Meeting misfortune

                                    

                                          
As i was parking my car i couldnt help it but notice something i found kinda unsual. My dads car was parked right here ! Not that its something criminal or wrong but he always prays in the mosque which is in the Hospital .
                          
"Zu, isn't that your dad's car? " 
                          
"You betcha! " I answered still wandering what was amiss 
                          
"Anyway lets go before we miss his recitation ." She said as she walked ahead 
                          
I felt a bit reluctant but walked into the mosque with Merjem.
Subhanallah the mosque never failed to take my breath away. I've been here on multiple occasions yet it still feels like a first time . 
                          
Walking in felt like i was walking into one of Maher Zain concerts. The place was literally alive with Quran recitation. Subhanallah it was so loud you could remove a Jinn with this. 
                          
We went to the students in charge to ask to see Qari Ahmed. They told us he had a visitor today, but we could still go to his office upstairs to see him . We took the opportunity like it was gold and ran upstairs like our life depended on it. Nothing would have prepared me for the site i met when we walked into the office.
                          
The Qari Ahmed was sited behind his table and my father was standing across it hugging what seemed like a crying boy.
                          
"Asalamu Aleikum." Merjem began to make our presence noticable. It made the Qari look our way and my Father let go of the boy to face us . That's when i saw who the boy was.
Subhanallah! It was Abas ! His face looked tomatoe red and he was trying to dry his eyes to hide that he was crying , too bad his coloured face made it too obvious. 
                          
"Waalekum salam ." They all answered in unison. 
                          
"May I help you girls? " The sheikh inquired. 
                          
"Umm.. We, I mean I wanted to listen to your Qiraat if thats ok with you. My friend Zahra came along with me." She explained 
                          
His face lightened up when he heard my name and made my Father turn to confirm it was me . He walked over to me to give me a hug and the usual forehead pecks. 
                          
This seemed confirmation enough to the sheikh so he asked "May I greet her? " I looked at my Father confused .
                          
He smiled down at me and said "Its ok Habibti, he can say hi to you." Still puzzled but I believed my dad so i went forth to greet the sheikh. What he said did surprised me . He stood and hugged me saying under his breath some Arabic lines I couldn't make out.
                          
After he let me go i turned to the other side of the room to see my dad with a contented smile on his face , Abas and Merjem looked equally as confused as i was some seconds ago . Abas slowly turned to my Father and asked 
                          
" Is this zahra ? " as though i was some intruder. 
                          
"Abas ! " the sheikh interfered 
                          
"Its ok Ahmed , don't be so hard in your boy. We've done enough to him alr3ady. " He continued as he faced Abas placing a hand on his head and patting him. "Yes , this is my daughter Zahra." 
                          
I was beyond confused. I felt... Ya Allah I had no words for my feelings . Discovering that Abas was the son of the famous Qari was mid blowing but what did I have to do with any of this ? 
                          
Dad's phone buzzed . He looked down at it then said "Ya sheikh I have to go , am needed at the hospital." He kissed Abas on the head and walked to his father to give him a hug and back to me and Merjem. He greeted my friend and begged pardon to leave us so soon. I offered to walk him to his car having an intention to know what had just happened. We walked out together leaving Merjem with the sheikh to listen to what she had been waiting for since he came. Abas followed us out but parted ways with us when he arrived at where the students were . I figured he might be one of the teachers 
                          
"Baba , what was all that about?" I asked looking more puzzled than I intended.
                          
He opened his car before answering me "Well hubi it wasn't an issue of much importance. I knew Ahmed back in my highschool days and we met on one occasion on one of my trips to Egypt. Seeing him again toady and knowing he moved to our neighbourhood was just a blessing . I told them I had a daughter before so they were just thrilled to meet you."
                          
Since he was in such a rush I couldn't ask anything else . We just said our goodbyes and he drove off leaving me with a cloud of thoughts.
                          
Like if all he said was true did Abas has a reason to cry? 
Why did he let Ahmed hug me and he wasn't my mahram ?
                          
Only time could answer all this . I rushed back in to keep Merjem company as she sat across the sheikh with a Quran copy on her hands listening to him read . As soon as u sat next to her and began listining all my thoughts drifted away. This Qari had the voice of an Angel Mashallah. 
                          
We left after praying Asr . The sheikh gave us an open invitation to come back if we wanted.
                          
As we drove home Merjem sat silently then finally spoke when we arrived at her place. "Sheikh Ahmed asked me about you. " 
                          
"What?! Why?" I was shocked 
                          
" He just told me he knew your father as a kid and he felt like a second dad to you and wanted to know more about you. " she clarified 
                          
"Ok . See you tommorow Inshallah. " 
                          
I still did not buy any of what dad or Merjem had to say. But maybe the matter was out of my hands 
                          
Allah knows best...