The Orphan Child

Chapter 14

15 years later

"Have you heard Umm Zahra?"

"What is it?" The gray haired women placed down her marker and closed her holy book slowly turning to face her husband stood by the door.

"Yousef has passed away."

"Inna lillahi was inna ilayhi rajioon.*" The sad news weighed down heavily on the middle aged women as she invoked words of her Lord. So many deaths had taken place and she only wondered when it would be the turn of a member of her own family.

Zahra walked in pulling down her scarf a little out of breath after having put up the laundry outside.

"Zahra did you hear?"

"Yes mum. Dad just told me outside." The young girl looked sad although she barely even knew the guy. Yet still he was a part of the Muslim Ummah and when one part of the body hurt the rest hurt with it.

"What shall happen with him?"

"The men will figure it out. There are many who would go forward to help out. The janazah will be held today itself after Zhur."

Abu Zahra sat down rubbing his half bold head which only reminded him of his own short span of life that he had. Even his hair had thinned and lessen, just like his ownself.

"Dad. I would like to help his family. I can cook a nice meal for them." Zahra spoke with high hopes of receiving some rewards from her Lord. It wasn't everyday that someone they knew would pass away.

"No sweetheart. There's no need. He is the last of his family to pass away. He has left no more family of his behind."

"Oh." Zahra felt a string of sadness wrapping around her neck causing a strange sensation in her throat.

"What shall happen with his home? And his wealth?" Umm Zahra suddenly remembered. Not that Yousef was a rich man but yet everyone in this town had sufficient amount.

"This was what we had discussed at our Mashwara. We have tried contacting some of his distant relatives. They were saddened by the news but they will surely try to come for the Janaza."

.....

It had turned out that none of the relatives were relatively bothered that some distant family member of theirs had passed away. A few had felt sad but none made any preparation to make haste in the journey towards the Janazah. After all they barely knew the man let alone had one decent conversation with him in their lifetime.

However, one man who the news had reached to was left with a pang of ache although he had no feelings whatsoever for this so called family member of his. He had immediately put on his best pair of shoes and worn his best suit and made haste in calling for a chauffeur.

He had a few important tasks to take care of that day but the necessity to get to the funeral was an unusual overpowering feeling and he felt the need to get there at any cost.

The car arrived within the morning and before he could change his mind he was buckled in the back seat of the car and off to a place that send him mixed emotions.

Perhaps it was the need to see his last blood family member or was it the need to go back to his homeland to just get a last glimpse of his grandmothers grave? He couldn't understand it himself but nevertheless, he made this journey unaware of what his fate was yet to bring by this one single journey.

Certainly! It is He who is the writer of fates and He who brings two souls together.

.............................

Any guesses as to who this could be? ; )

*Verily to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. ( Surah Baqarah: 156)

Ummah: Nation

Janazah: Funeral