Zahra rushed into the park. She wanted to run but she made it up by walking as fast as she could. It would help the turmoil in her head. When she was out of breath she flopped into a bench and grasped for breath.
A million things ran in her mind. "You are twenty-eight now!! Twenty-eight! Do you know I had three children by then?". "This is the fault of all the education given to you girls. You think too much of yourself." "Once a girl comes of age and she is not married, she brings shame to her family. People think there must be something wrong with her". "I do not want to hear a 'No' this time. The decision is made."
The last being her own mother who said it. Yes, she was twenty-eight, single, successful, graceful and beautiful. Was it her fault that she did not find a mate that matched her? She had seen over a dozen suitors and in all she had found some qualities that did not appeal. Either they were eccentrics, extremists, forward or traditional.
The last proposal was a decent one. At least better than the rest of the lot but she still didn't want to say yes. Yes to what? An unknown future? An unknown person? She had everything good going in her life and she didn't want to risk it. As she was thinking all these thoughts, she did not realise that an elderly gentlemen had sat on the same bench.
She turned her face and recognised from his beard and cap that he was a pious muslim. "Assalam Alaykum". "Walaykum Salam, my child" He gave her a beaming smile. I suppose he was happy to see a young woman dressed properly with a scarf in today's modern world.
He noticed her worried lines and gently probed: "Is anything the matter? you look tense". At that point of time, Zahra could not control her emotions and she bust into tears. She told him everything. What she was feeling, her fears, her worries...
At the end when she was done, he asked "What do you really think is marriage?" Zahra thought about it and said "I don't know. But it should be romantic and heart warming like Nicholas Sparks novels."
"Alright." he answered. "For that you need to talk to various men and get to know them, go out for dates, exchange views... do you think you have done that.. or will do that for that matter?"
"No" Zahra answered slowly. Despite her romantic notions, she didn't believe in meeting men for dates. She just wanted to meet that one 'man'.
"I thought so" answered the man. "You look like a good woman. I do not think it would agree to your conscience. May be a work colleague you may have known or may be someone you have grown up with"
"Yes. Yes." Zahra agreed nodding her head vigorously. That was exactly what she wanted. To observe someone, know their character from a far or from interactions and then may be it wouldn't be so tough to say yes. The problem was, she hadn't met any.
"What you feel is perfectly logical. But let me tell you my dear, marriage is not all what is in those books you have read or not about playing safe by marrying someone you know."
"What is marriage then?" she asked
"Marriage is for Allah".
"For Allah?" She wondered. She had never thought of it like that.
"Yes, my child. You see, we humans forget that we are born to worship our Lord. This world is for us but for a few years. How long do you expect to live? 50? 70? At the most 90 years. And then what? Marriage is the sunnah of the Prophet. Through marriage we get a companion who helps us in the path to heaven. We get children we shall leave behind to pray for us. We shall add a few more people to this world who will worship our lord in the morning and night. Marriage is a responsibility, a duty, a sacrifice and a chance."
Zahra was spell bound. No one had explained marriage to her like that. but she still had one question. "What about the women who suffer in marriage. They are beaten, abused, they don't find companionship and their lives turn out so bitter."
The man smiled. "What about those people who lost their homes and people in earthquakes and floods? What about those people who die hungry due to lack of provisions, what about those people who remain poor due to lack of opportunities?"
Zahra shook her head. She did not understand how her question was related to these.
"My dear, Allah tries man with different trials. Some with parents, other's with children and other's with their spouses. There are people who are tried financially, other's through calamities. But they do not stop living. And the true believer never gives up hope but strives through the hardships. Similarly, if you marry for Allah. Marry because it was the Sunnat of our Holy prophet... then you will have no fear. For when man does something for his self, he soon finds himself lost and sorrowful at the turn of events. But when he does it for his Lord, no matter what happens, he perseveres."
"Marry for the sake of Allah"... Zahra whispered. Suddenly, it all seemed to make sense to her. Truly what the wise man said was true. Why would she fear when she knows the step taken would be for Allah. She would face her future bravely, knowing that her everything is for Allah and nothing for herself.
She smiled. A smile of relief, a smile of peace. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You don't know but you helped me make one of the most important decisions of my life" She thanked him profusely.
"Not at all. It was my pleasure". He replied with a smile.
She got up, bid him goodbye and started walking back home. She had just gone a few steps, when it struck her that she should take his contact number. InshaAllah she would invite him for her wedding. As she turned around, she was shocked to see the man gone.
"How can that be?" She wondered. He was an elderly man with a walking stick. Surely he couldn't have got up and walked away so fast
.... unless, he wasn't a man, but an angel sent for her. with this thought, she smiled her way home and into her new future
