The Dangers of Islam: The Terrorist

Chapter 13: Princess

     Iman smiled as the little girl looked at the clock anxiously. "Are you waiting for someone, sweetheart?" Iman asked as she sat down next to the little girl on one of the small seats. "My aunt is supposed to pick me up in five minutes so I can talk to my baba," the little girl whispered and fidgeted in her seat. "Does your baba not live with you?" Iman asked softly as she covered the little girl's hand with her own in reassurance. "He's far away for work, but I get to talk to him everyday after daycare," the little girl declared proudly. Iman couldn't help but smile at the little girl's excitement as she continuously looked at the clock. She couldn't have been more than five or six years old and had rich auburn hair that was styled in a cute bob cut with a textured fringe. Her bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle as the classroom's clock began chiming; alerting the other daycare volunteers that it was three in the afternoon. As the clock struck three, the classroom's door opened and Iman looked up in surprise once she recognized the woman standing at the doorway. "Aunt Rana!" The little girl cried out and looked at Iman in earnest. "May I be excused?" "Yes, you may," Iman smiled and stood up as the little well-mannered girl ran to her aunt.

     "How are you, Shehzadi?" Rana asked using the Urdu word for "princess" as the little girl's nickname. The little girl grinned and gave her aunt a hug before saying, "I'm good. I missed you. Is it time to speak to Baba yet?" "Almost, my love," Rana smiled and patted the little girl's head before handing the girl her phone. "You may answer only the video call your baba makes, understand?" "Yes, ma'am," the little girl nodded and held the phone against her preciously. "Excuse me," Iman called out as Rana opened the door. Rana stopped in mid-step and turned, "Yes, Sister?" "You're Rana Hashemi, right?" Iman asked and held out her hand. "I'm Iman Abdullah." "Ah! The professor!" Rana smiled. "I hear you're the one responsible for bringing so many changes in the mosque. I never thought that I would see a daycare on the Islamic center's premises in my lifetime." Rana laughed. "This mosque wasn't so welcoming a few years back." "The world is full of surprises. I mean, I never thought I'd see the hijab as part of accepted uniform for practicing Muslims in the U.S. Army, but you managed to accomplish that," Iman smiled. "It is such an honor to finally meet you. I have read nearly everything I could get my hands on about you." "Stop, you're making me blush," Rana laughed and looked down as the little girl tugged on Rana's pants. "Yes, my love?" "Aunt Rana, why is Baba late?" The little one pouted. "Have patience, Shehzadi," Rana smiled and kissed the top of the little girl's head. "What does your father say about patience?" "Good Muslims have sabr." "What is sabr?" Rana asked as she looked at the little girl. "Patience," the little girl answered as she nodded in determination.

     "She's your niece?" Iman asked as she followed Rana out to the mosque's newly renovated playground. "Yes and she's my heart and soul as well," Rana sighed. "Has me wrapped around her tiny finger and she knows it too." Iman smiled, "Must be those gorgeous blue eyes." Rana laughed, "Absolutely. She could move anyone with those pools of blue. Khadijah, please don't wander ahead. Stay in my sight, understand?" "Yes, ma'am," Khadijah nodded and squealed as the phone began ringing. "Baba!" Iman smiled as she watched Khadijah do a mini-jig once the phone connected with her father's phone. Khadijah sat on the slide and waved at the phone's screen once she greeted her father Islamically, "Assalam alaikum, Baba!" "She seems very attached to her father," Iman noticed as she sat with Rana at one of the picnic tables that bordered the playground. "She's very precious to him as well," Rana smiled. "He'd fight the entire world for her." "Today was my first day at the daycare, so I haven't had the pleasure of properly speaking with her yet, but I have to say, she's so wonderfully well-behaved," Iman smiled. "You're blessed." "It's all her father. He's strict when it comes to manners," Rana explained.

     Iman watched the little girl converse with her mystery father with wild gestures, occasionally dropping the phone in her lap in her excitement. "Shehzadi, let's head to the car. You can talk to your baba as we walk," Rana called out. Khadijah nodded and stood up while she held the phone in both hands. Iman stood up and waved as Rana and Khadijah walked towards the parking lot and noticed the tall man before either of them. He was in some sort of military uniform and had a menacing gait. He appeared to be heading towards Rana and Khadijah, which caused Iman to worry. Iman wasn't sure who he was and quickly followed the trio. "Baba, I miss you," Iman heard Khadijah whisper with a sigh. Iman was only a few feet way from the mysterious man in uniform and nearly stopped him. "I miss you too," the tall figure called out behind the little girl. Iman paused as she realized that she nearly ruined a precious moment in the little girl's life. With that, she took two giant strides to the side. Khadijah turned around in a flash and dropped the phone as she cried out tearfully, "BABA!" The tall soldier laughed and scooped up the little girl before twirling her around and giving her a dozen kisses on her face. Khadijah was now openly sobbing and Iman noticed as Rana wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as well. It seemed that quite a few families that were picking up their children from daycare, paused to watch the tearful father/daughter reunion. Some even recorded it on their cell phones. "Baba," Khadijah sobbed and clung to her father's neck, "you're home. I missed you." "Now why is my shehzadi crying?" The tall man asked in his deep baritone voice. Iman frowned. She was sure she had heard this distinct voice before. Not recently but somewhere in her past.