"Ya Allah!

You're my Heavens and my Earth,

So, in all the worlds, I have no other fears except You, my safe Haven..

You're my Laughter and my Tears,
So my happiness and sorrow are all because of You..

The Light, in whom I entrust my hopes and trust, my future...

So now, I can rest assured, for You bear it all... "

–Hilya's Diary

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Eight years ago, Arkaan was poor, struggling to live from hand-to-mouth. To even dream of making it in life was a thing he could not dare to do. His life seemed to be already laid out – to live, and die poor, unnoticed, insignificant to the world. No one would even realize when he was gone, just as they never did recognize his existence when he was alive.

During that time, there were three people that did recognize him. The first was the man who became his Ustadh. He would never forget Sheikh Inaayat Ibn Al Iskandarî, who gave his life a whole new meaning,  a reason to live for.
Remembering his Ustadh's words concerning choosing a path, Arkaan declared in his heart:

What I want in life is something that when I possess it, everything else in the world would lose their value in my eyes —wealth, ambitions, grand achievements, and every other thing that has greatness in the eyes of people!

When I possess that thing, it doesn't matter what I do not have in this world. Because in all the worlds, none can compare! –not the most profound goal of life, nor the most supreme achievement of any living thing in all of time!

The second to reach out to him was a girl from his past, a distant memory. He met her about the very time he met his Ustadh. He could still remember the charming smile on her stunning dream-like beautiful face, as she offered him her food from her knapsack. At that time, he didn't know whether it was her extraordinary beauty, or her admirable empathy that captivated him.
He'd never forget her.

Ever since that day, she had left a deep impression on his heart, and he had the intention that he'd marry her someday, if they met again.
It was in this very city of Tâ Hâ.

The third person was even more special..

Now he was back and in shaa Allah, things were going to change for the better.
First was his mother.

He had to find her.

“Are you listening, yaa Akhii...”
Abdullah waved his hands frantically in front of Arkaan's face.

Arkaan cleared his throat, smiling,
“Sure, sure. Go ahead, Abdullah.”He said it ingratiatingly.
For some reason, he suddenly decided to humour the boy. After all, he was grown.

Like this, they made their way to a brightly lit hall. It had modern trends of interior decor with a touch of eastern tastes, giving it an elegant and traditional look.
Most pronounced were the arabesque designs all around.

The first thing to catch Arkaan's attention as they entered the grand hall, was the effervescence of bakhoor, a characteristic Arabian aerosol perfume that had a peculiarity of filling entire rooms with it's powerful aromatic scent.

“Maasha Allah, you're here. Just in time too!”Zak grinned, carrying a wide silver-coloured dish with the most mouthwatering delicacies on it. He took the tray to a carpet spread in the very middle of the hall, Arkaan and Abdullah following in tow.

Surprisingly, there were no furniture in this room, only the large carpet which seemed to cover the entire floor, having the most beautiful art of gardens and springs on it. Even from a distance, Arkaan could smell the dense musk and rose oil perfume exuding from it.

From one end to the other of the carpet, was a long stretch of high quality leather which seemed to act as a table spread. Arkaan remembered it—the sufrah. Sometimes when his Ustadh had a meal to share with him, they'd eat together on it. He would afterwards take some to return home to his mother.
Ustadh said it was from the sunnah from the beloved prophet to eat from it.

All manner of eye-catching and mouthwatering dishes could be seen spread out —with dessert.
Arkaan's eyes were dazzled as he suddenly realized that he was very hungry, ravenous.

“Maasha Allah, you must be Arkaan!”Arkaan saw a smartly dressed young man with neatly-kept dense and deep black beard. He didn't remember meeting him in the masjid. Either he must have come late, or left early.

With a shaven head and a calm smile on his face, this man gave off a charismatic exuberance to himself.

“We've been expecting you.”He admitted, as Arkaan and Abdullah made their way over to sit next to the sufrah like the rest.

Zak introduced the people who were around the sufrah; all were males. Arkaan greeted them cordially.

He returned the handshake of the shaven man, who smiled warmly at him. His name was Ismail, and was apparently the eldest of the family present in the room at the moment. He had sharp brilliant features.

Arkaan also noticed two youths who were twins; both wore glasses and had welcoming expressions on their faces, their beards were only just beginning to grow.

“Musa and Harun..”Zak said, nodding at the two.

Another young man, obviously younger than Ismail, was sitting a bit farther from Arkaan, next to the wall. He held an opened book in hand. Noticing Arkaan's gaze, he kept his book down and smiled, extending Arkaan a handshake.
“Ishaq..”

