PARALLEL

5

👣

When did we change,
From throwing paper planes,
And riding wooden trains,
To this.

When did we grow,
From angels in the snow,
Lots of things we didn't know,
To this.

Can you put your finger on the day,
When we never did play,
Our childhood wasted away,
To this.

And when did we get taller,
Our dream gets smaller,
So now the only thing left in life,
Is this.

👣

The walk to the Mosque was no easy feat to accomplish. He had to haul himself on his staggering feet to the mosque. There was an invisible force that had been pulling him towards the masjid, towards Allah like the strongest magnet that pulled a paper clip. The need in his heart had brought him here. To his Lord. The One and Only.

He had removed his shoes and socks and kept them on the shoe rack. As soon as his feet touched the white cold pristine marble of the floor, a shiver ran down his spine chilling his body to the core, brimming his soul and leading his heart with arrant rue for his misdeed.

Each trace of feet felt took a thousand years. He could see her, himself and Adam all running about the pure floors. Adam and Bilal donning white shalwar Kameez and Munizeh in a baby pink frock. He could see her long auburn hair braided on the crown of her small head as Adam pulled at it and Bilal only laughed. Not valiant enough even as a little boy to stop her brother from hurting her as a hiss escaped her mouth. He could see all three of them huddled together in front of the dastarkhuwaan as Maghrib echoed in his ears. He could see himself pass Munizeh a date as she beamed at him, gifting him with the indents in her chubby cheeks mirroring his own and Adam a glass of water before he even broke his fast. He remembered as she gave him half of her precious gulab jamun. He had always loved her and yet he was the cause of her absolute destruction.

Twin Tears flowed down his face as he recalled every memory of her, them. What they could have been if only he hadn't done what he had. He knelt before Allah. Prostrated before the Oneself weeping the sins and errors of his youth away.

"My Lord forgive me and have mercy on me. You are the best of The Merciful."

He prayed the Dua of forgiveness Imam Rizwan had taught him when he was 12.

"Oh, Allah! You are my Lord. There is no God besides You. You created me and I am your servant following your covenant and [my] promise as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil that I have done. Before You, I acknowledge Your blessings bestowed upon me and I confess my sins to you. So forgive me, Ya Allah! Surely no one can forgive sins except you."

"Oh, Allah! You are the King. There is but God except You. You are my Lord and I am your slave. I have wronged my self and I hereby admit my Guilt, Ya Allah. Please forgive my sins for none can forgive except You, Allah. O, Allah! Guide me to the best manners. None can guide to the best manners except You. Protect me from bad manners. None can protect me from bad manners except You. I am hastening in response to Your call, Ya Allah and all happiness are Yours. All good is in your hands but evil is not for You. May You be glorified and exalted! I am returning to you in repentance and seeking Your forgiveness."

"Ya Allah! please forgive me."

Bilal had been too engrossed to notice Imam Rizwan's presence beside him. A guest had noticed Bilal weeping his heart out when he had called Imam Rizwan. He placed a comforting hand on Bilal's shoulder pulling him up in the safety of his arms.