Kahi Ankahi

Chapter 22

"We'll make halwa poori and cholay ka saalan?" Iqra excitedly asked.

"Yesss!" I agreed with the same enthusiasm. It was almost 9 am by now. Picnic ki khushi mein sab ki neend udh gayi thi. The whole family was at our home right now. Taya, Tayi and Sara arrived a little late than Phuppo and Phuppa because Taya jaan had some work so he finished that before coming here. They all had already changed for the outing and then came to our place.

"Sunday wali feeling aarahi hai aaj." Hussain spoke and everyone agreed with him. It really did feet like a Sunday today.

Iqra and I walked to the kitchen and began preparing the breakfast. Iqra kneaded the dough while I prepared the Saalan and Halwa. Cooking been never been a work for the both of us; its more like a passion.

I took out the last poori. It was almost 10:15 am now.

"This looks so good yaar." Iqra said looking at the breakfast.

"Haan yaar." I replied, smiling.

She took out her phone and clicked a picture of the food.

"Chalo ek selfie lete hain!" She exclaimed and I shook my head. We took a picture together and then took the breakfast out to the dining table.

"Wah! Kya khushboo aarahi hai!" Shehryaar complimented.

"Haina?" Iqra and I both said together and the room filled with laughter.

We all had our breakfast talking about various things. Everyone loved the food and the elders gave us duas.

"Abba kuch duaen humare liye bhi bacha lein." Shehryaar said, chuckling. Its usually Hussain who passes comments like these but he's changed. He's matured. Maybe shaadi ke baad banda yun hi badal jaata hai.

"Tumhare liye bhi hain lekin zyaada duaen meri bachiyon ke liye hain." Phuppa said now referring to me, Iqra and Sara. "Betiyan phool si hoti hain. Jis tarah phool ko zyaada ihtyaat aur khayaal ki zaroorat hoti hai, theek usi tarah betiyon ko zyaada duaon aur pyaar ki zaroorat hoti hai." He added, smiling. Shehryaar nodded smiling. My eyes fell upon Hussain who was also smiling, but looking down, staring at nothing in particular.

"Aur bete woh kaante hote hain jinhe hum plant mein se nikaal ke phenk dete hain." Iqra said and burst out laughing. Hussain chuckled lightly while Shehryaar gave her a look. "Acha acha sorry." She added.

After some time, we went to get ready. Phuppo and Phuppa had brought Hussain and Shehryaar's clothes here. Iqra already has some of her clothes here. Both Iqra and I went to my room and I opened the wardrobe. We stood in front of it, scanning it.

"Lets go desi today." I said, still looking at the clothes.

"Nice idea." Iqra replied.

We went through our clothes and picked our suits. We changed one after another and then did our hair. Both of us kept our hair open. We applied minimal make up. We took our dupattas and walked outside.

Hussain's p.o.v.

Shehry and I quickly bathed one after another and then got ready. We both wore shalwar kurta since its a Friday. I wore my white shalwar kurta while Shehry wore his favourite blue one.

"I dont think exams ke zamaane mein bhi maine 5 minute mein bath li ho." Shehry spoke, drying his hair woth a towel. I chuckled.

"Its almost 11:30, bhai." I told him, looking at my watch.

"I bet dono ladkian abhi tak nahi aayi hongi." He said, wearing his watch. I smiled shaking my head.

We walked out of the room to the hall where everyone else was. As Shehry predicted, Iqra and Qirat still weren't here.

"Maamu main aapka perfume laga raha hoon." I told maamu and he nodded smiling.

"Maamu main bhi." Shehry said making everyone chuckle.

We walked to maamu's room and applied his perfume. I've always admired maamu's choice in perfume. We walked back to the hall. I was going to appreciate maamu's choice in scents again when my eyes fell upon Qirat descending the staircase with Iqra. She looked flawless. I want her to be mine.

"Kya hua?" Qirat asked me breaking my chain of thoughts. She most probably noticed me staring at her like a complete fool.

"Haan? K-kuch nahi." I replied, stammering. "Um, nikalte hain phir?" I added, changing the topic.

We left the house and got in our cars. Bade maamu and badi maami in maamu's car. Maamu jaan and maami jaan in their car. Shehry, Iqra, Sara, Qirat and I in Shehry's car.

"Main aage!" Iqra called out and before we could even argue, sat in the passenger seat.

Shehry got in the driver's seat laughing. Qirat and I sat in the back with Sara between us.

Qirat had her window rolled down and her hair flew with the wind. I found this such a peaceful sight. She was so beautiful. Why did I never see her before?

We all reached Shah Faisal Mosque. It was still half an hour to the sermon so we decided to go inside the masjid and sit doing Zikr.

Iqra took numerous pictures of the place and us, as usual, while Qirat quietly admired the serenity of this place.

"This place is so peaceful." She said, walking towards the entrance of the masjid. I smiled at her. We kept our footwear at the counter and walked inside.

We performed ablution and then parted our ways as the women went to the ladies' section and we went to the men's section. We walked inside the prayer area and offered two rakahs of namaz. The Friday Sermon was in another 10 minutes so I sat down reciting Surahs. It was soon time for the Khutbah (sermon). We listened to the Imam delivering the sermon. He had such perfect eloquence in his speech. The Khutbah ended and we all got up for the Jummah Namaz.

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'Assalam Alaikum ya rehmat tul lillahi wa barakatahu' I recited twice as I turned my head to my right, and then to my left. I raised my hands to my face level for dua. Ya Allah, hum sab ko hamesha aise hi saath rakhna, humare beech mein yeh pyaar, izzat aur khuloos barqaraar rakhna mere Maalik. Ya Allah meri ghaltion ka madawa karne mein meri madad karna. Main sab theek kardena chahta hoon, mere Maalik. Meri madad kar....Ya Allah mujhe meri mukammal khushiyan de de; mujhe Qirat de de mere Maalik. Main usse mohabbat karta hoon, beintehaa mohabbat. Mujhe uski muskuraahaton ki wajah banade. Usey mera shareek e hayaat banade, ya Allah. Aameen Summa Aameen. I ran my hands over my face. Maine dua mein usko maanga. I thought. I had now realised that I am in love with her.

I looked to my right to find Shehry making dua. Abba, bade maamu and maamu jaan were next to Shehry. Abba and maamu jaan were making dua while bade maamu was reciting the tasbeehaat.

When we were all done, we walked outside. The weather was very pleasant. I scanned the place for familiar faces and spotted Qirat and Iqra standing along the railing in the middle of the masjid. We walked to them.

"Baaqi sab kahan hain?" Shehry asked.

"Sara ko bathroom jaana tha toh ammi usey leke gayi hain." Iqra replied. "aur chachi aur phuppo namaz parh rahi thi jab hum bahar nikle thay." She added.

"Badi jaldi thi bahar aane ki." Shehry laughed. Iqra made a funny face making him laugh harder.

Qirat smiled at their conversation and I found my smile in hers. You could tell that she's genuinely happy when her eyes smile more than her lips do. It was that kind of a smile. I quietly took my phone out and clicked a picture of her. The broken screen didnt allow me to properly see it but at least it was saved with me. I slipped my phone back in my pocket.

Soon, ammi and both the maamis came along with Sara. We decided to go for lunch first and then to Centaurus Mall for shopping.