The Soulmate Must Meet

Episode 17 - Ta'aruf or Dating

Love in Islam is to love God. If a person already loves God, then he can love himself, others and other beings. The love of God must be greater, because loving God will lead to confidence in life, confidence is the fortitude of the strength of the Most Powerful. Love becomes fortitude, if one loves something without any fortitude, then it is lust. And lust is always in a hurry no matter who.

Not that I fell in love with Subhan. Even though he paid great attention to me, like Roman. However, I have learned to know true love, a love that is not only the opposite sex, but a love based on religion. And if we talk about religion, we talk about rules, love has rules. I realized that a love that has rules will produce sweet results.

Tonight, all the students gathered in the hall, to watch the da'wah race, this is not the final round, it is still the beginning. I also participated in the da'wah race, because this race is a routine race every year. All students are expected to preach when graduating from pesantren, they must sincerely practice their knowledge in society.

Khodijah and Aisyah were getting ready in the room, and so was I. They wear the best clothes, and the best hijabs. Because, rarely can we gather with all the students. Maybe this can also be used as a place to find a mate, because there are many opportunities to meet with male students.

“Duh, my heart is pounding!” said Aisyah while tidying her headscarf in front of the glass.

“That's a reasonable vibration, because we are women,” Khodijah said.

“Female? Did you mean Kak Khodijah?”

“Women will always wait, at this time we are waiting for candidates for priests. And the opportunity is there, so there is a reaction of anxiety, fear and anxiety that makes the heart palpitates erratically.”

“Kak Khodijah is not anxious?”

“Of course I was anxious. but, I tried to fight it. Because, sometimes there is Satan coming in when we are labile like this.”

“If Anggun?” ask Aisyah.

I'm appalled. For from that moment this thought wanders into memory, Subhan. His smile was always on my mind when I passed each other for congregational prayer in the mosque.

“I don't know yet.”.

“Loh don't know yet? Didn't you make an agreement with Subhan?” ask Aisyah.

Eh? How did Aisyah know about Subhan? Hadn't I been closed about her, even about my love story with Roman being separated by death.

“Force us Graceful... back then we saw it,” Khodijah said, trying to calm me down.

“See what?”

“Seeing you with Subhan paddled banana leaves. Surely Anggun already agreed in advance yes to the market? Ih...romantic!” Aisyah sat beside me, poking at my chin, flirting. This girl is so jolly and childish.

I'm looking down embarrassed. There was guilt towards them too, I should have been honest from the start. Why am I late to the cottage.

“We do not blame you, instead we are happy if you have found a candidate Imam here. It's humanized.”.

“Yes, Aisyah is also happy! Moreover, Subhan is handsome loh!”

“Eh? Wasn't it! I accidentally met Subhan at that time, and it turns out that he is a guava cottage santri as well.”.

“Not accidentally?”

“Iya... we met at the vegetable merchant, back then..”.

“Pasti scramble each other vegetables. Waaa…. So romantic! Like in the movies!”

Khodijah looked at me, he must be looking for honesty. It is not easy to guess a woman, even if she tries to guess it.

“Not like that..just a regular introduction,” I replied.

“Do you also have that feeling?” ask Khodijah.

“What feeling?”

“Love.”

I was silent, while Aisyah was already smiling from earlier, maybe waiting for my answer, or had guessed about that answer.

“Entahlah..”.

“Kok so the answer?” Aisyah was disappointed, her radiant face turned grim.

“Have you ever been heartbroken before?” ask Khodijah.

Hearing that question, I became agitated. I'm confused as to what to answer, I don't know, I don't know. I can't tell them everything, about my life story, I can never tell anyone else.

“Kok silent?” ask Aisyah.

Ow hell! Should be how I answer, Please, don't dig up those dark memories.

“Mmm... the difference of courtship and ta’aruf what?” I tried to divert the conversation.

Khodijah and Aisyah looked at each other, surely they were wondering about my question, what exactly happened to me. Maybe that's what's on their minds.

“It makes no difference, just terms only,” Khodijah said.

“Eh? Be careful Kak Khodijah, found out the same Ms Masriyah could get angry!” exclaim Aisyah.

I was also surprised by the answer. Why can he say that? Is it not contrary to the principles of most Muslims?

