The Gema Shahadah Aisyah
God First

Khalid patted Umar on the shoulder from behind, from earlier he saw Umar daydream—actually Umar was often seen daydreaming since last week. As an older brother, Khalid felt that there was something strange about Umar. It was as if something was troubling Umar's mind. If there is a problem then Khalid can help Umar.

"See you daydream a lot, what's up?" Umar put a glass of tea between them, he deliberately made two cups of coffee to chat with Umar.

"It's okay, Mom." Umar was not even aware that he often daydreamed. I do not know how long Umar sat in the gazebo with a blank look. If any santri passed by and greeted him, Umar only smiled faintly and nodded his head in response to their greeting.

"Don't lie, Mas knows you're from a baby, Ummi also asked Mas to ask you."

Now Umar's mind is like a cloudy river after rain—rain that does not feel refreshing it makes him want to take shelter. But he is no longer a young man who deserves shelter from heavy rain.

"Mas, it's too late to say this but I'm not sure about Hilya." Finally Umar revealed something that had agitated him.

Khalid's face changed, his smile faded. Wasn't it from the beginning Umar was not sure of Hilya but he continued until the sermon procession was carried out. Now two families had met and they looked happy except for one man, Umar.

"What do you mean, you've gone far enough." Khalid thought Umar was done with his feelings. He also thought Umar had forgotten his feelings for Aisyah—the girl who had lived with them some time ago.

"What should I do?" Umar looked down deeply, took off his skullcap and ruffled his hair.

"You forgot to involve God for such an important matter just because Abah and Kyai Abizar have already determined everything."

Umar raised his face to look at Khalid, he felt slapped with that sentence.

"Why do you involve God at the end?"

Umar was ashamed that what Khalid said was true. He regularly filled out studies at the mosque and answered the questions of the pilgrims but he himself could not solve his own problems. Umar could not remove the doubt in his heart and forgot to involve God.

"Astaghfirullah." Umar gripped his thigh, he was very sinful because he felt he could solve all this without prayer. Unknowingly Umar had bragged that he could face this.

"Pray to Allah and ask for guidance." Khalid gave advice again. Umar was so confused that he forgot to include Allah.

"I should have done this from the beginning."

"Allah will not be angry because you have forgotten, Allah knows that if man has been wrong and forgets, it is not too late." Umar patted Umar on the back to strengthen him.

"Think once again, whether you are capable of being a husband to Ning Hilya, whether you can make her happy if you have feelings for another girl."

"Ning Hilya said no problem with that."

"Wouldn't she deserve to marry the man who loves her, she would only be Aisha's shadow unless you forget Aisha and learn to love Hilya, the decision is in your hands Umar, he said, apart from Abah and Kyai Abizar, you will have that marriage."

"I'll find the answer." Umar moved after sipping the warm tea that Khalid brought to the toilet. After this he will probably be in the mosque for quite a long time.

Khalid stared at Umar's departure, hoping that the younger brother would get the best answer. An answer that is not only liked by Umar but most importantly God likes it. What more can man do if he does not do everything that God likes.

Umar rushed to the mosque, ablution and prayers two rakaats. Uninterrupted by the voice of the santri who was teaching with Zaid, Umar continued to recite and pray fervently.

Umar asked for forgiveness for putting God at the end, but he had to give God priority in every breath.

"O Allah, grant the servant the sustenance of the marriage you like." A drop of clear crystal decays as Umar closes his eyes. Umar endured his cries with all his might even though it was useless, he still sobbed at his place of prayer.

There was nothing Umar could do but seek the pleasure of Allah, that was his priority. If married to Hilya probably will not be too difficult because Hilya already knows very well about the rights of husband and wife in marriage. While Aisyah did not understand that, Umar had to teach her many things. But if the heart has fallen, no matter how difficult it must be Umar will live it with a happy feeling.

Umar was in the mosque until late at night, he had just come out of there after establishing tahajjud prayer. He will sleep for a while because he has to go to college in the morning. Because of a few days off, Umar left a lot of work so he had to go to campus on Sunday.

******

The members of the Immanuel congregation had gathered in front of the church after the Sunday service. They wrapped rice, oil and sugar in plastic bags before handing them out to underprivileged people passing around there.

Among them was a person who looked different. Aisyah wore a pink robe and a matching colored hijab.

"You're so pretty." Praise the friends of Aisyah.

"Thank you for still accepting me to join this community activity." Aisyah is happy because they still allow her to participate in the activities even though she has told her to leave the community.

"You can come whenever you want." Tuke them.

"Don't tell me this is our last meeting."

Aisyah shook her head, although not sure she would meet often but she could definitely take the time to chat with them. It used to be at least once a week they must meet, worship together or other social activities.

Different beliefs then do not make them break the friendship. They also did not oppose Aisha's decision at all. It was a life that Aisyah chose and they could only wish her the best.

"I'll go there first." Aisyah took three plastic bags to give to the scavengers across the street. They scattered around the church to the street vendors, scavengers and beggars.

Aisyah approached a roadside merchant mother, there was a pile of brooms lying on the sack mat. Aisyah gave one plastic bag of sembako to the merchant.

"Chess nuwun Nduk."

"Sami-sami ma'am, we are from Immanuel church community."

The merchant thanked him many times even his eyes glazed over.

"Why's Mom's hand?" Aisyah looked at the wound on the back of the merchant's mother's hand.

"Nothing, this is usually hit by a time knife cleanin lidi from its coconut leaves."

