Muntazir

a note

If you're seeing this, it means I've taken this book down for editing. Please don't ask me when it will come back because I do not have the answer for now, I'm sorry. But more on than later.

Now, a little advice from reader to a reader. It's very easy to lose ourselves in the world of fiction by seeking comfort in the escapism it provides. Its perfect world, perfect characters, they charm us too much. Most of the readers here are at the tender age where romance appeals best to their hearts. We read about these overly cute couples and our expectations skyrocket without us even realising. As a writer, I'm guilty of it too, and I'm really sorry for that.

But please understand that real life isn't fiction. You may not find such perfect people around you and that's okay. Nobody is perfect in this world. You and I aren't either. It's very easy to judge the people around you based on fictional standards but you'll only be setting yourself up for heartbreak if your future relationships do not meet these over-the-top expectations. Which is more than likely, because human beings are flawed.

No, I don't mean you should give up on your hopes and expect the worst. Pray for the best, with full faith that Allah can fulfill all your wishes, no matter how big or impossible they seem. Make duaa in tahajjud if the fears of future trouble your heart too much. But also keep in mind that this is duniya. It's not perfect, it's people are not perfect. The perfect world and the perfect versions of people await us in jannah, inshaAllah. This life is a test and sometimes the people around us can become a test for us too. At the end, what matters is our goal: to strive for jannah. You will all your perfects there, inshaAllah. The perfect love story, the perfect outings, the perfect husband. May Allah make it easy for everyone reading this and reunite us all in jannatul-firdous. Aameen.

Now, as a writer, I would advise everyone to be mindful of what they write. I'm not trying to be condescending but please realise that what you write reaches the eyes of multiple people on a platform like this. If you read one inappropriate scene, the sin is on you (that does not mean it's okay), but if you write something inappropriate, you're making it available to others to read, which in turn, adds onto your sin which keeps on multiplying with every reader. Every person who reads something inappropriate you wrote, you get the sin for that (as do they, of course). Can you imagine how much that might end up being? Imagine you wrote something and you, may Allah forbid, died before you could remove it. Even after your death, people might come across it and you'll keep earning more sins.

Additionally, like I mentioned before, most of the readers here are quite young. They're at an age where love and romance is a very rosy picture. Everyone wants to be loved, it's a very natural desire Allah has put in us, and He has also granted us the means to achieve these desires: through marriage. But when one reads too much of these love stories at an age where the sense of right and wrong may not have developed so fully and the desire to experience such love is at its peak, it's very easy to fall into haram. Whether it's haram relationships or something else. It's our responsibility as a writer to make sure we don't serve our readers something that inclines them toward a haram relationship.

And as a reader, it's our responsibility to be mindful of what stories we consume. Your soul is what you feed it. So if you feel that these stories aren't doing you any good and only causing you fitnah, it's best to leave them off, or to find a halal, less romance-driven book.

If you're looking for recommendations, I'd suggest these writers:
HopesPrayersNSmiles (my favourite forever)
KittyCrackers
sajmra
smwritesalot
abdofRahman

What I mentioned above are also some of the reasons why I'm removing Muntazir from here. It's so romance-driven, with not much else to balance it, I don't feel like it's an appropriate legacy to leave behind if I happen to die one of these days. I'll try to halalify it, but I hope you'll now understand the reason if it doesn't come back here again. My goal is to one day write something that drives people like Sarah's stories drive me, but that might not be possible.

It's not easy for me to pause this journey either, Muntazir and I have made some very warm memories here. But please don't be disheartened—their journey here might have come to a pause, but Inara and Nabeel will always stay with you in your heart. Jazakillahu khairan everyone who was a part of this. I'll forever be grateful for your love. May Allah bless you all in abundance and may we get to meet each other in jannah. I've tried my best to reply to comments throughout the story but if I missed yours, do forgive me. Please know that I cherish you just as much.

I did not intend for this to become such a long note but anyway, it's always a pleasure to share my thoughts with y'all. I hope you'll find something helpful in all my rambling here.

Until we meet again,
Please remember me in your duas.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
Love and prayers. ♥️