Alina and Molana didn’t talk much often. He always tried to engage her in conversation but the old man always got a deaf ear. Alina had planned to leave him after she turns eighteen but for that she had to wait for two years. During this time she didn’t waste any time mocking Islam in front of Molana. She spent long nights crying, calling for her mama and cursing the religion. Molana had never said anything to her. In return he fed her, clothed her and on her request gotten her into an Urdu medium school. She didn’t know where he had come up with the funds nor did she care. Molana spent most of his time in prayers and reciting the Quran. He often caught Alina ogling at him while praying and upon confrontation she’d always say “hah, what a silly way to pray. No wonder you people keep blowing yourself up”. Not once did Molana ever get angry at her. Once Alina felt immensely pissed at his care free attitude and growled “you’re so pathetic, you can’t even defend your silly religion.” ‘Unto you, your moral law, and unto me, mine!’ and upon saying so he had got up and left.Alina often watched Molana perform his regular act of prayer. He was old and weak so he didn’t pray in the mosque like everyone else. However, watching him pray was a different sight that Alina had not yet felt nor seen before. She couldn’t distinguish the sensation she would acquire while examining him bow over and over again on a piece of overly decorated cloth five times a day. But it was definitely something out of the norm, out of this worldly experience. Molana was about to finish his prayer, she didn’t want the awkward silence between them, so she changed her course of view to the window. There she saw a heavenly majestic, bright circular ball of light peacefully descending in the horizon. Alina felt a shockwave surge through her body, she turned around and blurted out what do you say in your prayers?Before she had could hear an answer she turned on her heels and left immediately. They didn’t talk the after that. The next day, Alina was admiring her self in the mirror when she heard an old fragile, familiar voice: ‘May Allah make your behavior as beautiful as He has made your appearance’.She turned around spoke frankly for the first time “you don’t think I behave well”“No child, this is just a supplication I recite when I look upon my self in the mirror. In this way I pray to my Allah that I remain decent in my daily social dealings and show my gratitude to Him for making me so perfect.”“You think you’re perfect?”“I have no disabilities, I can see, eat, move, talk I don’t think He made me imperfect in anyway.”She stared him in ambivalence.“There are many others as well, for example when I eat a new fruit of the season I pray ‘O Allah! Please show me the end of the season of this fruit, just as you have shown me it’s beginning’“ He reached out and gave Alina a slice of mango. She stared the slice of mango for some time and then asked if he could tell her all of these supplications. He disappeared from the room for a moment and then reappeared with a small piece of paper and gave it to Alina. Alina scanned it for a second, eyes carefully going through every word and then she recited ‘O Allah feed the one who has fed me, and quench the thirst of the one the who has quenched mine.’ Molana passed her a sincere smile and she giggled and started reading the paper. Vibrant rays of a rising sun were penetrating the windows and curtains, slightly illuminating the room from different locations. One ray was directly upon Alina’s hand. The hand that held the piece of paper that altered the course of Alina's life, taking her to a whole new level of self-exploration and faith.
To be continued….