A REMARKABLE STORY

A REMARKABLE STORY
Hello everyone. Err... I don’t really know what exactly am I doing here, but since you’ve noticed me, why don’t I tell you a story that really happened. It’s a story about love and hatred. Full of dramas and dream. Sounds like a telenovela? TYPICAL! Well, this story is about me. Myself. Whether you want to believe it or not, I leave it on your own justifications. It’s your choice. But just one thing to remember, it DID happened.

Hurm...where should I start, eh? Okay, let me introduce myself first. My name is Nuwwir Aqidah. Very Islamic, right? But it’s just a name. Through out my life, I never lived like a true Muslim. I never prayed, never fasted, nothing. And that’s the thing that I regretted the most.

Baba was a workaholic businessman. He made a lot of business deal with a lot of well known people but I can’t mention their names here in case of their security. What about Mum? Mum’s very great. Her name’s Nour el-Islam. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve seen. She had radiant tone, a pair of round dun jelly eyes, a soothing smile and a long wavy maroonish-black lock. Baba’s a Persian- Indian mixed while Mum’s an Iraqis.

They met each other in university and fell in love instantly. But that’s what Baba told me. On the other hand, his best friend, Uncle Amjad told me that Mum was playing hard-to-get that that she had made Baba knelt to her and sing a madrigal for her. It took TWO years before Mum finally gave her heart to Baba. ROMANTIC! We were very happy. Money? Never been a problem to us. Just say it and the BOB (Bank of Baba) will do the job. It’s that simple.

But when I was ten, Mum left us. Baba said that there was a cancerous tumor in her cervix. I was very upset. WE were very upset. Baba could no longer pay his attention to his business. He left it to Uncle Amjad. But sadly, Uncle Amjad too was gone six months later in a tragic accident. Since then, Baba’s business became severely interrupted and he almost got bankrupt. It was Aunty Sara who helped Baba to stand on his feet again and reestablish his empire. They finally got married to each other when I was 15. I had to call her ‘Mummy’ since then. Hate her! And between me and her, a WAR has been declared!! Muahahaha!

Mummy Sara already had three sons with late Uncle Amjad. They were Zufran-three years older than me, Zaffir-a year and a month younger than Zufran, and the last one was Zafree-the youngest among us. Unlike their mother, I like them better. It’s because Mummy Sara took Mum’s place without my willing but the boys, they had made the siblings that I had been wanted since a long time. After all, we’ve known each other since we’re in diapers.

I passed with flying colors in my PMR. Baba wanted to send me to a boarding school in Kuala Lumpur but I resisted. I told him that I’ll be homesick if I were to be apart with him. LIAR!! He didn’t know that I was actually sick of home. But there’s a reason why I didn’t want to leave home.

Do you want to know why? Keep reading! So I went to the SMK Convent Bukit Nenas, where the students normally wear Jimmy Choos, Louis Vuittons, and Pradas, Dolce and Gabbanas and other designer labels.

I was a teen and it’s a normal thing to fall in love at this time. Yup! I fell in love…but with the wrong person. I had a crush on Zaffir, my stepbrother. I couldn’t help it…he’s so good looking that I could hardly take my eyes off him. He always talked to me, shared problems with me, cared about me…oh! He’s just what a girl had ever wanted for a guy! And guess what? From the way he treated me, I could see that he also had the same feeling as me. Well…at least that’s what I thought. Until one day, I realized that I was wrong. TOTALLY WRONG!

On the night of my Sweet Sixteen Party, the truth was revealed. On that night, I supposed to enjoy myself to the max as Baba had approved my wish to get the Fabulous Cats to sing for my party. But I didn’t. When all my friends where enjoying themselves on the dance floor, I was possessed by the green-eyed monster. I saw Zaffir, my so-called-boyfriend-wannabe, was dancing with a girl who I had never seen before and I was sure that she wasn’t invited. I tried to think positive. Maybe she’s just a friend? I was sure that he wouldn’t choose that kind of girl to be his GIRLFRIEND. That’s SO not his taste! I was the one who should be in her place. Not her! So I decided to go and dance with him. Besides, it’s MY party. I could do whatever I wanted, right?

But I guess I was wrong. When I was about to ask Zaffir for a dance, he first dropped the bomb by telling me that the GIRL, whose name I never bothered to keep in mind, was his SPECIAL GIRLFRIEND! Urghh!! I blasted while she blushed. My heart was broken into pieces and I burst into tears. I was speechless! I then walked away without a word after being crushed and humiliated at my OWN birthday party. How sad was that?!

That night, I cried, cried and cried. And cried some more. My heart was severely torn. I spent all night crying and cursing him, like crazy. I was so devastated that I had a fever. I was absent in school for a week but ironically, Zaffir never asked. He probably knew about my feeling towards him and he didn’t want to humiliate me more.

What made me even sadder; Baba never cared about me, too. When Mummy Sara told him that I was sick, he just said, “Really? Give her medicine and she’ll be okay.” No one wanted to take care of me except for Mummy Sara but I didn’t want to be treated by her. So, Mummy Sara asked Zufran to take care of me. For that whole week, Zufran was the one who had kept me company and he helped me to forget Zaffir. My life was back to normal again and I kept on doing things that I usually did with Zaffir but from now on, his role would be replaced by Zufran. However, Zufran still didn’t have the place in my heart as Zaffir did. To me, Zufran was only a brother. He once frankly told me that he loved me more than a brother should love his sister but I rejected him in an acceptable way and he got over it. However, I was lying if I say that I wasn’t flattered.

