How did an angel find love in hell?
Zaina Fathima, a 23-year-old trauma surgeon, thought her life was finally settling down. After attending her best friend Aliza's lavish wedding events back home, she boards a flight to Italy for the main celebrati...
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The ship had docked, and the whole ordeal had finally come to an end. Everything felt like it had been wrapped up in a bow, but honestly, there was no sense of closure. No answers to the questions that lingered in my mind. We were all free to leave the cruise, and I was more than happy to be off that ship.
It was just after 3 a.m., and the house was still. I had gotten up for Fajr, moving quietly through the house, trying not to wake anyone up, but my mind was buzzing. Zaina. I couldn't stop thinking about her. And if I'm being honest, I had no idea what I was doing.
I finished wudhu and grabbed my prayer mat. Just as I was about to settle down, I heard a knock at the door. Who in their right mind is knocking on my door at 3 a.m.? I opened it, and there stood Arsh—looking like he had just rolled out of bed, which he probably did.
"Thought I'd drop in," he said, his voice rough with sleep, but there was a warmth in his smile.
I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here, Arsh? It's 3 in the morning."
He shrugged, his eyes a little too awake for someone who should've been asleep. "Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd keep you company. Plus, I know you've got something on your mind. You look like a guy who's been carrying the weight of the world around for weeks."
I groaned, stepping aside to let him in. "I don't know, I keep thinking about her, and I can't shake it. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore."
Arsh plopped down on the couch like it was his second home, unbothered by the hour. "Zaina? What's going on?"
I sat down beside him, rubbing my face, feeling the exhaustion from the past few days. "I want to propose to her. But I don't know how to start. I'm scared I'm going to mess everything up. I don't know what to say or even if I'm ready for this."
Arsh's tone shifted, softening. "You're thinking about it too much. Man, listen—life's complicated, yeah, but this... this doesn't have to be. You're scared. I get that. But you've got to decide. Do something. Take the first step. If it's meant to be, it'll work out. And if not, at least you know you tried. "
I felt the weight of his words, but the fear was still there. "I just... I just don't want to mess it up, Arsh. I don't want to be the one who ruins something good. I don't know how to move forward."
Arsh leaned in, his voice low and earnest. "Then pray Istikhara," he said simply. "You don't have to figure it all out on your own. Allah will guide you. If this is the right thing, you'll feel it. And if it's not, He'll make it clear. But you've got to trust that whatever happens, it's all part of a bigger plan."
I nodded, though doubt still lingered in the back of my mind. I got up and went to pray, trying to clear my head and just focus on the words. But the more I prayed, the more I felt a sense of peace I hadn't expected. I was still scared. I was still uncertain. But for the first time, I felt like I wasn't alone in this. Like there was something bigger than me at work.
Later that morning, after Fajr, I felt a quiet calm that had been missing for days. I had prayed Istikhara and asked Allah for guidance, and somehow, I wasn't as lost as I had felt before. I still didn't know what the future held, but for the first time, I felt like I was doing the right thing.
In the afternoon, I decided it was time to talk to my parents. They had known Zaina for years, and if I was going to move forward with this, I needed their blessing.
I sat down with them in the living room, my heart pounding as I tried to find the right words. "Ammi, Abbu, I need to talk to you about something."
My mom looked up from her prayer beads; her eyes instantly softened with concern. "What is it, beta?"
I hesitated, trying to gather my thoughts. "It's about Zaina. I've been thinking about her a lot, and I really feel there's something special between us. I want to ask for your blessings, because... I'm planning to propose to her."
There was a pause. My dad stopped mid-sip of his tea, his eyes narrowing in surprise. "Zaina? You mean Usman's beti?"
"Yeah," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "That Zaina."
My mom's face softened with a smile that almost made my heart ache. "Oh, she's a wonderful girl. But beta, take it one step at a time. We trust you, but also remember to trust in Allah. He will show you the way."
My dad, ever the realist, took a deep breath. "And if she doesn't feel the same way?"
I shot him a nervous smile. "Dad..."
He paused, setting down his cup of tea. "Look, I'm just saying. It's never easy, but whatever happens, you'll be okay. You've got our support. But trust Allah. He knows what's best for you."
They both looked at me, their eyes full of understanding. My mom reached over and placed a hand on mine. "We are always here for you. Just remember, whatever happens, Allah has a plan for you. And it will be okay."
I nodded, the weight in my chest feeling a little lighter. With their support, I was ready to take the next step.
Friday came, and I went to the masjid for the Jummah prayer. The weight in my chest had eased, but the fear didn't vanish completely. The prayer felt different today, like I was finally opening up to something bigger than myself.
As I left the masjid, I felt lighter, but my thoughts were still heavy with uncertainty. I had prayed Istikhara, but what if Zaina didn't feel the same way? What if she didn't want this? The questions felt like they were creeping back in, but I pushed them aside.
"Inshallah," I whispered to myself, stepping forward with a fragile hope, holding onto the belief that whatever came next, Allah would guide me through it.
A/N
This is a filler chapter, so sorry if it's not as good as you expected it to be. Plus, I just got out of a long writer's block, and I'm having my exams. I wanted this chapter to be quite emotional as well, and I wanted to show Armaan's vulnerable side, men can overthink too. He also wants to make it official he obviously will give her time cuz my boy is not a psychopath but he's gonna send Khitbah ( proposing and asking permission from her parents)You'll understand why I decided to make Armaan propose to Zaina so early in the book in the later on chapters ...cyu soon my lovely readers
