Love for Allah... Ibadah...

Chapter 5- Tiny steps

5

Rubdha

December 29, 2016. Riyadh.

She picked up the stack of books of her students and placed them in the locker allotted to the class. She had finished rating them. The bell had already rung and she had class. She picked up her notes and soon went out of the staff room she shared with the other teachers of the lower high section of the school.

She had taken up teaching after she had finished her iddah and joined her family in Saudi Arabia. The International School of India was a very reputed school with different branches for both boys and girls. She was a teacher of Science and Deeniyath for the Seventh and the Eighth girls classes. This job brought her both the peace and a sense of security, which she lacked previously.

Her steps echoed as she rushed through the corridors to her class. Some loitering students wished her a 'good morning' before shyly looking away. She smiled at the students she met and advised them to go to the class before she continued on her way. Just as she climbed the stairs and turned towards the corner room, she heard it. Sniffles. She frowned and turned towards the sound. It was coming from the small nook at the end of the corridor. She walked towards the nook and peeked in, to see a young girl of about eight years, crying her eyes out. She frowned and was about to admonish her for being out of her class, probably bunking, but stopped herself in time. The girl obviously needed privacy and not admonishment. She turned towards her class and entered it.

"Good morning Ma'am!" The class chorused happily.

"Assalamualaikum Class!" She replied cheerfully with a smile and the students sheepishly replied back. "So what are we going to do today?" She enquired the class. It was Deeniyath. Her students began to chatter excitedly at once and she had to bite her cheeks to stop the giggle. "One at a time please!" She instructed calmly. They all quieted down and one of them raised her hand. Rubdha motioned towards her.

"Moosa Alaihi Salam's story. We have just finished the part where the Firoun (pharaoh) have declared the order to kill the sons of Bani Israel." She said excitedly.

"That's right." Rubdha smiled at her and turned towards the rest of the class. "Read the story students." She told them and they were confused. She had a usual method of teaching. She read the story and explained it in detail after she finished reading a certain number of pages. But today she was advising them to go ahead and read, while she left the classroom again and returned to the nook. The little girl was still sniffling inside. Rubdha took two steps inside and settled down on the floor beside the girl, who looked up in surprise. Her face suddenly paled when she saw her.

"Sorry Miss." The girl whispered.

"What's your name dear?" Rubdha asked her gently. She bit her lips as she eyed her teacher and narrowed her eyes.

"You won't complain about me, will you?" She asked Rubdha quite frankly, making her chuckle. She shook her head.

"No I won't." She replied.

"My name is Hiba Bint Hassaan. I study in Third 'A'." The girl replied softly.

"So what are you doing here Hiba? You should be in class, shouldn't you?" Rubdha enquired. Hiba looked at her once and then bowed her head again, biting her lips.

"I don't like my class." Hiba whispered.

"And why is that?"

"None of the girls like me. I don't have any friends." Hiba answered softly, with tearful eyes and trembling lips. Rubdha placed a chocolate near her and slowly pushed it towards Hiba, who looked at the offering and then at Rubdha and smiled slightly.