RUNNING

Chapter Twenty-Six

" Seek the home of the Hereafter by that which Allah has given you, but do not forget your share of the world." Surat Al-Qasas 28:77

“Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birds' wings."

― Rumi

Afnan watches as Maraya doze for the third time as she struggles to keep hold of the prayer book she is reading for her tahhajud (prayer in the last part of the night), she noticed that her friend usually overdo herself since the time she become a devoted Muslim many times she had wanted to talk to her about this but she always stop herself so as not to sound discouraging.
She later pat her friend and encourage her to sleep reminding her that the day is weekend so she can engage in many obligatory acts, after Maraya folds her prayer mat she fell into a deep sleep the moment she hits the bed. Afnan smiles and continue with her recitation.
After having their breakfast, they both decide to watch a new session of Dong Yi, a Korean film the two of them have been watching since the beginning of the semester.
As they both watch the film, Afnan mind is preoccupied with the thoughts on how to advice her friend so as not to sound discouraging or offending.
"Maraya, I have something to ask you." She finally started.
"What?" She asked without looking away from the laptop screen.
"Ever since the time you've become a devoted muslimah, alhamdulillah you have improved a lot and am happy for you. But I wonder why you sometimes overdo things?"
"Do I use to over do anything?"
"Sometimes, I notice that you will be tired in the night yet you will still be forcing yourself up to pray, another time you will be sick but you will not rest and fast. It's good to always strive towards goodness but we need to take care of ourselves too."
"Of what use is the growth in my body when my soul is starved, I'd rather get sick in body than to be low in spirit."
"With regards to voluntary acts of worship, the Prophet encouraged his companions on many occasions to limit their extra worship so that they could take care of their duties to their families as well as maintain their health.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace
and blessings be upon him, said to me, “O Abdullah, I am
told you fast all day and pray all night.” I said, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet said:
ﻓَﻠَﺎ ﺗَﻔْﻌَﻞْ ﺻُﻢْ ﻭَﺃَﻓْﻄِﺮْ ﻭَﻗُﻢْ ﻭَﻧَﻢْ ﻓَﺈِﻥَّ ﻟِﺠَﺴَﺪِﻙَ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻚَ ﺣَﻘًّﺎ ﻭَﺇِﻥَّ ﻟِﻌَﻴْﻨِﻚَ
ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻚَ ﺣَﻘًّﺎ ﻭَﺇِﻥَّ ﻟِﺰَﻭْﺟِﻚَ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻚَ ﺣَﻘًّﺎ
Do not do so. Fast and break your fast, pray in the night and sleep. Verily, your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, and your wife has a right over you."
"The truth is that if I think of how much of my time I have wasted due to my negligence in the past, I feel ashamed of myself and I want to do as much as I can to meet up with the wasted time."
"I understand but you should remember that nothing could bring back the past, what count most is not the how much good deeds you do but how well you do it no matter how little." Afnan said.
"What do you mean by how well I do it?" She was puzzled, she thought all that really matters is how much you were able to do it.
"Yes my sister, any act of worship not done solely for the sake of Allah and in accordance with stipulation of Qur'an or sunnah. Then the act will not be accepted." She explained.
"Now I learn something new, but you should remember that you will be rewarded according to what you do." Maraya argued.
"You are right, always remember that the most beloved deed to Allah is that which has continuity, if you overburden yourself you may not be able to continue with these acts.
In Surat Al-Furqan, verse 67: Allah said:
ﻭَﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺇِﺫَﺍ ﺃَﻧﻔَﻘُﻮﺍ ﻟَﻢْ ﻳُﺴْﺮِﻓُﻮﺍ ﻭَﻟَﻢْ ﻳَﻘْﺘُﺮُﻭﺍ ﻭَﻛَﺎﻥَ ﺑَﻴْﻦَ ﺫَٰﻟِﻚَ ﻗَﻮَﺍﻣًﺎ
They are those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly, but follow a middle way between
them." And there are many other verses that Allah command us to be moderate in conduct."
"I have heard you my sister." Maraya smiles at her and press the play button to continue watching her film.

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At exact time that Maraya is discussing with Afnan in school, their mothers are discussing about their proposal at home.
Both mothers have been acquainted for sometimes especially since Ahmad stated his intention about Maraya, his mother have been trying to know more about her family and once she asked about their daughter's marriage and she realised that Maraya family only support their children's choice of spouse but they don't enforce or advice them much on relationship but despite that she decided to inform Maraya's mother about her intention to make her daughter a part of their Family.
Maraya's mother could not be happier that such family are willing to take her daughter in as their home, what delight her most is neither their social status nor economic but her hope that they are the type of family that will assist her daughter in becoming the better muslimah that she had been working for recently, she hope her daughter will find all the joy she deserves
There is so much she can predict about her daughter but marriage is not one of them, though she's seen some of her "close friends", but she can't really say precisely what she want in her man. But from her guess,  look matters a lot and then "he has to be classy" . She smiles as she recall how her daughter once told her about the qualities she expects in her man, that was long ago before she had a change of life,  she now wonder what her daughter expectations will be and what will be her new definition of classy.
When she retired for the night, she told her husband about wedding proposal for their daughter.
"they are good family but don't you think our daughter is still young for marriage?" her husband said, "she still need to go for her Master's and secure a good job at least."
His wife smiles quietly to herself recalling how her own father was against their union years ago stating that she still have a lot to learn.
"Honey, being married does not stop a woman from advancing in her career.  If she is blessed with a husband with understanding, vision and supportive. You know that we got married before I even graduated from university."
"Those were days when life was good and men are responsible, this day a woman must be financially independent, no man wants a burden wife." he argued.
"Our daughter is very hardworking and creative, I am sure she will not be a burden to any man,  in fact,  any man will be lucky to have her as a wife."
He was silent for some moment but he is not sure that he want to give his only daughter out for marriage, she is still his little girl, he was lost in his thoughts when he felt his wife's palm on his.
"No matter how long she stays with us,  she will eventually leaves one day, that is the fate of a daughter. But no matter how far she is,  she will always keep us close to her heart and she will always remain our little princess, I am not saying she must marry Ahmad, but if a good proposal comes  and she is okay with it, let's not delay her with unreasonable excuses please." she said in her most soft and pleading voice, she understands how her husband is feeling because she feels it too,  it is only then she understands how difficult it must have been for her parent's to marry her out. The only good thing about it is that Ahmads' family are staying in Lagos so her daughter will not be far away, at least for now.
"Just talk to her first and let's know her thoughts." her husband finally said and lie down without another word.
When she is sure to have convinced her husband, she decides to call her daughter the same night to know if she is interested in the marriage. She hope her daughter will be judging from how much she once praised him in front of her but she cannot be sure unless she calls her,  even if she would she did not want to discuss it besides her husband so she change her mind to call first thing the next day.