She held your shoulder and said, “Please forgive me, Mubarak. I know you love Nabeelah and she loves you too. However, you made the mistake of not expressing your love to her at the time she needed it. I tried to reconcile both of you, but I feared people might think I was forcing Nabeelah to marry my son against her will, simply because she grew up under my care. So now I will not involve myself in this problem of yours, but I will support you in whatever decision you both make. If you need me, you can find me at Fallow***.”
I looked at Nabeelah with tears filling my eyes and began to speak like this: “Nabeelah, I love you, truly. But I am the kind of person who hides the secrets of his heart. Please forgive me. I know I have wronged you. Thank you—please stand up and go. May Allah grant you a peaceful life, and may He make it the best for you.”
I stood up, about to step out of the car. She grabbed my hand and made me sit down, speaking through heart‑wrenching tears filled with pity: “Ya Mubarak, at first I believed you loved me, but now I realize that love has not taken root in your heart since you are willing to give me up for another man to marry. Truly, I see that you have no jealousy or compassion for me or for the life I would live with another man who is not you. Know that my heart cannot accept separation from you. I have forbidden my body to any other man except you, so I am determined to have you no matter what. Ya Mubarak, try to love me the way I love you. Ya Mubarak, do not disgrace me.”
I wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks, held her hands, and laid her against my chest. “Nabeelah, believe in my love for you. Do not suspect me of anything except goodness. Nabeelah, I love you, and by Allah’s will, I am your husband.” Immediately, she lifted her head from my chest, held my shoulders, looked at my face, kissed my forehead, and hugged me tightly, saying, “Indeed my happiness has increased, my wish has been fulfilled, and goodness has been assured for me.”
Seeking a Solution and the Marriage Decision
“But what is the solution? How will we approach Abba? And time is very short for us.” I looked at Nabeelah resting on my chest and said it would be easier if we went to Uncle Aminu and told him what we were going through. I knew what to tell him, and I knew he would agree.
I drove straight to my uncle’s house and found him finished with his meal, resting under a tree. After greetings, he spoke: “From the look of you, there is a problem—I can see worry on your faces. Is it that you do not want the marriage?” he asked. I began by saying, “Truly, Uncle, there is no one Nabeelah wants to be given to except—” Uncle interrupted, saying, “That is nonsense. So that’s why they were hiding it from me? By Allah, that talk is invalid. Get up, let us go to the house.”
I drove to the house. As we entered, Uncle was already speaking loudly from the gate. When he went in, the women came out to greet him, but he did not even respond. He continued, saying, “There is no forcing in Nabeelah’s marriage. Now she will tell us whom she loves, and tomorrow I will conduct her marriage to him.”
Nabeelah opened her mouth and said, “Ya Mubarak is the one I love.” Uncle laughed and said, “Oh, then that settles it. She should stay tonight in her husband’s house—stop this childish delay; this is a family matter. I will conduct the marriage now. If you wish, you can go and celebrate your wedding.”
Then her father came in and heard what was happening, but there was nothing he could do about Uncle, knowing his nature. Thus, Uncle became my guardian, and he was also appointed as Mubarak’s guardian, and the marriage was conducted.
Description
Confession and Reconciliation
She held your shoulder and said, “Please forgive me, Mubarak. I know you love Nabeelah and she loves you too. However, you made the mistake of not expressing your love to her at the time she needed it. I tried to reconcile both of you, but I feared people might think I was forcing Nabeelah to marry my son against her will, simply because she grew up under my care. So now I will not involve myself in this problem of yours, but I will support you in whatever decision you both make. If you need me, you can find me at Fallow***.”
I looked at Nabeelah with tears filling my eyes and began to speak like this: “Nabeelah, I love you, truly. But I am the kind of person who hides the secrets of his heart. Please forgive me. I know I have wronged you. Thank you—please stand up and go. May Allah grant you a peaceful life, and may He make it the best for you.”
I stood up, about to step out of the car. She grabbed my hand and made me sit down, speaking through heart‑wrenching tears filled with pity: “Ya Mubarak, at first I believed you loved me, but now I realize that love has not taken root in your heart since you are willing to give me up for another man to marry. Truly, I see that you have no jealousy or compassion for me or for the life I would live with another man who is not you. Know that my heart cannot accept separation from you. I have forbidden my body to any other man except you, so I am determined to have you no matter what. Ya Mubarak, try to love me the way I love you. Ya Mubarak, do not disgrace me.”
I wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks, held her hands, and laid her against my chest. “Nabeelah, believe in my love for you. Do not suspect me of anything except goodness. Nabeelah, I love you, and by Allah’s will, I am your husband.” Immediately, she lifted her head from my chest, held my shoulders, looked at my face, kissed my forehead, and hugged me tightly, saying, “Indeed my happiness has increased, my wish has been fulfilled, and goodness has been assured for me.”
Seeking a Solution and the Marriage Decision
“But what is the solution? How will we approach Abba? And time is very short for us.” I looked at Nabeelah resting on my chest and said it would be easier if we went to Uncle Aminu and told him what we were going through. I knew what to tell him, and I knew he would agree.
I drove straight to my uncle’s house and found him finished with his meal, resting under a tree. After greetings, he spoke: “From the look of you, there is a problem—I can see worry on your faces. Is it that you do not want the marriage?” he asked. I began by saying, “Truly, Uncle, there is no one Nabeelah wants to be given to except—” Uncle interrupted, saying, “That is nonsense. So that’s why they were hiding it from me? By Allah, that talk is invalid. Get up, let us go to the house.”
I drove to the house. As we entered, Uncle was already speaking loudly from the gate. When he went in, the women came out to greet him, but he did not even respond. He continued, saying, “There is no forcing in Nabeelah’s marriage. Now she will tell us whom she loves, and tomorrow I will conduct her marriage to him.”
Nabeelah opened her mouth and said, “Ya Mubarak is the one I love.” Uncle laughed and said, “Oh, then that settles it. She should stay tonight in her husband’s house—stop this childish delay; this is a family matter. I will conduct the marriage now. If you wish, you can go and celebrate your wedding.”
Then her father came in and heard what was happening, but there was nothing he could do about Uncle, knowing his nature. Thus, Uncle became my guardian, and he was also appointed as Mubarak’s guardian, and the marriage was conducted.