THE RELIGIOUS SHORT STORY GROUP
THREE NAUSEA

“Which way, Christine?” ask Aisha over the phone to someone. “I wait at the resto we promised, huh? I've arrived first, nih.”

“OK, I'm again on the way. Jammed, here, street. Most immediately also nyampe,” answered one voice belonging to a woman who had been called Christine.

“OK, again. Be careful, Say,” Aisha said as she hung up.

Aisha opened a website containing religious articles while waiting for Christine. His fingers are busy touching the screen with agile. Every now and then the woman's forehead wrinkled, reading the writing that was read. Then take a small note and a ballpoint to take notes.

Before long, a young woman in open clothes approached Aisha with a smile. Surely this figure who spoke through the phone earlier. Christine's.

“Hai, Gishel,” greet Christine so close. “Hai, Chris. Assalamu’alaikum,” sahut Aisha immediately embraced warm. Don't forget to kiss each other on both cheeks. “O, yes, my name is now Aisha. Don't call Gishel again ya.”

Christine laughed a little. “Duh, who just became a convert. Must change the name of everything?”

Aisha smile. “You pesen what? I was drinking soft drinks and Insha Allah .. HALAL,” Aisha said after the two sat down. Understandably, the seat they ordered was only for the two of them.

“Idem elo only, deh. I believe, really, elo will not give me cyanide coffee,” said Christine accompanied by laughter.

For a moment they spoke. As the opening of a meeting that never happened again. Exactly after both married and changed their beliefs or beliefs.

“Elo changed a lot, Gish .. uh, Aisha,” chirps Christine while paying attention to Aisha's clothes are all covered, polite and syar’i. “Change what? My clothes?” ask Aisha.

“Everything. Language, clothing, lifestyle, also the name elo. Ah, just a lot, deh.”

“Ah, time anyway?”

“Gue himself is not sure if the person in front of me is currently elo, Aish. If only I didn't save elo number and meet here.”

“Can you, Chris.” Aisha laughed a little behind the palm.

Their conversation halted, as a waiter approached and brought their order.

“Thank you.” Aisha help.

“Kok, ginian drinks, anyway? The tumben? Not like the one we often pesen, Aish?” Christine noticed the contents of the glass that had just been delivered by the waiter of the restaurant.

“Insya Allah .. it is halal and good for our body.”

“Hhhmm, you weird chick. Since when, anyway, elo turned weird like gini?”

“Since I know Islam from my ex-boyfriend.”

“Former girlfriend?”

“ ... which is now my miswaku, Chris.”

“Miswa? What is tuh?”

“Suami.”

The two women laughed. It's just that Aisha closed her mouth again with her palm, so that the sound of her laughter was not too loud. Audible to visitors inside the restaurant.

“Ber-it's weird, deh,” says Christine again. “What's weird? I feel mediocre, kok,” Aisha replied casually. “O, yes ... for a moment, I forgot to call mywa. Gotta tell him I'm still here with you. I asked for permission until noon today, but since you came late, it looks like I need a little extra time. With my best friend of course.”

Christine grinned amusedly at the attitude of her old friend. He used to know Gishel was indifferent to almost everything.

“Assalamu’alaikum, Honey, I'm still at the restaurant I said earlier. Looks like it's still a while here with my best friend Gishel. It's just the two of us, really. I'm asking your permission, aren't you, honey? God willing not long, though,. I'll let you know when it's done.” Aisha noticed Christine's face that was gawking in astonishment. “Good, Honey. Thank you, yes, I have my permission. Assalamu’alaikum, Miswaku.”

“Crazy, even to meet me alone elo must ask permission elo?” Christine shakes.

“That's one of the consequences of marriage, Gish. My life is my husband's responsibility. The world and the hereafter. So whatever I do, it's inseparable from the responsibilities of my household priest. Even a single footstep from the porch of my house without the permission of my husband, it is a great sin that I must be held accountable before my Lord in the future. Too much burden on a husband in carrying out his household obligations, so do not be added to our attitude that denies the trust given by him. For Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala is Serene and Mahameng knows all that we do, though we are good at deceiving husbands.”

“Waw, very smooth. Kayak ustazah who likes nongol on TV only."

They both laughed again.

“Emang elo no complicated must use this package? All closed and looks really old, Aish.”

Aisha smile. He continued the conversation after sipping a small amount of the drink that was already in front of the table. “I even feel very comfortable with the clothes I wear now. Covering every inch of the body and preventing from the sight of those who are not my mahrom. No more beautiful eyes that always devour the skin of the body for free. Even if there are those who judge fashion like this ancient or village, but at least I believe in the eyes of God, fashion like this is actually very special and high value.”

