Short Stories of Islamic Love
Muharram's

Tomorrow is the final deadline for the collection of the short story of the race in order to celebrate the Islamic new year. However, there has not been a single idea to write, until the paper pages of documents on my laptop are still pure white now. I breathed my breath somehow for how many times in an hour. I stared at my laptop screen. O Rabb, your servant needs a little idea in order to complete the mandate of your friends.

“Assalammu’alaikum”

The sound of greeting broke my daydream. I turned my head when a hand lightly patted my shoulder. I saw a tall young man smiling at me. Makes my cheeks feel hot now. Shame is on me.

“Wa’alaikumsalam. Who is it?” ask her.

He didn't answer. He sat down in front of me and smiled again at me.

“I Alim. We met in Toronto. You remember?”

“Alim who?” many confused. I have no idea who is in front of me right now. Did we really ever meet? Or just passing? But if he did cross paths, there was no way he would introduce himself to me. Ah, I'm so forgetful about this.

“Hahaha” his laughter sounded melodious in my ears. “Learn you forgot. Our meeting was indeed a long time ago.”

“Maaf” says I'm sincere.

“It doesn't matter. You look in a state of turmoil. Can I help you?”

“Ah this, tomorrow the last day of short story collection for the race but I have not found ide”

“What is the theme?”

“Muharram”

He smiled obliquely at the word ‘Muharram’. I frowned seeing his response. Can he give me a little idea?

“I have a story that happened in the month of Muharram. Just a simple story. If you want to write it, I will thank you but if not, it is not a big problem” he said. A smile was still on his face. Why did this man not stop smiling? Does he want to embarrass me all the time? Astarghfirullah's. What I think Rabb.

“Alhamdulillah if you want to help. Can you tell me how it is?” ask me while preparing my fingers on the laptop keyboard.

“Type with beautiful words every one I tell” he said.

“Sepi once a night this new year, kang. Unlike the turn of the year nights that are usually” said Rayhan while staring at the hearty sky of Toronto decorated with the star.

“Clearly, Ray. We are in a country where the majority are non-Muslims. So there is no way we feel the night of the Islamic new year like in the pesantren du” Alim said.

Rayhan sighed. Heart's crying. How he misses the atmosphere of the new year's night at Pondok Pesantren Gontor a few years ago. Longing for the holy verses of Allah which are melodiously recited. Longed for a meal along with a tray container in a large mosque. He misses everything.

Being in the land of people to study is not an easy thing. Moreover, they are in a country where the majority are non-Muslims. Mosques are miles away from where they live. It took me a few hours to get to the mosque. In their college, the place of worship between religions was made one place.

“If I had signed up to Al-Azhar yes, kang. Maybe not like this it feels”

“Hush. It's not good to dream like that. Not grateful to you” said Alim firmly. Not forgetting his hand hit Rayhan's melancholy head.

“Astaghfirullah, forgive me my servant Rabb”

“Already. Let's just go inside instead of here and you even melancholy not clear”

Alim moved out of his place and pulled Rayhan's hand. They entered the apartment door and walked to the room they were staying in.

“Kang, hajjat prayers continue tadarus yok” invite Rayhan when they arrive in the room. Alim smiled hearing Rayhan's words. Tumben this child ngajak soan, usually pray aja should be mentioned first, inward Alim.

“Ayo ayo” sahut Alim spirit.

They also celebrate the Islamic New Year with what Muslims should do. The holy verses of the Qur'an are chanted from the mouths of both. Unstoppable tears from the eyes of the two of them. They are thankful that they are still given long life so that they will pass through the days of the new year in obedience to the Great One.

Rayhan and Alim were lying down while staring at the ceiling of their room. In a separate bed they think of different things. Alim thought about the task that has not been class even though the deadline was the day after tomorrow while Rayhan was still in his longing mind at Pondok Pesantren. Rayhan's cell phone voice scattered their daydreams. Rayhan rushed to open his phone and read the incoming message. He sat down so happy after reading the incoming message.

“Kang! Dated 10 Muharram later ‘Love Allah’ community from the Muslim association on campus will not attend amal” event, Rayhan told Alim.

Alim tilted his body and said, ”What charity way?”

“We will go to the mosque at the southern end of Toronto. You know, kang?”

“Boiled, what is the distance?”

“Yes don't know kang. Because only the mosque is the only one that there is an orphanage and tahfidz dormitory for Muslims in Toronto”

Alim nodded in understanding.

“Akang follow right?” rayhan asked expectantly.

“Neither know. If you are not busy, Sih” replied Alim while looking back at the ceiling of his room.

“Colah kang! I want to miss an event like this”

“You know, Ray. I'm on a job hunt now”

“Ah akang, so now I'm numbering duakan Allah?” rayhan said sarcastically.

Alim got up and sat on his bed. He rubbed his face and then breathed. Rayhan was always smart to corner him like this.

“It's not so, Ray. I—”

“Allah come, kang. Long time in the land of people so gini you, kang. Though usually the first number at the charity event while in Pesantren” Rayhan's lips.

He slammed his phone next to the pillow.

“Astaghfirullah, Ray. That's not how I mean” Alim.

“Already kang, don't dodge. I'm sleepy”

Rayhan laid back his body and covered his face with a pillow. He was upset with his friend. Maybe his best friend is still considering an important event like this. He often forgets to pray and give alms. But who numbered the charity event even his best friend. The world is confusing.

“Is the story this simple?” I asked after stopping my fingers dancing on the keyboard.

Alim took a sip of his drink and smiled again. This man is not really sore from smiling constantly.

