This Friday night at the Islamic boarding school felt much darker than usual. The rainy season wind blew fiercely, carrying the rustling of dry leaves rubbing against the windows of the girls' dormitory. The fluorescent lights in the corridor flickered dimly, as if reluctant to illuminate the rarely visited corners. On the third floor of the dormitory, Room 13—an empty room that had been unoccupied for years—became the center of whispers among the students. The door was tightly closed, double-locked with a rusty iron chain, and in front of it hung a wooden sign that had faded with age: 'No Entry - Special Guard Room'.
Zahra was sitting cross-legged on the bottom bunk, surrounded by Nisa, Lina, Salsabila, and Salsabi, who were peeking from behind their blankets. The light from the boarding school's cell phone flashlight held by Nisa illuminated their faces, which were filled with curiosity mixed with fear. "Guys, do you believe the senior's story about Room 13?" whispered Zahra, her voice trembling slightly. "They say that a student committed suicide there because she was depressed after failing her final exam. They say that at night, you can often hear crying, and the door opens by itself!"
Nisa rolled her eyes. "Za, why are you suddenly so curious? You just finished your disciplinary exam yesterday, and now you want to look for mysterious problems? I believe it, but only half-heartedly. But yesterday, when I passed by there at 11 p.m., I felt uneasy and sensed a cold breeze coming from behind the door. It was like someone was breathing there!"
Lina, who was the most fearful, pulled her blanket up to her chin. "Don't! The 12th graders said that room used to belong to a genius but arrogant student. She memorized all 30 chapters of the Qur'an in a year, but because she was jealous of her friend, she... for some reason... disappeared mysteriously. Now her spirit guards the rare mushaf there. Anyone who enters will be tested on their memorization of the hadith until they go crazy!"
Salsabila and Salsabi looked at each other, their twin faces equally pale. "Eh, aren't you guys afraid of being beaten up by Ustadz Hasan's assistant if she finds out you're talking about mystical things? But... I saw it myself," said Salsabila softly. "Last week when I was on night duty, I passed in front of that room. Suddenly there was a soft knocking sound from inside. Knock... knock... knock... like Morse code. Then I ran away!"
Salsabi nodded quickly. "Yes! And the sign can move on its own. The next day, I asked the supervisor, and she said the room had been closed since 2015 because of an 'unexplained incident'. She said that a student slept there during a heavy rain, and when she woke up, her body was covered in scratch marks, but there were no wounds. She said that the guardian spirit of the Islamic boarding school was angry because the student read verses without performing wudu!"
Zahra chuckled, but her hair stood on end. "Okay, enough! But seriously, let's investigate together next week, okay? On Friday night, they say the jinn are weak. We'll bring our cell phones, Al-Falaq, and salt from the kitchen. If there really is a mystery, we'll report it to the ustadzah. If it's a hoax, we'll laugh together!"
"You're crazy, Za!" protested Lina. "If we get caught, the maximum disciplinary punishment is a month's suspension! Remember yesterday's SOP?"
"But I'm curious! Imagine if there's a treasure trove of ancient mushafs or the missing student's will. We could become heroes of the Islamic boarding school!" replied Zahra, her eyes sparkling. Nisa, who was usually the bravest, was now hesitant. "Deal, but promise me: if anything strange happens, we'll run away while reciting Ayat Kursi. No heroics!"
They promised each other by interlocking their pinky fingers, then dispersed to go to sleep with their hearts pounding. But that night, Zahra had trouble closing her eyes, let alone sleeping. Every gust of wind from outside the window sounded like a whisper. At 2:00 a.m., she was awakened by a faint sound from the hallway: *knock... knock... knock...* Just like in Salsabila's story. She got up slowly, peeking through the crack in her door. The hallway was dark, but in front of Room 13, the wooden sign swayed slowly, as if pushed by an invisible hand.
"Allahumma hasy fi qolbi..." Zahra muttered, closing the door tightly. But her curiosity only grew stronger.
Days passed, and life at the Islamic boarding school remained normal: Fiqh lessons, followed by a short calligraphy class. But during lunch break in the cafeteria, rumors spread quickly. "Hey, did you hear? Tonight, someone is going to dare to stay overnight in Room 13 because they got a challenge from the 12th grade group!" whispered one student to her friend. Zahra and her friends looked at each other. "It must be Andini, who was being rebellious yesterday. She said she challenged anyone to sleep there overnight and they would get 500 thousand rupiah from the group!"
