My Schizophrenic Husband

Chapter Nine

Farooq was contemplating hard as he sat before the Imam, he glanced at Faiza occasionally and she had her head bent all the while,  the Imam was looking at him with respect as he waited patiently for Farooq to make up his mind.

'Was he really ready to become a Muslim?' he thought.

'But I've seen convincing parts of this religion, what would I lose,'

'Your freedom will be lost and you'd be stuck in Islam forever!'

'But the Imam had said Islam is the way of life,'

The imam cleared his throat to break Farooq out of his chain of thoughts.
The hallucinations and delusion started, and soon his vision was crowded with scary creatures that want to discourage him from taking the big step.

'I bet this religion is a good thing, more reason why these creatures want to stop me. Perhaps I would get cured after becoming muslim, and it's not hard being muslim, I just have to pray and make wudu (ablution) like I already do.' he concluded in his mind and nodded towards the Imam.

"Okay, say after me," the Imam smiled and once again Farooq nodded. Faiza's head jerked up and she looked at Farooq with a frown, she didn't think he would end up being muslim and nor did she even try to persuade him either.

She wasn't sad on his conversion, she was purely confused, and she was very happy for him.

Faiza's mental state had gotten so much better and now she wasn't afraid of being near Farooq, nor did she have nightmares, she had returned to work but she still made time to attend her own therapy sessions with her mates. And she wasn't planning on stopping any time soon.

"Ash hadu," Farooq felt his throat hitch and he struggled to speak but something was holding him back, he opened his mouth several times but nothing came out, it was like his throat was being squeezed, and he couldn't speak.

The imam noticed and opened the honey that was besides him, read some supplications and gave Farooq to take a bit. The imam, being and experienced man was well prepared for whatever outcome Farooq's conversion would lead to. Hence, why he brought some prophetic medicine.

His voice got clearer a little bit after and then the Imam said the shahada and he repeated after him, the Imam congratulated him and patted him on the back while Faiza smiled at him.

When the time for Zuhr prayer arrived the imam announced his conversion in the presence of the crowd and out of happiness the crowd welcomed him by chanting, "Allah Akbar!" He grinned as everyone came to hug and congratulate him.

He sighted Jamal who gave him a thumbs up but couldn't get to him because of the crowd, after prayer, everyone started to leave, some older uncles even money to congratulate him.

"I knew this day would come, brother," Farooq had a playful smack to his back, he turned around with a smile and he was greeted with an ear to ear grin from his good friend.

"Jamal, what's up man, bet you did," Farooq replied and they both walked over to where they usually sat, chatting until Kamal and James joined them, congratulating Farooq and joining in on the chat.

"I brought you food to surprise you, didn't know I would be the surprised one," Jamal chuckled at Farooq rolled his eyes.

"Where's the surprise?" He asked looking around pretending not to see the food.

"Hey, don't look down on my food okay?"
He Farooq's his arm playfully.

"You bring food everyday you delivery man, what's the surprise in that," he asked as he opens the food and grabbed the burger.