Echoes Of The Heart

chapter 13

UMAR'S POINT OF VIEW

I knew it would be really difficult working with this guy, the first day he arrived at the office. He treated me real bad and he had no patience. He wanted everything at the exact moment he asked for it. Two weeks later I resigned from the job, I was unable to cooperate with him. But these two weeks did not just pass. They brought with them happiness and believe that Duas are accepted and that Allah waits for His servant to turn to Him, to ask Him, to beg Him and He will grant.

The day I had called mom, I had felt worried and broken. I had never thought that my mother will not accept what I wanted. That's when I started turning toward Allah. I started asking him for forgiveness, I wanted Him to reconsider me, to help me through this. I promised Him that I would never ever disappoint Him again. I started praying five times a day. After a week I called my mom again. This time she was in a much better mood and she tried to understand that I loved Katherine. She finally agreed to talk to her mother.

Everything that happened after that changed my life completely. I got engaged and my boss left the job. I was left with this man who had my life miserable.

A week after my engagement, I was having dinner with Katherine when she said

"I want to tell you something. "She was looking down.

"What is it?"

"I have decided to become a Muslim. "She said smiling.

"What? "I jumped on my chair.

"I want to become a Muslim. "She repeated the words.

"Yeah, I heard that. But are you doing it because of me? "I said.

"No, of course not. I am becoming a Muslim because I want to. I have been doing a study for a month now. I have met some great scholars of Islam. And so I wanted to be a part of this absolutely perfect and peaceful religion. "She told me everything in a very confident manner.

"Oh, that's amazing. "I said kissing her hand.

"But I want you to convert me."She said looking in my eyes.

"But I think you should go to some religious personality for that. I don't think I am good enough to do this." I said looking down. I felt like I was not such a good Muslim to do that.

"But it was your character and your amazing behavior with others that urged me to research about Islam. So I think that you must be the one doing it."She said looking down.

"Ok. I will do it. It will be a gift for me." I said grinning.

"I want you to do it right now. "She said looking at me.

"Really?" I said surprised.

"I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, I cannot wait a single day now. "She said smiling.

"Ok. So repeat after me what I say. "I felt a little nervous.

She held my hand tightly.

"ASH HADU"

"Ash hadu"she repeated

"AL-LA ILAHA"

"Al-la ilaha"

"IL-LA-L-LAH"

"I l-la-l-lah"

"WA ASH HADU AN-NA"

"Wa ash hadu an-na"

"MUHAM-MADAR"

"Muham-madar"

"RASULU-I-IAH"

"Rasulu-i-lah"

"I bear witness that there is no god besides Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad ( saw) is the servant and messenger of Allah." I translated and she repeated after me.

"Congratulations. You are a Muslim now." I said looking up and saw that she had tears in her eyes.

She smiled between her tears.

"It is the happiest day of my life." She said smiling.

"Mine too." I said looking at her. She cried for a while and then we had our food after that I went home.

That was the day which changed my life. It was like I became a Muslim once again and that I had converted with Katherine... oh sorry! Her name is hijab now. She picked it herself.

I sat on my bed now, packing my bag. I was leaving for Pakistan today forever.

I was closing my bag when I heard my phone ring under a ball of clothes.

"Hello. "I picked it up.

"Assalam u alikum. "It was Ahmad.

"walikum assalam. How are you?" I asked

"Alhamdullilah, fine. What about you? I heard that you are going back to Pakistan, so I decided to say good bye to you and give you good news."

"Thank you for calling. What is the good news?" I asked

"I am getting married next week." Ahmad replied

"wow. It's amazing news. who is she?" I asked.

"Her name is Aisha. Oh sorry! Caroline, your boss." Ahmad said.

"What? "I was shocked.

"yes. You heard right. "He replied amused by my reaction.

"How in Earth did that happen?" I asked.

"It just happened. "he said smiling.

"ohk... best of luck then." I said enthusiastically.

"Thank you. "he replied.

He hung up after that and I went to pick Hijab up.

She came out and sat in the taxi.

On the way to the Airport I thanked Allah for the happiness that he had blessed me with.

Hijab had suggested this to me that day. The day she told me that she wanted to marry me as soon as possible. I had smiled and had told her that I was ready to marry her right now.

She had smiled shyly.

"I think that you should go back to Pakistan and work there as it is becoming really difficult to find a good job for you now. And I think about your parents, they would be really happy to have you there with them."

she said in a serious tone.

"You want me to leave?" I felt really heart.

"I want you to take me with you and marry me there with the consent of your parents." She said looking into my eyes.

"I will do as you say." I said grinning with excitement.

"I love you." I said taking her hand.

"I love you too. "She said shyly.

And then we moved to Pakistan.