The Halaal Way

CHAPTER TWELVE

Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "A calamity that makes you turn to Allaah is better for you than a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allaah.” 

The Abuja-Kaduna express road was clear, allowing Kamal to drive at 120km/hr. If not because he had insisted on dropping Nihlah back at home after getting Emily's gift, then he would have covered more distance than he had now. It was quarter to 8am.

He and Nihlah had left home around 6:30am in order to get the supposed gift from Nihlah's acquaintance. Much to his surprise, the fulani outfit was ready and they had waited only a few minutes for it to be packaged. Nihlah had told him to go ahead with his journey and that she would take a cab home but Kamal insisted on taking her home. Nihlah refused to give in either.

When he got tired of arguing with her, he did the unthinkable - he lifted her up bridal style and began to walk back to the car. Nihlah had stared at him mouth agape before she whisper yelled,  

“What are you DOING?”  

Kamal had kept mute, though a small smile formed on his lips. When he dropped her on the passenger seat, he had looked into her eyes that still held a surprised look and said,

“I don't like it when my wife argues with me so I was trying to make her listen”

Kamal had sounded all masculine and domineering that Nihlah could only drop her eyes. Somehow, the sound of his voice saying all that made her loose her tongue. He commanded authority at that moment that she had to give in to his command.
He didn't sound harsh or angry.

No.

Just the ‘hey, I am the man of the house’ kind of voice so she had simply said,

“I'm sorry”

He had nodded, closing the door. Then he walked over to the other side of the car to take the driver's seat.

Few minutes into the drive, Kamal had held Nihlah's hand and kissed her knuckles.

“Thank you... For everything”

Nihlah had smiled, feeling the genuineness in his voice. All that she ever wanted, was to be a source of happiness to him and anytime he appreciated her, it gave her the zeal to do more.

“It's my pleasure” came her simple reply.

“I want you to come with me” He had said after a while.

“Why? I've not even taken my bath. Besides, I don't want to be a distraction” She had said looking at him.

“I can wait for you to take your bath. And talking about distraction, do you know your absence distracts me more than your presence?” He had looked at her briefly before focusing his eyes back on the road.

“How can I distract you when I'm not even there?”

“That's my point. Everything would have been better if I don't have to think about you. If you're there, problem solved. I'll just look. If you're not there, then I don't have a choice than to allow your thoughts to distract me”

Nihlah was short of words when he said that. She couldn't believe her ears. She Nihlah, had the ability to distract Kamal? And he was telling her right to her face? Was this his way of saying ‘I love you?’ God...

Not wanting to get so hyper, she had relaxed in her seat and said,

“Focus Kamal, you need to focus”