Falling Innocently

Chapter 15 -Making Time Count

Chapter 15 —Making Time Count

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Behold! A man is not alone with a woman but third of them is Satan."

            -At Tirmidhi

"Waliya," Aahil whispered in her ear. "Waliya, it's fajr time, wake up."  He slid off the bed and watched her as she slowly rose from her short slumber. Aahil felt bad to wake her up, but he knew it was now his responsibility to wake her up and make sure she read her salaah. She turned onto her left side and shook her head against the pillow, and then abruptly she sat up and looked around, before her eyes landed on Aahil.

A deep rose-like colour flooded her cheeks, and Aahil could not help but smile at her innocence. "Maaf, was I very difficult to wake up?" she asked shyly.

He shook his head, not wanting to embarrass her any further. "Not too difficult. I've had to wake up people far more difficult than you," he told her kindly. He wasn't lying, if and when Jawwaad stayed over he was often doused in water because he just couldn't wake up. However, he did wake Waliya up before he left to go and make his wudhu. "You should make your wudhu," he told her. "Azaan will be going off soon."

She scooted to the side of the bed and then got off while retying her hair into a ponytail. While in the bathroom, she hastened to do her business and make her wudhu quickly aware that Aahil was still in the room waiting for her. She walked out of the bathroom drying her face on a towel, then placed it back into the bathroom. After putting on her abaya and scarf, she sat on the edge of the bed with Aahil waiting for the Azaan that was about to go off any minute.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly catching Aahil off guard.

Surprised, he turned and faced her with confused eyes. "Why?"

"You must think I am such a lazy girl and that I don't make my Salaah on time and —"

He cut her off. "Whoa! Calm down, Waliya. I understand. We both had a very long day yesterday and we were both tired. I don't think any less of you because you didn't wake up the first time I called your name." He chuckled. "I only woke up because I set five different alarms."

She sighed and felt a lot more at ease. As she was about to speak, the Azaan went off. Quietly, they sat side by side replying to the Azaan. Despite being a newly-wed couple, with only hours into their marriage, they were quite at ease with one another. After the read the dua after Azaan, Aahil spoke to her. "Usually I go to the Masjid, but I always dreamt of making my first Fardh Salaah of my marriage with my wife." He was slightly uncomfortable, which made Waliya feel a lot better about her being 'lazy' at waking up. She tried to keep in mind that they were both new to this idea of sharing your life with someone else. It was a lot of work, trying to remember that you had to be yourself, but also aware that what you could and used to do in your parents' home is no longer acceptable in your husband's home.