Falling Innocently

Prologue

Prologue -What?

"When two people love each other for the sake of Allah {S.W.T}, they should search their hearts every once in a while and check -has anything mixed with their love and contaminated its purity?"

-Fu'aad Ibn 'Abdul-Azeez

"And then, I said that I think I am ready for marriage and my dad exploded. Like literally. He was throwing around words like, 'What on earth do you mean that you are ready for marriage? You're only in your first year! You still have another two more years to go through!' He was furious!"

"Ya Allah! What did your mother say? What did you do next?" Asmaa, Waliya's best friend asked. Waliya was explaining to Asmaa what had occurred during the previous night's supper as she tried to inform her parents that she was ready for marriage.

The bustling of students around them had put their conversation on a bit of damper considering they were in the canteen. They put their conversation on hold until they had their food safely in their hands, so that they could concentrate on just one thing alone: their conversation. That way was less risky than walking and trying to keep up their stream of conversation and trying to avoid rowdy, carefree students who pushed their way through, fighting for freedom from confined spaces.

"So," Waliya said as she turned Asmaa to face her. "I smiled at him and quoted one Hadith."

Asmaa's hazel eyes twinkled mischievously. "Which one?"

Waliya smiled at Asmaa, her mouth set in a broad grin. "'Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said: There is nothing like marriage for those who love one another'."

"Actually," a male's voice interrupted them. Asmaa's eyes widened and immediately, Waliya turned, worried what had alarmed her best friend. As soon as Waliya turned, she dropped her gaze to the floor and nudged Asmaa too, indirectly telling to do the same. She knew that Asmaa would have done the same in her place. "The Hadith goes, 'There is nothing like marriage, for two who love one another'," the stranger said.

"Uh," Waliya said, a little awestruck. The man was gorgeous -from what little she had seen, but it was the manner he spoke and the way he corrected her. "Jazakallah."

For minute the silence was thick between the three of them. "Make me maaf for correcting you that way, but I could not let someone who obviously knows the Hadith to continue believing that they are correct," he spoke again.

Waliya stared at the ground, unable to say something to the stranger. Thoughts were swirling in her head and all she could think about was a suitable reply. For a stranger?

Something was wrong with her. Usually, she would never bother with what a random stranger would think of her, but this stranger just had something about him. She didn't realize that he was waiting for some sort of reply until Asmaa spoke up behind her. "It is okay, Allah maaf, we appreciate it," she said while still keeping her gaze on the ground. "Jazakallah," she said and turned Waliya around with her.

Waliya looked up in shock.

"What?" Asmaa said grinning.

Waliya quickly shook herself out of her deep thoughts and grinned back at her. "Nothing," she answered mysteriously, now fully aware that they had an eavesdropper listening in to their conversation.

"But you still need to tell me what your dad said after that! And how your mother reacted!" Asmaa said impatiently.

Waliya was about to quote another hadith about patience and its virtues, but decided against it, especially since she might just make herself look like a fool twice in the space of ten minutes! "Sabr, Asmaa! Look, we're nearly at the front, let's get our food and then we can talk."