Modesty Is Beauty

A Bitter Truth

"Assalamu Alaikum who is it?" Rayyan knew it was Fareed's wife. She was the only other girl beside Fareed's mother in that house. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't just tell her that her husband died.

"Hello?" He heard her again but no words were coming out of his mouth. He decided it was best if he ask someone else to call her so he cut the call.

"Excuse me, can you do me a favour?" He asked the receptionist wiping his tears.

"Sure sir what can I do for you?" The guy asked in a professional tone.

He explained the guy what he has to say over the phone and handed him his mobile. The guy smiled and said he could call from the landline. Rayyan watched him talking to Fareed's wife over the phone as he blinked back his tears.

Scrunching his brows, the guy put the phone down and told him that the girl didn't respond after he told her about her husband. Rayyan thanked him and went to the morgue. He knew she would be there soon so he hid in the corner from where he could see Fareed's wife when the guy would bring her to the morgue. He wanted to see her reaction.

After about half an hour, he saw a guy bringing a niqabi to the morgue. He was not the one Rayyan had asked earlier for help. Rayyan didn't even know if she was Fareed's wife or not because she looked pregnant and Fareed didn't tell him anything about his wife's pregnancy. When he heard that guy telling her that someone gave her wrong information, he was sure it was her, Fareed's wife whose name he had forgotten. The fact that Fareed was going to become a father bought tears to Rayyan's eyes as his friend would never be able to see his child.

Waniya couldn't believe what that guy was telling her. Her husband cannot die. He cannot leave her alone. He told her that he would come back soon. How can she believe that he died? She prayed for his long life. She told him that she didn't want to live a day without him.

And it is HE who gives life and causes death, and in HIS control is the alternation of night and day. Will you not then understand? (The Quran 23:80)

She heard a soft murmur. She swallowed. Indeed, HE was the one who gives life and causes death. Everything is in HIS control. Not a leaf can fall from the tree without HIS wish.

"Inna lilla hi wa inna ilaihi raji'oon" (Indeed we belong to ALLAH and to HIM we shall return, this is what Muslims say when they hear a bad news)

She whispered as a tear escaped her eye followed by many others. She wanted to scream, shout at anyone. She wanted to wail loudly telling the whole world that she has lost her husband but before she could, she heard that soft whisper again.

"He, who slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and follows the tradition of the days of ignorance is not one of us." (A hadith from the book Al Janaaiz. Hadith number 382-385)

"The eyes shed tears, and the heart feels grief, but we say only that which will please our Lord. And truly we are deeply grieved by your departure, O Ibrahim."

This is what her prophet peace be upon him had said on his son's death. He also said that patience is at the first stroke of calamity. How can she do what her prophet prohibited them to do?

Tears burned her eyes and her lower lip trembled. She bit her lip as she tried to stop her whimpers. She never cried in front of anyone. How can she cry in front of a complete stranger? She cleared her throat blinking back her tears and stepped inside the morgue.