𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐓: 𝐀 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐫'𝐚𝐧

chapter 22

After an hour, they received permission to meet Ayat, who was now back in her ward. Salma was the first to enter, her steps trembling as she felt anxious seeing her daughter in this condition. Ayat had her eyes closed, but when she sensed their presence in the room, she slowly opened her eyes. The sight of her parents and sister looking at her with moist eyes brought tears to her own.

"Ayat!" Salma exclaimed as she sat on the stool beside the bed. She bent down to hug her, crying, while Ayat also shed silent tears. Aadam stood next to Salma, and Anaya and Nayla were positioned a little further away. After a moment, Salma broke the embrace and gently rubbed her hand on Ayat's head. Ayat closed her eyes, savoring her mother’s comforting touch.

"Beta, how did this happen? I always told you to recite Dua and Ayat-ul-Kursi whenever you travel... but what changed that you didn’t recite them this time?" Salma's voice held a mix of concern and frustration. Deep down, she believed that if Ayat had recited the verses, she wouldn’t be in this state. Though she felt angry, her daughter's condition made it difficult to express that anger fully.

As Ayat recalled the events leading up to her accident, she realized she had forgotten to say her prayers in her rush. A single tear rolled down her cheek once again.

وَمَا هَـٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

(And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew)
She remembered the day before her marriage when she was about to read the Qur'an, but her eyes accidentally fell on a particular verse. However, it wasn't really accidental; it felt like a divine piece of advice, and today it resonated clearly within her:

"Am I forgetting my Allah due to this worldly life?"

A thought crossed her mind, and she felt an urge to pray. But having just finished her period, she was unsure if she should take ghusl (ritual purification) first. Doubt kept her from feeling pure enough to pray.

"Sorry, Ammi... I don’t know how," she sobbed, her guilt overwhelming her. She had never been this way; she had always remembered her Lord, Allah SWT, even in her busiest moments. Yet, today, the worry about Ashar distracted her from reciting her duas.

"Abbu!" She looked behind her and spotted Aadam, who was shedding silent tears. He quickly wiped them away without anyone noticing and approached her while Salma got up and Aadam took a seat.

"How are you? Is there any pain?" he asked, trying to steady his voice despite the worry for her.

"Alhamdulillah, Abbu!" she replied, and Aadam nodded in understanding.

"Due to this worldly life, a servant should not forget her Rab (Lord). This is what defines our faith and remembrance of Him. In every situation, we must remember Him and His words," Aadam expressed thoughtfully. This only intensified her feelings of guilt, and she fought to hold back her tears.

"Appi!? You didn’t notice me, did you?" Anaya piped up from the other side, and Ayat turned her head toward her, managing a small smile.

"It’s not like that," she said, extending her hand toward Anaya, who grabbed it tightly and began to cry.

"Hey, why are you crying? I’m fine, Anaya," she reassured her with a gentle scold. Anaya looked at her, nodded instantly, and wiped away her tears.

Ayat then scanned the room, searching for a particular person she hoped to see. She looked everywhere until her gaze landed on Nayla standing at the door. She smiled at Nayla, who returned it, but perhaps Nayla didn’t fully understand the longing in Ayat's eyes for someone else. Calming her heart, Ayat tried to let it go.