My student's my future husband?
Episode 125's
Another cold night that penetrates the skin and pierces into the heart. The sky looks clean with the stars shining, the moon smiling at its smallest angle. The night wind kept blowing strong. Ridho rested on his alphabet facing the qibla while raising his hand. Occasionally his forehead prostrated with high hopes looming through the seventh heaven.
The man who is no longer as innocent as he used to be and is now harboring feelings, asking for his heart to be cleansed of no-no desires. He begs for love from the Owner of Love, so that his heart may be guided to the soul mate chosen by Him. He did not want to carry his current feelings that were likely to be interrupted by demons. If Namira is his soul mate, then he hopes that all the process of taaruf and his sermons are made easier.If indeed the woman is not his match, he hopes God shows the way soon.
A shadow of Patricia appeared in his mind. The man was again a fan. He was very worried that the shadow was just a hallucination that the demon had sent into his mind. Actually his own heart was steady to continue ta’aruf this to the khitbah stage. It just took him some time to get his heart back.
“Yes Allah please strengthen the heart of the servant, and give inclination and tranquility to the best soul mate, chosen by You,” his request is hopeful.
The chirping of small birds began to sound, the sign of dawn was about to appear.
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Grasping sounds rang out from the thick, ash-colored blanket. The entangled body seemed unsettled in his sleep which was only a few hours away. Sometimes he drowned his whole body in the blanket, then he opened it again while hugging the bolster.
Patricia looked unsettled after nearly five hours of deep sleep. I don't know what woke her up this dark and cold morning. His mind was disturbed by a brochure he took a few days ago about Islam. Before going to bed last night, he read it with full attention. Never did his heart ever tell this story especially when thinking about God. The Italian woman was born into a Catholic family. However, he did not hold much to his religion, especially after he moved with his father from Italy to England. The liberal atmosphere in England made him no longer care about religion and tended to be agnostic. He feels free and unencumbered by worship. That's what makes him not care.
However, after he read the article he took from the Islamic Center made his mind spin and work. There are some sentences that are always ringing, relating to God that is believed by Muslims.
Like the footprints of travelers walking on the desert, the existence of God is like that. It is invisible, but there is evidence of the universe, of man, of life. God is obligatory (compulsory) and azali (eternal). He has no children nor is he begotten. God is single and that is what makes Him Almighty. While Islam was revealed to Muhammad as a perfecter of the previous teachings, giving instructions to humans not to get lost, in the form of the words of God, the Quran. The concept of God's oneness in Islam makes his mind turbulent and contrary to what he has understood so far. Human weakness that makes it unable to reflect and describe God in another form. That is what is different about Islam from other religions.
Patricia was forced to wake up in the early hours of the day. He chose to watch television while sipping hot tea to warm his body.
A re-broadcast from the news station informed about the recent Islamophobic events in the United States. A hijab woman almost got hit by a train on a subway in New York. An unidentified man caught on CCTV pushed the hijab-wearing woman to the side of the platform. Luckily the woman did not sustain any injuries as the train had passed earlier faster. The bearded and white man is now under questioning by the local police.
Patricia scrunched her eyebrows. What's wrong with them? His mind kept asking and his heart became impatient, he wanted to visit the Islamic Center again.
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That afternoon Ridho looked confused, after mentoring related to business financial management was completed in that day. Patricia's nasal shaft didn't show up that day in class. He asked in his heart, Where exactly is that woman? However, he buried his desire deeply.
While Patricia was pacing back and forth from morning in front of the five-story building. After previously he watched from a tavern while enjoying his breakfast. Forced to ditch his class, as his mind continues to be lured with everything about Islam.
Patricia was about to open the door of the building, but it opened first.
“Ah sorry, I accidentally!” said a Muslim woman in hijab, when she found out Patricia was taking a few steps back with a surprised facial expression.
“Nothing,” the answer is short.
The Muslim woman smiled at him.
“There can I help you with, Miss?”
“My name is Patricia,” she reached out her hand to get acquainted. The woman was not too dizzy to introduce herself to strangers.
“I, Namira!” said the Muslim woman returned the hand of Patricia.
“Can I know Islam here?” ask the blonde woman.
“Of course. I can help you if you'd like.”
“Good. Do you have time now?”
