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seize the day |
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se7en |
07/01/05 at 14:51:08 |
as salaamu alaykum, I wrote this a few weeks ago. It's weird because it's not really a 'story', but more of a play or a movie because I could really imagine it being played out in my mind. It was so nice writing it because I didn't restrict myself to writing in a story format. I hope it reads okay. Please share your thoughts :) --- [color=black] Cast of Characters Aabid Sufyan Lauren Ahmed Imtiaz Uncle Saima Uncle [Saima's father] In the masjid: a packed, full house on Jummah in the summer. The fans are turning over head, trying to fight off the heat, but the air is listless and it's just so crowded. It's after the tasleem. An uncle gets up -- "Please brothers, I have a few important announcements -- very important--" Aabid can't take it anymore, crowded between people, the heat and the discomfort. *bang* The front doors of the masjid open and he makes it out to freedom, breathing in deeply. He's the first one to leave, making it out before the crowd emerges from inside. It's a hot summer day in in Houston. He's 21, wearing loose jeans and a full sleeve t-shirt, a baseball hat on backwards. Short beard, no jewelry, old kicks. He walks to the end of the parking lot, past BMW's, Toyotas, taxi cabs, and pick-up trucks. Gets into his Honda, a two-door, non-descript green color. He drives carefully between erratically parked cars, rolls down all the windows and makes his way out of the parking lot; playing with the radio, settling on some hip hop. He waits at a red light around the corner of the masjid; starts sitting thug style in his seat; turns his baseball cap around and tilts it a little thug style; nodding to the music. Trying really hard to *be* cool, even though he feels a bit silly, and is just enjoying the brightness and heat of the day, away from so many crowded people in the masjid. He sees something out of the corner of his eye, and turns to his right --- He sees a line of cars. All faces are turned towards him. All Muslim faces from the masjid. All so somber. He stares for a while as they go by, taking a turn, and he tries to figure out this strange scene. Then he sees the hearse at the end of the caravan. Realization dawns: they are going to the Muslim graveyard. They probably prayed janaazah after the Jummah prayer. He feels stupid, yanks off his baseball cap, rubs his hair. --- FLASHBACK 1 One of the 'not so good' brothers comes to an MSA Dinner, along with a white, obviously non-Muslim girl. He's good looking, Arab, maybe an international student, clean shaven (AHMED). He comes to Jummah sometimes, but no other MSA events. Looks a little shy to enter, but it's Ramadan, so he feels a desire to be around Muslims. He misses his home. The white girl, Lauren, stands near Ahmed, confused and shy. Not sure what to do. She's wearing full sleeves, the longest skirt she had, and a scarf she bought at Macy's draped over her hair. The women there look so intimidating; draped in different colors, talking to each other, avoiding eye contact with her, some exchanging glances with each other when they saw her walk in. She didn't want to go sit there, among a group of strangers, alone. "Ahmed..." Ahmed (smiling at her, trying to reassure her): "Do you want to sit with the sisters? I'm sure they're very nice. They could tell you more about my culture also.." Reluctantly she looks at him and then goes and sits among the sisters. She says nothing; no one says anything to her. Aabid is there; all the regular MSA guys. They try to include Ahmed in their circle; ask him what he is studying as they take food from the buffet table. Saima - wearing a violet colored hijab and white ankle-length skirt, long shirt; funky jewelry, thumb ring. dark brown eyes, oval face. She sits next to Lauren with a bright smile. "Hi, I'm Saima. Are you new?" She takes the time to talk to her, include her and make her feel at ease. At the end -- when Ahmed and she were about to leave - Saima comes up to Lauren. "Here, take my contact info, if you ever want to hang out or if you have any questions or anything. It was so nice meeting you." She's so sincere, so bright. Aabid notices. This girl is different. --- FLASHBACK 2 Class. HUGE Lecture Center. Mesopotamia and Middle Eastern Culture power point slide. Professor - snide, petite, hair back in a tight bun; loud 'native' jewelry. One of those professors you never want to argue with; not interested in discussion but only in hearing their own opinion. "So the veil was a cultural symbol dating as far back as the early