“Inaaayah!” shouted her mum from the
top of the stairs.
“Yeaaah, mum?” replied the occupied Inayah
who was busy fixing her hijab in the mirror.
“Your room is an absolute tip! You are
not going anywhere until this mess is cleared up!” her mother yelled back from
the top of the winding staircase.
Inayah yawned. “Yes mum, I’ll do it in
five.” she replied sluggishly.
“Although, let me just clarify, it was Sara who made all the mess, not me!”
She turned around and smirked at her sister who was slouched on the front
couch watching her favorite ‘Tracy Beaker.’
“Whatever!” muttered Sarah who turned
her face away from her sister, pretending to look elsewhere.
Inayah sighed, shaking her head whilst
continuing to apply several pins to her hijab. Today, she wore a turquoise
crinkle shawl which was wrapped neatly around her oval face. The smooth shade
of turquoise really suited her soft, pastel skin. Her small eyes were lined
with dusky, black kohl, making her hazelnut eyes stand out under the shining
light of the living room chandelier. Her eyebrows were thin and arched, and her
dimples only added to her beauty. Inayah was undoubtedly one of the most attractive
girls at her college, although she thought the total opposite. Her classmates
envied her fine-looks and her tall, slim build, and aspired to be like her.
Inayah, however, was oblivious to all
the attention she spurred. Whenever a girl would praise or compliment her, she
would disinterestedly brush it off and not really think much of it. Even when
girls would act extra friendly with her, she never thought it was because they
looked up to her and found her really pretty and popular. It wasn’t even Inayah’s outward appearance,
but her personality, which made her loved by all. Inayah was easy-going,
innocent, and youthful - and that’s what the teachers admired about her the
most - her soft nature and personality, her wit and of course her intelligence.
On one hand, she was a full-grown, confident and wise woman, but at other times,
she was like a timid child who craved a bit of adventure and silliness from
time to time.
Growing up in a mixed creed family was
probably the most difficult thing Inayah had to combat in her childhood. Her
mother was previously a Catholic Christian, and reverted to Islam years after
she married Inayah’s dad, an Egyptian doctor, who came to study supplementary
medicine at the University of Ilford. That’s where he met Inayah’s mum, Maha,
or previously named Amy, who at the time was working as a part-time midwife at
the local hospital.
Maha only reverted to Islam when
Inayah was 9. The constant argument, conflicts and bellowing between her
parents, was something she hated to remember.
“Which
Muslim man doesn’t want his Christian wife to at least look into accepting his religion?” Her father’s
often-used rhetorical question was ringing in Inayah’s mind. But Maha was a
strong woman, who stuck to her opinions and ways and made her own decisions.
Maha, at one point was even considering divorcing Inayah’s father, Mohammad,
but she decided to go against it for the sake of Inayah, Sarah and Ahmed –
their three young children.
It took the loss of Maha’s third
child, for her to accept Islam. As ill-fated as it was at the time, Inayah
thought that the hardship her mother had to go through when she had to give
birth to her still-born child was only a huge blessing in disguise. Although
Inayah was only ten years old at the time, both herself and Sarah understood the pain of losing a
child, and even though they could only look at their mother cry, and weep over
this tragic loss, it only gave them strength and patience which they hoped to
carry forward, when they would have to cope with their own personal battles.
As a result of the death, Maha began
to look into Islam. She would take Inayah and Sarah to talks at the local
Masjid, which was where Inayah met Ameerah, Taymiyyah and Uncle Najm, who was
the one who assisted in Maha’s shahadah. It was a proud day for Mohammad, the
day his wife, the mother of his children, declared the shahadah. The feeling of
euphoria, the elated happiness and the unexplainable pride at that moment was a
feeling he would never forget. The marriage which he thought wouldn’t survive,
was now building up again, brick by brick, until it would one day become a
strong, stable fortress.
Inayah remembered the moment she held
her mother’s hand; squeezing it tightly as her mother began to testify that
there was no God but Allah. Her mother’s pale skin turned from a pallid white
to a bright red, and she saw her mother clasp her eyes shut, as Uncle Najm
asked her to repeat the statement in English through the microphone. Inayah
knew that this would be a new beginning, for her and her entire family. A new
spring, and hopefully a more bright and lively one.
Inayah was raised mostly by her
mother, so knew heaps of information about Christianity and the trinity. She
admired Jesus and his message, and how he died on the cross for her sake.
Inayah could instantly quote passages from the bible, counteracting the views
of her oppositions. She was clever, and her memory was strong.
Conversely, Mohammad would fill
Inayah’s ears about how Jesus was but a prophet, and that the religion of Islam
was the only true religion. This was confusing for Inayah, as she was so
attached to her Christian beliefs her mother had taught her whilst her dad
would be away working, that she just couldn’t grasp the idea that she was
following an incorrect religion. Nonetheless, deep inside, Inayah secretly
loved the practices of her father, how he would wake in the middle of the night
to perform Tahajjud prayers, and how on some days he would fast and nearly
every day she would see him give in charity. His soft personality made him stay
quiet in front of Maha’s strong, overpowering attitude, and whenever they argued,
he was always the loser in their sight.
Therefore, the minute of Maha’s shahadah
was an equally delirious moment for Inayah too. A moment she knew would put so
many things into place and perspective.
Soon after, Maha gave birth to Ahmed.
Inayah and her family were enthralled, and couldn’t thank Allah enough. He was
a replacement for what Maha had loss, Inayah knew it, and it only made her
research more into God, His Mercy, and why He takes people away and brings
people to life. She would attend the Masaajid at a young age with her father
where she would learn about Islam and meet other brothers and sisters.
Inayah was then sent to an Islamic girl’s
school after turning eleven, where she learnt more about her religion,
excelling in every subject and especially acing her Religious Studies exams.
Nothing was dearer to her than her religion, and she found peace and
contentment in worshipping God.
Inayah smoothed out her long chic
abayah, before putting on her black denim jacket and grabbing her side back
which was hung on the hook near the living room mirror.
“Right, Alhamdulillah, now that that’s
done, I better go tidy my room, pack some last minute essentials and give my
little Ahmed a kiss before I leave.” Inayah turned around facing her sister and
shining a pleasant smile as she walked past her to the staircase.
“Enjoy.” Sara replied,
disinterestedly. Too busy staring at the TV.
“I will, indeed” grinned Inayah
sarcastically, suspecting that Sara was nothing more than jealous.
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