My BFF

''The company of a good friend is like an owner of musk; if you don’t buy anything, you will get the smell of it. The company of a bad friend is like the blacksmith’s bellows; if you are not affected by its black dirt, you will be touched by its smoke.''
Prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h)

For the last few years, my hubby dearest has been observing itekaaf (secluded retreat in a mosque, for a certain number of days)in the last ten days of every Ramadan. Before i got married, i had heard of people observing this practice, but almost all of them were people of old age who had hardly any worldly responsibilities left. Most these people were free from the burden of jobs, young children, schools or universities. However, the Ramadan after our dua-e-khair (Islamic equivalent of engagement), i heard that Mr. Ali Sufian Khan will be observing itekaaf that year. I remember my initial reaction being that of slight horror becuase i thought that my future husband might be trying to impress us with a show of piety. And i remember praying to Allah to save me if that was the case. Luckily for me, not only was my future husband far from a show off, i soon realised that he will become my guiding light. I found out that he had been observing itekaaf for quite a few years, a practice which he has continued with, even after our marriage.

In the last four years every time he leaves me for itekaaf, i get stranded with a mix of emotions. I always feel proud, seeing his car leave our drive way for the masjid, but i also feel a horrible pang of sadness as i realise that for the next ten days i will be deprived of my best friends company. Like all previous years, this Ramadan has brought me the same pride and sadness. Nonetheless this year, a little conversation on the iftaar table after hubby left, has me thinking about the importance of the right company. As we sat enjoying our iftaar on saturday my mother-in-law asked my father-in-law whether he had seen my husbands friends when he went to drop him off at the masjid. This question led me to think about my husbands friends cricle and the general comapny he keeps. I realised that all his close friends are young practicing Muslims. Young men who have played a significant role in the way my dearest husband has turned out today. I see how finding his best friend in university kept him grounded, because they both could keep each other in line. As for me, even though i have always been blessed with amazing friends, i haven never looked out to find practicing friends but for some reason beyond me, Allah has been to kind on me, as he has blessed me with a spouse who not only filled the void of practicing friends in my life but rather took on the role of a a guide too.

Over the last four years i have learned so much from Sai (a nick name used by only the closest women in my husbands life). He has been the most amazing teacher, and a sincere friend and my heart is full of duas for him. As we continue to grow together I have learned many important life lessons from my dearest husband. And recently, through him i have come to recognise the importance of good company and how it can turn lives around. I have also learned that practicing ones religion is not something to be safeguarded and kept hidden as a hobby for old age. Rather it is something that one lives with through out the course of a life time.

For now, Aaminah and i are patiently waiting for Eid and most importantly for our favourite person to come back from the masjid on the last eve of Ramadan, with his spirits high and engulfed in an aura of peace. We even have a little calendar on our notice board counting off the days left till we see him again :)))