Nisa shook her head. "That's crazy. If there really are jinn, the money won't be enough to pay for ruqyah. Are we still going ahead with our plan tonight?"
Zahra nodded firmly. "Of course! But we won't go in, we'll just peek from outside. Bring a mini Quran, calligraphy paper to write verses to ward off demons, and a fully charged cell phone."
Friday night arrived. At 11:30 p.m., after the security patrol passed, they sneaked out of the dormitory via the emergency stairs. The third-floor corridor was very quiet, lit only by flickering emergency lights. The door to Room 13 was tightly closed and looked haunted at the end of the corridor, its chain glistening faintly. The air suddenly turned bone-chillingly cold.
"Ready? Start recording," whispered Zahra. They approached slowly. Lina trembled, "Za... the sign is shaking again!" Indeed, the wooden sign was moving slowly from side to side, even though there was no wind. *Knock... knock... knock...* There was a knocking sound from inside the door.
Nisa shone her cell phone light. "Look! There's a black shadow in the gap under the door! Like black smoke moving around!"
Salsabila immediately recited Ayat Kursi in a trembling voice. But suddenly, *creak!* The door chain shifted slightly on its own, opening a gap of about 5 cm. From inside, a faint whisper could be heard: "...please... memorize... the hadith... the test..."
"Run!" screamed Lina, becoming the first to run. They ran down the stairs, gasping for breath. When they arrived in the room, Zahra played the recording: the sound of the knocking was clear, the shadow of smoke was faintly visible, and the whisper "memorize the hadith" sounded very real.
"This is really mysterious! Tomorrow we'll report it to Ustadz Hasan's assistant. But what does it have to do with hadith?" asked Zahra, her heart still pounding.
Nisa swallowed hard. "Maybe the student died because she failed to memorize the hadith for the exam. Is her spirit asking us to memorize it for her? Or… is it a trap set by a jinn?"
That night, the mystery of Room 13 had just begun—hanging like thick fog, ready to reveal secrets that could shake the entire Islamic boarding school.
---
Saturday morning at the boarding school felt more humid than usual, even though the rain had stopped overnight. The students were still gossiping about Sister Andini, who they said had recklessly slept in Room 13 last night—but this morning, her room was empty, her cell phone was off, and no one knew where she had gone. Rumors spread like wildfire: "Sister Andini is missing! The door to Room 13 was wide open this morning!" Zahra and her friends gathered in the cafeteria, their faces pale after watching the footage from last night. Lina's hands trembled as she held her cup of hot tea. "Za, we were so wrong! That whispering voice saying 'memorize the hadith'... it must have been a jinn! And now Sister Andini has disappeared because of that 500 thousand rupiah challenge!"
Nisa shook her head quickly, replaying the recording on her cell phone at low volume. *Knock... knock...* "Please... memorize... exam..." The voice sounded clearer in the daylight, making her hair stand on end. "This isn't a joke. The smoke moved like a living creature. We have to report this to the ustadzah, but... what proof do we have? They'll probably say we're reckless for playing around at night."
Suddenly, Aira appeared at their table, her face serious with a thick notebook in her hand. Aira, Zahra's old friend who rarely joined in gossip because she was busy with calligraphy and memorization extracurricular activities, sat down without permission. "I heard you guys talking about Room 13. Don't be careless! I got information from a senior in grade 12. That room was closed in 2015 because of a student named Ustadzah Yusfina—a genius but depressed. She failed her national-level hadith memorization exam, then committed suicide there. They say that before she died, she wrote a secret manuscript on a hidden wall. The guardian jinn of the boarding school is guarding it so that no one takes it."
Zahra gasped. "Aira?! How do you know? And... our recording has a voice asking to memorize hadith. Just like Yusfina!"
Aira opened her book, pointing to a rough sketch of the mysterious room: an old bed, a rickety wooden table, and walls with strange patterns. "This is from my sister's story, who is an alumna. The door opens by itself if someone memorizes certain hadiths—hadiths about knowledge and exams. But if they get it wrong, the jinn will get angry. Sister Andini must have gotten it wrong, that's why she disappeared!"
