If you want companions, the Qur'an is sufficient.

Indeed, for in the imagination one meets with the prophets and angels in it, observes the events in which they were involved, and becomes familiar with them...

Bediuzzaman Sa'id Nursi-The Letters..

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

The silence that followed made the old man turn red as tomato puree.

"But it's true, isn't it, yaa Akhii?"He turned to Arkaan, who shook his head in disbelief.

The boy was simply too frank for his own good. He didn't even think to give the old man face.

When he noticed the boy was going to talk some more, Arkaan ruffled through Abdullah's dyed hair roughly, leaving him disoriented. As the boy was sitting close to him as usual, it was easy to 'attack' him.

Arkaan knew that Abdullah had meant to disturb him by coming to sit close to him, though innocently. However it was a two-way thing, and he was prepared.

After all, he grew up under a tough taskmaster of a grandfather. He wouldn't have survived if he hadn't been naughty.

Abdullah turned towards him with a wronged expression on his face, but Arkaan stuck his tongue out.

Zak shook his head wearily with a slight laugh. Now Arkaan too was behaving like a kid.

Talk about spoiling the mood.. But yh, Abdullah was right.

Naturally, the grading of the domains wouldn't be something that would be accepted under conventional standards for grading and appraising of the reciters.

After all, it was something of the heart..

Zak's thoughts were cut short by the voice of the old man who continued, speaking as calmly as possible. It seemed as though he was unfazed by Abdullah earlier, but the tightlipped smile, said otherwise.

Khidr knew he couldn't allow himself to be done in by a small boy. What would his men say about him after that? Seemingly unabatedly, he said in a revered tone, with a sage-like look on his face, whilst smiling graciously at Abdullah,

"When you ask around, you'd find some answers, and so did I."

Abdullah looked back at the old man, as if confused as to who he was smiling at. Then shook his head.

Whether he showed dissatisfaction towards the old man's answer, or disappointment at his shameless behaviour, was something Khidr would never know.

However, his fake smile half-dropped.

"I'll pass."Arafat said with a yawn, whilst stretching out on the rouge prayer carpets.

Then he noticed the silence outside.

He turned to look through the masjid's floor-to-ceiling coloured windows, hollering with glee,"The rains have stopped!!!"

He got up in quick haste, propping himself up on his elbows. As he got up, he stretched and made a few good moves to straighten himself.

"That was a good tale for a rainy day. But I guess it's time to vamoose. Guys, lets go."

He began walking outside, but when he noticed his lackeys weren't following him, he stopped immediately, turning back to look at the little boys. His minions.

Don't tell me that little cock-and-bull story has made them all incline towards pobre chico and his group??

"Humayd, Salih, Husayn, boys?"

The boys sat down firmly. With a pleading look in their eyes, they faced Arafat.

"Oh Dios(Oh God).."

Inclining against a pillar near where he stood,"Go ahead, I'm waiting for you. Just a few questions, and we're off."

"Yayyyy!"The boys yelled in excitement.

Arkaan didn't understand how Arafat had built such a 'special' bond with the children so quickly. It was like they were his little siblings. It was obvious he had more skills with children than any of them here in the halaqah.

He'd be an indispensable member if he attached more seriousness and loyalty to the Circle..

"So what were Ukashah's scores anyways?"They boys asked with shining eyes. And Khidr smiled at them generously, knowing that he had them spellbound with his previous narration.

Now, this is the correct behaviour, and enthusiasm normal children should show.

He looked at Abdullah, who looked back at him encouragingly, so you wouldn't know who was the elderly one of the two.

The dyed-blonde boy's eyes seemed to say, 'Go ahead' with doting in his eyes. It left Khidr in flabbergast.

Arkaan and Zak chuckled. Abdullah sure had his way to frustrate people whenever he targeted them.

Deciding not to mind Abdullah again, the man continued, giving his full attention to his ready audience.

"From an authentic source,"Khidr said, looking at the suspense clearly dabbed on his audience's faces. With all the more assurance amidst flamboyant dramatization, it was obvious he was glad to be the centre of attention again,"..In the domain realm, Ukashah's scores were as follows:

Tajwîd - 50/50parts

Tarannum - 16/20parts

Tahazzun - 7/10parts

Tadabbūr - 5/10parts

Khashyah - 7/10parts

His total was an amazing 85%!

His Tadabbûr being the highest so far!!!