We never talked about it again after that. I guessed he already had someone who’s more suitable with him. One night, he gave me a ticket to watch Sean Kingston’s performance at The Zouk. I was a big fan of Sean Kingston so I wouldn’t miss the concert for the world. So, we were both out together on that evening. Mummy Sara didn’t ask much.

The show was superb! That’s the first time I met Sean Kingston in person. I got him a life-sized teddy bear and handed it to him when he sang the ‘Beautiful Girls’. I really enjoyed myself. I sang and screamed at my highest pitch at the concert maniacally that my throat became so sore and my voice turned into a goose’s. We were home nearly twelve at night. I was so exhausted. Without changing my mini denim skirt and my fuchsia single-strap blouse into my night dress, I threw myself in my soft, comfy bed. I slept and the nightmare began. Suddenly, my face felt like being scuffed by some sort of cloth. There’s a strange smell on the cloth. It’s so pungent and strong. I was too panic to detect what kind of chemical was that. I felt nauscious and passed out without being able to recognize the figure which was bending towards me.

I woke up the next morning feeling strange. Upon opening my eyes, I saw Mummy Sara and Baba were sitting on my bed. Baba was next to me while Mummy Sara was at the end of the bed, near my feet. I saw Zufran leaned against my wardrobe door. I was so puzzled so I asked Baba what had happened. Baba didn’t answer and looked at Zufran instead. Mummy Sara was crying. I became more confused. Baba asked me whether I remembered what had happened last night. I squeezed my mind to recall everything. The concert, the figure… I quickly turned my head to Zufran and when I saw his guilty face, I knew at once that it was him who scuffed me last night. I looked at Baba and he told me that Zufran had ‘done a bad thing’ to me. Mummy Sara had seen him getting out from my room last night and asked him what was he doing in my room at that time. When seeing him couldn’t answer her question, she knew that instant that something had gone wrong. She had waken Baba up and told him. Baba had made Zufran to admit his fault. But it’s too late. WAY TOO LATE. I couldn’t believe it. I was betrayed by someone who I assumed my own brother.

I cried and screamed hysterically though I sounded like a drake. I threw everything to everywhere frantically. I felt like being crushed by the sky. At that moment, there’s only one thing that crossed my mind.-SUICIDE! There’s nothing left for me in this world. I had lost Mum, Zaffir and now…ARGHH! I hate this life!!

Like being possessed by some sort of force, I sprung myself up from my bed and headed straight to the balcony. Baba tried to hold me but I was much faster than him. I opened the door and climbed up the balcony. I had made my mind. I wanted to end my life right at that moment. Mummy Sara called my name. So did Baba. They tried to calm me down but I ignored. Out of the blue, I lost my balance and slipped off from the edge of the balcony. Everyone screamed but their voice sounded further as my body moved in the air towards the centre of gravity. I was unconscious.

When I woke up, I noticed that I was in a dark, small room. I was panic, as I had claustrophobic. Where was I? Was I DEAD? Was I in HELL? Suddenly, a light emerged from a direction an there’s a figure in the light. It was shimmering and the glow enlightened the whole room. The room was no longer dark now but it’s a white, empty space with no horizon. There wasn’t a ground either! I was floating beyond the Newton’s Law. The figure said to me, “Nuwwir Aqidah, you are lucky to be the chosen one. Although you had decided to take your own life, you are still forgiven because WE know that you did it because you do not know any better. You may have lost a few things in your past, but know that you still have a lot more things in your present and future. Now wake up child, as you have been given the time to restart a better life. Use this only chance to be a true Muslim and help your family and yourself to the way of Islam, to the way of Allah. The al-Quran and the as-Sunnah may guide you to the right path. Remember that, Nuwwir Aqidah. REMEMBER…”

Within a second, I was sucked back to reality. I opened my eyes and saw Baba, Mummy Sara, Zufran, Zaffir and Zafree. I burst into tears instantly. Mummy Sara hugged me. Ironically, I didn’t feel awkward or hatred. Instead, I felt the warmth of a mother’s hug, which I’ve been longing for seven years. I then told them about the strange dream, which was probably the strangest ever. The room was full with silence. Finally, Baba said, “Nuwwir Aqidah, this was all my fault. I was too drowned by the wealth that only last for this world. I’ve been neglecting you, dear. I admit that I wasn’t a good Muslim but I promise that I’ll try my best to guide our family to the right path. From now on, we must turn into a new leaf. We’ll have a new life. A much, much better life,”

And that’s the end of my story, or should I say, the beginning. May we all be in Allah’s blessings.

Divine Ties

The ties which bind Muhammad, upon him be peace, to the Light of the Heavens and Earth are beyond all counting. His every effort was devoted to transforming his environment into one of worship, submission to Allah, remembrance of his name, and thanksgiving.

Imam Nasai related on the Authority of Yaqub ibn Asim that two of the Prophet's Companions heard him say:

A believer never says, 'There is no god but Allah. He is One and has no partner. His is the dominion and His is all praise; and He is powerful over everything,' with the sincerity of his soul, the veracity of his heart, and the full power of utterance of his tongue, except that Allah parts the heavens asunder so that He may look down on that man on earth! And, of course, a man that Allah has especially looked upon deserves to receive what he asks for!

What the hadith purports to say is that a believing heart, overflowing with sincerity and truth, will propel a declaration of belief from the lips of the believer directly to the throne of the Almighty: and that thereafter the believer will never want anything!

Compiled From:
"Remembrance & Prayer" - Muhammad Al-Ghazali, p. 145