Salsabila turned pale. "So what now? Should we investigate again tonight? I'm scared!" Salsabi patted her twin's shoulder. "But I'm also curious. Imagine if that secret mushaf really exists, and it can help us memorize!" Lina protested, "You're crazy! Ustadz Hasan's assistant will suspend us if she finds out!"
Aira raised her hand. "I'm in. But we'll use scientific methods: voice recorders, thermal photos from our cell phones, verses to ward off jinn written in calligraphy on paper. Starting at midnight, when the jinn are active. And... bring the bracelet from the supervisor."
That afternoon, they conducted their research secretly in the library. Aira knew the key hadith: "Whoever takes the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for them the path to Paradise." She copied it onto fine calligraphy paper, folding it neatly. Zahra added the full Surah Al-Mulk. "If the jinn comes out, we'll throw this while reciting!"
Saturday night arrived, darker than usual. At 11:45 p.m., after the security patrol had passed, they sneaked back up to the third floor. Aira led them in prayer: "Allahumma inni a'udzubika min syarri ma khalaqta..." The corridor was freezing cold, their breath forming clouds of steam. The door to Room 13 was now open 10 cm—the chain had somehow come loose!
"Go in slowly," whispered Aira. They pushed the door gently. *Creak...* The sound of rusty hinges pierced their ears. In the pitch-black room, a musty, damp smell assaulted their noses. The light from Zahra's cell phone swept across the room: a bed covered in thick dust, a rickety table with a pile of worn books, walls that were cracked and covered with faded graffiti. In the corner, there was a black shadow swaying again!
Nisa screamed softly, "Look in the corner! There's a rocking chair moving on its own!" Sure enough, the old wooden chair was rocking slowly back and forth, even though there was no wind. *Knock... knock... knock...* There was a knocking sound from the back wall. Aira stepped forward bravely, holding the calligraphy paper. "Assalamu'alaikum, guardian jinn! We have come not to disturb you. We have memorized the hadith of knowledge!" She read aloud: "Man salaka thariiqan yalthamu fihi 'ilman... fa inqadha ma'aahu Allahu thariiqan ilal jannah."
Suddenly, *WHOOOSH!* A strong cold wind blew from the wall! Cell phone Zahra's flashlight went out. The calligraphy paper that Aira was holding flew away. A whispering voice echoed: "...wrong... hadith... test... help..." In the darkness, an invisible hand touched Lina's shoulder—cold as ice! "Someone's holding me!" she screamed.
Zahra turns on her spare flashlight. The crack in the back wall widens, revealing a dark cavity. Inside, the faint glow of a worn mushaf becomes visible—but it is surrounded by swirling black mist! "That's Yusfina's mushaf! But the jinn is angry!" whispers Nisa. Aira threw the calligraphy paper at the hollow wall: "Command the jinn to leave in the name of Allah!" The black mist writhed, and the sound of a young woman's cries echoed: "I memorized... wrong... forgive me..."
Suddenly, heavy footsteps were heard from the corridor! "Who's there?!" It was the supervisor's voice! They panicked and decided to escape through a small window, then jump to the balcony next door, and hide in a pile of old mattresses. The supervisor entered the room, sweeping the room with a flashlight: "Why is the door open again? We have to call the ustadzah!"
In their hiding place, they were panting. Aira played the recording: the sound of crying was clear, the rocking chair had been recorded, and even the thermal photo showed a strange hot spot in the wall cavity. "The mystery deepens! The Mushaf is there, but the jinn is protecting it. The hadith we read is the wrong version. Tomorrow we will look for the hadith that Yusfina wants!"
Zahra swallowed hard. "And where is Sister Andini? Is she still missing? Is she... in that cavity?" Nisa shook her head. "The mystery remains unsolved. Should we make another schedule?"
They dispersed with racing hearts. The mystery of Room 13 now had tangible evidence—but the secret of the manuscript and Sister Andini's fate remained hanging in the balance, with no clarity.
