RUNNING

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

" I will inform you about what is lawful for me from the wealth of Allah: An outfit for the winter, an outfit for the summer, mount that I can ride upon for Hajj and Umrah, and food for my family, such as given to a man from the Quraish who is neither the richest nor the poorest among them. I am simply a man among the Muslim; I go through what they go through."
         Umar al-Farooq (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho).

Maraya sits calmly at the back of the car listening to the conversation of the two men in her front, they were both talking about business and the current situation of the country. It is no more news about the economic breakdown which is in one way or the other affecting them as it is getting more difficult to win new construction project. She was surprised that both her family and her friends' are into construction engineering, she smiled as the thought came into her mind. Truly, Afnan is more than a roommate to her now.
She thank Allah for giving her a friend like her, a friend to help you becomes a better person and assist you in your relationship with your Creator. With the little she saw in her friends' house, she knows that they are average compare to them yet Afnan's family are humble and accommodating. Unlike her past relationship, no one talked about how much her wares cost or how much they have in their account. They share their experience in Dawah (calling to Islam) and some stories they were told during their various visits to hospitals, prisons, orphanage and the like.
She get to know about "True Sisters foundation", an association of Muslim young ladies who come together to enlightened each other more about religion, assist women in achieving financial freedom by teaching some productive skill and help raise fund to set up business for them and sponsoring orphans in need both one their basic need and educational pursuit. When asked about how to join, she was told that the foundation has its branch even in their school and she was made aware that the members is not limited to their colleagues alone but extends to some interested secondary school girls above fifteen years of age and older women one of which is Aaliya's mother.
Due to the presence of older women, the young ladies have privilege of learning about family matters and child upbringing from people who are  both professionals and experience, the fact that she can still be a member after graduation give Maraya some sense of joy as she look forward to so much she will learn and how much she would be able to contribute to the lives of many people.
She smiles unconsciously and was surprised to notice Ahmad smiling from rare mirror, she quickly remove her gaze as their eyes lock. Could it be he has been watching her all along? Or maybe it was a coincidence and he is laughing at what Ibrahim is saying for truly she was not listening to them. She tried to avoid his gaze throughout the remaining journey and was glad at last when she came out of the car as she reach her destination.
"Thank you so much for the ride." She greeted smiling as she alighted from the car.
"Anytime my sister." Ibrahim answered smiling boldly at her while Ahmad just murmured some words she could not hear before driving off into the night.
She find Ahmad both strange and annoying, why is he giving her a cold treatment one time and smiling at her at another time? Well maybe the smiling part is just her imagination. Maybe he did not like her, she feel a little sad about that but she was surprised by her sad feeling. Maraya is not the type to care about how others feel about her especially if the other person is a male, why then does she cares so much about how Ahmad feel about her? She wondered as she walked into the house after greeting their gateman.
After saying her last prayer for the day, she changed into a comfortable night ware before joining her mother and Sa'ad in the sitting room who had been waiting for her to fill them in about all that happened in her friends' house.
"So tell me, how was lunch?" Maraya's mother hardly allow her to sit as she curiously asked her about her new friend.
"Mom, my day couldn't have been better. Her parents are both kind and simple. they makes me feel so comfortable as if I have known them all my life. I also met her brother, cousins and a friend." She relates to the two listening to her.
"Judging from this food, I guess the cooking is great too." Sa'ad said as he took another spoonful of rice and beans into his mouth. The dinner packed for her was rice and beans with plantain and sauce.
"Don't tell me you are eating that dinner packed for me." Maraya glare at her brother.
"Before n ko?" He smiled "but don't worry I just fetch small to taste."
"What I am seeing in that plate is not small Sa'ad". She pointed towards the  "Will you two
Pmlo please stop arguing about food and continue what you're telling me, the food is more than enough for you Maraya." Their mother interrupted.
She turn back to her mother and continue telling her about her afternoon, everything she heard about "True Sisters Foundation" and her intentions to join the association.