The Bind

CHAPTER 2

The Destined Trio

Ruqayyah stood close to the school gate wearing a simple brown gown and a matching cream coloured veil wrapped around her head and arms. Her eyes explored the colourful school walls like they were seeing it for the first time.

Just a week ago she was here participating in an interview with a lot of women intellectually sound in both Islamic and western knowledge. She had felt hopeless then, but there she was, as destiny would have it.

She smiled to herself as she remembered how impressed the panel had been about her knowledge for Jolly phonics. That must have attracted them to me, she thought.

"As-salam alaikum!" a feminine voice greeted.

Ruqayyah turned and, almost immediately, enveloped a woman donned in black khimar in an unexpected hug, shifting her face veil slightly.

"Ummu Farhan! You were also called, Maa sha Allah. If they don't pick you, who would they pick?" she teased.

"You, of course, or were you just passing by?" the woman teased back.

They both laughed.

"I don't know how some people find fun in spending their first day at work outside work."

They both looked in the direction of the serious tone.

"Meet my friend, Ummu Ramlah. An old staff of the school." Ummu Farhan quickly whispered before taking hold of Ruqayyah's hand and leading her into the School yard.

***

Ilyas fumed as he drove home from work. His heart was filled with regrets as he thought about how he successfully convinced Ruqayyah to come down from Lagos to search for a  job in Ilorin. All he ever wanted was to be close to her so he could see her more often.

Theirs could be tagged "Street love" as they grew up as friends in the same area - Ijeshatedo - in Lagos. Both their parents knew each other as good neighbours and they only saw it natural when he showed interests in her three years ago, her final year at the University.

Ruqayyah was such a beautiful and intelligent woman that he couldn't help but fall in love with her. Besides, he was very comfortable with her level of piety. Piety! Something that wasn't his trait.

Apart from the fact that he missed being close to her, he also wanted her to have a taste of the life here, so they could both decide on a place for settlement after marriage, as he was beginning to favor Ilorin over Lagos due to its lower standard of living. It was also a good way to flee from the stress of having to transfer from his work place.

He had no doubt that she would love it; Ruqayyah had always yearned for a change of environment since she experienced the simplicity and ease of the Northern environment during her stay at Zaria, where she attended her University.

Unfortunately, what seemed like a beautiful and harmless idea now felt like the greatest mistake of his life!

He held the steering tighter as her voice rang in his head, "Now I have made two good friends, Ummu Farhan and Ummu Ramlah!"

"What's Ummu?" He asked aloud, turning left. "Like we're in some Arab country!" he hissed.

There were a lot of Islamic schools that employed Christians for crying out loud! Why this school was so archaic and strict in their Islamic rules was something he found difficult to understand. He should have known better when she informed him that she was told to recite the Qur'an as part of the interview. Islamic school or not, he found it slightly repulsive that reciting the Qur'an properly was a criteria to be met before employing an applicant for a "Teaching job". But now, nothing made him more sick than the thought of his beloved being close to those masquerades he had loathed all his life.

"But hey," he thought with a surge of mental boost, "you are the man!" He grinned at his reflection before he parked in front of his rented apartment.

He knew exactly what to do.

***

Ruqqayah rolled restlessly on her bed in her one room apartment as she remembered her discussion with Ilyas earlier that day. He had dropped by her work place during the break period to check on her. While she had happily talked about how much she loved her new job, he had barely indulged her, speaking coldly from time to time. She also noticed his frown which deepened when she pointed at her friends when she sighted them purchasing some snacks from the school's shop.

She wondered why he acted so stiff with anything related to the religion. She had tried advising him countless times but he simply ignored her. She had always hoped that he would change but it seemed his disinterest was getting worse. It was killing her and she was getting confused about what to do.

"Be happy girl, with hardship comes ease." she said in a sad voice.

She suddenly remembered the song she had learnt at the school madrasa the evening before, composed for the benefit of the staff. She humed its tune and increased the volume of her voice, her spirit lighting up as she reflected on its meaning.

"Fee ayyaamil yusri nashkuruLlaha"
(In days of ease, we are grateful to Allah)

"Fee ayyaamil 'usri nasbir biha"
(In days of difficulty, we are patient with it)

"Li annal 'usra ya'tee biyusrin katheer"
(Because difficulty only but comes with much ease)

"Li annal 'usra ya'tee biyusrin katheer"
(Because difficulty only but comes with much ease)

She remembered the headmaster's funny demonstrations as he taught them that evening. She smiled and continued singing, enjoying her imitation of his every step.

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Assalam alaikum my siblings fee deen! I hope you found this chapter interesting and I didn't update too late for you? If  I did, I'm sorry. I hope to be a better sister from now, bi'idhniLLAH. If I didn't, good! You know I've always been your "Best sister".

BarakaLLAHU feekum for reading, sharing and voting. See you soon in Shaa Allah!