Falling Innocently

Chapter 14- After The Nikkah

Chapter 14 - After The Nikkah

"O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers."

- Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

The day had finally arrived. The bride was going to be given away to the groom and his family. Waliya was a live wire. She could not sit still. She was nervous to make the move. Now that the time had come to leave her parents home and move on into her in-laws' home, she couldn't find the strength to do it.

Her hands were shaking and her legs felt like jelly. "Waliya," Asmaa said as she rounded her friend. "Masha Allah, you look absolutely beautiful," she praised her friend.

"You are seriously one of the most stunning brides ever," Jade said and wiped away a tear in her eye. "You look simply amazing."

"My word, Waliya. You will take away his breath when he sees you!" Tina gushed.

"I know!" Raeesa said. "He won't be able to handle it!"

Waliya rolled her eyes at her friends and then smiled sadly at them. The nerves were eating her alive. "Thank you guys," she breathed to them and turned to take one last glance in the mirror. She knew it would only be a few minutes before it was time for her to go to the Masjid for the Nikkah. Looking back at herself in the mirror was someone completely different. She looked like some sort of model. Flawless skin, pink tinted lips, light brown eye shadow and the silver scarf she had on made her look ethereal. The white and silver gharara she wore made her stand out under the glow of the light bulb.

She couldn't breathe as soon as her brother walked into the room. She knew what was going to happen.

"Assalaamualaikum, my little sister," Raihaan smiled at her. She let out a deep sigh and gave a weak smile to her brother. "Let's go, Waliya," he said and held out his hand to her.

She accepted it while her friends around her arranged her skirt. As she walked, her skirt moved like flowing water, yet her heart was pounding as if trying to escape her chest. Before she knew it, she was in the car driving to the Masjid.

After signing her Nikkah contract and posing for over one thousand photographs with innumerable family members and friends, Waliya was seated in the backseat of a Lexus which belonged to her husband. How weird it felt to say that word. Husband.

Suddenly, her life had altered in a space of a few hours. She wasn't sure how to feel about that. "Waliya," Aahil said in a quiet voice next to her.

"Jee?" she said softly, without raising her eyes to look at him.

He chuckled softly and the driver, who she noticed was his younger brother Jawwaad, chuckled along with Aahil. "Assalaamualaikum bhabi," he said in a young boyish type of voice.

"Wa'alaikumusalaam," she answered automatically.

"Jazakallah for making my brother laugh. It's been ages since he laughed."

Waliya was eager to turn and see her husband, but it was too engrained in her not to look at the other sex. She just couldn't break that habit, despite being alone in the car with two men. However, she soon realised that it was Halaal for her to look at him, her husband, her Aahil. She glanced up quickly and noticed him smiling down at her and that made her turn her eyes away.

"Waliya," he said again and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Waliya," he said when she didn't look at him. He then turned his body and took his right hand to turn her chin towards him, therefore forcing her to raise her eyes to him. Although, as soon as he touched her he felt her tense up. "It is okay, Waliya. You are now Halaal for me. I am not being stabbed with an iron needle through my head," he smiled at her as he alluded to the Hadith.