Early Morning Magic

Bismihi Ta’ala 

Khawlah

When Aadam said that he would fetch me early the next morning, I wasn’t really taking him seriously. After his two-and-a-half-week absence, I had kind of forgotten my husbands habits. In all fairness, after the journey of a lifetime he had been on, I did expect him to be knocked out till at least mid morning.

It had slipped my mind just how disciplined and routine-driven Aadam was. I honestly did not expect him to pitch up before the crack of dawn, waiting outside my house and excitedly pressing our doorbell.

It was Ahmed who had flung open my door in a fit of annoyance, peeved at me still being in bed, while Aadam patiently waited outside for me to make an appearance.

Oopsi. Did I wake the entire household?

Ahmed left in a huff after screaming his head off, as I literally jumped out of bed, in a bit of a frenzy. I could hear my father’s voice, chatting to Aadam and trying to sound civil at this hour. Shame, he really did like Aadam. Usually, he even ignored me until after breakfast.

I was fighting to keep my eyes open. For me, early was after Fajr. Not one hour before. We had got back late the previous night, and I inwardly groaned as I recalled the drama.

“Can I come in?”

I closed my eyes, half wishing that I was still dreaming. The last thing I needed right now was Aadam seeing me in my completely outdated three-year-old fleece pyjamas with a hole at the collar.

“Um,” I mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear. “Can you give me a minute?!”

I quickly checked my face in the bathroom mirror as I had a speedy wash and made whudhu, not forgetting to brush my teeth, trying to determine whether Aadam would just smirk at my appearance, or if he’d run for the hills.

“You’re very early,” I called nervously,  pulling on tights and pulling down the long Khakhi dress I had taken out the night before. Thank goodness I wasn’t one of those girls who took hours to change. For me it was either an Abaya or a modest maxi dress. I didn’t own much else.

Aadam peeped around the corner of the doorway and grinned. He was looking like he had just stepped out of a hot shower… all squeaky clean and incredibly handsome. I felt like a dirty panda.

“I always wanted to see what your room looked like… first thing in the morning!”

I spun around to inspect.

Shucks. Rather… My goodness.

Papers strewn around. Homework piled on the desk. Jackets hung on random hooks. Scarves thrown over the chair. There was no place even to sit. Of course, my bed was a complete unmade shambles. For my OCD husband, this was probably his scariest nightmare.

He was still grinning, despite probably being shocked out of his senses.

“It’s beautiful,” he said, giving me a thumbs up and weird glint in his eyes. “In an extremely exotic way.”

”I know you mean it’s disgusting,” I said, grabbing my scarf as I tied my hair. “Sorry.”

”Hey, it’s your space,” he said, putting his hands up and looking at my bed. “I’m just curious. Which side of the bed do you sleep on?”

”The right side,” I said obviously, glancing at the clock and grabbing my bag.

“And it’s only you?”

I nodded. Of course it was only me. Luckily the cat was only obsessed with Yunus.

“Where are we going to read Fajr?” I asked, knowing there would be no time now.

“There’s a small JK on the way,” he said, sitting on the one decent corner of my jumbled up bed. He was wearing a really weird expression. “So if you sleep on the right side… can you explain to me why the entire bed is completely invaded?”

I flushed, just slightly embarrassed.

“Well,” I started, remembering how Zuleikha used to complain when we were kids. That’s why Abba had got us two singles in the old house. When we moved, we sold them and bought a queen. “I kind of move in the night… while I’m asleep. A lot.”

”Ah,” he said, raising his eyebrows at me with a smirk. “You’re one of those.”

One of those? I had a good mind of kicking him out. He was talking like I was some sort of species.

It was the first time he had actually come into my bedroom and I was feeling a bit awkward. Especially with him looking so comfortable as he sat on my bed. I grabbed his hand, pulling him with me as I headed towards the exit.

“We better leave fast,” I said, hoping he would get the hint and stop scrutinizing my sleeping habits. “Don’t want to miss Fajr with Jamaat, right?”

“Do you snore?” He asked bluntly, ignoring me as I dragged him down the passage. “Like as in that deep, dark and scary kind of snore that wakes up the entire house, as they wonder if it’s a frog, a ghost, or some weird human-hacking serial killer who grunts…”

I paused and turned to him, trying to look threatening. Did he just suggest that I grunt in my sleep?

I immediately glimpsed his cheeky grin as he looked back at me. He was super good at getting under my skin… and he knew it.

”Only teasing,” he said, calling out to greet my father and Ahmed loudly, and then smiling sweetly as he opened the door for me to make my way to the car.

