Stairway to Heaven

1. First Contact

Standing outside the room, she continued to rub the heel of her sole into the floor. Her hands clasped behind her; whilst she stood leaning against the wall, eavesdropping on the conversation going inside.  She wasn't in possession of this habit, until just now. But then again, after all the things she had gone through at a tender age of 7, she felt like she had aged 10 years, in just under a night.

She felt the weight of the entire world on her tiny, frail shoulders. Her world had come crumbling down and it was up to her to pick up and salvage the remaining pieces. But that's what was amiss. She had no idea just how to do that.

Yet, one thing she was sure of without any doubt. That she would leave no stone unturned to figure a way out of this. She had got her stubbornness from her parents, alongside their idealism. She believed in making the impossible, possible. All that was needed was hardwork and perseverance—and that's all she was left with, too.

"What a pity—She is so young, too and already her life is finished! What else is there left for her to do?" Little Hajra felt fresh tears stinging the corners of her eyes on hearing those words. Her lips quivered from trying to suppress her emotions; yet, she couldn't stop the tears from escaping their confines and sliding down her cheeks.

"Tch tch—No one is going to remarry her with 3 grown kids either. Poor Humera! Her whole life is finished. Now all she can do now is count down her days until the end—" The other lady returned with tragedy laced in her voice. Hajra bit down on her lower lip to stop the sharp gasp escaping her mouth.

She didn't realise when her mother had come to stand over her. With tears pooling in her eyes, she looked up from her Mother's feet upto her face. Unable to see through the tears, she blinked to get rid of them and saw her Mother looking down at her with a tired, faint smile. With a soft sight, Humera placed down the food tray on a table nearby and took her eldest child's hand and guided her to the other room.

"And why is my sweet child looking so dejected?" Humera inquired, after squatting down to her daughter's level. Hajra sniffed at her Mother's voice but didn't lift her eyes, while Humera wiped her face clean with the ends of her dupatta.

"Hajra—" She cooed and tugged at her chin to make her look up.

"Mamma—they—they're saying—" She whimpered between gasps of breath. Her gaze running wild across her Mother's face; who continued to watch her with an understanding smile.

"Hush—Does a shaheeds' daughter get frightened over the what ifs? Aren't you your Pappa's strongest and smartest daughter?" At her Mother's words, she immediately jerked off her anxieties and straightened up. Shaking her head with great fervour, she managed to stop herself from crying anymore.

Watching this immediate change caused a smile to break across Humera's tired features. With a soft nod, she took her precious baby's hands in her own and repeated the words, which her dear husband always recited to his children.

"إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ ۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ."

Humera began in a small voice and Hajra was quick to follow up with it's translation.

"If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust. (3:160)" She eagerly recited the words which her late father had taught her, since before she was able to perceive it's meaning properly.