---
Sunday morning at the Islamic boarding school felt like a never-ending nightmare. The news of Sister Andini's disappearance had spread throughout the dormitory: her bed had been empty since Friday night, her bag was left behind in her room, and her cell phone was found dead in front of Room 13 with a cracked screen covered in dark black fingerprints. Assistant Ustadz Hasan informed the staff and boarding school officials about the case, and Ustadzah Hamidah, the head of the boarding school, had already called the local police to check the CCTV, but the footage from the third-floor corridor was unclear—only a tall black shadow moving slowly toward the room. The students were forbidden from approaching, the door to Room 13 was locked with three locks, and the supervisor patrolled 24 hours a day. But for Zahra and her friends, their guilt mixed with curiosity burned even more intensely.
In a quiet corner of the cafeteria after breakfast, they gathered again: Zahra, Nisa, Lina, Salsabila, Salsabi, and Aira, whose face was pale after seeing the analysis of last night's recording. "Guys, we can't just sit idly by," Zahra said firmly, her voice trembling. "Sister Andini disappeared because of that challenge, and the voice saying 'memorize the hadith' in the recording sounded like a young woman crying. We were the first to hear it—we have to find out!"
Lina shook her head frantically. "Za, even the police can't find her! The door is locked, and the ustadzah has forbidden the students from entering. What are we going to do?" Nisa nodded in agreement. "That's right. The shadow of smoke last night, the rocking chair, the cold hand that grabbed Lina... that's a high-level jinn! I'm afraid Andini has been... pulled into the cavity in the wall."
Aira, who was the calmest, raised her hand. "Wait. We're not going to be reckless again tonight. Let's go to Syarifah first—the library student who takes care of the old archives. She's a 12th grade alumna who definitely knows the history of this boarding school. She says she has access to the headmaster's notebook from 2015. Maybe there are clues about Ustadzah Yusfina and the hadith that made the jinn angry."
Salsabila and Salsabi looked at each other. "Syarifah? The quiet one who can read ancient writings? Okay, she's the only one who won't spill the beans to Ustadzah. But if she finds out we're suspecting something mystical, she'll definitely report it!"
Zahra stood firmly. "Deal. This afternoon at 1:00 p.m., the library will definitely be empty. Bring your cell phone recording and the calligraphy paper from last night."
That afternoon, the boarding school library was as quiet as a tomb. Tall shelves filled with dusty, worn books, sunlight seeping thinly through the fogged windows. Syarifah, a thin student wearing a wide headscarf, thick glasses, and a veil, was sitting at a table in the corner, busy organizing files. Her face was innocent, but her eyes were sharp like an eagle's. "Assalamu'alaikum, what are you looking for? The ustadzah forbids borrowing old files without permission," she said flatly as they approached.
"Wa'alaikumussalam, Fifah," Zahra replied quickly. "We... need your help with a secret. About Room 13. Sister Andini disappeared, and we have a strange recording. Please take a look!" They showed her the video on their phone: knocking sounds, a rocking chair, whispers of "memorize... wrong... exam...", smoke-like shadows, and the sound of crying.
Syarifah paled, but didn't panic. She took a deep breath, then got up from her seat and walked over to close the library door and draw the curtains. "You guys are so reckless! I know about Room 13. In 2015, a student of Ustadzah Yusfina—a genius at memorization but failed the national hadith exam. She became depressed and disappeared in that room. The official records say 'she suddenly moved to another boarding school,' but according to the notes of the former head of the boarding school: she was found unconscious in a wall cavity, her body covered in scratches, muttering 'hadith wrong... jinn demanding... secret mushaf'. The jinn guardian of the boarding school protected the ancient mushaf that Yusfina found—a mushaf containing the mutasyabihat hadiths that only she had memorized."
Nisa swallowed hard. "What hadith? We read the one about knowledge, so why are the jinn angry?" Syarifah opened a secret drawer and took out a worn leather book with the year 2015 written on it. "This is a photocopy of Yusfina's notes. The key hadith: 'Whoever memorizes knowledge but does not practice it, the jinn will punish her in the grave.' Yusfina memorized it but was arrogant and did not practice it. The jinn 'trapped' her so she would repent. The door will open if you memorize correctly + have sincere intentions. If your intentions are wrong, the jinn will pull you into the cavity!"
Aira showed them the calligraphy paper. "The jinn threw away our paper last night. Is there a portal in that cavity?" Syarifah nodded slowly. "Maybe. And Sister Andini... she was tempted by money, her intention was arrogant. She must have been pulled in temporarily. Tomorrow night is a full moon, the door will open wide automatically. If you want to save Andini, memorize the hadith completely and practice it there."