Mesopotamian era. It was meant as a symbol of status; the sheltering of the elite women from the drudgery of everyday society... (etc)" "Izlam embodied this symbol into their religion. What place it has in today's world, I have no idea.." Aabid's face gets red. What is this old bat talking about, she doesn't know anything about Islam. How did she become a professor when she is obviously ignorant. Saima, in the same class, twenty rows ahead of Aabid. Raises her hand; her voice falters. "I'm Muslim; the veil actually has a lot of religious significance..." The professor perks an eyebrow; rips her apart. "And do you have knowledge, beyond the scope of this class, about the historical significance of the veil, or the sheer NUMBER of cultures it existed in before the advent of Izlam? *pause* Or is it that you were simply taught that your veil is religious, without knowing it's context?" Saima says nothing. --- FLASHBACK 3 Pizza shop. 4 MSA guys, Aabid one of them; books and papers scattered everywhere on the table. Taking a break. They're doing med school, engineering; he's faltering. Law school? Journalism? "You have got to be kidding me man. How are you gonna get married with a degree in Journalism?" "And who's gonna hire a Muslim journalist? They'll be like 'yo, you mixed us up with al-Jazeera.'" Sufyan, one of Aabid's closest friends: "For real, I know why Aabid wants to do Journalism. It's not the profession, it's the *classmates*--" Aabid: "Yo! Shut up man." (Starts blushing. Saima is a Journalism Major) All the guys start laughing, a big "OOHHHHHH" around the table. "He shouted you out man." Aabid: "I don't know what you punks are talking about. I'm just trying to get my degree on lock." --- FLASHBACK 4 "As salaamu alaykum beta, how are you doing? How are your studies?" Imtiaz Uncle, a long time family friend. Unquestionably desi, long white beard to the center of his chest, quiet eyes, always a wise smile on his face. It seems like he was a part of Aabid's life from as early as he could remember. Even to this day, Imtiaz Uncle would always try to slip him a few dollars. "Uncle.. it's okay.. I'm 21 now.." but Imtiaz Uncle would only smile, the way an elder does with a slow child, and slip it into his shirt pocket with a tap. He was someone that gave the best advice; about everything from studies, to dealing with fights with his parents, to his MSA. After dinner with his family - everyone doing other things, in the kitchen, on the phone.. Aabid and Imtiaz Uncle sit alone on the sofa. We can't hear the conversation clearly, but we can see their faces. Aabid, shy, a bit red, his eyes not meeting Uncle's. Uncle's face, getting brighter, his smile wider as Aabid keeps talking. "So." Imtiaz Uncle says, after a long time of listening. "Tell me, what is she like?" Six hundred images flashed before Aabid's eyes, and he can only look at him, his eyes full. He smiled. "She seems very nice." ---- FLASHBACK 5 MASJID BBQ "Yo." Sufyan comes up to Aabid, making his way through kids playing freeze-tag and families sitting on blankets on the masjid lawn. Aabid turns. Sufyan was big, at least 6'3", Egyptian, glasses, a goofy smile, and the hugest laugh. They've been best friends for ages. They'd get kicked out of weekend school classes together for making too much noise. They went to highschool together. Drove to a million conferences together, played a million games of b-ball. Brothers. Sufyan: "Her family's here." Aabid: "Who?" Sufyan: Staring at him like he's an idiot. "Who do you think?" He gestures with his head to the parking lot. Aabid turns. Saima's getting out of the car with her family. He's never really seen her family before. Auntie and Uncle get out of the car; uncle in khakis and a tucked in collared shirt, glasses and a beard. Auntie in a simple shalwar qamees with hijab. He stares for a long time. Sufyan: *fake effeminate voice* "Oh Uncle jee, I just loovvve you. Can I be your son?" Aabid: You're stupid. --- Later at the picnic, Uncle is getting food from a table. Aabid nonchalantly grabs a plate and comes up next to him, pretending to be interested in the bowl of potato chips. Aabid: "As salaamu alaykum Uncle!" Uncle: "Wa alaykum salaam" with a nod, and then returns to making his plate. As Aabid continues to stare at him expectantly, he turns and looks at him again. "Er.. how are you doing? Ahmed, is it? President from the MSA?" Aabid: He puts out his hand for him to shake. "It's Aabid, Aabid uncle. Very nice to see you here." Uncle: "Shukran, thank you." Aabid won't let go of his hand. Continues looking at him, continues shaking. Uncle keeps shaking too, good naturedly, bemused. Finally