EXCERPT FROM 'On Her Knees'

 

 

SCENE FOURTEEN

[Stage opens with Mma Fati, Anti Sala and Sister Yaa seated on a bench. They were all sobbing. Yusuf and Mallam stood at one corner and Mallam talks silently to Yusuf who nods his head. Latifa sat somewhere alone and she cries a little loudly. Narrator stood in one corner quietly. Maryam and Baaban Gida enter happily without noticing what is going on.]

MARYAM: [Noticing the tension in the air and wide eyed, she talks to Baaban Gida silently.] What do you think is going on?

BAABAN GIDA: [Silently.] They’re all crying. May be Jameela won’t marry again.

MARYAM: [She moves slowly to the Narrator.] What’s going on?

NARRATOR: Hmmm! Maidservant of Allah. Jameela’s soul departed us this blessed
morning. She passed on. She’s dead [He shakes his head].

BAABAN GIDA: [Almost starts crying loudly] Wayoo… [She stops him and he starts crying silently]

MARYAM: [Tears flowing down her cheeks.] To Allah we belong and to him is our return. May He accept her soul and put her into Paradise, Aljannatul Firdaus.

NARRATOR: Ameen! Ameen! Ameen! [Hand in hand, Maryam and Baaban Gida go to the women and they squat in front of them. Still in tears, Maryam puts her hands on Mma Fati’s lap. Mma Fati realizing whom it was started crying a little loudly and Anti Sala and Sister Yaa did the same]

MARYAM: [Crying a little loudly] Please don’t cry. Allah knows why He took her from
us.

MMA FATI: [Ignoring that] Oh bridesmaid of Jameela. Thank you for changing her
before this [She cries loudly].

MARYAM: [Sobbing.] We don’t have to cry. We only have to pray for her. That’s what
she needs. Mma, the Prophet peace be upon him said that the reward of the one who
bears the loss of a loved one patiently is Paradise. All we have to say is Alhamdu lil
Laah for everything that comes our way.

ANTI SALA: [Sobbing] That’s very true.

MMA FATI: Thank you. [Baaban Gida stands up and starts crying vigorously. Sister Yaa
pulls him to herself]

SISTER YAA: [Crying] Stop crying my son. Death is like that. It does only what pleases
it.

MMA FATI: [She holds Maryam’s hand tightly.] Maryam, when you left her yesterday
night, she was so excited. Later she complained of a headache then she was ok after a while. She barely slept last night. She prayed until dawn. [She pauses] This dawn, she went to the Masjid to pray Fajr for the first time in so many years. After that she ironed her dress for Jum’a and it was all white. She was happier than I’ve ever seen her be [She starts crying loudly again].

ANTI SALA: Take it easy my sister.

MARYAM: [She bows her head] Oh Jameela! May God have mercy on your soul.

SISTER YAA: Amen!

MMA FATI: [Ignoring all that] I thought it was the marriage that was making her so
happy. She started complaining of the headache again. I was standing with her when
she held her chest, went to lie on her bed and started crying. I wanted to take her to the hospital but she wouldn’t go. She made me promise her that I would thank you for her. She said the shahada and she was gone [All of them except Yusuf, Mallam and the Narrator who shook their heads started crying a little loudly].

YUSUF: Allahu Akbar!

MALLAM: Subhaanal Laah.

MARYAM: Alhamdu lil Laah. May we end up like she has. What else is there to live
for? [Baaba Ali and Major enter with a coffin. Yusuf and Mallam immediately go for it. All the women stood up]

MAJOR: [To Yusuf and Mallam.] Have you dug the grave?

MALLAM: Yes.

BAABA ALI: [Red-eyed] Sala, did they bring the cloth she’s going to be shrouded in?

ANTI SALA: [Crying] Yes. We’ve bathed her. She’s ready.

BAABA ALI: We’ll take the diseased to Jum’a then after that the Imam will give the
janaza. [He motioned for them to go] Let’s hurry up! The body is keeping too long in the house. [The Narrator and Baaban Gida follow them and they exit leaving the women]

ANTI SALA: [Shaking her head.] My sisters, we must be one another’s keepers. We do
have a place to go to one day.