“In principle, dating is the same as ta’aruf, want to know each other. Only the people who live it are different, some are good, and some are bad. From there sometimes dating is categorized as ugly. Though it could have been a good courtship, if the boundaries between men and women implemented.”

“Bby... no one forbids. As long as we live it well, according to the instructions of religion. And it can also be called courtship.”

“But, people say that dating is like..,” Aisyah stopped her saying. He looked erratically, we were surprised to see his behavior.

“Like a kiss..” he continued in a soft voice, and he also felt amused himself saying that.

My hair was goosebumps, there was a strange feeling hearing that word. But Khodijah only smiled, a smile that contained meaning.

“That's if the restrictions are breached. Ta’aruf will also be the same if the boundaries are violated, so everything will not make a difference, depending on the person who lives it.”

“Wah... really too! It turns out that Kak Khodijah is experienced yes...!!” exclaim Aisyah.

“So what should women do to get a good priest?” my many.

“In my opinion, any way can if started with a good introduction anyway. And open to each other. Men, or women.”

“It looks like someone wants to dock...,” ledek Aisyah.

“Not that.. but, I don't understand men at all. I don't want to take any wrong steps, especially in my situation like this,” I replied.

“Indeed what happened to your situation?” ask Khodijah.

Oh my God I'm so glad! Lest they know my true circumstances, I do not want my days to be overshadowed with pain. I want everything back to normal, here I want to rise up and forget the black sheets of the past.

“Ya... situation far from home.. I don't want to disappoint everyone,” I replied.

“Oh.. kirain situation in love with Subhan. Hehehe,” Aisyah grinning.

“Ayesha!” I pinched Aisyah's tiny cheek.

Then we laughed, all the burdens were gone. Luckily I was able to have one room with them, two people with different characters. One is still a child while the other is an adult.

“Ya already... let's go to the mosque, later it's too late!” bring Khodijah.

We got ready, then went to the mosque. Some of the female students also came out of her room. Then stepped together to the mosque, the atmosphere around us was bright, the lights were lit, the moon was glowing also the stars, as if they also wanted to listen to the da'wah competition, he said, the race that hones intelligence is also courage and of course provides benefits for those who hear it.

Some male students also came, we walked together, but still kept our distance, while shy among them chatting with female students. This is the beauty of young people in Islam.

“Assalamu’alaikum... Anggun, how are you?” ask Subhan.

I was surprised by the question, especially when it turned out that the one who asked was Subhan. Since when has he been by my side? He also never felt uncomfortable talking to me. Aisyah and Khodijah held back a laugh.

“Wa... Wa’alaikumussalam, well,” answered me nervous, worried if seen by ustadz and ustadzah who taught us, especially if caught by Masriyah's mother.

“Cute the race too?” tanyakanya.

“Iya..,” I replied.

“I too, hopefully win ya!”

“Amiin..”.

I looked down, confused as to what else to do. All clumsy, I'm even restless, not calm if it's like this.

“Ehem!” Aisha berdehem.

“Oh yes... Aisyah and Khodijah how are you?” subhan asked, feeling that the deheman was indeed intentional by Aisyah.

“At last asked also. kirain is not visible, hehehe,” Aisyah even more literate.

Subhan was embarrassed, he was just confused as to what kind of behavior Aisyah had to do with. While I could say nothing more, it was inevitable that Subhan was interested in me, and was deliberately waiting for me to come out of the room. But, I still can't translate everything, it's all still early, still a mystery.

“Well....,” said Khodijah, trying to neutralize the atmosphere.

“Alhamdulillah... when forward to da'wah?” Subhan has mastered the situation.

“God willing, the day after..,” Khodijah replied.

He seemed calm, his way of speaking did not sound nervous either. Perhaps Khodijah is ripe in terms of association.

“Thankful... hopefully all smoothly.”

“Amiin..”.

The mosque has been seen. The atmosphere was very crowded, and here it was brighter than usual. This cottage prepares additional lights, really careful preparation to carry out da'wah competition, even though if every day everything seems mediocre. Dawah competition is the most important event that does not want to be removed in this cottage, although on TV there have been many da'wah competitions and more famous than the da'wah competition in the boarding school.

“I first yes! Assalamu’alaikum.”.

“Wa’alaikumussalam.”.

We answered Subhan's greeting. And these eyes still looked at the back of Subhan who stepped away from us. Will the man be my priest, who can lead me into happiness, in the world and the hereafter? Wallahu a’lam.