The Three Struggling Muslimahs

56

"Rayhannah! Would you please come downstairs! In a scarf!"

It had been exactly seven years, two months and three days since Khawla and Rayhannah had taken Nusaibah to the airport to catch her flight to Algeria for her studies. Now Rayhannah was not just simply Rayhannah, she was Doctor Rayhannah!

"Coming mama," she called back.
Alhamdulillah for fact that she couldn't see without her spectacles for if she saw who was awaiting her, for sure she'd have been unable to walk down the stairs.

"I'm here. So tell me mama. What can I ..." She couldn't finish her statement for right in front of her eyes, Muhammad Nurein Hassan sat with her dad and a dramatic Khawla, drenched in tears.

"Seat down hayaty," the dad offered. And she sat right opposite of him - the keeper of her heart.

"Muhammad has approached us, your mom and I, for your hand in marriage. We couldn't accept without your knowledge. So? What's your answer?"

Flashback:
Being a medical student was no joke but talking to Ami Ramy Nagib and Khaltu Ummulkhayr about Rayhannah's hand in marriage had to be the toughest thing Muhammad was yet to do. He was glad his mom and Khawla were there for if not, then he would never have spoken a word.

Salaams were said and it was clear to Wafaa that Ramy truly loved her son and would accept him the minute they walked in.

'Don't make it hard on my baby boy. Okay Ummu!?' Wafaa asked and UmmulKhayr nodded vigorously. Small talk was made over tea and all Muhammad could think of was that Rayhannah was right above him, completely clueless of what was going on right under her.

"Well, I have come here today by the will of Allah to ask for your daughter's hand Amo Ramy."

"Muhammad! My son. I know why you are here. And I won't make this hard on you. I accept your proposal Habib. And In Shaa Allah you'll both live a very happy life together."

"Ameen Amo."

Muhammad was so excited that simply sitting still was a problem. So Abu Rayhannah got up and hugged him.

"Baba! Call me baba!"

Realtime:
Rayhannah was dumbfounded so Khawla got up and stood by her side.

"I think she means yes." Khawla said as Muhammad squirmed in his seat. All so quickly, Rayhannah nodded her head as the parents began laughing. Muhammad, with his eyes fixed on the ground, tried to calm his heart rate as he wiped his tears away.

"MABROUK HABIB!" shouted Umar and Khaleed as they strolled into the room. Khaleed had already asked for Maryam's hand in marriage, so had Umar for Khawla's and all they were waiting for was the perfect time.

They all hugged each other as Khawla and Rayhannah ran upstairs, got abayahs and were driven to Nusaibah's. Faiz was to arrive back home the day before and ask for her hand the day after which was the day itself.

Having friends for the sake of Allah was a hard thing to do but moments like these, moments when they were all simultaneously receiving blessing after blessing into their lives, such moments made all the tears worth it.

It wasn't long before Faiz left the house, leaving three crazy girls all alone with Nusaibah's parents.

"Well! Rayhannah I have something for you." Khawla fumbled with her pockets as she looked for the box. She handed it over to Rayhannah and stood back to watch her face.

It was an amazing Victoria Canera ring. Hand forged in platinum, 1.9 caret of hearts and arrows diamond. The same kind of ring that Muhammad had fished out of their sink when her mom dropped hers. The ring her dad had gotten for her mom. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and she inaudibly complained that she had cried one too many times that day.

"Well Khawla, I have something for you." She gave her a chain and at its end, their was a locket. She opened it and couldn't believe her eyes. A picture of her dad and her. And on the other side, KHAULATY was engraved.

"I refuse to cry." she complained as Nusaibah watched on.

"And we ... Well we ..." Rayhannah struggled with her words as her tears refused to stop.

"Ufff Rayhannah! Stop crying! And what she was trying to say is that we have something for you. From Faiz."

It was a box. She opened it to find a beautiful diamond bracelet with a letter under it.

"Read it for me," she handed it over to Khawla.

"Dear Nusaibah,
Its funny how at the beginning of this letter I am calling you by your name but its not how I intend to finish it. I cannot tell you how much you've changed my life. From the first day I met you to the first time we talked, the first meal we distributed to the kids, meeting Khawla and Rayhannah, sharing Salem as though he was our own, to finally having the pleasure to take you home. I have never known a day that I knew you and didn't feel pure love towards you. From day one, when you walked in that Saturday evening I knew lowering my gaze and keeping to myself would be a complete task. I found myself telling you things that at one point in time I couldn't accept. But then how can I blame myself when your eyes saw right through me. You've changed me habibty. You've changed me for the better and to be honest, I don't see a future without you in it. So if you're reading this then we are one step to being together forever. There is no way I'm keeping this letter to myself. My love, I can't wait to begin my life next to you.
From,
Yours truly.

And just for the sake of it, I'm dying to call you Mrs. Faiz!

Khawla couldn't see anymore for her eyes were tearing. Rayhannah was over the top crying and Nusaibah, well Nusaibah was whispering 'Alhamdulillah' to the high heavens. For finally, she was seeing hope. Finally, her smile was genuine.