MMA FATI: Indeed, we do.

ANTI SALA: Let’s make peace for death is inevitable. Look at little Jamy.

SISTER YAA: If anybody had foretold me this, I’d never have believed it. When the
young ones are going, how much more us? [As they talk, the men enter again holding the coffin covered with a white cloth. Baaba Ali, Mallam, Yusuf and the Narrator held the coffin whiles Major and Baaban Gida walked behind. They were hurrying. All the women, Maryam and Latifa followed them hurriedly and they exit in silent tears.]

EXCERPT FROM 'A LETTER TO THE MAKER OF LAWS'

THE PART I LOVE MOST IN THE BOOK; 'A Letter to the Maker of Laws.' Enjoy!!! Lengthy but I will appreciate it if you read and share;

IT GOES...

LAWYER MUSAH:
(Sadly) Was it Nabil who sent you the parcel?

ENGLISH TEACHER:
(Quiet for a while) That was what I thought at first but I was wrong. It was Fatimatu Zahra (They are both surprised).

MMA SAFIA NURSE:
Subhaanal Laah! Subhaanal Laah!

LAWYER MUSA:
(Tears in his eyes) Oh Allah! Which of the favours You have bestowed upon me would I deny? My little girl. My blessing. Alhamdu lil Laah for our daughter.

ENGLISH TEACHER:
I showed the letter to my friends who also had these negative perceptions about Islam I did and you wouldn’t believe it. They felt so ashamed of themselves and we have all decided to make photocopies of the letter and distribute it to people who are ignorant of Islam like us.

MMA SAFIA NURSE:
Allahu Akbar!

LAWYER MUSA:
Hmmm!

ENGLISH TEACHER:
(He opens his bag and brings out a paper) Here is the letter. I thought I should let you see it (He gives it to Lawyer Musa).

LAWYER MUSA:
(He stares at it for a while and shakes his head. He hands it over to his wife) Safia, please read it to us.

MMA SAFIA NURSE:
Hmmm! (She also stares at the paper and they become motionless as Fatimatu Zahra’s voice is heard in the background.)

FATIMATU ZAHRA:
Hello English Teacher,

Forgive me for my informality and for sending you an English Qur’an and other Islamic books in English. Please don’t throw them away. At least, finish reading this before you decide.

I always wonder and I keep asking myself, “Why does my English Teacher hate Islam so much?” I know you don’t hate me but you hate my Islam for if I wasn’t a Muslim, perhaps I would have been one of your most beloved students. This also makes me ask, “What does my English Teacher hate about Islam?” I never find answers to them because even at my age, I could tell that even if you are not a Muslim, you can’t help but admire Islam provided you know what it is.

I try hard day by day to find reasons not to hate you because you hated what I loved most. I tell myself, “Perhaps he doesn’t know Islam.” Then I tell myself again, “But why doesn’t he take the pain to find out instead of holding unto misconceptions?” Then I tell myself again, “Perhaps he never had the chance to know the real truth about Islam.” I battle within myself not to hate you even though you hated me and my Muslim brothers and sisters.

Indeed, I know and I believe that ignorance of anything in this century is unpardonable yet I try to give you the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes I want to ask, “Sir, please, is it because of the way Muslims worship that you hate us?” Then I imagine you say yes to this. Then in my dreams I try to explain that we do not worship any visible God and I feel like telling you the meanings of the things we say in all our acts of worship (She pauses and the Narrator enters quietly).

NARRATOR:
Subhaanal Laah! Subhaanal Laah! Subhaanal Laah! Glorified be Allah above all that is in the Heavens and the Earth. (To the audience) Did you hear what I heard? Did you understand? Do you believe she could have written all that? Subhaanal Laah! Such a blazing passion (She exits slowly and they come into motion. They all shake their heads in wonder).

MMA SAFIA NURSE:
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!

LAWYER MUSA:
Laa ilaaha illal Laah!

