#unedited
Entry Three (B)
“Subhanallah! What is going on here?”
The babble in the room quieted when Imaam Zakariyyah marched into the room. His gaze swept across the room, no doubt wondering how/why a little over ten grown women could act so uncultured. And in a masjid at that.
“I asked a question”.
“She said my whole family is going to hell!” Sa’eedah pointed a finger at me. Her face was contorted in anger and I’m sure she would have lunged at me if it wasn’t for the four pairs of hands holding her back.
Imaam Zakariyyah turned to me. “Is this true, Mrs Badmus?”
“Eseun yaa Imaam. Aiye yin a da. I only asked her a question after she made an assertion that I…”
“That’s a lie. My statement was targeted at no one in particular.”
I snorted. “No, it was targeted at SOMEONE (I made air-quotes) in particular. You were looking right at me during your speech and I was the only one who fit the description.”
Sa’eedah released an incredulous gasp. “But it is said that admonition is like mud. Whomever it touches should strive to make amends.”
Imaam Zakariyyah held up his hands. “Okay, enough of this back and forth. Everybody, please leave, the lecture is officially over. Sa’eedah, Mrs Badmus stay behind and let’s iron this out once and for all.”
The room cleared and only Imaam, his assistant, Sa’eedah and I remained.
“Now Sa’eedah, let’s hear what you have to say.”
She proceeded to explain and to be fair, she recounted the events exactly as they occurred. The only problem I had was that she refused to acknowledge that her bias.
“ So Imaam, Iya IleOkan is way off base here. I was just making a general statement and she took it personally.”
“Mrs Badmus?”
“Ah, I know for a fact that Sa’eedah was referring to me. Besides, who is she to decide who goes to hell or paradise?” I was angry and too and I wanted her to know the basis of my grievance. Youth of nowadays believe that they alone have a guaranteed ticket to paradise and every other person can go to hell. (pun intended). Sa’eedah was not the first young’un to make assertions about m
“Hmm, Bismillah was-solatu wa salam ‘ala Rasulillah.” Imaam began. “Sis Sa’eedah, I commend your efforts and your reward is with Allah. But I will remind you of a hadith reported by Abu Burda where the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent Mu’adh and himself to Yemen and he said, “Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings and do not repel people. Cooperate with each other and do not become divided.”.
When giving da’wah, it is enough for you to state the authentic facts according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Then pray to Allah to guide people through you. Remember also the Bedouin who urinated in the masjid? Take a leaf from how the prophet treated him and apply that when giving da’wah”
Imaam paused and I took the opportunity to glance Sa’eedah’s way. She was nodding and looked like someone who just had a moment of clarity.
My own moment of clarity came soon enough when Imaam addressed me.
“Mrs Badmus, you know I have always commended your zeal to learn the deen. I pray that Allah keeps you firm on his path. I will also quote to you a hadith reported by Abu Hurairah where the prophet said: “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most false of tales. Do not seek out faults, do not spy on each other, do not contend with each other, do not envy each other, do not hate each other, and do not turn away from each other. Rather, be servants of Allah as brothers.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5719, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2563.
Mrs Badmus, you were being suspicious of Sis Sa’eedah and that caused the wrong assumptions you made. Listen to admonitions with an open mind and if the shoe fits, try to make amends wherever necessary. May Allah guide you.”
It was at times like this that I was grateful to Allah for bringing Imaam Zakariyyah into my life. He had a way of simplifying issues and making me see the error of my ways.
“Jazaakallahu khayran Imaam. I was wrong.” I addressed Sa’eedah. “My apologies sis Sa’eedah. I shouldn’t have mentioned your family in that context.”
“No, ma. I was rude to you. Please accept my apology.”
And so Sa’eedah and I shared a hug, and everything was right with the world.
Imaam told me to read up Suratul Hujurat and I am looking forward to discussing it with him (I have a truckload of questions penned down already) Sa’eedah sent me some jilbaabs to pray in today and kinda liked how I looked in it. Who knows, I might make it a permanent thing. Until next time, dear reader, Peace be upon you
