DESTINED TO BE HIS GARMENT

chapter 2

One bright morning after Fajr Sallaah, Najwa and Salma together with their mother and father set off to their destinations to fulfill their career dreams. The older sister as usual had a frown on her face and the younger one was trembling out of nervousness and fear. Thinking of how she was going to cope in a whole new environment without her dad and mum, without the assuring comfort of her home.Her home, a place she was used to and had been brought up in. A place she felt most secured and protected. Now, how is she going to cope in a whole new place. She's going to have to try to make friends. Something she was totally not good at. But now she has to make an effort since she was going to have to share a room with an unfamiliar person. Thinking about that, how was it going to be like with her roommate.

Her sister, Salma, had vehemently protested on living with her together in the same room. Even though their father had also strongly refused, Salma had lobbied her mum to convince her father to agree to it. Although Najwa had no problem with the arrangement, she could not decipher the reason her older so much refused to share a room with her. But then, they will still be in the same hostel and she could take solace in that. Najwa has been thinking as they travelled that five hours journey all the way from Kumasi to Winneba. Mostly, she was thinking of how her new companion will be like, her character especially. Yes, 'HER'. Because there's no way she was going to share a room with an opposite sex, definitely not, never. The thought itself makes her want to throw up.

Najwa was also thinking if her roommate will be of the same faith as her because she thinks It's easier and better to stay with a person with the same religion. And not just that, but the person should be a practicing muslimah. And even if the person is not of the same faith, she should be someone who she could live  comfortably with without any qualms and who would respect her religion despite their diversities. She also prayed that the way she dressed will not cause her any problems because her intention is to please her Creator, that's all.

The journey was becoming lengthy and tiring  and she could not understand why her mother opted for them to travel by road instead of by air as her dad had suggested initially. She marvelled at how her mum manages to always convince her father easily since her father was usually not that gullible. She turned to look at Salma who sat quietly and had an annoying look on her face and she smiled knowing that her elder sister was equally frustrated at how it was taking them a long time to get to their destination. But she thought it was a good experience nevertheless. Travelling like most people do, by road, and enjoying the breeze as the car speeds by.

She rolled the glass of the window to let the air in, drawing her niqaab to cover her face, relishing the fresh air that entered the car. The air became intense and it tried to lift her face veil but she was quick to catch it. She rolled back the glass window and laid her head back on the seat to take a nap.

She woke up wid a start when she felt hands shaking her on her right shoulder. She turned to see who it was and was greeted with a gentle smile from her dad. They had arrived finally to their destination. They were a good number of people at the entrance looking on as their car was being parked at the lot, which she perceived to be students.
She sat up immediately when she realised she had drawn her niqaab backwards before sleeping and now the door was left ajar. Her fingers automatically went to her face and thankfully, it had been brought back to cover her face. Her father had already seen the motive behind her panic  but he just smiled at her to which she responded with an even more beautiful smile and muttered a Jazaakallaah to him. Her dad only nodded brushing it off as she pulled back her gloves on before stepping out of the car.

Salma was in her peach blue hijaab which she had had her name embroided on. She had already been advised to wear the niqaab like her mother and younger sister do but she had stubbornly refused. Always replying she does not need to hide her 'ugliness' behind a face veil unlike others. Najwa always knew she was referring to her because her sister never failed to point out how ugly and thin she was whenever she gets the opportunity. Yes, Najwa knew she will never ever be as pretty as her sister but she knew she was pretty and special enough as each creation of Allaah is and she was grateful to her Creator for that.