The Healer Of My Soul.

Chapter Sixteen

 The First Step Of Healing Is To Forgive Yourself, Shyra.

Forgiveness starts with yourself. Forgiving yourself comes first, especially when you want to heal and move on. It might take time but without patience, forgiveness will not be possible. Learn to forgive yourself before moving forward.

Shyra never wanted to make Imran uncomfortable by hugging him but she needed to feel protected. She knew that in her heart Allah might forgive them for that moment of weakness from her side.

Thankfully, Shyra was wearing a hoodie that had a cap to cover her hair.

She removed herself from him and looked at his face trying to use the correct words at that moment.

"I...I am sorry for that..."

"It is okay. Don't worry about it. Are you okay now?" Imran asks her. He was still worried about her and what she had dreamt about.

"I will be. In shaa Allah. Did you leave Ayra alone in your apartment?" Shyra asks him. "You should go back to her. I promise that I am fine and that if i ever need anything I will call you," she added without looking at him.

Imran was torn between staying with Shyra or going bad to his daughter who was all alone at the apartment. Thankfully, he had locked the door when he left.

"My phone is always on. If anything happens please dont hesitate to call me anytime, okay?" He asks her.

Imran knew that Shyra needed her space but he needed to go back to Ayra who was sleeping. She might even wake up and search for him.

"I will, I promise," Shyra tells him.

He nods, gets up from the bed, and walks out of the bedroom when Shyra calls out.

"Imran, I am sorry that I hugged you. Forgive me for that, I wasn't..."

"I understand and yes, I forgive you. I will go now," he says heading to the door. He turned to face Shyra one last time and found her looking back at him.

He then walked out of the apartment and got into his own. Imran was thankful that Ayra was asleep because she would ask him many different questions that he had no choice but to answer even though he won't give a lot of details to her.

I promise I will always be there for you and Ayra to protect both of you in any way I can. Ya Allah, you know what she did was wrong please forgive her because she needed it even if it is from me. May Allah guide us to the right path and give her the strength that she will need to heal herself. And You will heal her soul.

Imran went to Ayra's room to check up on her only to find her sleeping.

Alhamdulilah.

He then turned back to his room and sat on the bed thinking of a way to help Shyra with trying to heal herself. Even though it will take some time for her to fully trust him and let him be a friend.

Imran then went to bed still thinking of ways to heal Shyra but only when she was ready.

Shyra couldn't sleep so the best thing she decided to do was put on her headphones and switch on the Quran on her phone. This helps her sleep whenever it is hard for her to fall asleep.

She couldn't but remember what Imran told her about healing herself after the session.

"The first step to healing is to forgive yourself, Shyra".

But Shyra felt unclean, unloved, and unwanted because of what happened to her. She would take a shower two to three times every single day because of the thoughts she has been having in her mind about it.

But now, she had people with her along her healing journey and now it was her time to heal herself first.

As Shyra continued listening to the Quran on her phone, she couldn't help but cry not because she was sad but because of her heart.

She needed to forgive herself before healing as it would be a long process if she couldn't forgive herself, how would she be able to heal and move on?

Forgiving myself will mean that I am never weak. And I will be able to have the courage to go ahead with my plan to get justice for myself.

Shyra remembered what Aunt Hayat told her about forgiveness. She said; Forgive when you want Allah to do the same to you. Forgive yourself when you know it is time to let go and every grudge, every pain you have felt for that person. Forgiveness starts with you and no one else but yourself.

She smiled as she closed her eyes drifting away to sleep. Her heart felt at ease whenever she remembered what Aunt Hayat always taught her. And the advice she would give her in many different types of situations, good or even bad.

Hayat has been a mother figure to her ever since she lost her parents in that fateful accident.

Shyra woke up as soon as her alarm went off, for Fajr prayers. She stretched and got out of the bed. She then freshened up, did her wudhu (ablution), and laid her prayer mat.

She started praying silently with her heart and soul. Shyra needed this to be the prayer that would give her what she needed. The peace, and tranquility that came with it.

She prayed that peace and forgiveness would come to her not only for the people who wronged her but also for herself.

For her it will be a start of her new beginning of the life she wants.

Huma

Humans will always say forgive but dont forget, were they right? Who knows. Forgive them because you need it and not for them. It is for you.