186 - Mahjub Al-Makki

Mahjub Al-Makki

I couldn’t be happier. We've been celebrating for three days straight, with many festivities, dances, tributes, visits from heads of state, celebrities, and most importantly, seeing the happiness of both our families around us.

These are the same families I once deeply hurt by not understanding and accepting the choices my parents made for me and even Hope’s parents made for her. I didn’t accept their choices for me, and in a very hard way, I discovered that I lost precious time alongside my swan, whom I watched mature from a distance.

I look at the whole party happening on this side of the hall. My brothers were having fun, going in and out of the curtains, watching Hope prepare to enjoy her own party. I wanted so much to be near her, to see how nervous she must be. To participate in each of the stages she is going through.

We haven’t seen each other for practically a week, and we’ve barely spoken since everyone has been doing their best to complicate any moment I could have with my wife. Seeing her through the curtain only makes me miss her even more.

After a little conversation, I had with her through the curtain before being expelled by my al’umu, I get up and head toward my family, who were still dancing. I approach them; by tradition, we shouldn’t get close until tomorrow when her father gives her to me.

The party went on all night. Many were still dancing while I sat on one of the cushions and closed my eyes to rest a bit, even if it was just for a few minutes. I knew it would soon be time to prepare for the final ceremony of my wedding with my ballerina.

“Wake up, Mahjub, Hope is ready!” I hear my mother say, touching my face.

I’m startled and see that several people are still scattered around the hall, either sleeping or beginning to wake up. I see my brother-in-law Henrique waking Leon, who slept next to me, calling him to go and change.

I look at my watch, and it was time to perform the morning salah, to ask Allah for His blessings for this day of celebrations and for my entire marriage. I see my mother helping Leon get up, and we leave the hall toward our mosque.

I perform my purification alongside Leon and Henrique, who at that moment didn’t seem like a mobster at all, but rather an ordinary man who learned the religion just to please his wife and grew to like its doctrines and teachings.

“I wonder what it will be like at Leon and Fay’s wedding,” he says as he washes his beard.

“Surely, it will be much more careful!” I say, and we see Leon rolling his eyes and heading toward the mosque.

I dry my hands and beard and head toward the voice of my father, who was leading the first prayer of the day. I focus all my requests to Allah, asking for wisdom and protection for my marriage, that He shields my wife from anything that could harm her, and that when the time is right, we are blessed with children to grow our family.

My parents approach, and I feel their hands on me while I kneel, my thoughts centered on my requests.

“May our son be wise,” my father Hassan says.

“May our son understand that his love should be solely for his wife,” I hear my father Bruno say.

“May Hope’s love be as centered in Allah’s will as you have been since your birth,” Henrique says, and I smile at my brother-in-law.

“We wish you all the best, my son. May your marriage be as happy and prosperous as ours has been,” my father Hassan says with a smile.

I feel the embraces of my parents around me, and like a child I haven't been for a long time, I let the tears flow down my face, realizing that we have finally found harmony. The pains of the past are behind us, and now we are just enjoying peace. I have faith in Allah that we will live only in tranquility in our lives.

When our prayer ends, I go up to my room and start getting ready. I know Hope would love to see me in a tunic and dress according to my culture, but today I want to wear a suit and tie because I know how excited she gets seeing me that way.

After all, I want my wife filled with desire later. By Allah’s grace, I managed to convince everyone to postpone the party for me to become sheikh until after our honeymoon. It was supposed to be today after all the celebrations, but I know Hope is tired, just as I am.

The truth is, I want to get on the plane and do everything I can with my wife. I smile at the thought that Hope is already truly my woman, that she already carries the name Al-Makki, making her part of the family for good.

We chose to go to Dubai, to explore a bit and show Hope how glorious it is to be a sheikh and her a sheikha. My united family wouldn’t miss the chance to be in Dubai as well. They will arrive a week later; everyone will be there, even Ella, accompanying Leon, who managed to convince her parents to let her come along with our family.

I was ready, holding my masbaha between my fingers and praying that Allah controls my anxiety. I knew Hope was already ready too, and the only thing left was for the hall, where the party would be, to finish being cleaned and organized so we could start the final celebrations.

After spending a few hours in my room, I turn towards the door that opens, and I smile when I see my father, Hassan, wearing a white thobe and his white and black keffiyeh. His face was serene, with a huge smile, and I knew he was happy.

Hassan Al-Makki is a man who, despite having heart issues, never gave up his coffee addiction, which brought many laughs in our home. My father is also not a man of many words, due to all the time he had to watch my mother from a distance and live his love hidden with my parents.

But now he was there in front of me, with a huge smile, the same one I always saw when he would praise one of my brothers for their achievements.

“It’s a blessing to become the protectors of a princess like your wife…” my father begins, approaching me.

“Never forget, it’s our duty to protect them, even when we’re right in an argument, but to avoid hurting them, we agree with what they say!” I smile, and my father joins me in laughter.

“Happy wife…”

“Happy life!” my father completes my sentence.

“Thank you for teaching me so much, babi, even with the years we didn’t exchange a word, I learned to wait in Allah…” I begin to say, feeling the emotion starting to take over.

Babi approaches and pulls me into a hug, and I return it affectionately, as I’ve always been with my parents.

“Come on, this isn’t a day for tears.” He wipes away the tear that escaped. “I came to get you to take you to your wife.”

I smile excitedly, knowing that I’ll finally have Hope back by my side.

“Let’s go, your uncles are arguing about who brought more money!” I roll my eyes.

I love my culture, and my uncles who aren’t practitioners or living in Islam love to experience every part of the festivities we always have, and this is a source of great pride for everyone in our home.

We leave the room and head to the hall that was set up for our wedding ceremony. Before arriving, I saw all my brothers and my nephew at the entrance of the hall, as well as my mother, who had tears in her eyes, and my father Bruno, who had a proud smile.

“The time has come!” my mother says, approaching.

“Finally, this kid is becoming a family man!” I smile at my father, Bruno, who touches my shoulder.

The drumming and music become even louder, the doors open, and all the guests are already inside, dancing and celebrating my wedding. I was eager to see my wife, curious about how she chose to dress.

We enter dancing, with my parents around me, proud of the moment. I let the happiness I was feeling flow freely, knowing that all the disharmony had finally come to an end. Times of peace and love had arrived at the Al-Makki household.