Mahabbah Love Khalisa

74

If asked why Rindang suddenly wanted to shahada then the answer is that he never made a decision suddenly. Rindang had been thinking about this for a long time. Some days Rindang often aloof in his apartment after college. Usually Rindang will go to Khalisa's apartment but he does not want to disturb Khalisa and Azfan. Until finally the solitude produces many thoughts, one of which is Rindang wants to embrace Islam.

Shady continues to dodge, throwing away those thoughts. Rindang considered many things such as how his family reacted when he expressed his desire. What if Rindang is not recognized as a family member anymore. What if the fans of Rindang blasphemed her and even left her. What if brands that have worked with Rindang cancel their agreements. And a lot of things swirling around in Rindang's head.

But when I met Khalisa, it was as if someone knocked on his heart. The confidence in Rindang's heart was getting stronger.

That night Umar and Aisyah stopped by Khalisa's apartment before attending a lecture at one of the boarding houses in Yogyakarta. Actually they did not want to go to the study because Renata was being treated in the hospital. But Renata himself asked Aisyah and Umar to look at the situation of Khalisa and her husband. Although Renata often makes video calls with Khalisa, he does not believe in what is seen on the screen.

That night Khalisa also asked Umar to guide Rindang to say two sentences of the shahadah.

"Rindang, do you really want to embrace Islam?" Umar, who was sitting in front of Rindang, asked a question before he guided the girl to martyrdom.

"Yes Suk." Shady nodded steadily, his heart pounding violently it felt impatient to say that sentence.

"Is there a compulsion?"

"Nothing at all." Rindang shook his head, although he was very close to Khalisa but they never influenced each other and worshiped according to their respective beliefs and mutual respect for each other.

Khalisa who was on the sofa grasped Azfan's hand with a feeling that was difficult to explain. Khalisa was happy and did not believe that something like this would happen in his life. This is not the first time Khalisa saw the process of shahadah someone who wants to become a Muslim. But when he saw Rindang who would do it, Khalisa could not hide his happiness.

"Please repeat my words." Umar read out the creed slowly which was followed by Rindang. Although stammered but finally Rindang managed to say it.

That night Khalisa's apartment was filled with tears of happiness. They prayed together that Rindang would always Istiqomah in the way of Allah. If you look at the appearance of Rindang everyday then no one will think if he can have the desire to embrace Islam. But Allah sends guidance to whomever He wills.

"God willing, I did not think that stopping by Khalisa's apartment could help Rindang say two sentences of shahadah." Aisyah hugged Rindang, during the embrace he also prayed that Rindang strengthened his heart in the face of the trials that will come to him after this.

"It's one of the happiest days of my life." Khalisa also hugged Rindang, "o Allah, I didn't expect Rin."

"It's not a dream, is it?" Rindang himself did not believe in what happened to him. It was so easy to say that he wanted to break up with Jason. This afternoon Jason left feeling devastated because Rindang can no longer maintain it and will change beliefs. Jason doesn't know who to be mad at, he scolds Khalisa but it's useless. Leaving in his decision.

"Can I wear a hijab?" Rindang looked at Khalisa with sparkling eyes, she wanted to wear a hijab like Khalisa. "I can't wait to say, good-bye to changing hair color."

"Can." Khalisa invites Rindang to his room to choose the hijab that Rindang wants.

"Ama, you're being treated at Ai's hospital?" Azfan asked Aisyah as Khalisa and Rindang left the living room.

"Khalisa know?" Aisyah was surprised that Azfan knew about it.

"It was precisely Khalisa who first realized that Ama was being treated, Khalisa said he memorized very well the same Kafasa hospital room so he did not believe that Ama was just a medical check up."

"Ai had expected that you would realize that even if we didn't say, Khalisa was angry when he found out?"

"Khalisa asked for an expedited return to Banyuwangi, Khalisa also sewed Ama dress until late at night."

"Azfan, you must nenangin Khalisa ya." Pinta Aisha.

"Inshaa Allah Ai." Azfan will always be a tranquilizer Khalisa especially when like this.

Because Umar and Aisyah had stopped by the apartment, they all invited Khalisa and Azfan to study. Rindang who has been wearing a robe and hijab belonging to Khalisa will also come. This will be his first experience as a Muslim.

"A little short, huh?" Khalisa saw the robe that only reached the limit of the ankle when worn Rindang. That's because Rindang's body is higher than Khalisa's. But for a while Rindang had no problem with this.

"God, she's so beautiful." Praise Aisyah making Rindang blush.

Rindang always gets compliments from the people around her because of her beautiful face and nice body. But after dressing covered like this Rindang looks different.

"Where is Suk?" Azfan sat in the steering wheel with Umar beside him. Three women are in the back seat.

"Nurul Islam boarding school is not far from here, right?"

"Oh that's where I go first." Azfan did not think that they would go to the boarding school where he studied first because Umar did not tell.

Khalisa raised eyebrows, when he joined the reunion a few moments ago Khalisa did not have time to chat with Naira—si Azfan's first love. Khalisa had thought that if he was destined to meet again then he should try to chat with Naira.

"A coincidence, what if later you are qiro'ah?" Umar was asked to fill the lecture, because there was Azfan then he asked him for qiro'ah before he started the lecture.

Azfan did not immediately reply, he was not confident enough to do so.

"Don't be ashamed, reading the verses of Allah proves that He loves Him." Khalisa touched Azfan's shoulder from behind. He knew what Azfan was thinking right now.

Aisyah smiled, apparently Khalisa knew how to handle her shy husband.

"Alright then I want Suk."

"Thank you Azfan." Umar was happy that Azfan was willing to do so.