“Ya is that simple. Wh why? Can this story lead you to victory?” ask Alim.

“Hm, not like that. It's just—”

Alim rubbed his coffee cup and looked at me intensely. A smile never faded from his face. I was stared at so I could only look down at my laptop screen and start listening back to the story of Alim in Toronto.

“Alhamdulillah kang, finally I want to join also” said Rayhan while embracing the shoulder of Alim. Alim only replied to that with a smile.

They walked out of the campus to a place of worship. There have been gathered many Muslim students, from Indonesia and from other countries.

“Assalammu’alaikum” said Rayhan uttered his greetings in a loud voice. All eyes were on them. Makes Alim feel embarrassed but only in his pendam and showed his smile.

“Wa’alaikumsalam” their mouth.

“What time will we leave?” rayhan asked the chairman of the charity committee, Axel.

“Hm, now. Actually just waiting for you guys” replied Axel makes Rayhan feel shocked.

“Astaghfirullah, sorry to keep you waiting” Rayhan told Axel. Maybe you think that Axel is a bule. But in fact it is true, he is a Caucasian who has an Indonesian father. So don't be surprised if he can speak Indonesian.

“Come we leave”

The entire group walked towards the prepared bus. Items to be donated to orphans are already prepared in the trunk. On the bus, they chanted sholawat together. In fact, laughter was also inevitable among them. Family feeling feels very strong. Although they are from different majors but religion unites them. Make them intertwined in ukhuwah.

It took them 7 hours until they finally arrived at their destination. It is now 2pm in southern Toronto. They went down and prepared the items that would be given to the orphanage and the mosque. They walked in droves into the mosque and were greeted by many orphans and tahfidz already sitting inside the mosque. So do the babysitters of those children.

Put the stuff in the middle. The small welcoming and teaching event began. The event was led by the chairman of the committee as well as a caregiver of the venue. The holy verses of the Quran are chanted from the tiny mouths of the tahfidz in the place. Prayers are also led by the children there. Subhanallah, how wonderful God's creation is.

“Sst kang” whispered Rayhan to Alim after the prayer is over.

“What?” sahut Alim's.

“Beautiful once the woman kang” said Rayhan with sparkling eyes made Alim frown.

“Which one?”

“Itu” appoints Rayhan on one of the big veiled bule women on the west end. The woman was small in stature and her nose was very sharp.

“Witness him mu’alaf”

“Yes yes kang. So want to propose it feels”

“Hush. Don't ngawur”

Alim hit Rayhan's head slowly. Makes Rayhan complain of pain.

“This guy, a hobby once hit my head. More stupid later I how” protest Rayhan.

“Already let's stand” invite Alim when he saw his other friends standing. Ah, it's a greetings with the kids.

The children also turned around to greet one by one the students who came there. The students did not miss this to brush their hair. As stated by the Prophet SAW. That it is good to stroke the hair of orphans in the month of Muharram.

The event lasted until ba’da isya’. They missed the joint open and pray jama’ah maghrib and isya’ there. The show is lancer and fun. After the show was over, Axel rushed to tell his friends to say goodbye to the nannies and children there.

“Sorry wait a minute”

Alim stopped his steps who was about to get on the bus. He looked back when someone slapped his shoulder. Alim was stunned to see the woman who called him. He was silent for quite a while before the woman finally said,

“It's yours right?” tanyanya while thrusting a mobile phone on Alim. Alim can only nod slowly because he is still amazed by the beautiful creation of God in front of him.

“This take”

Alim took his phone and the woman immediately sauntered away. Alim unconsciously shouted, “Wait! What's your name?”

“Salwa” says the woman.

“Salva. I'm alim” shouted Alim but the woman rushed into the orphanage. His heart thumped suddenly as the woman shouted her name.

“Kang, let's go in” reprimanded Rayhan on Alim who is still silent on the bus door.

“Eh yes, come come on”

I stopped my fingers dancing on the keyboard. I fell silent after Alim told me this part. Now I remember who Alim is. Suddenly my heart was racing considering the events that had passed 2 years ago.

“Why stop?” ask Alim.

“I now remember who you” answered me without daring to look at him.

From the corner of my eye, I saw him smiling and putting down his coffee cup after sipping the coffee water.

“Then, without me guiding, you can continue the short story yourself right?”

I'm speechless. It is true that I can continue if what is told is my story. But what is being told here is his story. So I can't.

“Actually I approached you just to give this”

Alim took out a white envelope from his bag and gave it to me. I took the envelope and was about to open it but Alim's voice held me back.

“Open after I leave here” he said. He closed his bag and carried it and got out of the chair.

“Assalammu’alaikum” said then he waltzed away just like that.

“Wa’alaikumsalam” I replied slowly.

I touched the envelope. Take a look and think about what the contents of the envelope are. Actually I'm too scared to look. I'm afraid if it turns out to be a wedding invitation letter or something. Why am I scared? You can guess for yourself how I feel. But finally, by saying basmalah I opened the envelope. It is not an invitation letter but a paper on it written in hand. I read it carefully and without realizing tears were dripping from the corner of my eye.

“Alim...” Lirihku.

For Salwa, though,

Assalammu’alaikum Salwa. I'm sure if you forget me. I've been waiting two years to see you again. Maybe you don't know me, but I've been finding out a lot about you. However, I still hesitate to contact you even if I have your contacts. I was too scared and embarrassed. Today I accidentally saw you from the corner of the cafe and I wrote this letter to you.

Salwa, I just wanted to say. Will you be a complement to my religion?