His Hafizah and her Hafiz

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Safoora POV:

I glared at my brother with anticipation to sputter out his internal anxieties. "I am waiting, I don't have all day. Uncle is waiting for my Sabaq." I mumbled impatiently, looking at my brother who was laying on his abdomen with his face buried on my pillow. His breath sounded ragged and heavy as if he just underwent something horrific. 

"If you don't tell me, I tell uncle and aunt to come in." I threatened.

"Please Saff, just stay quiet for a few minutes." Huzaifah huffed irritably, "I just need silence right now. I need to think!" I looked at my brother baffled, did he just turn into an alien? I have never seen him in such a serious disheveled mood, he was always happy and jolly for literally every single part in his life. 

"Fine, but I want to know what happened?" I pleaded.

"What? Can't hear you! Zzzzzzz." Huzaifah screeched, closing his eyes shut and sprawling his arms and legs on my comfy bed.

"Please!" I whined.

"Zzzzzz." 

"Fine, I'll let you sleep this time." I scowled, "But, you'll never escape from me." 

 True to his words, Huzaifah had drowned in deep pit of slumber. His soft exhales and inhales were audibe enough to echo in the space of my room. I wonder what was so horrofic for my only older brother who didn't fear anything but Allah.

I opened my quran and began memorizing Surah Fatir, my sabaq. My voice calmly echoed in the expance of my room. I was trying to make it melodious and attractive as Huzaifah's recitation. Yup, he and Hawa were my only role models when it came to the Quran. 

Time passed as I pronounced and memorized each letter and verses of the Holy Quran fluently, carving them eloquently in my memory for eternity. My mind was too concentrated in the Quran to notice anything of my surroundings. 

When I was small, my aunt had said, "Safoora focus when you read, concentrate your mind on the quran and forget everything around." Ever since then, I was able to focus with concentration, and of course  I was able to do it with Hawa and Huzaifah's help. They were the best people in the universe.

When I was finally done with my two pages sabaq, my trance was finally broken. The room was dark now due to the aftermath of the sunset that churned the day into a black pit of darkness. I needed to pray maghrib! 

Closing my Quran gently, I stood up to fasten my room's pink curtains, and flicked the lights on illuminating the room. "Bro, wake up!" I cried, shaking Huzaifah's sleeping figure. "Maghrib time!" 

"Kids, your uncle is calling you both down. He's leading the maghrib prayer!" Aunt Hajara peeked in the room. "And, Safoora he wants to test your sabaq. You ready for it?"

"Yup, I hope so!" I murmured, picking up my quran from my desk and looking over the pages quickly to once run over the hard phrases.

"Huzaifah get up, make ablution, and go downnstairs for prayer. Uncle is waiting!" Aunt Hajara commanded softly, shaking my brother. Huzaifah didn't even stir, he was indeed in deep slumber. Why were boys so hard?

"He's not going to wake up anytime soon." I stated, rolling his eyes.

"Oh yeah, he will!" Aunt said evilly, she raised her hands and began tickling him. 

"I'm awake!" Huzaifah shrieked, rubbing his eyes open. "Aunty stop it, I'm not a baby anymore."

"You'll always be my baby." Aunt Hajara ruffled his hair with affection.