ENGLISH TEACHER:
Hmmm! There is more so just pay attention (They become motionless and Fatimatu Zahra’s voice is heard from the background again).

FATIMATU ZAHRA:
I ask again, “Is it because of the way the females dress?” Then I want to tell you the essence of it. It is not to oppress me or any Muslim lady but to make us free women and to shield us from the illicit pleasures of men. I also feel like giving you reasons and prove that would more than convince you that indeed, a covered woman is far better than a nude woman.

The Muslim man and woman are equal in spirituality. I sometimes wonder how you understand the word Jihad and why you relate it to terrorism and holy wars and all the other bad things. Couldn’t you find out what Jihad meant to the Muslim?

I think about how you could paint polygamy in Islam so black. You make it look as if it is without rules and significance and I wish I could explain to you the logic behind it. Something you can never deny is very beneficial when played by the rules (She pauses and Kramo enters. He tries to make out where the voice is coming from and then he suddenly becomes motionless and Fatimatu Zahra’s voice is heard in the background again).

Oh Sir! I have so many things to say yet I keep asking myself, “Would my first word be read? Would he be patient enough to read up to the end? Well, I tell myself, “I can only try my best.” But if ever you are patient enough to read up to the end, I would plead with you to read the Qur’an and the other books and search for more information on Islam.

This is not to make you a Muslim but to make you understand Islam which would help in maintaining peace between and among us. The hatred would not lead us anywhere except to destruction.

I apologise if I did or said anything you didn’t like but what I know is that we can be different and still be at peace. Do not hate me because I do not want to hate you.

For nothing but peace!!!
Your humble student
Fatimatu Zahra Bint Musa (Kramo comes into motion).

KRAMO:
(Surprised) Who is talking? Is Fatimatu Zahra dead? Oh Master! You didn’t do well at all. You didn’t do well at all Master! (He sits on the floor and begins to cry)

LAWYER MUSA:
(Confused, he stares at Kramo) What’s going on Kramo? (He continues to cry)

MMA SAFIA NURSE:
(Also confused) Kramo, is there any problem?

KRAMO:
(He stands up and he removes a big napkin from his pocket. He begins to wipe his face) Master, you didn’t do well. You didn’t do well master. You didn’t tell me that Fatimatu has become a ghost (They all begin to laugh).

LAWYER MUSA:
Why do you think she has become a ghost?

KRAMO:
(He stares at them in surprise) Master and Master’s wife, why are you laughing? Don’t you know that your daughter is dead? (They continue to laugh)

MMA SAFIA NURSE:
You know what Kramo, I left you a sumptuous meal in the kitchen. Go and take care of yourself (Fatimatu Zahra enters).

FATIMATU ZAHRA:
(Walking towards Kramo excitedly) Where have you been Mr K?

KRAMO:
(He turns to the other side and strains his ears with his eyes wide opened) Master! (He goes to put his hand on Lawyer Musa’s shoulder) Master! Can’t you hear what I am hearing?

FATIMATU ZAHRA:
(Confused) Mr K, sweet cousin wants to eat your food.

KRAMO:
(He begins to run out) My food! My food! (He exits and they all laugh)

THE YOUTH…. Which one are you?

Allah, glorified be He above all else, questions us;

‘Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription were a wonder among Our Signs?’

Surah Al-Kahf, the Cave, Chapter 18 ayah 9

So, the popular story of the youth that Allah, the exalted, had kept in the cave is a great sign to us. From it, we must derive lessons. This is a surah that the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, recommends that we read every Friday.  

Allah, the Almighty, tells us about how these young men had fled from their people in order to stay on the tawheed. He says;

ALLAH: Remember when the young men fled for refuge to the cave. They said…

YOUNG MEN:  Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!

ALLAH: Therefore, We covered up their hearing causing them to go in deep sleep in the cave for a number of years…

Ayah 10-11

Subhaanal Laah! Indeed, when we run away from that which distracts us from Allah, He provides us with an unimaginable refuge. These young men were afraid of going against the dictates of their Creator. They were afraid that if they stayed among their people, they were going to end up like them, worshipping other gods besides Allah; Subhaanal Laah! So they had fled and they called upon Allah for His assistance which He gladly gave them.