"I want to take it, ma'am?"

"No need to Nduk, it's almost healed anyway, I usually love kerosene."

Ayesha just found out that kerosene can heal wounds. But he still took a P3K box in the car to treat the wound.

"This is a doctor, right?"

"No, I'm still a student." Aisyah apply wounds that have been inflamed with petroleum jelly that can speed up the healing process.

From a distance Umar accidentally saw Aisyah so he pulled his bike right in front of the shop, all of you buy cigarettes there. Umar rarely smoked, only at a time when his mind was as chaotic as it is now he wanted to fill his body with that unhealthy smoke.

"That's what's going on, ma'am?" Umar asked the shopkeeper, the road became a little jammed in front of the church.

"They're a church community that's just forcibly divided."

After paying for a pack of cigarettes, Umar came out of the stall not forgetting to say thank you. How long had Umar not met Aisha, he longed for Aisha's strange questions.

Umar saw Aisyah chatting familiarly with the broomstick. Apparently Aisyah began to learn to interact with others. The tremors were again present in Umar's chest, his heart beating twice as fast. The vibration that only Umar could feel when he met Aisyah. Perhaps it is called love, Umar does not know for sure.

"Mom sells broomsticks huh?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"A thousand five hundred."

Aisyah was surprised to hear the price is so cheap when the way to make it takes a long time to produce a tie of broomstick.

"I bought them all." Aisha thrust one hundred thousand pieces at the mother.

"It's just 10 bindings of Nduk, I haven't changed."

"It's okay for me."

The mother was stunned for a while, her trembling hands holding a hundred thousand that she almost never met. He had even forgotten when the last time he saw a hundred thousand pieces.

Aisyah took 10 brooms that had been fastened to make it easier when carrying them. Aisyah's car was across the street, she left the P3K box because she couldn't carry it all at once.

Aisyah was shocked when someone else's hand took over the broomstick.

"Mas Umar?" Since when Umar was there, Aisyah was sure from earlier she did not see the figure of Umar.

"Let me help you take it."

"Goodbye, my car is in front of the church." Aisyah widened her smile, whether she had a beautiful dream last night until the next day could meet Umar. Because Umar helped, Aisyah could bring her P3K box.

"You gave all your money to this broom seller?" Umar asked when they had crossed the road.

"No, I don't have much money right now." Aisyah can not waste her money as before, if her papa still gives her a credit card, she must have spent all the cash in her wallet.

"Why?"

Aisyah sighed heavily, "Papa and Mama don't give money anymore so I can't waste money."

"That's good for you."

"Well." yeah." Aisyah raises her shoulders, maybe it's good to improve her shopping lifestyle. "Kok you could suddenly be here?"

"I stopped by to buy a cigarette at a deket shop here and accidentally saw you."

"The face of Mas Gus Ustadz Umar changed a little when not one month we did not meet."

"Oh yeah? why my face?" Umar touched his face.

"Kusut kayak laundry hasn't been ironed yet."

"Astaghfirullah," Umar turned his head in a mirror on the window of Aisha's car. "You're the only one who dares to say that."

Aisyah laughed, if heard by the santri in the cottage he must have been severely blasphemed not to mention being the gossip material behind.

"Atlene!"

Aisha and Umar both turned to the source of the voice. Felix half ran over to Aisyah. Umar immediately put on a fierce face considering Felix is the guy who once bothered Aisyah first.

"Felix, is it all?" Ask Felix.

"Udah, how did you give me a review for my perfume products."

"Well, I'll email you later." Aisyah actually wears Felish perfume during this week to give her reviews. Although she does not like to wear perfume, Aisyah wants to do her best at once for her apology to Felix.

"Well, you take it seriously."

"Yes, make the product is not easy so I can not mess around with reviews, hopefully can help you develop Felish products in the future."

"Thank you, after this we want to eat in Osing King, you know that besides the famous Sanbeiji, processed Hong Bak they are also delicious."

"Yes I know, Hong Bak they're really good."

"You want to eat Hong Bak, that's—" Umar said, he had not wanted to participate in the chat Aisyah and Felix but they discussed the non-halal food called Hong Bak.

"I know I'm not coming." Sahut Aisyah quickly so that Umar does not misunderstand.

"I'm sorry I forgot." Felix scratched his neck which was suddenly itchy.

"Don't apologize." Reply Aisyah.

"If that's how I'm with the others first." Felix waved his hand and immediately left from there joined the other members.

"Don't you guys have a fight?" Umar remembered very well that Aisyah said she would never forgive the guy named Felix.

"Udah no, I do not want to hold a grudge, he said it is not good for our hearts."

"He's your friend?"

"We used to be in High School and now Felix has a partnership with my Papa so compared to me, he's more familiar with Papa."

Umar Manggut-mangut heard Aisha's explanation.

"By the way you were talking to Papa Kok Papa suddenly give me permission to go back home."

"I'm just saying that you live with my family in the boarding house."

"That's all?"

"It looks like it is." Umar did not want to give his detailed story to Aisyah. The important thing is now that Aisyah can live again with her family.

Aisha was astonished that Umar could make her stubborn papa crumble until she was allowed to stay home again. Even Jaya did not discuss Aisyah who has now embraced Islam.

"I want to go home too."

"Yes." Yeah." Umar was also on his way home after finishing work on campus.

They separated in front of the church that afternoon, Aisyah got into the car while Umar rode his motorbike.