The air was icy as we stepped outside, and I shivered as we got into his car, watching Aadam turn all the heating gadgets up. At least his cars were good for something. Within minutes I was feeling close to normal again.

I didn’t realize how cold it was at this time of the morning, Aadam drive speedily in the scattered morning traffic, chatting casually about things, but not giving any hints about where we were headed.

“Where are we going?” I asked him after we stopped for Salaah, now dying know what the big surprise was.

“I don’t think you know what’s a surprise,” he said, offering me a small smile.

“I don’t like surprises,” I said blankly. “The last time my father said he had a surprise for us, he brought home my stepmother.”

Aadam clasped my hand warmly. I had told him the story once.

“This is a good one,” he said quietly. “I promise.”

It was a little less than 15 minutes later than we got back into the road and finally exited a dirt road. Aadam switched the car off just outside a little picket fence.

“We’re techno-free today,” he said as he dropped his phone in the centre consol. I was quite surprised. Aadam without technology was like a house without a door.

Nevertheless, I wanted to see what the plan was. A glimpse of the place he had brought me to looked amazing. It reminded me of simple farm life… with its endless fields of greenery and little buildings that could be seen in the distance. The hedges were covered in colourful creepers, and in the dim morning light, I could see a bush of the most amazing bougainvillea that were in full bloom.

They were, by far… my favorite kind. As they caught my eye, I was in awe of the fact that it boasted both beautiful cerese and blood red flowers on one bush. It’s unexpected contrast gave it an entirely striking appeal. It was extraordinary..

I couldn’t help but step back in amazement as we stepped off the car.. now seeing it in full view. My takkies squelched under the moist grass, and the sound of chirping birds were very audible in the near distance. Fields of spring flowers, daisies and daffodils…  sunflowers and wildflowers…  spread in front of us as we looked ahead. Early morning nature was the most breathtaking kind.

“This is beautiful,” I breathed as Aadam grasped my hand, entertwining my fingers with his as we walked along silently, just taking it all in…

“The best is still to come,” he said quietly, opening a tiny gate.

“Morning Adam,” someone’s voice cut through the morning air, as we turned the corner.

“Hi Patrick,” Aadam said with a warm smile, asking the guy how he was and introducing me as his wife.

He was one of the workers there, and he seemed to know Aadam pretty well. Of course he did.

“You got our guys ready for us?” He said to the guy, and I was a little confused as he said it.

“Guys?” I said aloud, frowning.

The man nodded, as he guided us through, and just as Aadam let go of my hand… I was kind of rendered speechless as I glimpsed his big revelation.

Right in front of us, stood two beautiful dark-haired stallions, heads lowered in anticipation, almost as if awaiting Aadam’s arrival on this gorgeous spring morning. Aadam smiled as he saw them, sidling up to them slowly as he reached gently for their streamlined heads, embracing the darker one that had already stolen my heart tenderly, as he gently stroked its nose.

I was simply enchanted. Up close, horses were even more magnificent. With their sleek and naturally muscular frames… It was no wonder that they were referred to as one of the most noble creatures. They were so amazingly graceful.

“Come closer,” Aadam said as he glanced at me, taking my hand and pulling me towards the lighter haired stallion. He petted him gently at the top of his head… murmuring to it in soft, soothing words as it snorted. I followed suit, trying to make friends.

He was so silky and beautiful. Friendly too, as he blinked at me with those gorgeous eyes. I was already obsessed.

“This is Max,” he said. “We’ve been buddies for a year now. I’m sure he likes you too already. He’s a sharp guy.”

He gestured to the other one.

“And that’s Jim. I know him for much longer. Both belong to my friend from school. When I was younger, we used to ride often together. Do you ride?”

”I had a simple childhood,” I said with a smile. “The only thing we rode were bikes. Horses were for fancy people.”

Aadam chuckled softly.

“They’re beautiful though, aren’t they?” He said, without missing a beat. “A most awesome Sunnah too…”

I nodded earnestly. That, you couldn’t deny. Amongst other things, they were majestic, honourable, graceful and mighty. They have walked beside man as a loyal companion, from the beginning of time, up until today…

Allah’s wonder in their creation is an entirely different topic altogether. I could go on for hours.

“Can I help you on?” Aadam said, cutting through my thoughts as he came up behind me. He had removed his Kurta to hang it on the fence and easily slipped a riders helmet over my head.

“What?” I said, getting a little freaked out. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this. It was a bit daunting.

“Come on, its not so bad,” he said softly. “Can I show you?”

I nodded half-heartedly as he gently grasped me by my waist to lift me, guiding me onto the standard and instructing me to hold the saddle so I can eventually get myself on. Being an amateur, it took a few tries, but eventually I was mounted, and I didn’t even know how this was all happening. This wasn’t just a pony ride. I was actually going to ride a real live horse… and I couldn’t believe it.