Are we the youth of Islam like these young men whose story are supposed to be a sign for us? Do we quickly run away from our peers provided they are going to lead us astray? How many of us do not end up doing the bad things that our peers do just because we do not want to offend them even though that earns us the wrath of our Creator? So we must indeed ponder!

What did Allah do for them after sending them into a deep slumber and waking them up years later? He worked on their ‘heart’ that which when guided, the whole body gets that guidance and when led astray sends the whole body astray.

ALLAH: And We made their hearts firm and strong when they stood up and said…

YOUNG MEN: Our Lord is the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, never shall we call upon any god other than Him; if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity in disbelief. These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him. Why do they not bring for them a clear authority? And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah?

Ayah 14-15

And indeed, who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah? Subhaanal Laah! May Allah, the exalted, save us from ourselves and bless us with a firm and strong heart. Ameen. So these young men showed steadfastness and conviction in their belief in Allah. Their belief in tawheed was unshakeable. Are we like that these days?

Narrated Amr ibn Maymun al-Awdi

‘Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, said to a man in the course of an exhortation, ‘Grasp five things before five others;

1.      Your YOUTH before your DECREPITUDE

2.      Your HEALTH before your ILLNESS

3.      Your RICHES before your POVERTY

4.      Your LEISURE before your WORK

5.      Your LIFE before your Death

Allah says;

‘It is Allah who has created you in a state of helplessness as a baby, then gave you strength to come out of helplessness in youth, then after strength again helplessness and grey hair in old age…’

Surah Ar-Rum, The Romans, Chapter 30:54

Are we taking advantage of our Youth before our Decrepitude (old age)? Well, that is something we should answer individually. I see old people who have lost control of their movements from one point to the other. In difficulty, they do  sualaat. They could not do the ups and downs of prayer as efficiently as the young people anymore. My grandmum is one typical example. She is so tuned to worship yet in difficulty she does sujuud and ruku’. She has to sometimes sit through the sualaat. When walking to Jum’a that is so close to the house, she has to stop so many times on the way due to the difficulty in walking. Her youthful strength is totally drained.

Allah tells us about the youth who had believed in Prophet Musah’s message of Tawheed. He says in Surah Yunus, Jonah, Chapter 10:83 that;

‘None but a few youth from his own people believed in Musah…’

Do you take notice of the old people you see around? Some of them are still lost in the sweets of this Dunya. They lack awareness of the fact that time suddenly caught up with them and that they should be careful. Yet there are some who have misused their youthful exuberance by involving in all sorts of worldly-inclined activities and now that they are old, they turn to Allah in worship, in their very feeble states. Yet there are some who have worshipped Allah in their youth and are still doing so in their old age. May we be like them. Ameen.

Allah, glorified be He above all else, also tells us about how Prophet Ibraaheem (pbuh) scorned the gods that his people used to worship whiles still in his youth. He says in Surah Al-Anbiyaa, The Prophets, Chapter 21:60 that;

‘… We heard a youth speak of these gods with scorn; he is called Ibraaheem.’

Now, from the lecture video of Sheikh Nouman Ali Khan entitled; ‘Contradicting Community,’ he states three kinds of Muslim youth which I would like to write briefly about. I would add one from my own perspective.

1.      The Messed-Up Muslim Youth

2.      The Middle Muslim Youth

3.      The Seemingly Religious Muslim Youth

4.      The Religious Muslim Youth (Mine)

The Messed-Up Muslim Youth is the Muslim young man or young lady who has a contrasting personality. The person is Muslim but does not do what Islam requires of him/her. This youth goes about doing all kinds of things that Allah hates; not doing sualaat, not fasting, drinking alcohol, smoking, disrespectful, dressing provocatively, vulgar in talk, watching profane stuffs, sexually immoral and promiscuous and every other bad thing one can think of. Yet he is Muslim! Subhaanal Laah! May Allah save us from being such a mess ever. Ameen.

