The Dangers of Islam: The Terrorist

Chapter 19: Courtship

     "Are you serious?" Dawood asked, completely flabbergasted. "Sister Iman likes Dawood?" Ahmed asked and shook his head as if to clear it. "Sister Iman not only likes Dawood and Khadijah, but wants to be Khadijah's mother if she allows it and Dawood's wife, if he allows it," Rana smiled and sighed. "You approve of this, don't you?" Ahmed asked as he looked at his sister. "I'll be honest about the fact," Rana began and looked at Khadijah, "that I believe Iman is someone who would take very good care of you and your baba." "Ms. Abdullah wants to be MY mama?" Khadijah asked in wonder. "You like her?" Dawood asked as he looked at his daughter, who nodded slowly. "She's always been very nice to me," Khadijah said and looked at Ruby for her input. "Well, I think she's stunningly beautiful. Plus she lives a very simple lifestyle. She's been in our community forever as you all have told me time and time again. I've yet to see a bad quality about her," Ruby chimed in.

     "I don't want this to be another, well you know," Dawood said and knew that the adults knew he was talking about his divorce. "She's never been married and she wants to be your wife and her mother. I think she's thought this through more than you, Dawood," Ruby added. "Khadijah is my priority," Dawood said simply. "And she'll be Iman's priority," Rana added softly as she held Dawood's hand. "We're not saying that you should jump into marriage, Dawood Bhai. Court her, Islamically. Get to know her and then decide if she's compatible with you two or not," Ruby suggested. Dawood had never thought of Iman as anything else except a sister in Islam. Now, she was putting herself out there to become his wife and Khadijah's mother. "Don't think too hard on it," Ahmed suggested. "I don-," Dawood began and winced before rubbing his hands on his head. "He does that when he gets confused," Ahmed explained to Ruby. 'I know. Why are you explaining it like I just met him or something?" Ruby asked in confusion. "I-um, never mind. Dawood, just meet up with her and we'll see where it goes from there," Ahmed suggested.

     He had agreed and three days later found himself clutching Khadijah's hand as they stood near the restaurant they were supposed to meet Iman at. "Are you nervous, Baba?" Khadijah asked and looked up at Dawood. "Yes, ma'am," Dawood confirmed Khadijah's suspicions and gulped as he spotted Iman. She had parked her compact car in a parking spot for small cars and walked towards the restaurant. She hadn't spotted the father/daughter duo, but seemed nervous as she fixed her hijab and glanced at her watch a couple times. While she was walking to the restaurant's front door, Dawood noticed a man approaching Iman menacingly. "Hey, babe!" The man called out rudely. Iman paused and glanced at the man before shaking her head and returning to her route. Iman's rejection seemed to have incensed the man who picked up his pace and reached for Iman's scarf. "Hey!" Dawood called out as he scooped Khadijah up and ran towards Iman. It seemed that he didn't need to do that since Iman calmly sidestepped the man's grasp and twirled around, grasping the man's hand in her own and pinning him down on the ground with her knee. "Did you think I was helpless? Did you think you would assault this Muslim woman and she'd meekly accept your advances?" Iman asked angrily and crushed her knee forcefully into the man's chest. "Whoa," Dawood whispered in unison and approached Iman. "Sister-," Dawood began, but paused as he realized that the title of "sister" would now be weird between them. "Iman, are you okay?" Iman looked at Dawood in surprise and nodded before she moved aside and let Dawood take over.

     He pinned the man to the ground and whispered, "Did you really try to take a lady's scarf off, you piece of crap?" "Are you okay, Ms. Abdullah?" Khadijah asked in concern as she placed her hands on Iman's face once the young woman stooped in front of the little girl. "Yes, little one. I'm okay. I live alone so I know self-defense," Iman explained and gently touched Khadijah's face in reassurance. "What's going on here?" Ahmed asked as he jogged over and looked at the situation. "You're here right on time. Call the cops. This jerk tried assaulting Iman," Dawood explained. "You goddamn Muslim scum," the man spat out at Dawood. Dawood growled as the man's spit landed on his face and fiercely twisted the man's arm before whispering in the man's ear, "We've got cameras all around on you, asshole. You not only assaulted a woman, but you spat on a soldier. See if you get away scot free after this." "What'd you say, Baba?" Khadijah asked in concern. "Are you alright?" Iman asked and pulled out a napkin from her purse just as the police rolled around. Dawood nodded and thanked the police once they hauled the man off the ground. The police took their statements and let them know that they could be called in for questioning later on.