“Umi, can you tell me a story?” Napatingin ako sa pitong taong gulang na batang nasa tabi ko.
I smiled at him and pat his head. “Ok baby.”
“There this one guy who's deadly in love with someone. Well, they feel the same way. Pero alam nilang pareho na it's bawal to be in a relationship in Islam. It's haram. Kaya they chose to distance themselves to each other.
They loved each other from afar for the sake of Allah. The guy wanted to marry her, pero hindi pa niya kayang buhayin ito. Ayaw niyang umasa sa parents nila. The guy, Arham begged to Fatima to wait for him, and she agreed.
‘You're my Insha'Allah that I want to be my Alhamdulillah.’ Arham said to her one day.
They're always making dua that someday, Allah will make it easy for both of them get closer. Pero minsan ay napakakomplikado ng tadhana, at wala kang magagawa dahil nakasulat na ito, 'yon ang qadar mo.
Nawalan sila ng komunikasyon at balita sa isa't isa. Ilang buwan ang nakalipas, her parents decided to make an arrange marriage.”
“Hala umi, di ba po yung arrange marriage ay ipapakasal ka sa taong hindi mo kilala?” napangiti ako sa tanong niya.
“Yes, baby. Pero for your information, maaaring tumanggi kung hindi mo gusto.” I answered his question. “Fatima cried for that news. She prayed and performed Istikara. Sabi niya, kung sila ni Arham, sila talaga.”
“What happened next, umi?” atat na tanong nito. I just gave him a smile.
Magsasalita na sana ulit ako pero biglang may dumating.
“Assalamualaikum,” he salam. I smiled at him.
“Abi!” agad itong dinaluhan ng anak namin.
“Waalaikumussalam, Arham.”
“Arham? Kapangalan ni abi yung sa kwento mo, umi”
I laughed a little.
“Ano na naman yang kinukwento mo sa anak matin, Fatima?” He asked. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.
“I just told him our love story.”
“So it's true story, umi?” I nodded. “Pa'no po nangyare yon?” inosenteng tanong niya.
“I married your, abi, Shariff.”
“But umi, di ba po inarrange marriage ka po?”
“Yes, baby. But your umi found out na sa akin pala siya ikakasal.” Arham answered Shariff's question.
Yeah, it's true. I asked my parents kung kanino ako ikakasal at sinabi nilang kay Arham daw. Nung nalaman ko 'yon ay tuwang tuwa ako. I was so thankful to Allah that He answered my prayer.
Qadar is qadar. If it’s meant for you, it will find you. Kung kayo, kayo talaga. Just trust Allah, because He is good all the time.