“Even in front of elo in-laws though?”

“Of course. Even though my in-laws are mahroms who can see the boundaries of my determined aurat, but I must still take care of my husband's marwah by wearing polite clothes, in accordance with religious recommendations. Is not it also required in religion a wife must still look beautiful and preening? Even when I want to sleep. If we intend to please the husband, God willing will be worth worship and add our charity coffers later when facing the Lord.”

“Ribet very, anyway, so a Muslim?”

“Lho, haven't you also been a convert for a long time?”

“Iya, anyway. But that, right, is just a condition that I can marry my man. If I still remain the same belief I used to, my man will not want to marry me. It is a pity that you will not get married. My man, right, tajir, Cin,” Christine said with a loud laugh.

This time Aisha did not laugh. This hijab-wearing woman was silent with a sour face, looking at the face of her best friend. Slowly shaking while saying, “Astaghfirullahal’adzim.”

“Why, Aish?”

Aisha grabbed Christine's arm and grasped it tightly. “That religion is not to be played with, my dear friend! Once you migrate to become a convert, then automatically you have become a mukallaf.”

“What is mukallaf?”

Aisha took a breath for a moment. He looked at his best friend. Miris at once pernicious. “Muallaf means submissive or resigned. The definition is someone who has just migrated from the old (religious) belief to become a full Muslim. I wish I could be a Muslim. While Mukallaf is a Muslim who is already puberty and is subject to the obligation to apply every teaching and religious rule based on the Qur’an and Hadith."

“What is his relationship with me?”

“Of course very related, dear. You have decided to say the word tawhid in the form of shahadah. That means you are officially a Muslim woman. And from then on you are charged with the obligations to fulfill the pillars of Islam and the pillars of faith as well as other Muslim women. That means you have been a mukallaf for a long time. You must forsake all things related to the teachings of our former religion, and give up your life completely in Islamic law.”

“Gue doesn't understand it all. I think so the convert was just changing my religious status at KTP to Islam doangan.”

“You should study religion often. Read books about Islam. Attend a school event. Or... Do you want to learn religion from me? God willing I am ready to teach it in accordance with the capacity of religious science that I have today,” said Aisha did not stop looking deeply into the eyes of her friend with love.

While talking, suddenly a hooded woman came up to them. Aisha immediately greeted with joy. “Hai, Sarah. Assalamu’alaikum.”

“Alhamdulillah good news. O, yes .. introduce this my friend Christine."

Sarah and Christine shake hands. There was a cynical smile on Christine's lips as soon as she saw Sarah's figure wearing loose, long and covered clothing. Similar to the one Gishel or Aisha wore.

“Ohl, yes .. sorry if today I also have an appointment with my liqo friend, Sarah. We want to go to the dating agency to find a husband for Sarah,”, Aisha told Christine.

“Emang elo not married yet, huh, Sar? I see, anyway, that elo should already have two or three children. Like me and Aisha this is ... ” said Christine then laughed loudly.

Sarah looked down with a hue of sorrow on her face. Aisha immediately patted Christine's arm. Ask him to stop laughing.

“Ups, sorry! Sorry are! I don't mean to …. ”

“It's okay. I understand, kok,” replied Sarah smiling bitterly.

Aisha immediately broke the stiffness. “Eh .. Chris, Sarah is also a convert like us, you know. He only joined me this year in the study which is often held at MCI (Muallaf Center Indonesia). Thankfully, his religious knowledge grew. Like, I think you also have nothing wrong, deh, follow the same we-we were present at the lecture event there.”

“Not yet, deh. I have a lot of busyness. Do it again, yes?”

“No harm, right, you spit it out once in a while.”

“Iya .. entar!”

“When?”

“Elo it's like my man, deh, Aish. A little religion, a little njai! I'm tired of being lectured on, Cin!”

“Ya .. that, right, it is your husband's obligation to make you as his wife. As a wife, you should follow along to do good.”

“Yes I don't want to be forced into it, Cin. I want to do good with sincerity without any element of coercion from anyone.”

“Until when do you wait until your heart is sincere? To do good there must be a compulsion. If not, then when? The hide is to be sought instead of awaited, dear.”

“Aaahhh .. Stop! I'm so dizzy with her!”

Sarah codes Aisha not to continue her conversation. “Already, we just wait and pray for the good of our friend, Aisha. We are only trying and Almighty God.”

