Part VI

I didn't quite understand the pleasure they found in it. I asked one of them to share with me exactly what the Quran said.  It never struck me she would actually bring the Quran to me; it was like a magical spell-book restricted only for the given few. My friend had never let me touch it. In a jiffy, she came back with the Quran and explained the purpose of fasting and its benefits that was very kind of her to explain to me. It was a translated version and she actually let me touch it. I spent the rest of the August holiday with her as a close study-buddy.

As time was limited I had given up the pleasure of reading Fetullah's books, they were a luxury I couldn’t afford. Instead, I opted to ask my study-buddy about values in Islam. I loved and still do love all my Muslim friends for unapologetically standing out as strangers and not being driven by the currents of disbelief in this world. The hijab was something I understood and appreciated through them.  Just as food has to be covered, a pen has a lid, a fruit has a peel and a pearl has a shell -a liberated Muslimah has her hijab. I then resolved to dress more modestly. We parted after our KCSE.  It was a memorable experience and we were all glad to go home after a year in school.

To be continued Inshaa Allah...

 

Read the previous Parts here

photo credit: Starehe Girls' Centre

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