“Yes, it just so happens that my business is done. You want to go inside?” bargain Namira with her sparkling eyes and lips of a smile.
“Is it okay?” patricia asked hesitantly.
“Of course, we can talk inside or wherever you want.”
“I still feel foreign. What if in the cafe?” patricia.
“Can only. I'll take you.”
The two women who had the same height also stepped towards a cafe. Namira chose a cafe with a halal logo on its door located not far from the Islamic Center of Chicago. The cafe provides Middle Eastern dishes that are already popular and adapted to the tongues of Americans.
“Are you a student?” patricia asked, when Namira was busy choosing her lunch menu.
“Yes, this happens to be my last year here,” replied Namira staring at the foreign woman in front of her.
“Ah so!”
“You yourself are from where?”
“I am from Italy, it's just that these few months we moved to England and I took business training here.”
“Oh... Please choose your lunch menu!” said Namira smiling.
“Why are you interested in Islam?” namira asked after he gave the cafe waiter a note of his order.
Patricia pensively pensively while preparing her answer. At first he was only interested in Ridho who sometimes slipped something about Islam in their conversation. From there, his heart began to be touched especially when Ridho said that religion is not a game. When deciding to Islam, then start by loving the God of Muslims, Allah swt. Then it continued, when he read the article he took from the Islamic Center. From there his heart began to fidget and wonder.
“So you were originally interested in Muslim men?” ask Namira.
Patricia nodded small. He did not mention the man's name.
“This guy is so innocent, that I'm interested in him. He always tucked away his religious teachings when we spoke. I don't know why I became more curious about Islam,” he explained not hesitating.
Namira smiles. There are many ways for God to touch the hearts of those he will appoint. He also told his story which was also originally Christian. Starting from his family's dislike of the teachings of Islam, making him even more curious. Secretly he often steals the hearing of the child's studies that are always held by the school every Friday. I don't know why his heart always felt calm and cool after hearing the study. He also asked to be introduced by alumni who often fill in studies at his school. Until finally, his heart and faith were tethered to Islam as a whole.
“Ah, so you used to be a Christian too?” tanya Patricia stirred her hot tea.
“Yes that's the religion of my parents' family. It's just that now my parents have embraced Islam as well,” explained Namira.
“Wah, amazing!”
“Do you want to learn about Islam with me?” bargain Namira with her clear eyes.
Patricia felt the sincerity of the foreign woman before her. His heart was amazed and touched to meet him. I don't know why he feels comfortable talking to her.
“Alright, I'll try!”
“Before you learn, you ask your deepest heart. Open and clear your mind of the negative. Hope you find out the truth!”
“I'll try it,” Patricia said with a small smile.
The clanking of spoons and forks clashed amidst the small smiles of the beautiful women who had just met today. Patricia was quite foreign to the taste of the spice-clad kebab she had just tasted. However, the food was quite delicious for him. He managed to finish it off and make his stomach feel full.
Namira's explanation regarding Islam is still limited to introduction. He promised to meet his teacher during this time, Ustadzah Aisyah, who will explain in more detail about the teachings of Islam. It's just, Patricia has time on Sunday. He said honestly that today he skipped class because he was too curious about Islam. It made Namira laugh at the same time amazed.
“So you're Indonesian?” patricia asked as the two women walked out of the cafe.
“Ya true. I studied at UIC, and it looks like this year I will go home after graduation,” explained Namira.
“Ah, when we just met. I want to get to know you more closely,” Patricia said honestly making the gray-veiled woman smile broadly.
The gently blowing noon wind swayed the small trees above the pavement. Patricia tied up her long hair.
“You yourself how long will it be here?” Namira asked back.
“My training is about 3 months away. But it looks like I will stay longer here,” she replied tightening her hair tie.
“Hmm... 3 months huh? Do you live in Winston Tower?” namira asked suddenly, as he remembered Ridho who also had about 3 months training again.
Patricia raised her eyebrows.
“Where did you know?” tanyanya expressive.
“I have friends there,” replied Namira smiling.
“Oh really?”
Namira nodded. I don't know why Patricia's heart is shrinking a little.
“What's the name?” tanyanya hesitated.
“Ridho.”
DEG.
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Well youho...
Connect first yaa 🙏
VOTE dong let the author's idea run smoothly
LIKE and COMMENT yes, which team are you for Ridho? >.<