8. That Haraam Thing

Suhad

It was a week before the big day. Ceremonies were going to start and would last till the eve of the wedding. Shopping was done, invitations were sent, caterers were booked and a banquet hall was arranged for the wedding feast. Everything was happening so fast my mind was whirring. There was a continuous downpour of guests at our apartment. People were coming in and going out. Some came to stay, some came to congratulate and tell they would be present for the wedding feast as they couldn't attend the nikah since it would take place in the mosque and be for closest family members only.

Our home looked new and fresh with all the walls repainted and new curtains that hung along with the windows. The seating arrangement in the living room which used to be in the center was now pushed towards the walls to make room for all the guests.

I was excited, terrified and most of all tired.

Being the hostess was a full-time job. I had to see that every guest was happy or at least not complaining. Everyone at home was busy entertaining guests. Uncle Junaid had come with his family and they were a big help, I must say. Dad had taken a week's leave from the college for which I was glad and he too was helping around the house. All my brothers Haroon bhai, Farooq, and Fawad though spent their spare time pulling my leg, did all the heavy works like putting lights out on the balcony decorating the house with flowers and so much more I couldn't even begin to count.

All in all, the apartment which consisted of hardly four people was now overflowing with them.

Time just flew by and it was time for the first ceremony-- the Haldi ceremony. These ceremonies, I think, are only for the enjoyment of the female clans and not for the bride or anyone else. Because all the bride has to do is sit on a small flat stool while every woman present applies on her face, hands, and feet a mixture of turmeric and sandalwood and then feeds her a morsel of something sweet.

I stepped into my room and came to a standstill. I just couldn't recognize it anymore. It was filled with so many girls and aunties I couldn't imagine. Every square inch of my bed was occupied so was the area around the mirror where some girls were applying makeup and pushing one another to get to the front of the mirror to have an unblocked view of themselves. Aunties obviously were the ones on the bed chatting away happily like they didn't have a care in the world. Some girls were even going through my wardrobe.

Now that's embarrassing.

"Assalamu Alaykum everyone!" I said to the whole room at the top of my voice. Everyone went silent and stopped whatever they were doing to look at me like I was the one in the wrong place.

"Would you all please go downstairs? The ceremony is about to start and I have to get ready." I told them when they didn't bother replying.

"Please!" I said when none of them budged.

One by one they started to leave the room and I relaxed when the room was finally empty. I quickly changed into a turmeric-yellow dress which was given to me by my to-be mother-in-law for this ceremony because it was a tradition.

I did the wudu and prayed the maghrib salah. After that, I applied coconut oil to my hands, feet, and face. Weird, I know but this was a trick I found on the internet. They say this ceremony makes you radiant and all that but I didn't want to risk looking yellowish on my wedding day since this ceremony goes on for a few days and I didn't know how many people were going to mask my face with that yellow paste and for how long I was supposed to keep it on. So as they say Prevention is better than cure.

I covered my head with the dupatta and went out into the living room. All the men had cleared out, I didn't know where they went.

Mom took my hand and led me to the stool that was placed on a cloth. I sat on it and then the ceremony started. As the mother of the bride, mom was supposed to start the ceremony. She dipped her fingers in the paste-like mixture and applied it to my cheeks. She was smiling at me and that made me smile too. She then fed me a piece of sweet of which I took a small bite because I knew there were many more to come.

Mom was followed by my mother in law and then the rest of the family followed. Some people applied the Haldi to my cheeks only and I found such persons sweet. However, many found joy in ruining faces and applied Haldi to my whole face and hands as well as feet. So yeah, I was looking as yellow as a canary.

By the end of the ceremony which was past dinner time I had so much of the sweet, I felt like I was going to throw up. Even when I told them I couldn't have any more they force-fed me.

Still four more days of this. Ya Allah! Help me!

***

I was lying on my bed reading A Muslim's Romantic Journey when I got a notification. Backing out I saw it was a message on WhatsApp from an unknown number. Since I didn't know the number I thought of checking the profile picture. It was a man with a really handsome face and he had a French beard.

Could it be Shadab? No. Just because he has a French beard doesn't mean he has to be my to-be husband.

"Haroon bhai!" I yelled as loudly as I could.

No reply.

I yelled again. Still no reply. I decided to call him then.

"Come into my room. It's urgent." I told him when he picked up.

He was in my room within seconds.

"What's urgent?" He asked stepping into my room.

"This," I said, showing him the profile picture on my phone. "Who's this?"

"That's your fiance." He said giving me a 'duh' look.

I turned red. "He just texted me. Who gave him my number? What should I do? Should I reply? But I can't. That's haraam. He isn't my mahram! Bhai! What do I do?" I started blabbering.

"Calm down choti. Give me your phone."

I did as he asked and he replied.

Assalamu Alaykum, this is Haroon.

Hi! I want to talk to Suhad. Is she there? Came the reply.

She is here and you are talking to her but via me.

Oh...

There were no texts after that and I relaxed that I didn't have to talk to him and commit a sin however minor it was.

Suddenly my phone started to ring. It was Shadab calling. O my Allah! What was this guy up to?

Bhai looked at me inquisitively and I just shrugged. He received the call and talked with Shadab for a few seconds until he put his hand over the mouthpiece to tell me Shadab wanted to talk to me.

"I can't talk to him. It's haram!" I whispered afraid that Shadab would be able to listen anyway.

"No, it's not when you have a mahram present!" He whispered back.

"Oh yeah. I forgot." I said smiling foolishly.

Bhai removed his hand from the mouthpiece and put the phone on speaker.

"Assalamu Alaykum," I said timidly and Bhai's eyebrows shot up hearing my shy voice.

"Wa Alaykum Assalam. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Alhamdulillah. How are you?"

"I'm awesome." He said and Bhai rolled his eyes at Shadab's answer.

"Can we meet?" Shadab asked.

That was out of the blue. We were getting married in three days. Why did he have to meet me now?

"Why?" Bhai asked.

"Oh, you're still here." He said and I didn't like his tone.

"Yeah, I am. Suhad can't talk to you unless there's a mahram present."

"Why don't you let her decide and give us some privacy, huh?"

Was he crazy? Didn't he know this was haraam? "This was my decision," I said.

"Oh!" He said. "Fine. Bye." And then he hung up.

I looked at Bhai, shocked. What in the name of Allah was that? Why did he act like that?

"Bhai, is something wrong? Why did he hang up so suddenly? Do you think I should meet him? It must be important. What if he calls off the wedding?" I started to panic.

"Calm down, Suhad. Nothing's gonna happen. Everything will be fine. Don't you worry dear sis. You did nothing wrong so don't think like that. Trust Allah." He said.

Yes. Of course. How could I not trust Allah when He has been with me every step of the way. And in sha Allah, everything will be just fine.

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Finally a lengthy chapter, Alhamdulillah! Will try lengthening more in sha Allah.

So what do you all think about this chapter?

For those who don't know what the Haldi ceremony is I have added a pic in the media. And haldi means turmeric :)

Please tell me your views. They mean a lot to me.

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Jazakallah khair :)