Even though different sources had their own unique judgements, the general consensus was around these marks."Khidr smiled self-assuringly.

"Yaa Akhii, I never knew your heart was so hard. Even the old man(Zeeshan) had a higher Tahazzun level than you."Abdullah shifted adeptly from Arkaan to a safe distance before the hand that Arkaan stretched grabbed him.

Sighing, Abdullah looked at Zak, gently pulling at his non-existent beard whilst shaking his head."That means, you lost to Akhii Ukash, yaa Akhii!"

Then, sighing again as if his words hadn't yet sank in well, he continued, with no sign of sorry on his face,"I'm sure if it were me, I'd be wayyy ahead of Akhii Ukash."

He had his thighs propped up from a crosslegged sitting position, looking all the more like the grand little scholar.

For a moment, the boys of the Mt. Shirah neighbourhood, who had followed Arafat that morn, shivered, when they saw him like that. Probably from memories of shameless bullying Abdullah had always achieved with his mouth.

However, some also seemed to show admiration for him in their eyes, and they didn't know why.

"I'm sure you woulda."Zak smiled genially at his younger brother, apparently unfazed.

Ukashah said calmly,"It'd be advisable not to be too indulgent in these things..

Even if the person who says this, is a revered scholar or an ascetic of the highest order of saints, no one can tell the Tahazzun, Tadabbūr, or Khashyah present in anyone's heart, much less, grade them.

All of this is inanity, and not a part of Deen.

Rather than spend time asking around about such stuffs, it'd be better if we rather check the wrong habits that we persistently do, like gambling, for example."

He said this without looking at anyone in particular. But it was clear who he was referring to.

He was right. Arkaan thought in his head.

But also, some emotions were palpable, and some just cannot be denied.

He felt Ukashah actually said those words with a different intent, as it carried some obscure meaning inside. But perhaps, he'd soon find out, as they were roomies after all.

"Ah~ Akhii Ukash, you're right. I think all the little 'uns here can take a lesson or two from you."Abdullah nodded, with a doting expression at his peers from the Mt. Shirah district, adding Arkaan too as he looked them over.

Arkaan shook his head dismissively. He had pressing questions on his mind.

"What about Abdul Bâqi, Urwah, and Zayn? Did they not recite?"

Urwah.. That must be Nii-chan's (Brother) new name..

Haru's eyes glittered as his ears propped up. He had been bored all throughout, since he couldn't understand most words, and nobody seemed to bother to explain them to him.

Essentially, he had been forgotten, fading into the background though he was a stranger amongst them.

From where he came from in Nine Flowers Heaven, this was a fatal mistake that could cost any people, had the stranger had ill intent towards them, and not only if he was an assassin.

But now when they mentioned 'Urwah', whom he knew to be his elder brother, name having been changed from 'Sora', he couldn't help but be interested!

"That was what I was going to comment on before, when - (Nitwit here caught me off!)"He looked at Abdullah to find the boy staring at him encouragingly. But he knew it was a dare.. Where did this demonic boy come from? He might as well avoid him completely!

He decided to swallow the rest. He didn't want to wager on how much he'd fare if he were to go one-on-one against Abdullah. He could tell from his many years of experience, just who was better left off not pursued in the matter of arguments.

Grumbling quietly to himself, he turned back to his audience and his eyes gleamed,

"Now back to the convention, and the three others from the five Quraa of the century..

As I said before, four participants went missing for a day and another, though luckily enough they were found - in time for the round to be held on the 17th.

Although the two others, Alhamdulillah - all from Sâd, couldn't participate, ..from hearsay." He said his last statement in a quiet rumouring tone, then continued.

"So Sâd sent three of their finest Quraa thereafter. Ha ha haa! You wouldn't believe what happened afterwards!"Khidr said, slapping his thigh,

"How terribly they failed! And you should know which city Sâd is.., - City of the Quraa!"Khidr said with much animation, and with complete indignation and sheer mockery in his aged eyes.

Continuing incessantly, he added,"Urwah's recitation occurred on the 17th.

Singlehandedly, against the tribes of Sâd - City of Quraa, who had sent their three finest reciters, Urwah crushed them.. all!"

As always, Nii chan! Haru hailed.

His eyes held praise and admiration. Even here, his elder brother was among the exceptional, as always. Suddenly he felt he had to master this 'art' that his brother had mastered. If he did so, one day when they meet, they could probably exchange some pointers..

