. Salman, and Grandma Pakizah returned to their respective homes.
"Grandma, you better do ablution now. So that your heart is calmer." Said Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah to their respective grandmothers. Grandmother Sumayyah / grandmother Sadiqah, and Grandmother Pakizah / grandmother Ruqayyah perform ablution in their respective houses. After the two grandmothers made wudu, Sadiqah and Ruqayyah sat their grandmothers on the sofa in the living room of their respective houses. "Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him say good or let him be silent." (Muttafaq 'alaih: Al-Bukhari, no. 6018; Muslim, no.47) "Said Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah advised their grandmothers in their respective homes. "Should you just keep quiet hearing people insult our family? You don't know the root of the problem here, that's why you're defending them. If you know what the problem is, I'm not sure you'll still have sympathy for them." Answer Grandma Sumayyah and Grandma Pakizah together even though they are in their respective houses.
"That's not what I mean Grandma. Then tell me the problem between you so that I can reconcile these two families." Said Sadiqah, and Ruqayyah together even though they were in their respective houses.
"Honey, I didn't want to tell you." Said Grandma Sumayyah, and Grandma Pakizah together even though they were in their respective houses. "You better go to sleep." Said Ma'am Salamah to Sadiqah, and Grandma Sumayyah.
"You better go to bed." Said Mr. Salman to Ruqayyah, and Grandma Pakizah.
"Okay mom." Sadiqah replied.
"Fine dad." Ruqayyah replied.
~ * ~
Time was running so fast, the clock showed 10pm but both Sadiqah and Ruqayyah could only flip over on the bed. They both couldn't sleep thinking about today's incident. Sadiqah and Ruqayyah walked closer to the windows of their respective rooms which were left open. Sadiqah and Ruqayyah looked at the moon from their bedroom window.
Ruqayyah (19) POV
What happened today is simply not true. Why can't the two families get along? What is grandma hiding from me? I can't just stand by watching it all. But what should I do ? I'm so confused. Is there someone who will help me do this task? So long I looked at the moon from my bedroom window. Can I be like that moon, illuminating the darkness? Can I reconcile these two conflicting families? I'm not sure myself yet, but I'll have to try. If not me, who will? Without realizing it, my tears just flowed, am I this fragile? No, maybe this is the real outpouring of my heart that I also have a feeling of fatigue having to face all this. I immediately wiped these tears. Suddenly the cellphone in my shirt pocket vibrated. There is an incoming call. I picked up the call.
"Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." Say hello to the voice from a distance.
“Wa’alaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." I answered.
"I am Sadiqah. Sorry to disturb you and call on nights like this." Said the caller.
"Yes, no problem Sadiqah. Just tell me what you mean to call me." I said.
"My family and I apologize for what happened today. Please pass our apologies to your family." Said Sadiqah.
Honestly, I feel ashamed to hear it because after all it was my grandmother who first looked for trouble with her grandmother Sadiqah. But it was Sadiqah who apologized first.
"Me and my family are also sorry for what happened today. Please convey our apologies to your family." I said.
"Yes Ruqayyah. Can I ask your help one more time?" Asked Sadiqah.
"What can I do for you, Sadiqah?" I asked. "Ruqayyah, we both have to unite and work together to reconcile our two families. Are you willing?" Asked Sadiqah.
"Of course Sadiqah. Allah SWT has ordered us to help in kindness. I also think the same thing with you. Insyaa Allah, we will be able to reconcile our two families." I said.
"Thank you Ruqayyah. We will think about how tomorrow. Good night Ruqayyah. Wassalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." Said Sadiqah.
"Wa’alaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh." I answered.
Sadiqah (19) POV
Alhamdulillah. Allah gave me a glimmer of hope and help to reconcile these two families. Hope everything goes well. I didn't think things would be this easy. I had actually prepared myself if Ruqayyah had refused my request. But everything happened as I expected, and Ruqayyah accepted my request. I have to prepare everything tomorrow, so I better sleep now. I immediately closed the window of my room which I had previously left open. After apologizing, I should be able to sleep well now.
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