Aadam next mounted his one expertly, and I watched him easily as he got to grips with the reins, cantering across the small patch near us. It took him a few minutes to get into a rhythm, but of course, he was well experienced. He rode like a pro. Unlike me, he’d been doing this for years. It was amazing to watch.

“You ready?” He said, sidling up to me as I waited patiently. I had been stationary for a good few minutes, and the guy who Aadam had spoken to in the beginning came forward to lead us out onto a paddock… it was just a few minutes of practice and just as we glimpsed the openness of the field, he shouted for me to hold tight as the horse suddenly galloped easily towards where Aadam was.

“You’re a natural,” he said as he grinned at me.

The equestrian trail that we followed was a simple one, but it was mesmerizing. I could not even begin to describe the beauty of the onset of day as we rode into it. It was like something out of a perfect picture… or one of those amazing portraits… only better.

As for the sunrise, well… that was an event on its own. It was precisely why Aadam had brought me here at this hour. I had to actually halt in my tracks as it caught me unawares, not wanting to miss a minute of taking it in. We had just reached the peak of the trail, and as we sat on horseback and stared ahead,  I could not help but gasp at the beauty of the sky that was displayed before us.

It was like a hung tapestry boasting the most perfect artwork…the colours intricately dispersed and it’s appeal so striking… as the day came to life. An array of amber and pink, magenta and rose, peach and passion… bringing with it a feeling of a new beginning… a radiating hope. A chance for a brand new day.

“Someone’s very quiet,” Aadam stopped as he dismounted Jim, grasping my hand as he helped me off mine. We had come to the top of a grassy hill.

Below us was situated the most beautiful lush valley and beyond that all… all we could witness was the unveiling of the beautiful mountainous skies that Allah had brought alive through every beginning of day. I could not believe that I had lived my whole life without seeing this before.

The horses had moved off to graze on the lusher grass off the hill top, and I averted my gaze once again.

“This is the best surprise of my life,” I suddenly said, in awe of what was ahead… the colours were breathtaking.

Aadam was humming to himself as he took a seat on the grass, my tummy doing funny things as he reached for my hand. It took me a minute to realize that he was singing a praise of dhikr… the same one that was so familiar to me since I was just a little child. Mama’s lullaby.

“How do you know that tune?” I asked him, gaping at him.

He shrugged and smiled.

“Heard someone special sing it once,” he said mysteriously. I shook my head and looked ahead again. He had just reminded me of the kids…

“The kids would love this place,” I said, looking around me. So much of space to run around and play. Endless fields of beauty that took my breath away.

SubhaanAllah. Indeed, in every sign there is a message for mankind. The majestic gait of the horses ahead… the tweeting of birds above us… the unfiltered silhouettes of beauty that spread in our midst… it was a wonder that I couldn’t comprehend.

“We’ll bring them here one day,” Aadam said, his eyes softening. “They’ll go wild.”

“Do you come here often?” I asked him, really curious. I wondered what other talents he had. He was an exceptionally good rider.

“The last time I came here,” he said softly, pulling at the weeds underneath us. “I was going through a bit of a rough patch…”

He cleared his throat as I broke my gaze away from the sky and glanced at him. He looked… pensive.

“But I couldn’t help but think, there had to be more to life than I was living right then,” he said. “That in all this… these creatures… the very fact that I could feel so much at peace within me in this beauty… there had to be so much more than I knew.”

I swallowed and nodded. I didn’t want to ask him about his past. Not yet.

“Like that ayat from Surah ‘Adiyat,”I murmured, as he smiled.

“Exactly…” He said, smiling. “How do you do that? You know exactly what I’m thinking…”

And as I smiled and cast my gaze to the left where the splendid stallions stood… it’s no wonder that they are referred to in the Quran so beautifully.

“By the racers, panting, and the producers of sparks [when] striking, and the chargers at dawn, Stirring up thereby [clouds of] dust, Arriving thereby in the center collectively…”

And as he said it, I couldn’t help but think of how the Sahabah would ride their horses into the battle field, tirelessly working towards their cause taking all the physical and mental pains. They would do anything for their masters. In pre-historic Arabia, they marched out in the night with their horses so as to take the enemy by surprise; then they would launch a sudden attack early in the morning as everything became visible in the light of day…

”All this,” Aadam said, gesturing around. “Right here, right now… are the moments we realize how great Allah really is, yeah? Nothing is created without a purpose…”

Not without purpose. Nothing without a purpose. No drop of rain… no blade of grass… not even a single sunrise, in all its untold grandeur, makes its event without a purpose…