Arkaan looked back to the eldest in the room, wandering if that was the father of the house. If so, then he was so young!

The young man laughed, probably understanding what was going on in his head,“Dad is out on council matters. So this night, we–the brothers of the household are hosting you, Arkaan!”

Dad? Arkaan thought. The guy was old enough to be at least, a new dad himself. Their father must have married young.
It shouldn't be surprising, with the rich background and all..

“You're no more an official member of this family, yaa Akhii”Ishaq laughed enigmatically.

“You've already married and moved out, have you forgotten? How can you possibly be hosting him in another's house?”He sighed in pretense.

“Hey—”Ismail called out, somewhat bashfully,“Once a member, always a member!

I'm just glad we came to visit today. And see what we've got here—a fine guest to host!”

His eyes lit up,“A fine young man who could be a potential family in-law.”

“Elder brother Ismail, why is it that every time you talk, it always is about marriage?”Harun, the twin with an affable countenance among the two, voiced out complaining.
Arkaan became amused at the sudden flow of discussion.

“Yh, it's true –why do you always speak of nikkah?”Ishaq added, seemingly with a serious expression. Though you could tell he was teasing.

“No, it's not..”Ismail tried to protest.

“YES, IT IS!”All the brothers uniformly chimed in at once, including Zak and Abdullah.

“I do?”Ismail intoned with unbelief, as though recalling all past memories.

“Well, we all have to get married sometime, right—”He laughed with a wide boyish grin, partly bashful.

“I don't think so. I plan on travelling the world..”The twin with a taciturn expression—Musa, announced.

“Hey –don't come to that.”Ismail cut in as if he were dead serious. He grabbed the taciturn twin and playfully boxed in his head.

“I personally, would find you your zawjah.

Then, you can travel the world with her.”He laughed amicably. Musa was obviously embarrassed. But his face lightened up with a bashful radiance.

Zak shook his head in disbelief. His brothers never had such zeal unless it came to the subject of marriage. It baffled him.
They seemed to have a peculiar eagerness, even more than that of a groom anxiously awaiting his wedding night.

Even as he began eating the meal in front of him in silence, Ishaq turned to him with a smirk on his face,“Say, What about you Zak?

With those looks of yours, I bet it'd be the girls sending you the marriage proposals. All the unmarried ladies in town would be in fervent expectations of being your chosen bride!”

The boys guffawed.

Amongst them, Zak particularly had such features as had made many people to comment, that he was beautiful to a fault. Whenever he smiled, no one could doubt that.

Even as they laughed it off, Zak suddenly stopped eating. He looked up from his meal as he stared into the distance, seemingly thinking of something.

“You think so?”He said it with a serious expression that left everyone in suspense for a moment.

Even as he lowered his head to continue eating, he said as a matter-of-factly,“I think if Elder brother Ishaq doesn't stop his serious addiction to those books of his and start looking for his bride, even with his good looks, he might have to stay a bachelor for the rest of his life.”

He said it so seriously that it stayed in the air for a while as they contemplated it. The next moment, all the boys burst into a raucous laughter, realizing Zak had just pulled a fast one on the teasing Ishaq.
Even Arkaan let out a slight laugh over this one.

“Good one there, Zak!”Harun bumped fists with Zak who had raised his head to join in the fun. Even though it was Ishaq who was made fun of, he himself joined in the hearty laughter, highlighting his free personality.

Like this, the dinner Arkaan had with the family was superbly eventful. They talked about one subject after another, mentioned Islamic topics, and laughed at one another's past humorous experiences.

Occasionally when anyone brought his idea or thought about something new, they'd ask Arkaan his view.
They never forced him to speak much though, and he appreciated it. As time went on into the discussions and meal, Arkaan completely opened up like he was one of the brothers.

He mentioned to the brothers he was really a native of Tâ Hâ who had been away for a long while, in the West. The brothers got interested, and asked him many series of things in excitement.

He ended up mentioning many things among which was his eventful journey back, and the incident on the ferry. The brothers watched him with shock and wonderment. Arkaan felt embarrassed, but liked the interest they were giving him anyway.

He'd have to retrieve his things later at Tâ Hâ's port, he thought.

He left out personal family details.

The Maghrib brothers were amazed at the recount of his tale, and got to know and understand him better.
The mysteries surrounding him were dispersed, and he became just as an old time friend to the brothers.

Soon the dinner was over, and the brothers retired to their apartments. Those who had other things to do, returned to their hobbies.

Zak and Abdullah accompanied Arkaan to his room. It was the guest room he had woken up in. The white bed sheets were replaced, though still white with some flowery designs.