“Tuh, really say temen jomlo elo it, Aish,” suhut Christine fierce.

For a moment the atmosphere felt quiet and stiff. Aisha doesn't know what to say. There are two friends in front of him with each problem being faced. He was confused which conversation to continue. Finally, the three of them could only talk about it until later ….

Our conversation came to a halt as soon as the sound of the azan reverberating from a distance was heard. Aisha quickly ended the meeting with her best friend. They split up in the parking lot of the restaurant building.

“You did not join us to pray Duhur first in the nearest Mosque from here?” aisha asked when Christine was in her private car.

“Already. Now I have no desire to talk about religion. I want to go to my other house. There is an event arisan,” Christine replied accompanied by laughter.

Aisha could only wipe her chest looking at Christine's attitude. Sarah was silent. Then the two went to the mosque. After that, Aisha escorted Sarah to the matchmaking bureau.

During the trip, they were silent. There was not much conversation between the two women. Until he arrives home, Aisha's mind is filled with questions. Remember the figure of Christine who still can not be a full Muslim, but lucky to be awarded a pretty good life. Being married, having children is also an economically viable life. Sarah, meanwhile, still has to fight to get a true priest figure for her future. Two contrasting differences occur in front of the eyes.

The thought continued to rage in the head. Even before going to bed, still ringed the words of Sarah who begged for her help.

“Still not sleeping either, Umi?” ask Aisha's husband who is already on the side of the bed.

Aisha smile. “Numbered, Abi. I was thinking about my two best friends who met this afternoon. Abi go to sleep first. Tomorrow, right, have to wake up at dawn and get back to work.”

“How can I sleep, while my dear wife is still open her eyes! Husband like what I am, enjoying the fortune that God gives without sharing with his own wife.”

“Ah, Abi could have. Yes, already then, I also better sleep, yes.”

Aisha immediately buried her face between the chests of the husband's field. The warm embrace of the burly hand seemed to protect the whole lovingly. A mighty heart beat, like a clockwork beat that sends itself to dreamland.

I don't know, why suddenly there was another shadow in the eye. If at that time there was another figure lying among them. A face with a familiar face. Sarah.

Yes, Sarah.

Why was that seed of thought suddenly present in the fist? Or maybe hoping that the husband will be willing to combine himself and share love with other Muslim women? Is not the reward of heaven to be obtained, if willing to accept the husband's decision to polygamy? Ah, why should it be like that?

Sarah is a good Muslim. Too bad, God still hasn't given him a soul mate. Because of the appearance of him all this time that makes men feel uninterested in him? Or it is ….

Ah, again the thought again conical to the figure of her own husband. Until then, I can't remember what I was thinking. The sleepiness filled the eye sockets. The sturdy and warm deck is what makes it quickly step into the nature of the contest.

Early in the morning before leaving for work, the husband handed Aisha a mobile phone and said, “From this time on Umi's phone rang continuously. There may be an important message that Umi should know.”

“Why doesn't Abi open and tell Umi?”

“No, Dear. I'm afraid what's in that message isn't for me to know. Umi opened it immediately. Who knows what is important?”

Aisha immediately took her mobile phone from her husband's grasp. Immediately open the notification that appears on the screen. There were two instant messages from Christine's number and another from an unknown number. Slowly Aisha reads the submissions from her best friend first.

“Cin, last night I divorced my husband. Because I can't stand the same attitude of my man who keeps asking me to be like elo. Hijab, glamorous and all the old-fashioned accessories that I don't like. Sorry, yes. I think I just went home to my parents. Ortu I, anyway, ask that I return to my religion that I was still confused. Later, again, yes.”

Aisha rubbed her chest while saying, “Astaghfirullahal’adzim.”

Then opened the second message from the unknown number earlier, reads, “Assalamu'alaikum. Sorry if I dared to send this message to you. I know you're a close friend of my wife, Christine. I've got your number on my wife's HP. For information only that we are currently divorced. I could not stand the attitude of my wife who no longer obeyed my orders. Especially in religious matters. I have known many times that she used to go to church with her parents every Sunday. But …. ”

Aisha could not continue reading the message. Her tears began to drip, rushing down her cheeks. At once the woman's body felt like it was powerless. Falling down weakly. His chest began to break with his chest.

For now, I don't know who to contact. Christine, her husband, or Sarah? Why in this kind of situation did he suddenly think about Sarah again? Then slowly reread the contents of the last message from the unknown number that turned out to belong to her best friend's husband?

Sarah and Christine's ex-husband.

Oh Allah ….

FINISHED