The Circle Of The Qur'an #1[The Arkaan Series] ✓

Crescent 23: South district Halaqah! You and I, Our grievances are irre...(1)

The boys had underestimated Arafat...

The sun was shining high up in the sapphire sky. It's gold rays filtered through the tinted glass windows of the white masjid.

Whilst Ukashah sat near the mihrâb, reading from the Qur'an, the four boys were gathered in a small circle away at a distance; Zak, Abdullah, Arkaan, and Rafik sat facing one another, thoughtful expressions mirrored on their faces.

"Do you think they'll make it?.." Arkaan asked, uncertainty lacing his voice.

It was just yesterday when they had an almost full halaqah. Now though, they were back to square one.

It seemed as if the promises and assurances made the day before had just been no more than superficial. It carried no weight.

Arafat and the boys weren't present. The sun had long risen after Fajr salah and it was already forenoon.

"Looking at things.."Zak shook his head disappointedly. He'd be lying if he said he had expected everything to go on smoothly, but perhaps, in a part of his heart had existed that little hope, that something would come out of yesterday's events.

"Those guys.."Abdullah sighed. Suddenly, thinking about something, he fisted the carpet as he made to get up, determination in his eyes,

"I'm to going to scare the living daylights out of them, and drag them here if need be!"

Arkaan held him by the collar, easily keeping him from rising, an amused grin adorned his features.

"We know you have powerful muscle when it comes to many matters of the tongue. But do you think you're a match for all those boys?

What do you do if your ploy fails to work this time, and the boys want to get back at you?"Arkaan's eyes narrowed. This boy seemed to have lost his senses due to being upset.

"Then I'd beat the living daylights out of them!"Abdullah now seemed unreasonable.

Arkaan sighed.

He really couldn't believe Abdullah. Right now, it were as of they'd do anything, even forcing people to join their halaqah.

If somebody didn't want to join, what was it their problem. You can't just go around forcing people against their will..

He looked at Ukashah. The lukewarm boy seemed to have finished his Qur'an recitation. He had spent the whole after-Fajr, reading. Even as they waited for the boys, he hadn't said a single word.

Now though, he got up, making his way over to the gathering.

"But we can start now, even if we're few.. right?"Rafik asked, looking around innocently at the dispirited faces.

Zak raised his head and faintly smiled.

"Na'aam."Ukashah answered before him.

"What?"The boys looked up.

"Na'aam. We can start the halaqah."He had an unusual gleam in his eyes."Remember? Zak,"

Zak smiled, radiantly this time, his eyes lighting up. Abdullah was stunned for a while. The past Zak is back..

Only his family members, and perhaps those who were close to him in the former halaqah, knew this smile.