Sidratul Muntaha

Chapter 93💓

Bismillahi Rrahmaani Rraheem•

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu•

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In Islam brotherhood is one of the most important relationships. The brothers in deen are supposed to lay down their lives for the other. Years ago, on one fine day, when Asad had met Muhammad and they had faced an enemy together, they had bonded. Soon they met again and again. They became sworn brothers. In any battle, on any day, when Muhammad's back touched Asad's while they fought the enemy, they knew that they were safe, because there was no one they trusted more than the other, apart from their Maula, the Rafeeq al Ala. Their companionship was one of the most important ones of their life. They married two women who considered each other sisters and so their relationship strengthened. But fate had already been written and as their life turned a page each day, they moved closer towards the havoc that would sweep through their world and destroy each of them thoroughly. The book of their life was torn apart and each page scattered with the passing time. Today, as the brothers faced each other in disbelief and lived their memories through each other's eyes, they felt shattered. Where had their happiness gone?

"Muhammad..." Asad whispered again, tasting his best friend's name and memorizing each angle and curve of his face. His friend whom he had chosen over every other relationship of his world. Muhammad tried to move on the cot and Asad leapt up from the ground towards his brother and encaged him strongly in his arms as he broke down in Muhammad's lap. "Allah! Muhammad..." He whispered again. "Muhammad." Muhammad stayed silent as he patted Asad's head affectionately. How could he not know what his brother felt? Years he had been confined in his own self. He could hear everything but not respond. He had heard his brother cry and break down in hopelessness beside him but couldn't console him even a little. They had been tested through each other's love, where one brother had been made to live without the other and the other brother had to silently look on. Neither of them had been alive without the other and yet they both were alive. Today he sat there and patted Asad's head, allowing him to push outside the helplessness that had filled his soul and broken his heart. "I needed you. All these years I needed you. I wanted you to open your eyes and stand beside me and promise me that everything would be okay. But you were silent and I watched as the days turned to years and Ghazdaan suffered and so did our families. But you remained asleep. Muhammad... I have missed you. My ears hoped to hear just a slight hum of your voice but silence had become your way of life. Muhammad... I have lost everything. Hareem... Siham... all I had was you and I couldn't lose you."

"You have suffered." Muhammad whispered gently. "For me." Muhammad's eyes were wet. A tear slowly cascaded down his beautiful face and fell over Asad's cheek on his lap. Asad lifted his head and saw Muhammad

"For you, I can gamble away my life..." Asad replied strongly and wiped the tears. "If I had to take the decision of choosing between the people of my life once more, I would choose you, over and over again. Hareem knew. So should you. She is my life, my heart, my beloved but you? You are my soul, my brother. I have promised you with assurance in my life. Muhammad."

"You shouldn't have chosen me over her. Losing Kulthoom cut my heart into shards. I can only imagine the pain you felt when you had to take me to safety leaving Hareem there."

"Hareem and I... We aren't different. We are the parts of the same heart. When I went to take her to safety, she made me come to you. She knew... If anything had happened to you on my watch, I wouldn't have survived. You are my brother. I couldn't let you lose."

"Look where I stand today... My own blood brother betrayed me and my sworn brother gave his whole world to save me. Tell me Asad... Do I even have a chance to repay you in this life? How could you throw everything into peril to choose a living dead over your beloved." Muhammad whispered. "After my Rabb and my old parents, you are the only man whose debt I cannot repay. I just hope that the love you have for me tie us both together in the world and the hereafter and unite us under the shade of Allah's throne on the yaum al qiyamah."