Varsity Diaries I; My Sister

It was at the AngloMoz car park (Now, you all need to go to OAU!) and I had just arrived in the most prestigious university in the country (you think otherwise?), they spotted me in my little hijab and approached me with smiles, 'As Salaamu 'alaykum, can we help you with your bags?'. Now, that was a new one. Who were these girls in the hugest hijabs I had ever seen in my life and why were they acting so nice?
Oh yes! They were the people I had been warned about, the ones who fill freshmen's heads with a lot of religious stuff and turn them into dowdy, self righteous bores and there they were aiming at me in my tight jeans, tee-shirt and tiny hijab. The difference was, these girls didn't look dowdy or self righteous to me. They were beautiful, had radiant smiles but their hijabs scared me! The hijabs covered them from head to toe and they even had socks on! Socks! Now,I really wanted to run but there was something about those smiles that made me smile back and accept their offer of help. I later met more of them at the infamous Awolowo Hall Mosque and that was where I met her, the girl who up until now has a special place in my heart.

For some reason I couldn't understand, I became comfortable around the 'sisters' and the masjid was more of a home to me than my room at the hostel. She was the coordinator of the female Muslim students and two years ahead of me, studying a course way different from mine meaning we had almost nothing in common yet I found myself seeking her out every time I went to the masjid. As a newbie just getting to learn about activities on campus, I had questions and fears. The masjid was where I found answers as well as a spiritual high I hadn't bargained for. Learning more about Islam became alluring and each time I got confused, I turned to her and got answers. Maybe what drew me to her was the fact that she was non-judgmental and always in control. It was from her I learned that the Qur'an had to be recited with tajweed, that hijab went beyond just covering my ears and neck and most importantly she taught me to have a firm belief that Allah is As Samad, The Self Sufficient Master whom all creatures need.

One day I won't forget in a long time is that day when the masjid was shut ( A story for another day) and for the first time in my life, I observed salah in a female only congregation; right there on the basketball court of Mozambique Hall, she stood in the middle of a single row and led us in salah. That was the day she stole my heart. Until now, recalling the sound of her laughter brings a smile to my face just as recalling her saying 'Wake me up for Qiyaamul layl' brings tears to my eyes. The chit chats, the visitations to the female hostel on Sundays, the Arabic classes, my first copy of hisnul Muslim, this young woman had me hooked. For the first time, I experienced love for Allah's Sake; a love free from envy, dishonesty, pride and deception. From her I learned that having the perfect role model to emulate doesn't mean that we will always make the perfect choices in life. Rather, each person is the author of his/her own story and having the strength to get back up after falling due to mistakes is what improves our self worth.

Before Ramadan, during the session she was to graduate, a tragic thing happened; we lost a member of our beautiful campus Ummah. Before the announcement, there had been speculations as to his whereabouts and we had all been silently praying for his safety, I prayed despite not knowing him at all. He was a Muslim, that's all that mattered. The Imam's recitation on salah that night subtly conveyed the message even before the announcement was made, he paused at intervals and wept. At the end of the prayer, my heart ached and my eyes were moist just like almost everyone else's. The brother, a year one medical student had died in an accident on his way home. On the same route most of us had to go through to get home. That night, I read the words of the Most High.... 'Kaallaa, idhaa balaghati tarqiya, wa qila man raaqa, wa dhanna annahul firaaq, wal taffati saaqu bi saaq, ila Rabbika yawmaidhil masaaq......' and wept due to the depth of their meaning; 'Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone, And it will be said; "Who can cure him" (and save him from death)?, And he (the dying person) will conclude that it was (the time) of parting (death), And one leg will be joined with another, The drive will be on that Day to your Lord!' {Qur'an 75;26-30}. My sister noticed and gave me another lesson; Death is an admonition,my reaction to that death is common with most people but soon everyone will forget and continue with life as if nothing had happened. The ones who benefit from the admonition are those who turn to Allah leaving off disobedience to Him and striving to remember Him always knowing that they could be next. Like Ameerul Mu'mineen, Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said; 'Judge yourselves before you are brought to judgment, weigh your deeds for yourselves before they are weighed against you and prepare yourselves for being displayed on the Day of Judgment.'

"Know, that the best deeds are those done sincerely for the Sake of Allah. Do things to satisfy Allah so that you get His Love but doing things to satisfy people and neglecting Allah only help in getting His wrath....May Allah save us from His Wrath, Aameen."........... Those were the words she left me with upon completion of that session, on the first page of a book I still keep. Distance keeps us apart now, phone calls or chats can't be like the times we were so close and could hold hands. Allah Alone knows if such times will exist in the future. It is narrated that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said that on the Day of Judgment, Allah The Most High will ask, 'Where are those who loved each other for the sake of my Glory? Today on a Day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My Shade.' I'm hopeful that my sister and I along with other believers will stand beneath that shade.