And as we sat there, in the midst of unprecedented beauty that I could not even begin to do justice to praising.. we were lost in transit. Like two slaves in submission to their Masters Glory, we sat in awe of everything before us, utterly and completely absorbed in its splendor. And as Aadam recounted his journey to me as we sat on the gorgeous grass, my heart swayed at the revelation of his every emotion…

Every dream, every ambition, every hope he ever had… was fulfilled in that one journey of a lifetime. Trudging towards Mina… climbing the planes of Arafat, every cry and echo of the Allahu-Akbar as he made his way to Muzdalifah, caused his heart to soar with ecstasy. He was insatiable in his fulfillment. I listened with untold eagerness as he described every walk, every sleep, every encounter that seemed so miraculous.

How Allah had provided for him when he was so broken and felt like he could not even make one step more. How the reverberating Labbaik of the chanting crowds came to spur him on. How with every miracle he saw, whether it was an 83 year old man making his first Hajj, a helpless little baby on his mothers back, or the glimpsing of what he thought was an angelic figure who had walked amongst them to protect them from a threatening crowd… it was sensational. We were lost in each other’s tales for nearly three hours on end… till the sun was at its warmest peak. It was so amazing to be there with him, in the midst of such beauty and amazing tranquility, that I half wished that we never had to leave.

And thank goodness Aadam had carried a backpack of supplies to munch on, but the time to say good bye to this spectacular view had come. Aadam had already promised that we’d be back soon.

“I just thought I’d let you know, beautiful,” he said as we finally got to the car. “Mum wants to spend some time together later. We’ll have brunch, pray Zohr at the apartment and go there… after we done. Hope that’s okay?”

“I saw her last night,” I said automatically, without even thinking. I remembered how she had completely ignored me when I came out with Aadam the previous night. Maybe she was avoiding a confrontation. I don’t know. She was going on about how little time she had spent with him, and I really wanted to tell her that it was no-ones fault but her own. Of course, I kept my mouth shut.

Aadam sighed as he looked at me.

“I know that you saw her last night,” he said, looking a little annoyed. “So what if you see her again today?”

He was irritated, but how was it my fault?

I wished that we didn’t have to venture down this lane. We had had such a perfect  morning so far… and all this was going to do was dampen the spirit. Of course I wouldn’t stop him from going… he was welcome to. I just didn’t know why I had to go with him.

“Why don’t you want to go today?” He asked, frowning at me. “You never did this before. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Don’t say it, I warned myself. Just don’t. 

I had to turn away.

“Khawlah?” His voice was a bit more forceful now, as he closed the boot and turned to look at me, his one brow furrowing. “You need to answer me. You can’t just ignore me. You’re making me feel like a complete idiot.”

I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t tell him the truth. It wasn’t the right time and it would just spoil everything. To bring up the past and everything now…

And like a most timeous distraction, it was precisely at that moment when his phone from inside the car started to ring. I had actually forgotten that he had left it here. Aadam glanced toward it for a moment of uncertainty, probably deciding whether to pursue the conversation or to make a dive for his phone.

I could see that he was torn. The call had promptly cut, but was already ringing again. Someone was really trying for him.

“Please get into the car,” he said softly, his eyes pleading with mine. “We’ll talk about this.”

I shook my head. I was trying not to be angry, but I was upset. It wasn’t like he didn’t know the situation. I was human too. Why did he have to make it a big deal? 

In a sigh of exasperation and one sudden movement, Aadam yanked open the door and grabbed his phone, answering it with a simple ‘yes’.

And I probably would have stayed angry, but I could already tell by his tense body language that the call was something serious … and the way he was asking repetitive questions… my own heart was starting to hammer in my chest.

“Let’s end this trip on a pleasant note,” he said, cutting the call and raising his eyebrows at me. “I love you. I love my mother too. I’m prepared to work this out… But right now, we need to go. It’s Danyaal…”

---

Authors Note: I always wondered about venturing into the past of someone whose changed their life for the better. This may definitely be an issue here… and rightfully so… 

Any thoughts? 

Much Love,

A 🌸

Sunnah of Kindness: We know of the various incidents of Nabi SAW where he showed undeserving kindness to even his enemies. It is a truly beautiful Sunnah…

Jareer (RA)reported: The Messenger of Allah, (SAW), said:

مَنْ يُحْرَمْ الرِّفْقَ يُحْرَمْ الْخَيْرَ

He who is deprived of kindness is deprived of goodness.

Source: Sahih Muslim 2592, Grade: Sahih

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• Beauty
• Equestrian
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• Love
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• Mother
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• Trail