Jabir said, “Please tell him that when he returns, he should go to Nabila’s parents and ask for her hand in marriage for me. You know you ruined it the first time when you went to speak to her mother. If Daddy had been the one to speak to her father, the marriage would have been settled by now.”
His mother sighed. “Jabir, marriage is about timing. I want to see you married more than anyone. Don’t worry—when your father returns, he WILL go and ask for Nabila’s hand. Keep praying for good. Now go and rest.”
Strength filled Jabir instantly. Even his headache disappeared. He thanked Allah silently and went to his room.
The next day
Jabir woke up full of energy and joy. After bathing, he dressed carefully—applying perfume, styling his beard, wearing his watch. When his mother saw him, she exclaimed, “Wow, Jabir! You look like someone attending a fashion course today!”
He smiled, “Just leave it, Mummy. I’m late already.”
He drove straight to the department where he found Falila and Aisha waiting. He hurried out of the car and said, “Let’s go to Nabila’s house and check on her before the English lecturer arrives.”
They agreed and entered the car.
At Nabila’s house, the gate man opened immediately upon seeing Falila. Inside, they found Nabila lying on a 3-seater couch hugging a pillow. She was startled when she saw them.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, trying to grab her scarf and cover her head. “Welcome.”
Falila sat beside her and hugged her gently. “My besty, tell me what’s wrong. Nothing else happened, right?”
Nabila only murmured, glancing around since they were not alone.
Falila introduced Aisha. Nabila looked at her and said, “So it’s you. May Allah guide you, Aisha. I don’t know when you’ll stop isolating yourself from people.”
Aisha shook her head. “You won’t understand.”
Nabila stood up. “Let me get you something to drink.”
She was about to leave when she looked at Jabir and said, “So you won’t greet me?”
She went toward the fridge.
Her mother appeared. “Nabila, who are you talking to?”
“Ammi, it’s Falila and her friends,” Nabila answered.
Ammi entered, greeted them, and everyone responded respectfully. Jabir greeted politely, Aisha greeted her too. Soon, Nabila returned with a silver tray full of drinks. She knelt in front of Jabir and asked, “Let’s serve the big guest first. Which drink would you like?”
“Exotic,” Jabir replied.
“It’s done,” she said, opening it, pouring it into a glass, and handing it to him with both hands.
Nabila then pointed at Jabir and said to her mother, “Ammi, do you recognize him?”
Ammi squinted at him. “Honestly, I don’t.”
Nabila laughed. “This is Jabir, Aunty Zulaihat’s son, my classmate.”
“Oh! Allah is great. Now that you’ve said it, I see the resemblance,” Ammi said.
After chatting for a long while, Jabir checked his watch. “We should be going.”
Nabila followed them outside to the car. She bent slightly and said to Jabir, “Thank you so much for visiting. May Allah reward you. May He protect you.”
“Amin,” he replied with a smile.
He drove them back toward school. On the way, he said, “Anyone who doesn’t understand what she just did today doesn’t deserve her love.”
Falila and Aisha kept quiet.
Jabir added, “From now till we reach school, I’ll drive with my eyes closed.” He sped up to 180 km/h.
They screamed, “Please stop! We’re not ready to die!”
He only hissed, shook his head, and sped into school.
The next day
Falila was sitting in the department when she suddenly heard, “My besty!” Nabila was approaching. They hugged tightly.
Falila said, “Besty, after we left your house yesterday, something surprising happened.”
“What happened?” Nabila asked.
“Jabir couldn’t stop talking happily about you. Me and Aisha were silent. Since he felt we weren’t supporting him, he ignored us all day today. Nabila, Jabir’s love for you is deep. You should understand that.”
Nabila said, “I understand. Even my mother told me yesterday that she sees no fault in Jabir.”
“So why won’t you give him a chance?” Falila asked.
Nabila answered:
“In life, everyone has goals. My dream is to become an Islamic scholar and spread da’wah, teach in my home, attend women’s gatherings, and stay close to my husband. I need a man committed to Islamic service who will support that dream.
But look at Jabir—he is an only child. His father is a big international businessman. His dream is for Jabir to graduate and take over the business. That means constant travel—different countries every week. If I marry him, I won’t be able to fulfill my dream. And I don’t want a husband who will be far from me for long periods.”
