The Love of the Sinner

CHAPTER 8. Dhikr

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CHAPTER 8

     It did not feel like Aulia was asleep while sitting down from exhaustion crying with remorse for her sins. Even so his mouth did not stop from lafadz, astaghfirullah.

     Grandma Halimah who was about to take him to breakfast also shed her tears, when she heard the sound of Aulia's cry that was beristighfar. The old woman did not wake Aulia. He felt that Aulia currently needed some time to rest.

"You must have cried a lot for forgiveness for your sins. May Allah forgive your sins, Son," said Grandma Halimah as she stroked Aulia's hair.

***

"How, Ma?" asked Grandpa Yusuf when Grandma Halimah came to the dining room.

"He seemed to be tired of thinking until he fell asleep again" Grandma Halimah replied as she sat down.

"She was a good girl who got lost and fell into a great sin" said Grandpa Joseph.

"Yes, Aulia was sleeping, but her mouth did not stop. I'm sure that he really regretted what he did first" Grandma Halimah said in a soft voice.

"It is better that man is the one who repents immediately after committing a sin and does not repeat it again" said Grandpa Joseph.

***

     How shocked Aulia was when she realized it was already noon. He got out of his room and went to the bathroom. The house looks quiet and there are no signs of life. 

     After finishing the bath, Aulia looked for the whereabouts of Grandpa Joseph and Grandma Halimah. He surrounded the house which was predominantly made of teak wood. 

      As she exited the house to look for her foster parents, Aulia glanced at the people who were staring strangely at her. Grandfather Joseph's house was on the side of a public road, so many people passed by.

"Why did the men bow their heads? Do I look terrible?" ask Aulia to herself.

     Aulia's eyes look red and swollen from crying too much. But, she had already covered it with thin make up.

"Assalammu'alaikum," greeted someone as soon as Aulia entered her room.

"Wa'alaikumsalam," replied Aulia who walked back towards the front door.

"Eh, Gus Fathir. What's up?" ask Aulia.

"A, astaghfirullahal'adzim." Fathir quickly lowered his head and asked, "Ada Ustadz Yusuf?"

'Why did he just duck like that?' aulia asked in her heart.

"It looks like Grandpa Yusuf and Grandma Halimah are going out. Just now I was looking for them too, but there was nothing at home" Aulia replied.

"I'll excuse you then. Assalammu'alaikum" said Fathir and immediately turned his body.

"Wa'alaikumsalam," Aulia replied somewhat shouting.

"Why the hell do people here like to keep their heads down? Is there something downstairs, huh?" murmured Aulia while looking under the floor and the ground.

"There's nothing, really," he continued.

***

     As Dzuhur approached time, Grandpa Yusuf and Grandma Halimah just got home. Aulia greeted them with joy, her beautiful smile emanating from her puffy face.

"Where are Yusuf and Grandma Halimah's parents?" aulia asked after shaking the hands of the two old men.

"We are out of the clothes shop" replied Grandma Halimah.

"So there was Gus Fathir here and asked Grandpa" Aulia told Grandpa Yusuf.

"Gus Fathir? Oh, aye. Then I go to the boarding school first, Mom," said Grandpa Yusuf went back.

"Sir, the change of clothes check first, is it stored in the trunk?" almighty Grandma Halimah to her husband.

"Alhamdulillah, it's there, ma'am. Assalammu'alaikum" Grandpa Yusuf said as he waved his hand.

     Both women of different generations also entered the house. Grandma Halimah handed over a large paper bag to Aulia.

"What's this, Grandma?" aulia asked when she received the parcel.

"It's un-tuk a-ku, Grandma?" aulia asked stuttering with teary eyes.

"Yes. From now on, wear clothes like a Muslim so that your honor is maintained. God commands us, women, to keep the law from toe to head" answered Grandma Halimah.

"Thank you, Grandma." Aulia hugged the old woman's body and sobbed back. This time she was crying because she was happy.

"Well try to wear it! Grandma wants to see you wear this Muslim dress" Grandma Halimah said.

      Aulia also tried to wear a combination of light green and dark green. A wide, protruding veil covers up her stomach and buttocks. As Aulia was pecking herself in front of the mirror. She was stunned to see her beautiful looking self while wearing a hijab.

"Oh my God, it turns out that I look more beautiful when wearing a hijab," Aulia murmured while looking at the mirror that reflected the image of her face.

"Son, is it used? Here, Grandma wants to try to see it!" tell Grandma Halimah from behind the door.

      While looking down Aulia came out of her room. He felt shame, sadness, excitement, and joy were the most dominant in his heart.

"How, Grandma?" ask Aulia shyly.

"God willing, Aulia! You are so beautiful to wear a dress and a hijab. Already wear do not remove again," said Grandma Halimah in a happy tone.

"But, Aulia's shy, Grandma." Aulia felt that she was dirty. She was afraid that she would even drop the dignity of a Muslim woman, if she also wore her dress and hijab.

"Why embarrassed? Precisely the shameful ones are Muslim women who do not cover their aurat. All women's bodies are aurats, except for their faces and palms. So it must be covered up and guarded, this is also a command of God" said Grandma Halimah.

"I want to be a Muslim who can carry out my duties, Grandma" said Aulia.

"God's Insha, you can do it. Learn slowly and vigorously every day until your death comes. Find a lot of religious knowledge!" Grandma Halimah hugged the frail body of Aulia.

"Yes, Grandma. I beg for guidance from Grandpa and Grandma."

"Yes, we'll do that for you, son."

***

     Aulia also performed Dzuhur prayer together with Grandma Halimah. How shameful he was at ablution. It turned out that his ablution was still wrong, so Grandma Halimah taught the right way according to the teachings of the Prophet. Aulia realized that she was lacking in religious knowledge. In contrast to general science, Aulia is often a student of achievement.

"Aulia do you know, a worship charity that is easy and light in oral but has great merit value when weighed in the scales of charity?" granny Halimah and Aulia asked, shaking her head.

"Dhikr. Remembering Allah SWT. Be it through the mouth or the heart" replied Grandma Halimah.

"What is like, Laa Ilaha Illallah, Subhanallah, Alhamdulilah, and Allahu Akbar," said Aulia.

"Yes. That's a short dhikir. If that's what you can. So do the reading of the dhikr. Later Grandma and Grandpa will guide and teach you a more complete dhikr," said Grandma Halimah.

"Yes, Grandma. Aulia will be studying religion from now on" Aulia said excitedly.

"Allah, may you always be Istiqomah on the path that Allah has guided you, Son." Halimah's grandmother rubbed Aulia's head with affection.

"God's Insha, Grandma."

"Fill your free time by reading a book about the religion of Islam. There are many books that have been translated into Indonesian, in the back room. It's a library room, you can read all the books that are there," said the old woman who has a shady face and smooth skin shining because often washed by ablution water.

"May I go in there now, Grandma?" asked Aulia excitedly.

"Yes, of course you can" answered Ustadz Yusuf's wife.

***

    Aulia entered a room the size of hers. There the wall is surrounded by bookshelves. In the middle of the room there is a wide carpet and a rectangular table.

     Aulia's eyes traced every book on that shelf. Then his eyes caught a book title that was of interest to him.

"Women who deserve to go to heaven" murmured Aulia. When he pulled the book there was a book that fell. Then Aulia opened the book out of curiosity.

      I just read the front page of the book. Aulia's hands shook as well as her body. Her tears rolled back on her white cheeks.

***

What books did Aulia read? Wait for the continuation yes!

If there is a typo please mark it, yes. Because Arabic writing changed to Indonesia often occurs typo.