"Things came to their climax on the 19th.. when three paragons of exceptional talent and prowess met!!!

Abdul Bâqi Al Aswâdi, Zaynal Âbidīn Muhammad, and the third was - prince Firdaws, Ibn Dhul Qarnayn!!!

We later got to know that, the youngest prince of the royal family himself, had suggested such a faceoff! We didn't need long to understand why!

Gift of Dawūd(alayhis salaam), Seven paths!!!

With that form of domain, named the same day, the young prince stood his ground with the two Crème de la crème, apprentices from the circle of Sheikh Inaayat!

Till date, no one knows or can explain what happened..

The one who experiences it, has no words for its description.

However, there's a poem they say, ..and all agree on it, to have explained well, the example of their recitations, and the two before them..

All rivers lead to the ocean

All oceans arrive at a shore

When rain falls, hearts are nourished

Sunlight brings life, thrumming to all creation

Heaven descends under eternal moonlight.."

Even as his words came to a pause, another, more youthful voice, without the rasp of agedness, took it up in tandem, and devotedly,

"With voice like the symphony of birds, Zak's letters flow like rivers, to an ocean..Seven paths, way of the Harf.

With sorrow and contemplation as deep as an ocean, Ukashah sinks the hearts to worlds anew..Infinite Spirit States, A Myriad Worlds of the Qur'an.

Even the hardest heart of stone cries, whenever Urwah recites..Reflection, There's no shame in tears.

In the whole generation, like the blazing sun, no one prowess has equalled Abdul Bâqi's..Phenomenon, Sayyiduz-Zaman

..Except one, the saint child - Zayn, to whom the Heavens answer..Unmatched, A Call to the Heavens."

Rafik's voice rung through the gathering, so solemnly that they didn't recognize at first, that it was him. In his eyes was a powerful fervour.. and admiration. One that apparently, had always been there, etching itself thoroughly in his heart.

"Hey, what about the part for the prince guy?"A person from Khidr's people asked. In effect, they all realized the poem only spoke of the five from Tâ Hâ.

"He had his own, separate from the five. As he was not from Tâ Hâ or part of Inaayat's students, it seemed only right to make the distinction.

He could have decided to represent the Capital, Madinatu Anwar. However, he declined, saying he was there only to exchange pointers with those he admired..

That prince, so humble.."Khidr sighed, dreamily.

Zak and Ukashah tsked in annoyance. They knew best what had happened that day..

Prince Firdaws, although carrying no ill intentions, had meant to show them they weren't anything special in any ways, and, ..others did exist.

Perhaps at this moment, someone was just as much hiding in the mountains and forests, or maybe even, in the inner walls of a palace, ..and they had more aweinspiring recitals, one that could move mountains and cause the dead to speak!

The little chirpy parrot of a prince had personally met them after the tournament at Hâ Mîm, just to tell them this.

They're others out there.. and others who'll be rising. Civilisations rise and fall.. People are praised, but soon dispraised..

Yaa Ikhwān, I give you only this admonition because I really admire your Qur'an.. What it means to you. I hope elder brothers would not take my words in vain..

Actually, his lesson was something they all knew quite well from their Ustadh.

Also, they had never taken delight in the praises for their recitals.

The prince coming to admonish them was useless. Zak had said, he must have only meant to unnerve us. Probably a compliment from Yours truly..

..

"But why did Tâ Hâ withdraw when you obviously had won the Hâ Mîm tournament?"Arkaan asked softly. After thinking through it, it all didn't add up..

"I know right!"Khidr tsked angrily."These cowardly boys here, had the guts to renounce their position, - to Sâd, of all cities! Saying that, since their Ustadh had left and wouldn't be chaperoning them again, they wouldn't participate!

They made me lose all my money, and for nothing too!"

Arkaan looked at Zak and Ukashah, searching for truth of what he said, in their faces. Zak's face was a mask of indifference, for the first time.

If not for the sudden flicker of anger in Ukashah's eyes, that disappeared immediately as it came, Arkaan wouldn't have suspected something was wrong.

Seeing this, he kept quiet, allowing the consequent silence to envelope them all in the gathering.

"Nobody is answering the real question here!"Abdullah said pointedly, and loud. Having been ignored for a time now, it almost seemed he was displeased.

The irony.. Arkaan tsked. This boy always had his way of breaking quiet surroundings..

