The Hooded Hijabi

Patience

"Oh, Azan! This child was just-", I hear Baba Abdullah say from behind me. I stop moving and turn around, slower than usual, and see Azan looking at me. Lub dub! Lub dub! Lub dub! My heart races as our eyes make contact. "-asking me to give this to you."

Azan looks at Baba Abdullah and gives him the warmest smile I had ever seen. "Thank you, baba jan. Should I take you inside? It's cold out here", says Azan as he takes the handkerchief and puts it in his brown, leather jacket's pocket.

"No, no, baita (son). You go home or wherever you were going. I'll go in myself. Allah Hafiz! May Allah be pleased with you, my child", Baba Abdullah says as he walks to the mosque's door.

I feel awkward just standing there so I turn around and begin to climb down rest of the stairs. A few steps later, I see Azan from the corner of my eyes on the right side of myself, a few meters away from me. We silently walk to the parking lot when suddenly I stop and put my hand on my forehead, speaking to myself in an audible voice, "Aw, man!".

Azan stops as well so I look at him and find him frowning at me. I pout and look away like a little kid, thinking of an appropriate response to his frown.

"Umm, I forgot I didn't bring my car", I say in an awkward manner, mostly ignoring having to look at him.

"It's kinda late and really cold. If it's okay with you, should I go get you a cab?", he asks, mildly concerned.

"Oh no! Please don't bother! I can manage. Thank you", I say as I raise my hands up near my chest, my hands facing him.

"It's okay to let people help you once in a while", he says, looking at the tree near the parking lot.

Wait, how does he know I don't like taking unnecessary help?

I simply stare at a stone lying on the road near my foot, unable to think of a response. "Wait here", he says, almost commanding.

I look up but he's walking to the main road. I play with the stone underneath my foot and sing Benammi's version of the Glorified Names of Allah in a barely audible sound.

Azan comes back in a cab within three minutes. He gets out and steps aside to make way for me to get into the cab. "Thank you", I mutter from the open window. He nods with his eyes closed and waits until the cab driver drives the car away. I see him walking to his...Oh my God! He drives a Copen! Metallic, deep red second generation beauty that's simply a combination of hot and cute; Copen Cero. That man has a good taste in cars keeping in mind his budget. Perfect!

As I'm busy thinking about my Camaro, it suddenly dawns upon me that I'm short on money ever since I had to pay off the loan. So I tell the driver to stop the taxi at a bus station from where I complete the rest of my journey back home.

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My routine has been pretty hectic from the past few weeks; summer classes followed by three hours of working for Professor Scott along with Becky (who has grown pretty close to me) and then studying with Rachel (sometimes Mustafa joins us when he's not busy doing whatever it is that he does), going to the mosque at least thrice a week after library and then helping around at home.

I applied for another job a week ago because things are pretty difficult. But whatever the situation I'm grateful to Allah for everything.

I always believed in being thankful and patient but ever since I started studying Qur'an I've realised the importance these two attributes hold in the eyes of Allah since He mentioned them time and again in His Book. Also, for me it's important to do what He loves because I love Him more than anything and anyone I've ever loved.