Door to Jannah

Chapter 6

"Walk alone until Allah sends you someone to walk with"
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'But Ayesha Abbu has not approved for hazal and has fixed your nikah with Ahmad'
Ahmish bhai's voice rang again and again in my ears. I couldn't forget those words which were piercing right in my heart causing the worst ache ever.
Ahmad? Now whose that? How can Abbu even think that I'll marry a guy whose name I heard a couple of minutes ago. For god sake I cannot leave hazal and marry someone else and pretend to be like the luckiest women ever. I'll die but never marry that Ahmad named boy. I was crying and crying until I heard a knock on the door.

"Go away I don't want to talk to anyone" I blurted out in anger

"It's me, Hana" came a voice
How did I forget about her when I needed her the most?
I quickly opened the door and locked it from inside

"What have you done habibti your eyes are swelled and your nose has turned red, go wash your face first and stop crying like a child" Hana said in concern while rubbing my back
Since I was not in a condition to talk I slowly went to the washroom and washed my face.

"Come sit here" Hana called me to her side

"I cannot marry someone else" I said while bursting into tears

"Calm down Ayesha no one will force you" Hana said while patting my back

"But.."
"Shhh, listen to me first" Hana said while cutting me off

"You know we had a maid about two years ago who married to her love going against to her parents wish but after a year her husband showed his real colours and finally she had to take divorce from him. Well lets just not go on much details, i just wanted to tell you that Allah says "And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know" and the reason why we hold on to something so tight is because we fear something so great won't happen again but Allah says in Quran 'indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by.' You don't love ahmad now but who knows he may be more suitable to you than Hazal." Hana said in a soothing tone

"Plus don't forget that life is a test, if Allah answers your prayers he is increasing your faith, if he delays he is increasing your patience and if he does not if he does not answer then he has something better for you" Hana added

"Buu tt I cann nnot ffoorggett hhaazall" I said while sobbing

"You can Ayesha you can, nothing is impossible when you have Allah by your side. Now I need to go I am running our of time. Allah hafiz" Hana said while standing up and giving me a hug

"And don't forget you are choosing between your family and Hazal. Better know which one is more important" Hana said while closing the door

Her last words made me think about the decision I made earlier regarding Hazal. Do I need to change the decision which consisted that I cannot leave Hazal for the sake of anyone?

A knock at the door snapped me out if my deep thoughts.

"Can I come in" Abbu said while peeping from behind the door

"Does anyone needs approval from me?" I asked sarcastically while looking away

"I am sorry habibti but what I did is just because I thought my daughter deserves so much more better than someone like Hazal. Okay beta let me explain first, shall I?" Abbu said in a sigh
No no Abbu should not say sorry to me, no matter what he did he's still my dad, my first love.

"Go on" I said without showing that I was hurt with his sorry

"Ahmad is a good guy and he approached me with the proposal before even I knew of Hazal on the very same day when I discovered about you two. He came to me at fajr in the mosque and I tested him and he passed his all tests. He answered my questions exactly I wanted my son in law to answer and he has the exact personality which I some day dreamt to be possessed by your future husband. How could I say no? Our prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has stated "if someone comes (for marriage) and you like his deen and ethics, then accept him as a bridegroom to your daughter. If you do not, there will be fitnah on earth, and a big corruption. Tell me how could I say no to him when he knew the exact time of fajr, and when I said to him that my daughter doesn't even go to kitchen you know what he replied? He said he wants a wife who will lead him to Jannah and not a maid who is just only pre occupied by the house hold works and on the other hand Hazal didn't even know at what time the fajr adhan goes off" Abbu said in a huffed tone

"Think twice before taking any step and I want the decision today itself" Abbu said while standing and then went away without uttering a word
He was in tension I could tell by his tone. What do I do Allah.

It was evening and I still couldn't figure out what should I do with my life. One side I couldn't forget Hazal and the other side I couldn't betray my family and couldn't hurt their feelings. I was in the garden sitting on the swing while thinking thinking and thinking"

"Can I join you" Ahmish Bhai said while sitting on the swing

"Yeah you are left to lecture me" I said in a low voice while looking towards the sky

"What did you say" he asked suspiciously

"Nothing" I sighed

"Here I brought galaxy chocolate, may be you would feel better" he said handing me the chocolate

"Aww thanku brother I so needed it" I said with a weak smile
There was a silence while we were having our chocolates

"What would you have done if you were in my place?" I broke the silence

"Oh my Allah my sister needs tip from me? As in me. I am amazed." Ahmsih Bhai said in a teasing tone

"Stop it I am serious" I responded

"Okay first of I would never be in place of you" he said and I rolled my eyes on him

"Secondly somewhere mistakenly if I would be you I would go with abbu's decision" Ahmish Bhai said seriously

"Do you have any reasons to justify your answers?" I asked curiously

"Yes because I am grateful to them because they stood by my side when no other was. Like Allah says in Quran 'And we have enjoined upon man (care) for his parents. His mother carried him, (increasing her) in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to me and your parents, to me is the (final) destination.' Quran says to take care of your parents and I will never want to give my parents any mental pressures which is the root of dangerous diseases and do you have any idea how heart broken they will feel if your answer will be no? They don't scold you that doesn't mean they don't feel bad" Ahmish Bhai said while running a hand through his beard

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It was 9:45 and I had to give them the final answer at 10. Yes? No? Yes? No? I was pacing around the room huffing here and there. What should I say? Yes? No Hazal will be heart broken and I cannot live without him then..no? No no I can't even say that my beloved family will be shattered into pieces. Ya Allah help me what should I do? After some time an idea suddenly popped up in my mind and I smirked while making my way to downstairs where everyone were already settled.