"Such deviation from the topic. Do you need children to bring you back? Yaa Ikhwân?"

Arkaan mused at how instead of going straight to the point, the boy had started to lecture.

I thought he preferred being seen as an elderly and respectable Sheikh..

To Arkaan, he now saw how much of a lover of attention Abdullah was.

"How come you don't even know all of this, when you would have been eight by then when it all happened. Didn't go to cheer your Akhii now, did you?"Arkaan smirked, trying to taunt him.

Zak remembered. During the time of the tournament competitions, Abdullah who was a fervent supporter of him, and to whom he had taught the Qur'an everyday as the boy wouldn't leave him alone, fell sick.

It was a terrible fever then.

For even though the little boy had been so eager for the tournament prior to its happening, he got to see none of it.

It was a terrible blow to Abdullah. So much so that, even after he recovered, he would hear none of it. He didn't want to feel the regret of what he had missed that he so much had hoped for.

In the end, he wouldn't even talk to anyone about it, or let anyone talk to him about it.

It was one of the few rare times when Abdullah was sad.

For some reason now, Abdullah opened up and was ready to listen to the recount, ..and Zak didn't know why..

This change of Abdullah with the Qur'an circles, Zak observed, had began the moment Arkaan had come.

He smiled, suddenly reminiscing those childhood times before the tournament, when Abdullah had always pestered him to study Qur'an and Tajwīd.

He also stopped doing that immediately after they had returned, having lost, and unable to proceed any further into the finals within the City of Lights(Madinatu Anwar).

Zak never had the courage to ask him about it. And the boy would chat about everything, except whatever related to the tournament two years ago.

He also had began studying only under their mother, whilst at first, he preferred Zak to her, saying she put much pressure on him.

Arkaan obviously had revived an old sore.

So he was surprised when Abdullah dismissed Arkaan's question nonchalantly, facing Rafik with the question,"You seem to know much about these things as well. Well? What was the prince's part (of the poem)?"

This is the first time Abdullah has avoided something so openly.. Arkaan noted. Probably, he was more interested in knowing the answer to his question than he thought.

It might not have been his seeking attention at all.

Rafik stuttered,"Well, I didn't really take time to memorize it, but it was something like..

Birds and mountains gather in pra-"

"Shut it you overgrown oaf! Don't spoil it."Khidr chided. Then adjusting himself, he cleared his throat in ready to deliver his speech.

"Tsk.tsk. Time up."Arafat said boringly, whilst turning to go. The boys seemed to sit down still, as their eyes moved with disturbance, back and forth between Arafat's receding back and the fervid old man before them telling stories with passion.

It seemed they really wanted to stay, but didn't want Arafat to leave without them also.

However, Arafat didn't care anymore if the boys followed him or not. He was tired of this banter. His mother and little sisters were probably worried sick waiting for him at home.

However, the next words from the old man made him halt, and a feeling he had never known before, chillingly ran down his spine.

"It was, rather..

Glorifications abound through seven silsilah (chains, of reciters),

Oh mountains and birds

'Tis the flute of Dawud from aforetime,

Qaddisa Sirruh!

So you too, assist in glorifications divine!"

From his glittering eyes, everyone could see that, had he not been a native of Tâ Hâ, he probably would have been an ardent supporter of the young prince and the Capital city, Madinatu Anwar.

This time, even Abdullah was silent.

For someone's recitation to be given such praise..

"The Gift of Dāwud.."Abdullah murmured in absence..

...

They had prayed the salawaat during some interludes of the storytelling, and as such they could tell by the darkening outside that it was time for Isha.

After Isha, Zak and Abdullah made their way home southeast, to the Al Maghribi estate.

In silence the two brothers walked side by side, each to his own thoughts. It wasn't until they were completely on their own, that Abdullah broke the silence.

"Yaa Akhii, can you back me?"

Zak looked down at his brother. He wanted to say 'Really? Abdullah, you're grown now, for Allah's sake!'
But seeing the boy looking down as if he didn't want Zak to see the bashfulness on his face, he couldn't help but sigh.

Zak went a little further and went down, hands outstretched behind for the piggyback.

He rose up when he felt Abdullah's weight on him. The boy really had grown much. Even though he carried him recently, it felt like he had gained some more in the short while.

Abdullah placed his chin against Zak's right shoulder, leaning his cheek towards his brother's neck. His deep expiration showed how at peace he felt in that position, like the little brother that he was.