The Middle Muslim Youth is the one who is not so messed up like the Messed-Up youth. This person is sometimes obeying Allah and at other times disobeying Him. He/she does the right thing this minute and the wrong thing the other minute. Sometimes he/she is seeking religious knowledge to better him/herself and the next moment he/she is letting the worldly pleasures carry him/her away. So you see him/her well-dressed today and the next day he/she is totally a disaster. Today he/she is talking about religious stuffs and the next day he/she is talking about immoral things. This is the two faced Muslim youth who has no one inclination. Sometimes, such a youth emanates from the Messed-Up stage. After being messed up, he or she does some thinking sometimes and then becomes better at sometimes and bad at another. May Allah save us from such uncertainty about Islam in our lives. Ameen.

The Seemingly Religious Youth is the one who, alhamdu lil Laah, studies Islam and abides by its teaching. He/she tries his/her best to do as Allah says and stays away from that which Allah dislikes of him/her. This kind of youth sometimes also emanates from the Messed-Up stage, passes through the Middle stage and then finally settles to being Religious. This youth is filled with so much passion to correct his/her pass wrongs and prove to him/herself that he/she is a totally changed person. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this kind of ‘Seemingly Religious Youth.’ Even though this youth sometimes emanates from the messed up stage through to the middle or straight from the middle stage, he/she becomes so judgmental. He/she is quick to put another in the hellfire. He/she is quick to criticise others for their wrong doing in an inappropriate manner and he/she thinks that he/she is better than others in the sight of Allah. This person learns a lot only to prove to the people how much he/she knows of the deen and does not make what is learnt impact on him/her first. He/she begins to make it very uncomfortable for others to be with him/her because they fear that they would be condemned to doom. It is this kind of Religious Youth who makes the religion difficult for others to follow and does not call to goodness with hikma. May Allah prevent us from being this kind of youth. Ameen.

The Religious Youth is the ideal youth. He/she studies the deen and makes it have an impact on him/herself and transmits his/her knowledge with hikma, wisdom. He does not condemn others to Hellfire but makes them understand that there is hope for change for all of them just as he/she has been guided and is being guided by the Creator. This youth might have also emanated from the messed up, through to the middle and sometimes the seemingly religious stage to become who he/she is. This youth fears for his/her sin more than that of others. He/she does not see him/herself as better than others but rather as someone who is striving to be better each minute in the sight of Ar-Rahmanur Raheem. This youth believes that guidance is with the Owner of the Universe and all that it contains and that his/her duty is to do as the Creator wills and call others to do the same. This kind of youth does not compromise his/her deen and yet he/she does not make it difficult for others to follow it. He/she draws to him/herself all kinds of people due to his/her leniency. He/she would tell the people who do wrong the truth but in an appropriate manner and he/she loves it when others point out his/her wrong to him/her. Subhaanal Laah! May Allah make us like this kind of youth. Ameen thumma ameen. This kind of youth is obviously following in the footsteps of the Noble Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. He is following the advice;

‘TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR YOUTH BEFORE YOUR OLD AGE.’

Which of the youth are we? Messed Up, Middle, Seemingly Religious or Religious? Which one should we be? Of course, we need to ponder. It is not impossible for the Messed Up or the Middle or the Seemingly Religious to become Religious overnight. No, it is not impossible because indeed Allah is able to do all things and if we ask of Him, He listens. Why don’t we pray to Allah with sincerity for Him to guide us to become Religious Youth so we can take advantage of our Youth before our Old age? Indeed, we stand to lose if we do not hope to move from all the stage of youthfulness to the Religious stage.

It is not too difficult to take up the challenge to get better at all. All we need to do is to make up that sincere intention to get better in the sight of Allah only for the sake of Allah and Allah will definitely give us the strength to draw closer to Him. Let that bell of the desire to get better for the sake of Allah click now before it is too late. May Allah see us through this. Ameen thumma ameen.

By

Rubaba Mmahajia Rahma Sabtiu