Metanoia | ongoing

2 | her

-♛-
06:25 am

THIRD PERSON-

SHE woke up at the sound of the athan going off on her phone. Abeer kicked the comforter off her legs and got up, putting her hair into a makeshift bun that would come undone in a few movements.

Abeer was a morning person and always had everything under control. Her days would go exactly as planned because she was self-disciplined. She never compromised her routine for anything else.

"Ashadu an la ilaha illa illa-ilah, wa ashadu anna muhammadan rasul ullah."

 (There is no God but God <Allah - i.e. there is none worthy of worship but Allah>, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.)

As the morning sun slowly crept into her room, she groggily made her way to the attached bathroom. After freshening up, she sat on her bed and reached for her journal from the nightstand. Writing down her thoughts and filling out journal prompts always made her feel light and in control of her actions and thoughts. However, she couldn't help but wonder - how long could one maintain control over everything? Eventually, things were bound to fall apart, weren't they?

With a heavy sigh, she closed her journal and made her way to the balcony to offer the Fajr prayer. The crisp morning air was a welcome relief from the stuffiness of her room. She remembered the words of a scholar who was once asked why the air was so pure at the time of Fajr prayer. His answer was simple - "because no hypocrite gets up to pray Fajr." And that was precisely why she found solace in offering her prayers on the balcony - it was a moment of peace and sincerity in an otherwise chaotic world.

In the tranquil morning breeze, she gracefully lowered herself into sujood. The beauty of the moment was truly breathtaking.

Abeer had just finished her daily fajr salah. As she turned her head to the left and said "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah", she felt a sense of peace wash over her. It was a reminder that no matter how lonely she felt, Allah was always with her.

Abeer had never been one for making friends. In high school, she was too much of a pushover and lost friends because of it. After that, she stopped trying. She was tired of trusting the wrong people over and over again. But Allah was her best friend. He knew her deepest and darkest secrets, things that even her sister Khushboo didn't know.

Speaking of Khushboo, she was Abeer's closest confidante. The two sisters were inseparable. They shared everything, from their hopes and dreams to their fears and anxieties. Abeer's relationship with her mother had never been great since that one particular night. And her father, well, he was just a typical desi father.

But none of that mattered when Abeer was with Khushboo and in the company of Allah. They were her haven, her refuge from the world. As she lifted her hands in supplication, Abeer knew that as long as she had Allah and her sister, she would be okay.

And at the end of her du'a, she recited, "Rabbana hablana min azwajina wathurriyatina qurrata aayunin wajaalna lilmuttaqe'eena Imaan." (Our Lord! Bestow upon us from our wives and our offsprings the comfort of our eyes, and make us the leaders of the muttaqun) 

Abeer changed into her workout clothes and began her Chloe Ting exercises. She struggled with self-consciousness due to past bullying, which left her feeling extremely insecure about her body. Without the support of Khushboo, Abeer may have continued to struggle with self-loathing.

After a relaxing shower, she headed to the kitchen to help her mum and sister with breakfast. "Assamualaikum" (peace be upon you) she greeted the two ladies at work. "Walaikumassalam Abeer" (peace be upon you too) they chimed in reply.