His Other Wife by Umm Zakiyyah

Author:Umm Zakiyyah
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: polygamy, islam and women, sexual abuse and healing, friendship and loyalty, marriage and divorce and remarriage, abuse against women, abuse healing, abuse against men, abuse abusive emotional, romance about finding oneself
Publisher: Umm Zakiyyah

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Aliyah arrived to the masjid at a quarter to ten Saturday morning. As she entered the musallaa, she told Ibrahim to pray two units of prayer before sitting down and waiting for her in the front section of the prayer area that was reserved for brothers. She watched as Ibrahim walked swiftly to a space near the mimbar and raised his small hands as if in surrender, signaling the start of prayer. Aliyah smiled to herself then silently recited a du’aa that Allah would bless her son and preserve him upon Islam. She then walked to the sisters’ area and prayed two rak’aat herself. After praying, she sat down in the section where there was no partition so she could see Ibrahim while she waited for Jasmine.

There were about fifteen men and women scattered throughout the musallaa reading Qur’an and praying. It had been months since Aliyah had come to the masjid herself, and she was surprised at how peaceful she felt. She had imagined that she would never again feel comfortable in the masjid after the “hot Muslim mistress” rumors were spread about her. Oddly, since the moment she’d offered to meet Jasmine here, she had thought nothing about the rumors. But even now, as she remembered everything she’d gone through, she didn’t feel anxious or ashamed. She felt only relaxed and at ease, as if she were returning home after a long absence.

A shadow of a smile lingered on Aliyah’s face as she saw Ibrahim shake the hands of two older brothers who had been reading Qur’an. He then walked over to the small floor shelf and removed an English translation of the Qur’an before sitting down and reading himself. The scene touched a soft spot in Aliyah, and there was a twinge of sadness that she hadn’t thought of her son when she’d made the decision to stay away from the masjid. Ibrahim wouldn’t always be a little boy, she thought to herself. One day he would be a young man, and he’d need the company of Muslim brothers to help him hold on to his faith.

“Aliyah?”

Aliyah was removing the small Arabic-English Qur’an that she kept in her purse when she felt someone standing near her. She looked up to find Juwayriah looking down at her with an expression of confusion. An awkward smile formed on Aliyah’s face. “As-salaamu’alaikum,” Aliyah said as she set the Qur’an on her lap and reached up to shake Juwayriah’s hand.

“Wa’alaiku-mus-salaam wa-rahmatullaah,” Juwayriah said, her handgrip loose and reluctant. “What are you doing here?”

The question sounded like a rebuke, and for a fleeting moment, Aliyah felt offended. But the feeling passed as quickly as it had come. Though the inquiry was ostensibly rude, Aliyah sensed that Juwayriah hadn’t meant it that way. In that moment, Aliyah was reminded of her sister, Cassie, who was uncomfortable with open displays of kindness and affection. Perhaps Juwayriah too masked her vulnerability behind grimaces and harsh criticism. Perhaps she too felt the need to carry herself like she had it altogether, while she was fragile and insecure like everyone else.

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