******

Umar's arrival was welcomed by the pesantren's nanny and her board of administrators. It was a graduation event for MA students of Nurul Islam boarding school. When they came, some disciples were praying on stage.

"Assalamualaikum Kyai Zainal." Umar said hello to kiss the hands of the nanny of the boarding school.

"Waalaikumussalam, thank you Ustadz for meeting our invitation, please." Zainal invited Umar, Aisha, Azfan, Khalisa and Rindang to enter his residence.

"I'm grateful that Kyai invited us here, hopefully we can always establish friendship."

They sat on a red rug with various dishes in the middle of the room.

"Yes, I'm Azfan." Azfan kissed Zainal's back and palms.

"Azfan?" Zainal fixed the position of his glasses. He seemed to think for a moment considering the name of Azfan, "Azfan who is one generation with Naira."

"True Yai."

"So this Azfan married my sister-in-law Kyai." Umar.

"God Azfan is brought close to the good people."

"Alhamdulillah Yai." When meeting Umar at Khalisa's house, Azfan was quite surprised because he usually only saw him on the television screen or mobile phone. But Azfan did not think that Umar was Khalisa's uncle.

Moments later Naira came to bring warm tea for Umar and the others. Naira also sat down to join them, listening to her Abi and Umar chat.

They chatted for a while before Umar and Azfan came out to take the stage. Azfan would recite the holy verse of the Qur'an before Umar began his lecture. Aisyah also came out to sit down to join the other invited guests.

"Ning Naira, remember me?" Khalisa greeted Naira who had bowed. He was amazed at the nature of Naira who was so gentle. Khalisa wondered why he could not calm down like Naira.

Rindang was not surprised if Khalisa greeted the girl named Naira first. Although only meeting a glimpse of someone, Khalisa will greet first when he meets again.

Naira raised her face to see Khalisa, "ah Azfan's wife?"

Khalisa smiled broadly because Naira still remembered him even though at the reunion they did not have time to chat.

"It turns out we met again." Naira also spread her smile. Seeing Khalisa as close as this makes Naira amazed at the beauty of Azfan's wife. Khalisa is so luminous. Naira reached out to shake Khalisa's hand.

"Oh yeah, I know this is my best friend." Khalisa also introduced Rindang to Naira.

"Hello, Leafy." Rindang shook Naira's hand.

Khalisa held back a laugh as Rindang said hello awkwardly.

"The new resistance embraced Islam, please pray." Khalisa.

"God, Alhamdulillah, may you always be in the way of Allah." Naira had never met a convert before so she looked at Rindang in awe.

"Aamiin's." Dada Rindang feels warm to meet Muslims who are not only Khalisa.

They were silent when the Qur'an recited the letter of Al-Isra' from the direction of the stage next to Kyai's residence. Azfan's voice echoed throughout the entire corner. A voice that made everyone speechless and listened to his Qiraah with wisdom.

Naira praised Azfan in her heart, it was fortunate that Khalisa had a husband like Azfan. When he was still MA Naira did not know much about Azfan, which he knew Azfan was one of the men who liked him. Naira had never responded to them all but now she suddenly felt a little sorry for not responding to that one person. Astaghfirullah, Naira has a lot of times in her heart. Where did this thought come from?

"Santri-santri is busy inside?" Ask Khalisa after Azfan finishes his reading.

"Yes, they're cooking and coming in and out of cookies for guardians and worshipers."

"Can we help you?"

"Khalisa want to help?" Naira raised an eyebrow, Khalisa replied with a nod.

"Can't you?"

"Can." Naira went first and invited Khalisa and Rindang to the back. Naira happily allows Khalisa if he wants to help, it is precisely he who is not tasty because they are guests but instead offers to help the students.

When they reached the kitchen, the students were putting food in boxes made of paper. Not only cakes, there is rice briani with pieces of mutton, water and dates for worshipers.

"Include Khalisa and Rindang, they came with Ustadz Umar." Naira introduces Khalisa and Rindang to the students who are in the kitchen. "Khalisa and Rindang want to be called Mbak or Cece?" Naira asks him not to be wrong, because he knows the average Chinese descendant is called Cece.

"It doesn't matter." Answer Khalisa because the meaning of both is the same only comes from different languages. "Well, yeah." Further. Khalisa greeted those who were greeted with cordiality.

Khalisa and Rindang began to help them put rice in the box as well as Naira.

"Khalisa want to try briani rice?" Naira took a spoon. Naira feeds a spoonful of briani rice after getting an answer from Khalisa.

"Mongratulations?" Naira saw Rindang.

"I don't eat rice." Reject Rindang politely even though his mouth is full of saliva because he wants to try the cuisine called nasi briani.

"So much." Praise Khalisa after you finish chewing.

They chatted a lot like old friends who were reunited. Khalisa's talking to Naira. According to Khalisa, Naira is a pleasant person. No. gabe. Everyone he met was fun. But for Khalisa, Naira is even more fun.

Boxes filled with food were removed to be distributed to worshippers and guardians.

"Haura's here?" Azfan saw Khalisa in the kitchen as he was about to help bring out dozens of boxes of rice.

"Yes help a little, Mas Azfan sounds really good earlier." Khalisa praised Qiraah Azfan earlier.

"Darling, don't smile that way." Azfan whispers.

"Why?" Khalisa.

"Smiling Haura just has me." Azfan whispered again making Khalisa smile wider. But when Azfan saw it, Khalisa hurriedly pursed his lips.

The study ended at 11 p.m. Khalisa asked Umar and Aisyah to stay at his apartment but they said they would go straight to the airport.