Crescent One
EIGHT YEARS AGO...
"So now you know, what are you going to do about that?!!"Arkaan bawled, his wild dashing green eyes, glinting bright as emerald stones. Under the moonlight, they shone even more spectacularly. But these eyes contained defiance, and a bit of heretical air!
To anyone looking, it was obvious from his hardened eyes that he had undergone much suffering to the point where he was broken – he felt no fear for what happened next in life. He was one conceding with the many vicissitudes of life.
The man in his prime age, looked at the boy whose heart seemed to defy all faith and authority of any kind – eyes that seemed to have battled fate to win the good things in life and had failed. Eyes, seemingly yielding to the treachery of life and yet, ..also did not.
He was broken, suffering..
Such sorrow.
The pale moon looked down on Earth, its ancient radiance bearing on all below. It seemed to empathize with the young child, and wish his salvation. The soft grass glowed an amazing green to match the boy's defying eyes. Everything was silent, except for the occasional breeze that blew through the dense trees surrounding the two in the glade.
The scenery was one, the two – scholar and deviant youth, would never forget. The scholar looked up at the pale moon like a withered stalk of grass, his hands held behind him like how he normally stood before his class of young students, all filled with the zeal to learn new knowledge in all kinds of art and language, all sciences of the universe, the holy scriptures, the teachings and traditions of the prophets.
These children would sit in the circles of learning, their hearts found peace and contentment in the remembrance of Allah. Gathered, their hearts filled with love for one another, they competed in memorizing the holy books, especially the verses of the Qur'an, – discussing and contemplating on a myriad of issues, seeking enlightenment and guidance... increasing in faith as they listened attentively to the verses of Allah.
Yet, here was this child he had just met. Even though he hid it well, for one who had experienced much on his travels, the scholar could easily discern the sorrow in the boy's eyes. It was quite a rare and unfathomable type.
"What is the purpose of all life?..."The man asked, still looking at the pale moon. The question sounded rhetorical, as if the man himself was searching – yet had found the answer. It contained that sigh of asking and yet, having understood all there is to understand. But Arkaan was caught off guard. He did not expect this reaction from the man. He opened his mouth to give an answer. Of course he had been repeatedly told the answer by his mother whenever he asked. It was like something he was supposed to memorize, though he didn't yet fully understand, and questions plagued his mind, especially on human suffering.
But just as he opened his mouth, the man looked down at him, his eyes filled with the warmth of a teacher for his student. It immediately made Arkaan to feel free and at peace, for it contained the feeling of trust and hope that a teacher had for the bright future of his pupil. It gave the feel of when his father used to look at him in the past, eyes warm and filled with kindness and love – like he would watch him grow all the remaining years of his life.
For a moment, the man looked like a shelter from the tempests in life; a sturdy tree that would stand against wind and rain for him. As long as Arkaan would stay under his care and tutorship, he would not leave him. The man looked at him, his deep eyes contained profound wisdom,"Choose the path you wish to tread.. as long as you keep in mind the purpose of all life on earth.
Eventually, everything – whatsoever is on it will perish.. All will return.
For all the time we've remaining – let us work with everything we've got!"His eyes looked distant and profound, as if they could gaze beyond the utmost boundary of the universe, across the numerous stars.
"What are the paths?"Arkaan asked, inquisitive as ever. His previously defying eyes changed to one of an obedient student who would follow his master to the ends of the earth. That was one of his traits – curiosity!
The scholar smiled a warm smile that Arkaan would never forget – it contained kindness. The scholar recited verses from the Holy Qur'an in a voice that puts all hearts at rest, in peace and contentment.
The words were soothing.
Arkaan's eyes that had previously brimmed with hard tears softened, as his heart felt cuddled by the very essence of the recital, like an infant would to its mother's soft lullaby.
"What are the meanings?"Arkaan asked innocently, as the man came to a pause. The man replied:
I seek refuge in Allah from
Shaytaan, the outcast
In the name of Allah, the Most Benevolent, the Especially Merciful
When the occurrence takes place,
There is, at its happening, no denial.
It will bring down (some) and raise up (others).
When the earth is shaken with convulsion
And the mountains are broken down, crumbling
And become dust dispersing,
And you become (of) three kinds:
Then the companions of the right - what are the companions of the right?
And the companions of the left - what are the companions of the left?
And the forerunners...the forerunners -
Those are the ones brought near (to Allah)
In Gardens of Bliss
A (large) company of the former peoples - and a few of the later peoples..
"Which group would you want to be a part of, young man?!"The scholar smiled at Arkaan. Obviously he had recited more than that in Arabic, and the boy wanted to hear more. His heart was already fluttering with exhilaration at the mention of "Gardens of Bliss" and he desired to hear more on it.
The man could especially see the intrigue and fascination radiating on the boy's face, but had intentionally cut the translation short to keep him in suspense and peak his interest.
"Of course the forerunners! the forerunners! Those brought near!"Arkaan answered without much hesitation, almost jumping up and down, a wide childish smile reaching his eyes.
The scholar turned his face towards the moon, his hands behind his back.
"Then become my student, and I'll be your stepping stone on that exalted path, in shaa Allah."
There was sincerity, kindness and love in those words, and Arkaan could feel them all. Arkaan was too elated to even answer him, his heart filled with ecstasy.
"Eh - you do not like?..."The scholar turned to him with a look of surprise on his face. But seeing the expression on the boy's visage, – he smiled, and gently tousled Arkaan's matted and dark hair which had bangs almost in his eyes. It was just like how a father would do to his only son and heir.
"My name is Inaayat Ibn Al-Iskandarī and from now – I'm your personal mentor.
The search for Allah, for peace, for contentment of heart, for the purpose of life, begins and ends here..."The scholar said, imprinting these simple but profound words in the boy's heart.
"We're all just passing travellers in this strange world, on a search... One day it shall end, and we'll return home..."
Our fates are intertwined...
The smile these kids bring – the next generation of Quraa' and learned practising Dā' i.
"As long as these words are understood in your heart, that's enough."
The pale moon shone on the soft grass and brightly coloured petals in the clearing. The breeze sailed through the crowns of the densely packed trees. Arkaan could hear the faint buzzing of bees in the nearby treetops, and the ocean was not far beyond the other side with lesser trees.
He looked at the man in front of him, standing in his shadow; a shadow cast by the moon - a shadow of the moon. The scholar's long hair shone silver black in the light, perfume all about his person – it seemed to fill the glade. His neatly combed dense beard crowned him the overall look of a saintly scholar amongst saints, with a warm smile.
It was at that moment Arkaan noticed something on the scholar's verdant kaftan, which he wore over his white thobe.
It was a simple embroidery of a tree, and the number '١١٣' of the Arabic numerals, almost inconspicuous in the moonlight, as pale as it was.
The scholar noticed what Arkaan was looking at, – his face returned to normal, almost a hint of deep sorrow could be noticed by Arkaan's keen eyesight.
As the scholar walked away, towards the city, he said with his hands behind his back,"Learn the verses I recited by heart. Whenever you're hungry, recite. Help would come, in shaa Allah.
Don't go stealing again..."
Arkaan looked at the battered stolen bread in his hand.
In shameful embarrassment, he called out in a murmur, more to himself than at the scholar's retreating figure.
"In shaa Allah I'll... Sheikh Inaayat!"