The Journey of a Muslimah

Chapter 6

*Edited*
*Sarah's pov*
Moor jaaney! Moor jaaney! Cherta ye? (Mother! Mother! Where are you?) I yell while running through the maze-like forest. It's so dark I can barely see what's in front of me. I'm dodging all the trees yet they manage to scrape me and nip at my cloths. My cloths are in shreds and my legs numb. I could see the blood oozing from my skin. Yet I can't feel. I can't feel my body, all I  know is that I have to find my family. I could feel them they're near but I can't find them. "Sarah! Sarah!" I hear my little sister yell. Where is she? Why can't I see her? Why can't I find her? I see a light and start running to it. "Papaa! Taso ye?" (Father! Is that you?) I yell to the direction of the light. Out of nowhere I hear a blast followed by screams.

Silence. Is all I hear now. I can't hear myself breath. I can't hear the wind blowing. I can't hear the darkness whispering to my soul. They're gone. I can't find them.
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I woke up in a pool of sweat and tears, shaken by what I just experienced. "It was just a dream Sarah, it was just a dream." I kept on repeating to myself. أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
(I seek shelter in Allah from the rejected Satan.) I looked at the wall clock hanging right above the headboard of my bed. It's time for Tahajaad. I got out of bed and did my wudu(abolition before prayer). After I prayed I laid in bed staring at the ceiling. I couldn't fall asleep. I decided to read the Holy Quran.
If Allah afflicts you with a calamity, none can remove it but He;
and if He intends to bestow a favour, none can withhold His
bounty.He bestows it on whomsoever of His
servants He pleases; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
[Yunus, 10 ayah (107)]
I continued reading different surahs trying to understand what Allah is telling us through this Holy Book. I have read the Quran so many times and yet every time I read it, I find something new. Something I did not understand before.
I am soon in tears, reading the word Allah has sent for us. I remember everything that I've been through for the past 5 years and think about how Allah had planned all of this for me. Allah had done this to bring me closer to Him.

5 years ago I was 17. Although 17, I wasn't practicing at all. I was far away from practicing. No, I didn't go to parties or have boyfriends. But I rarely ever prayed. I never seeked Allah or His love. I took everything for granted. My parents always taught me to seek Allah when I was in trouble. But I never did that. My medicine used to be music. I always drowned myslef in music and though it took all my worries away. But I was wrong. If only I tried to read the Quran, I would have been different.

I never wore the hijab. Neither did I dress modestly. No, I did not wear short dresses or mini skirts or cloths of the sort. Instead I used to wear skin-tight skinny jeans and tank tops. That was my normal type of clothing. My parents would tell me to cover up. But I never listened. I thought they just wanted to take my freedom away. I was wrong.

I never thanked Allah for all that He gave me. I never thought of how lucky I was to be given a chance. Allah had chosen me out of thousands of others, to be a Muslim. I just denied it all.

But when my family was taken away. When I thought I lost everything, Allah was there. Allah took care of me and brought forth Auntie Asma as a guardian. As a way for me to connect with my Lord.

Auntie Asma is the one who told me to pray one day. I was sitting in a corner of my room crying and she came and sat next to me. "Why are you crying my dear. Didn't you promise me you wouldn't cry anymore?" She asked. "I know Auntie. But I d-don't know what happened. I f-feel so empty. I feel a-as if a part of me is missing. I feel like I n-need something to complete me." I cried on her shoulder. "Shhh. Don't cry." She said while rubbing my back. "When was the last time you prayed, my love?"she questioned me. I was confused on what prayer had anything to do with this. I thought I was crying for my mother, for my father, for my baby sister. But I was wrong. That day, I prayed for the first time in over 2 years. And Subhaanallah, it was the best feeling in the world. I felt so much at peace after that one prayer. I felt as if the empty spot in my heart was filled. From that day on, I promised myself to get closer to Allah. And I did. Alhamdulillah.
The Quran 73:20 (Surah al-Muzzammil) "And whatever good you send forth for your souls, you will find it with Allah, better and greater in reward."

A/N
Asalamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatu brothers and sisters. So chapter 6. Yeah. Two updates in a day!! I know, I'm boss!! Lol. Honestly, I was really bored and winter break started so I have no school which means a lot of free time. Lol so while I was watching "He named me Malala" (Malala is bae!!) I decided to update. But yeah. I hope you guys liked it. Ummmm oh make sure to vote and comment. And forgive me for any grammatical errors, I'm gonna edit each chapter as I go along. But yeah. Byeee 😌😚