After Fajr
After Fajr, Zoya walked back to her room. It was still dark and quiet—both Hana and Ruhi were asleep. She slowly closed the door behind her, trying not to make noise. The only light in the room was the faint glow from the streetlights outside, peeking through the curtains.
She sat on her bed, letting out a deep sigh. The reality of being in a new country, a new place, with new people was slowly sinking in. The room felt strange yet safe, like an unfamiliar place that was slowly becoming hers.
As she lay back on her pillow, a thought suddenly crossed her mind—how different her mornings were in Pakistan.
Back home, her mother would wake her up for Fajr. If she was still sleepy and tried to delay, her mother would remind her with her soft but firm voice:
> "اُٹھ جاؤ، فجر کا وقت ختم ہونے والا ہے۔"
(Wake up, the time for Fajr is ending.)
Thinking about it, Zoya smiled with teary eyes. How simple yet beautiful those moments were—the warmth of a mother's care, something she never truly appreciated until now.
But now, she had to wake up on her own, manage everything alone. Life was changing, and she had to be strong.
She wasn't feeling sleepy yet, so she picked up her mobile and opened her Quran app. She started with her last lesson, and as she began reciting, she felt a miracle—today's verses were about couples!
Her heart smiled, her eyes softened, and she couldn't help but feel that Allah was speaking directly to her.
> وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
"And among His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find tranquility in them. And He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who reflect." (Surah Ar-Rum 30:21)
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Listen, Zoya, she told herself, now you are here, where you always wanted to be. First, you need to fix things you have today so that you can manage things tomorrow.
These thoughts circled in her mind as she wiped her tears.
The reality was, she was alone here—far from her homeland. But she had no family or financial burden to worry about because everyone was settled in Pakistan. She had left her country, her people, her comfort zone. Now, she had to learn to adjust here. Life had brought her to this point, and she must make the best of it.
Her mother was happy with her siblings. She was settled in Pakistan, surrounded by love and warmth. But once Zoya settled, she had already decided—she would apply for her mother's visa. Everything takes time, but one day, her mother would be here with her, InshaAllah.
As for her father, he could never come. He was happy where he was—in the next world. Her heart ached as she thought of him, but she found comfort in praying for him. She opened her bag and took out a handkerchief—his handkerchief. Holding it close, she kissed it softly and inhaled its scent. It still carried his fragrance, his essence. She always carried it with her—it was her way of keeping him close. Her eyes teared up, but she whispered a prayer for him:
May Allah grant him Jannah.
After her emotional moment, she went back to bed for a little nap. They woke up around 11 AM—all three of them. It was Zoya's first day here. Yesterday, she had arrived at night, but today, everything felt real.
Hana and Ruhi had taken the day off to help her adjust. They wanted to show her around the campus and help her settle in. She also needed to talk about a job—not immediately, but for later. However, they informed her that outsiders couldn't work without permission. Still, Zoya knew she had to figure something out for her future expenses.
First things first, they went to the mess for breakfast. The food was completely different from Pakistan—but this was her new life, and she had to learn to adjust to this country's ways.
After breakfast, they decided to explore the campus. Everything felt fresh, exciting, and a little overwhelming. But with Hana and Ruhi by her side, Zoya felt a little more comfortable.
Later, they went to the nearest market. The first thing she bought was a tea electric pot, sugar, tea packs, and powdered milk. Tea was her lifeline. She could compromise on food, but never on tea! And Pakistani tea? Wah! It was her comfort drink, something that made her feel at home even in a foreign land.
Ruhi and Hana laughed at her excitement over tea, but they understood—everyone had their little comforts.
For lunch, they went to a restaurant. The meal was simple: white rice, steamed fish, some salad, and pickles. As soon as she saw the plate, her face fell. She didn't even realize how obvious her disappointment was until Ruhi and Hana burst into laughter.
Ruhi smirked,
"You're already tired after one day? You have a long time to spend with this food!"
Zoya sighed dramatically,
"Ruhi, if I eat this regularly, I'll go into depression!"
Then she switched to Hindi, whispering,
> "اگر یہ روز کھانا پڑا، تو میں پاگل ہو جاؤں گی!"
(If I have to eat this every day, I'll go mad!)
Ruhi laughed and shrugged.
"No option."
But Zoya refused to accept that.
"We need to find a solution. But for today, this is enough. We'll think about it later."
One small challenge she faced was prayer timing. The salah schedule here was different, and she had to adjust. She quickly set up an app on her phone that would notify her when each prayer time started. Now, whenever it was time for salah, her phone would ring as a reminder.
That night, she faced her first real problem—Isha prayer. The timing was so late that she could pray only when she was free.
As Hana and Ruhi went out, Zoya stayed back. She performed wudu, laid out her prayer mat, and offered Isha salah. Afterward, she sat in deep prayer.
She made dua for her father and mother, for her siblings, and for her love—the one her heart longed for. She never forgot to pray for him. Her duas always included:
"Ya Allah, guide him to the right path. Make him understand the beauty of faith. And if he is written in my fate, bring him closer to me in a way that pleases You."
She sat there, whispering azkar, feeling peace in her heart.
This was just the beginning. A new journey, a new life, and new challenges awaited her. But deep down, she knew…
She was ready for this.
To be Continued...
Regards,
ZK💌