True Purpose

c h a p t e r 21

Zaynab woke up the next morning to go to university, only to see Hassan was fast asleep. When they'd both woken up for Fajr, they were way too groggy to even say anything to each other, apart from Salaam. Hassan had performed ablution and left for the masjid while Zaynab had prayed and gone straight back to bed.

And now, Zaynab was itching to tell Hassan what she had wanted to tell him, but he was so deep in sleep that she just let it be because she didn't want to disturb him. His work normally started two hours after she left for university.

After a long lecture, Zaynab and Ava sat together in the library, when Ava raised Hassan's topic.

"Did you tell him, Zaynab?" Ava asked.

Zaynab knew what she was talking about, yet nonetheless played dumb. "Tell who what?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "Did you tell Hassan that you love him?"

Zaynab looked at her lap and shook her head.

"Why?!" Ava cried out in exasperation, earning a series of 'shhh's and 'this is a library's.

"Quiet, Ava! We're in a library!" Zaynab whispered. "To answer your question, I never got the chance. I was going to tell him last night, when he also wanted to say something to me. We were interrupted by his phone ringing. He answered it and as I was waiting for him to finish, I fell asleep. Then this morning, I wanted to tell him but he was fast asleep and I didn't want to wake him."

"Zaynab, you'd better tell him when you get home today. He's your husband, he should know. It's not like he can run away from you if you tell him, he's stuck with you!" Ava said.

"Way to make a girl feel good, Avarielle! I'm busy hoping here that he feels the same way, and you're trying to imply that he doesn't!" Zaynab said.

"No! I didn't mean it like that! Of course he'll feel the same way about you!" Ava said, wide-eyed. "And don't call me Avarielle!"

"I hope he does," Zaynab replied, suddenly feeling glum.

When Ava didn't say anything, Zaynab turned to look at her. She was biting her lip nervously, as she twisted a lock of her hair around her finger.

"Ava? Is everything alright? Why do you look so nervous suddenly?" Zaynab asked.

"Well, you know, I've seen how much you've changed for the better ever since you married Hassan. As in, just imagine how nice Hassan is being to you - it shows that Islam teaches men to be good to their wives. Also, you look so much more beautiful and confident with your headscarf on. You have become so much more wiser, your life doesn't just revolve around your studies anymore. Every lunch break, you go to pray. You always mention God and His apostle to me, although I didn't know about them. So seeing this great change in you, I started studying about Islam. And I like what I've learned, irrespective of the false propaganda that media spreads. Islam is indeed a religion of peace, and Zaynab, I also want this peace that you've obtained after embracing Islam," Ava said.

Hearing all that from Ava, Zaynab had never been more overjoyed. And somehow, all thanks goes to Hassan, because he was the one who had indirectly influenced  Ava. It was because of him that Zaynab changed for the better, and seeing a change in Zaynab, Ava wanted to embrace the religion that Zaynab had embraced.

"You've no idea how happy you just made me, Ava! Yes, I've obtained a lot of inner peace. I no longer get those nightmares and I feel much better about myself. I have found God, Allah. But Ava, you need to be a hundred percent sure about your decision," Zaynab said.

"Of course I am! I have been looking into this religion for like a month, and you are also a pretty good example. And besides, there's something else that has partially been influencing me too," Ava said.