Arkaan also noticed the clothes he had worn on his journey back, neatly folded and placed by the bedstead, with some of his possessions he'd carried in his clothing.
Everything looked in place.

After chatting for a while, Zak and Abdullah retired to their rooms. Abdullah had wanted to sleep in Arkaan's room, they'd probably chat all night, he thought.
Arkaan shivered at the idea, grateful to Zak for literally dragging Abdullah out of the room.

Arkaan lay on the bed whilst facing the ceiling. Several thoughts, and also the events of the day ran through his mind. His face lit up with a smile.
Like this, he fell asleep.

•••

Deep into the night, probably at the earliest hours of the dawn, Arkaan woke up, feeling an urge to use the bathroom.
Luckily, the room had it's own bathroom.

After relieving himself, he decided to walk out a bit into the verandah, and see the beauty of the place once again and also, the night sky.
He had only his leather trousers on, as he went out bared-chested, to receive the cool dawn fresh air.

As he walked along the corridors, he came to the very place Abdullah had pointed to, and told him it was a restricted area at night.
At that time though, the pavilion was lit, and shining like brilliant stars were encrusted in it.

For some reason now, it was dark, and only made conspicuous by the lamppost nearby, which made visible a figure within.

Clad in complete black robes, standing in prayer, it was a feminine figure. Arkaan wondered who it was; the black chador draped all over her, and down like a captivating dark rose. Yet, her features were as fair as the moon.

Curiosity got the better of Arkaan who thought he recognized the figure. But just as he wanted to get a better look, he remembered his mother's words as he was growing up.
It was a time she was still full of life, when his father was around.

“Ruknii”She had said,“To lower one's gaze and guard one's modesty is a teaching of the Qur'an to believing men and women.

The first glance is forgiven, but let not the devil delude you, so you prolong it in a false hope of your Lord.

Remember, Allah is Raufun bil ibaad—Most Kind to His servants.. but, He's also Shadiidun Iqaab—Most severe in punishment.
And, though you're a male without a Hijab, note that the veiling of men is in the lowering of the gaze and the heart to forbidden things; and the command of being modest was first addressed to the believing men in the Holy Qur'an—It preceded the command to the women, and Hijab!
If there's one quality that can adorn anyone more than any other, it is this one. So I'd like to see my pillar an adorned one!”

That time, she studied Islam even as she used to study fervently other secular subjects back in her father's house, and yet, her heart was the most tender that Arkaan knew ever existed.
That was one of the values he held dear whilst growing up.

Even as he retreated to his room, he heard the sound of footsteps coming closer.

As soon as he entered his room, he sighed.

Could it be her....

He thought as he slumped against the white walls, slowly sliding down to the floor. With his knees drawn next to his chest, he sat on the floor. He remembered a kind girl who offered him her food from her lunch pack, when he was little.

When no one seemed to care if he existed, she was the only second person to not only show awareness of his existence, but also show the goodness of humanity, which he had began to doubt existed.

He wasn't really sure she was the one. Nevertheless, he was left reminiscing that bright day of the past. That day he looked at her with such gratitude words couldn't express, only from the eyes could such emotions be conveyed.
Then he knew there was kindness out there in the world, and kind people..

He felt touched by the praying person, whether it was because he thought that was the same girl or not, he didn't know. But he went to perform ablution and also prayed a few raka'at, after which he sat in humble implorations to the Lord of the Worlds about many things.
This included sending prayers for that kind girl from his past, and the other two who had acknowledged him, when no one else had.

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Footnote

Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) arrived for the first time in Madinah, I went with everyone to see him. When I saw him, I knew his face was not that of a liar. The first words he said were, "O people, feed the hungry, spread Salam (greeting of peace), maintain your kin relationships, and pray at night while others are asleep. With this, you shall enter Heaven in peace." (Al-Bukhari)

1. Nikkah – Marriage

2. In shaa Allah – If Allah wills. Said when you hope for something to happen.

3. Maasha Allah – Allah has willed. Said when something good has happened.

4. Ruknii – My pillar. Arkaan's name means 'Pillars'. It was the form of dearie by which his mother used to call him.

...

Who was the person praying Qiyaam Al Layl at the East Wing Pavilion?
Is it the same girl from Arkaan's past?
Where is Arkaan's father, and will he ever find him?
Why was Arkaan's grandfather silent when he mentioned his mother?
Finally, Who is this third person who's even more special to Arkaan 😉?

Treasured readers can make their comments and see how good they're, at predicting the path the storyline would take.
Also, Shukran for all the support and encouragement.