Lina trembled. "That's crazy! We can't do it!" Salsabi: "But Andini could die! We have to try!" Zahra bit her lip. "Fifah, please teach us how to memorize the hadith. Tomorrow night, we want to go in together. Record everything, if we fail... send it to Ustadzah."
Syarifah looked hesitant, but nodded. "Okay. But you have to bring zamzam water and the prayer of Prophet Yusuf. This jinn is strong—last year a student tried it, and she went crazy for a week."
Sunday night came again, but this time it was more tense. Heavy rain poured down, lightning struck the dormitory corridor. The door to Room 13 was wide open, the lock mysteriously broken. They sneaked in, Syarifah leading the way by reciting the Ruqyah prayer. The air seemed frozen, even their breath froze. The rocking chair swayed violently again, the cracked walls making a *crack* sound like breaking bones. A tall black shadow appeared in the hollow—its eyes glowing red, Yusfina's voice echoing: "Memorize... Practice... or come with me!"
Sister Andini suddenly appeared half-conscious in the corner, her body pale and covered in scratches, muttering, "Hadith... wrong..." The jinn began to approach, its smoky hand reaching for Zahra! Aira threw Zamzam water, Syarifah recited the hadith of Yusuf: "Man zalla thariiqan yalthumu fihi 'ilman... laa yakhthuluhu Allahu min jannati..." The jinn writhed in pain, but the cavity in the wall expanded—pulling everything into the darkness!
They ran in panic, the door almost closing on its own. Outside the room, the cell phone had recorded: Sister Andini's face, the red eyes of the jinn, Yusfina's voice asking for forgiveness. But the cavity remained open, the cries grew louder: "Forgive me... memorize it correctly... tomorrow is the full moon..."
The mystery reached its peak: Sister Andini was finally saved, but the jinn demanded a perfect hadith on the night of the full moon. Who would dare to enter again? The secret of Yusfina's mushaf was still buried in the darkness that grew ever hungrier...
---
The full moon night finally arrived like an inevitable curse. The pale, round moon crept through the dormitory windows, casting long, dancing shadows in the third-floor corridor. But strangely, there was heavy rain, with lightning striking every few minutes, as if the sky was crying over the secret in Room 13. The door to that room was now wide open—the triple lock was broken into pieces, the iron chain melted like wax, and the wooden "No Entry" sign lay on the floor, split in two. The air around it smelled musty like wet graveyard soil, and the cold breeze carried a faint whisper: "Memorize... charity... or forever..."
Zahra, Nisa, Lina, Salsabila, Salsabi, Aira, and Syarifah gathered at the end of the corridor, their bodies trembling violently beneath their soaked pajamas despite the heavy rain. Sister Andini had been taken to the infirmary after being rescued last night—she was safe, but she was still delirious, muttering "Yusfina's jinn... the mushaf... the wrong hadith..." without being fully conscious. Ustadz Hasan's assistant, Ustadzah Hamidah, and the local police had been called, but the CCTV was completely dead tonight, and Supervisor's had fainted mysteriously while on patrol. "We have no other choice," whispered Zahra, her voice broken by the howling wind. "On a full moon night, the door is wide open. If we don't finish now, the jinn will attract more students. Let's memorize the hadith of Yusuf together, practice it by reading Ruqyah, and take the mushaf!"
Aira clutched the wet calligraphy paper, on which was written the mutasyabihat hadith that Syarifah had memorized from the archives: Man zalla thariiqan yalthumu fihi 'ilman thalaban, fa inqadha ma'ahu Allahu thariiqan ilal jannah, wa mala'ikatan takhuluhu bi aishihim, wa yaktubu lahu fii shuhufihi ajran..." Syarifah nodded firmly even though her lips were blue. "This is the complete hadith. Yusfina has memorized it but is arrogant and does not practice it. We must have sincere intentions: not the intention to take the mushaf to show off, but to repent our souls. Prepare the zamzam water, memorize all of Prophet Yunus's prayers!"
