Main or Tum

Is this the end?

"Okay, beta, hamare samne talaq do phir," Agha Jaan said, looking at Zain with tears in his eyes.

"Main Zain Saleem Khan wald Saleem Khan, apne puray hosh-o-hawas mein Zainab Aneel wald Aneel Khan ko talaq deta hon," Zain said for the first time. Everyone in the room felt as if the world shattered around them.

"Main Zain Saleem Khan wald Saleem Khan, apne puray hosh-o-hawas mein Zainab Aneel wald Aneel Khan ko talaq deta hon," Zain said for the second time. Zainab felt as if her heart was going to stop.

"Wait, before you continue with the last divorce, I want to hug you for the last time," Zainab said and hugged him tight as if her life depended on it. Zainab was continuously crying while hugging him. After five minutes, she moved away, and Zain felt that he was about to commit the worst mistake of his life; nonetheless, he didn't want to be hurt by her again.

"Main Zain Saleem Khan wald Saleem Khan, apne puray hosh-o-hawas mein Zainab Aneel wald Aneel Khan ko talaq deta hon," Zain said for the third time. Zainab felt as if she had lost everything today. Zain also felt as if something in his heart broke, and he lost his world. He divorced her because he couldn't trust her anymore, but now he is regretting his decision. However, there is nothing he can do. Zainab does not have to do 'iddat' as she and Zain had not consummated their marriage yet.

Zain looked at Zainab, who had nothing but pain on her face. Zainab's tears were flowing. She turned around, her back now facing him, and covered her face with her veil. Now, Zain was also a non-mehram to her. Zainab looked at him, got the divorce papers, and signed them. Zain had already signed them. Zain felt a pang in his heart when he saw her covering her face from him.

Iddat is a specified period of time that must elapse before a Muslim widow or divorcee may legitimately remarry. The Quran (2:228) prescribes that a menstruating woman have three monthly periods before contracting a new marriage. Since Zainab has no chance of getting pregnant, she does not have to observe Iddat as they did not sleep together yet. Now, since they are divorced, they can't get married again.

Zakia Khan thought she had lost everything because of her wrongdoings. Agha Jaan had tears in his eyes. All the elders in the room were devastated because this was the first divorce in their family.

Sarah Khan got up from her seat, tears rolling down her face. She went close to Zain and slapped him on the right side of his face. Then, she slapped him on the left side of the face, and then she slapped him again on the right side. Saleem Khan came and held Sarah Khan from her arms. She then went close to Zainab, hugged her, and kissed her forehead.

"Please beta, forgive me. I didn't know that I raised a son like him. I am sorry, beta," Sarah Khan said while crying. Zainab held her hands and looked towards Agha Jaan.

"Agha Jaan, find someone for me as I want to settle down soon and leave this house as soon as I can," Zainab told Agha Jaan, while Zain felt as if he had lost something really important.

"Yes, my daughter. Do you remember Arhaam? My friend Zohaib Khan's grandson," Agha Jaan asked Zainab. Zain left the room as he couldn't bear all this.

"Yes, Agha Jaan, tell them I am ready to get married," she said and left the room.

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Zainab directly went to Amaira's room. She burst into the room, where Amaira was laying in a dimly lit room. On the abrupt sound of the door opening, Amaira sat up and saw a broken Zainab. Zainab hugged Amaira and cried hard. Amaira knew that her friend had lost Zain today by her hysteric cries.

"Amaira, why don't I have a father? Amaira, jin larkiyon ke baap nahi hote woh meri jesi hoti hain. Woh Maleeha jesi hoti hain. Amaira, kash mera abu hota toh woh Zain ka geraban pakarta aur poochte, ke tumhari himmat kesey hui meri beti ko talaq dene ki. Main ne aaj Zain ko kho diya. Main ne apni sachi mohabbat kho di. Amaira, main kya karun. Hum dono dostain itni dukhi kyun hain. Hamari khushi dusron se bardasht kyun nahi hoti," Zainab said while crying and choking on her tears. Amaira was also crying now. Ibrahim and Zain were standing outside the door. Ibrahim had a tear slip from his eye, whereas Zain's face was wet with tears. Ibrahim glared at Zain, who just left from there.