After a short while of walking in silence, Abdullah voiced out again,"Yaa Akhii.. Can, you teach me Qur'an and Tajwīd again? -- You can't say no!"He quickly added.

Zak stopped for a while, in shock at his brother's outburst. Then recovered quickly enough to say, with a wide smile,"Of course yaa Akhii. I'll teach you Tajwīd and Qur'an, Hadith and Lugha...

We can also add Murajah. I'll sit with you and we'll go in turns..

We can do our hifz too, when we're at home or out.

I'll teach you everything you wanna know! No, I'll teach you everything that I know..."

Zak continued talking, blabbering out profusely, a lot of things he could teach Abdullah, and how glad he'd be to do so. It was such that, if you didn't witness it, you wouldn't know Zak could talk like that.

He did all the talking, so that Abdullah wouldn't feel embarrassed than he already was. He knew how much courage Abdullah must have gathered, to listen to the story, to let go of the past, to want to learn under him again, to swallow his pride and ask to be taught once again. Moreover, - to forgive him for not fulfilling their promise before the tournament..

In all truth, that was the real reason Zak was riled up that day at the tournament, in response to Ukashah's question as to why they were doing it in the first place.

He had lied to them.

He couldn't tell them it was for his own selfish reasons..

"You'll w-win this tour-nament yaa Akh-ii, and bring t-the tro-phy back home, right?" The boy said from his sick bed, trying to sound jovial enough, even though he was burning inside by then. Sweat covered his whole body.

He had never seen his little brother in this helpless state before..

Thus, he didn't hesitate to give the only reply he could at that time, to bring the boy some peace and reassurance when he couldn't even go for the tournament he had so much yearned to see.

"Yes, I'll.. In shaa Allah."

"I'm sorry, Abdul.."Zak said silently, after a while,"I wasn't able to bring the trophy back home."

"What are you saying sorry for, yaa Akhii? You'd say 'In shaa Allah', didn't you?" Abdullah said in a small voice. It seemed as if that had never crossed Abdullah's mind. Zak kept quiet, he didn't know how to respond to that. Had Abdullah really forgiven him, since long ago?

The next thing he said, made Zak's heart skip a beat,"I was never really angry with you..

I was just angry at myself, for not being there to hail you, when you most needed my help. I'm sure you woulda won had I come to hail you!"

Abdullah said the last words loudly, then buried his face in Zak's neck, for the love of shame. Zak tsked. His younger brother still knew how to brag, even in these situations.

He smiled at him,"I'm sure we woulda!"

"Promise me that this time, we'll win it yaa Akhii!" Abdullah's voice was muffled with a tinge of sadness, from his brother's neck.

"I promise.. In shaa Allah. This time we'll win it.. together."

Silence prevailed as Zak continued walking towards their home, Abdullah on his back with his face buried at his neck and shoulder region.

It was when Zak felt the wetness in that region, he noticed Abdullah was crying.

He paused for a split second, tapped Abdullah on the head, then continued walking.

Tears were in his eyes too, even with the happiness he felt, that would have split livers. But Abdullah would never know, for he buried his face like that till he fell asleep in that position.

The gibbous moon had just appeared behind dark clouds and was smiling at them.

•••

That night, after salat, even as Ukashah and Arkaan were walking back to their lodging on the Mt. Shirah landmass of the South district in a moderately slow pace..

"Ukashah.."

"En?"

"There was something on your mind..that you knew, but couldn't say there..

What was it?"

What was the true reason Tâ Hâ was forced to withdraw?

It was subtle, but Ukashah understood what Arkaan was asking.

He looked at the inquisitive green-eyed boy as if considering whether or not to tell him.

After a short while, he opened up.

_______________________

Whose recital do you like best?:))))))

Zak or Ukashah?

One of the other three?

Or maybe, Prince Firdaws?

What do you think happened to Jar and Irshâd?

How do you think the descriptions of the other three, and Prince Firdaws' recitations are like?

What is Abdullah thinking as he murmurs the prince's domain? Any foreshadowing?

Last but not the least, what secret is Ukashah about to open to Arkaan? Why did Tâ Hâ withdraw?

Any other questions to speculate about?

Keep journeying with me, deeper into the world of the Arkaan series as the adventure continues.

In shaa Allah next one is also definitely a Crescent. So, till the next Crescent:D

Fee Amānillah:))))

Sayonara!!!