Lina cried softly. "I'm scared... I remember the rocking chair last night, then that cold hand... and the cavity in the wall that looked like the mouth of hell!" Salsabila hugged her twin. "We're in this together, Bil. If we die, we die as martyrs for investigating the mystery for the good of the boarding school." Nisa turned on her cell phone flashlight. "Record everything. If we fail, send it to Ustadzah automatically."
They moved forward slowly, the wind pushing their backs like invisible hands. *Kriiieeeek...* The door opened wider automatically. Inside the room, the atmosphere was tense and climactic: the rocking chair spun rapidly like a drill, dust flying around to form the pale face of a young woman—Yusfina!—who was crying and bleeding black blood. The cracked walls began to widen into a pitch-black cave, black smoke swirled rapidly with two dozen glowing red eyes, and the roar of a jinn echoed: "WRONG! ARROGANT! MEMORIZED WITHOUT DEEDS! THE MUSHAF IS MINE!"
A tall black shadow emerged from the cavity, its smoky hands long and wavy, grabbing Lina's leg! "Something's pulling my leg! It's so cold, like poisonous ice!" she screamed. Syarifah threw Zamzam water: *SPLASH!* The smoke hissed in pain, but the cavity expanded—the floor shook like an earthquake, pieces of ancient mushaf flew out from inside, pages smeared with dried blood and faded hadiths. Zahra grabbed one page, but it spontaneously burned in her hand! "Hot! The jinn is protecting it fiercely!"
Aira stepped forward, her voice loud though trembling: "O Allah, we have memorized the hadith of knowledge with the intention of practicing it! Man salaka thariiqan... fa inqadha ma'ahu Allahu..." They recited Ruqyah in unison, and the prayer of Prophet Yunus: "Laa ilaaha illaa anta subhaanaka inni kuntu minazhzhaalimiin..." The jinn writhed, its red eyes blinking, Yusfina's face formed from dust whispered: "Forgive me... but the mushaf... the secret... don't take it... or I'll be trapped forever..."
Suddenly, *BOOM!* Lightning struck the room! The power went out completely, plunging the room into total darkness. Smoke-covered hands had reached Nisa's neck: "Za! Help! He's choking me!" They tried to pull Nisa free from the chokehold, but suddenly the rocking chair slammed into the wall, and the chamber began to close halfway with a sound like cracking bones. The genie roared for the last time: "FULL MOON... RETURN... MYSTERY... FOREVER!" The door *BAM!* closed by itself, a new lock suddenly appeared mysteriously, the chain wrapped around three more layers.
They then ran into the corridor, panting, their bodies covered with invisible claw marks. The recording was there, but the cell phone was cracked, yet the sound of the jinn's roar and Yusfina's whisper was faintly stored. Ustadz Hasan's assistant suddenly appeared with a large flashlight: "You again?! Room 13 is permanently closed! Sister Andini is safe but has amnesia. Yusfina's Mushaf... it's the boarding school's secret, so don't ask anymore!"
That night in the dormitory, they gathered and trembled. "The mystery can't be solved," Zahra whispered. "The jinn has retreated, but the void remains. The manuscript is safe, Yusfina has asked for forgiveness but still demands the perfect hadith. Next full moon... will the door open again?"
Syarifah nodded slowly. "That's Yusfina's curse. The jinn protects the mushaf so it doesn't fall into the hands of arrogant people. We can memorize it correctly, but our intentions are still curious and questionable—not pure deeds." Aira held her scratch wound. "Sister Andini forgot about all of us. We survived, but the mystery of Room 13... will forever be a legend at the boarding school."
Lina cried. "No one dares to go there anymore. The door is locked, but on Friday night... the knocking will be heard again." Nisa turned off her cracked cell phone. "Half of the recording is missing. Let this mystery be a lesson: don't recklessly disturb Allah's secrets."
Since then, Room 13 has become an eternal mystery at the boarding school. The door is double-locked, a new sign has been posted reading "Absolutely Forbidden - Pray Only," but every full moon night, the sound of knocking *tok-tok-tok* and the whisper "memorize... charity..." still echo faintly. The students passing by hurriedly walked away, gossiping and whispering: "Don't listen. That's the call of the jinn Yusfina, forever stalking the arrogant." Zahra and her gang never told the whole story—only keeping a damaged recording as a reminder: the mystery of Room 13 would never be solved, forever remaining a shadow that instilled piety behind curiosity.