Aabid realizes, and lets go. Uncle: "Very nice to meet you." Goes off with his plate. --- PRESENT (LATER THAT FRIDAY) Maghrib time. Aabid was in his books the whole day; looks frazzled, hair on end; hasn't left his room for hours. Cell phone, txt msg from Sufyan. "yo salam, i'm nearby, u @ home?" "ya i need a brk come ovr" Not more than five minutes later, he hears the doorbell ring, Aabid jets down the stairs, opens the door, at the same time looking for his bookbag for his wallet - "yo man, I'm starving. wanna get something to eat?" Sufyan: "As Salaamu Alaykum." So serious. Aabid looks up at him, sees how somber his eyes are. "What's up? You okay?" Sufyan never looks like this. Sufyan, confused, stares hard at Aabid. "I heard you went to Jummah at As-Salaam." Aabid: "Yeah, I was there, but I bounced early. I couldn't take the heat." He keeps looking at Sufyan. Everything inside him starts slowing down. His mind, before in twenty places at once, focuses only on Sufyan's face. He can hear his own heart beating, his breathing, inhaling, exhaling. His body on high alert. "What's up?" Sufyan doesn't know what to say. He comes inside the house, closes the door behind him. Thinks for a minute. "Let's go somewhere." Aabid: "What? Tell me what's up." He starts getting angry. What's going on? Sufyan: "I." He doesn't know what to do. His voice rises. "Let's just go somewhere aright?" Aabid: "Tell me." They stare hard at each other. Silence. "It was her." It just bursts out of him. He doesn't know how else to tell him. Aabid: Blank. blank blank blank. His face, his mind. He can't process this information. "What are you talking about." Angry, Aabid pushes him. He knows, but he doesn't want to know. Sufyan just stares at him with sad eyes. Aabid pushes him again, hard, against the door. "What are you talking about." But he knows. Finally: "It was a car accident. There was a drunk driver.. she hit the barricade.." *flashback to the cars driving by after jummah; the sad faces staring out at him* *flashback to Saima talking to Lauren, pointing out food that was too hot for her to eat at iftaar* *flashback to the uni. class, standing defiantly against the professor* *flashback to quiet talks with Imtiaz Uncle* He doesn't know what to say. Looks down. Says nothing. Sufyan looks at him; reaches out to touch him, pulls back. Opens his mouth to say something; holds back. Doesn't know what to do with himself. They both stare into the space right next to each other. --- He goes to the graveyard. He's not sure why. It's night time; a scary place with no lights. He doesn't know what to do with himself. He is not even sure where she is buried. He's not even sure if this is right; for him to go to the grave of someone he is not related to in a permissible way. Or was related to. Whatever. He sits in the parking lot; staring out at the darkness engulfing the field in front of him, thinking about what could have been. He had contemplated so many options; thought about so many different ways things could have panned out, depending on his decision to do this, or not do that. He sits, too many thoughts overwhelming his brain and heart. Ya Allah... I know there is wisdom in Your plan, but I just can't see it. Ya Allah.. give me strength in this time, and help me to understand. --- Allah takes with His generous hands and He gives. Make use of your time and seize every moment that you live. Life gives you the test first, and the lesson afterwards. Ask for His help and for your duaa's to be heard. [/color] |
07/06/05 at 11:45:19 |
jannah |
Re: Seize the day |
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sis |
07/01/05 at 17:23:12 |
Wa alaykum alsalam wa rhmat Ullahi wa barakatuh, Masha'Allah la quwwata illa billah. A beautiful style for a beautiful reminder. It actually brought tears to my eyes. Jazaki Illahu khayra. May Allah ta'ala increase you in talent and effort to please Him 'azza wa jal. |
that was AWESOME! |
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nida |
07/06/05 at 00:05:18 |
[slm]... That was a truly amazing story sis se7en! :) I am speechless because the moral/point of it is soo important and you wrote it in a beautiful way. You have a great writing style. I was deeply moved by it. Jazakallah khair for sharing it with us. May Allah continue to guide you and increase your skill. |
07/06/05 at 00:06:19 |
nida |
wow |
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jannah |
07/06/05 at 11:46:38 |
slm, wow dat was the shaz-izzle ;) who knew u could write like that!!! but i want a happy ending :( jazakiAllah khair for posting that |
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