Patience & Faith - a journey series #1 | ✔

1: To Follow To Obey

"What's destined for you will be given to you despite the hardships. Life will seem enchanting for you."

Magnificent were those days when my mother taught me everything at such a tender age. True to my word, I promised her what she asked for, not knowing that the same promise could become heavy on me.

***

Years ago:

"You're my queen mama, In Sha Allah, you will have a palace made of diamonds." I prayed while having my head sink deep into her cloudy lap, soft with unexplainable beauty.

Her soft laugh resonated through her throat, a melody I loved so much. "I do not desire a palace that will not be a home." She glanced at me with her warm, aged hazel eyes, eyes that later I inherited. "If my family joins me in heaven, I will be delighted to have ten castles."

"Mother, and how can we be in heaven?" My small voice questioned. At thirteen, when I was blessed with my cycles and my mother was there to help me through the innocent pain and blue moods, I decided I will cherish my mother until my last breath. Little did I know, not everything lasted forever.

Her warm smile illuminated her eyes. "By obeying Allah, following the Sunnah of the last Prophet (P.B.U. H)," She said, turning serious.

I sat upright and listened to her carefully; I remembered small tales of the legends of Arab, the Brave stories of our Prophets from our father Adam to the last prophet. I also recalled the significance of heaven and hell, and the idea of being in heaven always motivated me into being an obedient child as I was the only one. I wanted to be with my mother, even in the hereafter.

"My girl, this world is full of temporary pleasure, it is ruled by undying sins," She paused, her eyes having a lost look, "You have to fight it with all of your will to become a dutiful servant of Allah."

***

As my tender ears of thirteen memorized her every word, I became accustomed to my life. Islam then never was a burden but a peaceful religion that we practiced for the sake of Allah and ourselves.

My mother had installed a fierce habit of being a good normal Muslimah since I was young. Little did I know that later in this elderly life I was going to face life with true hardships, I barely knew, were to come.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I stood at my room's window. At the beautiful age of twenty, I gazed out at the hot blazing sun of Riyadh, a city in the holy country of Arab. The sun never stopped to grace us with light and a hot temperature which sometimes made us faint, the dessert that fascinated me all the time, who knew what hid where and what lurked in the shadows of life. A knock sounded on my room door and I turned to see who it was, knowing only one person would greet me in this entire household.

"Come in." I let out.

My maid & friend Seema popped her head in, her fair complexion radiated the morning light, she smiled. "Asalamu'Alaikum beautiful."

I laughed; she always knew how to make one laugh. "Walaikum'Asalaam Seema."

She smirked, "Good news of today, your breakfast is ready. Bad news, you have ten minutes till your work starts." I gasped, forgetting the time. I rushed outside, glad I was ready, "Ya Allah, Baba will kill me." I ran past Seema and down the corridor of our big house to the kitchen where a few maids and cooks worked greeting me with smiles. I smiled and stuffed my mouth with one buttery toast and sipped on the orange juice prepared for me, wanting to run off fast.