[Fashback] Faith Through Suffering

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[Fashback] Faith Through Suffering

Postby Azeem Al'Din on September 10th, 2010, 8:37 pm

Azeem hadn't been feeling well that evening. The captain of the guard had given him the pass to go home and rest. Azeem had been extremely thankful and gave praise to Yahal for the captain’s compassion. Sliding one foot in front of the other, Azeem had made him way home and opened the door. The rest was a mix of shame and sickness that blurred his vision.

Hadyia came from the bedroom wearing a revealing evening gown he had bought for her a few months back. She held a look of surprise and exhaustion. She looked into Azeem’s eyes and then lowered her head in shame. Azeem had wanted to murder her at that moment, but there was something else he needed to know and made a dash into the bedroom. Hadyia tried to put her hand out to brush his shoulder as he passed, but Azeem moved out of the way.

His heart fell on the floor and wished he would have never entered the room. They betrayal went far deeper than he ever could have imagined. Bastion, Azeem’s older brother, said nothing as he too lowered his head and walked out of the house. Azeem fell to his knees and prayed to Yahal. He ignored the sobs of his wife as he loudely begged for wisdom. His heart was angry and he wanted to put them to the knife with his own hand, but it was not the way. Azeem sought peace for four hours on the very floor of the room that his wife had committed adultery moments earlier.
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[Fashback] Faith Through Suffering

Postby Azeem Al'Din on September 10th, 2010, 8:38 pm

A month later, he had learned his wife was pregnant. Azeem had already moved out of the house, and Bastion and Hadyia had both been imprisoned awaiting the final word of the High Masha. His heart still ached for their deaths, and he had a hard time finding the peace he sought daily in prayer and meditation. He went to the prison ad dinner each day and served the evening meal to his wife and brother in hopes of finding that peace, but he still could not look them in the eye nor say a word to them. He hoped Yahal would soon intervene and sooth his heart.

“Azeem,” Hadyia said quietly and hesitated. “I am pregnant.”

For the first time in a month, Azeem looked into Hadyia’s eyes and began to weep. The news she told him was conflicting. He could not tell if this was a moment of joy or a final burden that would tear what remained of his heart completely out of his chest.

“I do not know who the child belongs to,” she finished and then could not say another word.

Azeem rose from his chair and left the prison not to return for a few days. He stopped going to work and wandered the streets. When this did not satisfy him, he began wandering the desert. He found no peace in each place he foot carried him.

Falling to his knees, as he had done many times before, he once again began to pray to Yahal. ‘What am I to do ??’

This time he felt a sliver of peace fall upon his chest. He could not tell if it was a spark of wisdom granted him by Yahal, or if it was Yahal himself placing a hand upon him as if to say everything will work out. No matter the outcome, the child was his to care for. No matter who was the father, the child was of his blood. He was supposed to raise it as his own child. The baby was not to be blamed for the faults of the parents.
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[Fashback] Faith Through Suffering

Postby Azeem Al'Din on September 10th, 2010, 8:38 pm

Azeem rushed back and entered his house for the first time since that fateful night. He cleaned himself up and put on a fresh pair of clothes. He had finally found something to be joyful over, something to put his heart at peace.

When he was ready and rested, he went that evening to see Bastion and Hadyia for dinner. When they were brought forth, he looked them both in the eye for the first time. At first nothing was said and his wife and brother both looked confused. Azeem could not smile, but at least he did not look hateful, vengeful.

“I cannot forgive either of you for what you have done. I will pray that Yahal grant you whatever mercy he feels you both deserve. The child I will take in as my own, and I will not ask the High Masha to grant you freedom which is my right to decide. Your fate is in the hands of Yahal and his adder. From this day forth, I will no longer come to visit you. I will ask the High Masha to bless and dissolve our marriage. You are both banished from my sight forever.

On the day of Birth, I will come for the child. On the day of your judgement, I will watch you enter the adder’s pit. I will not await the outcome for it is between you and Yahal. I will never see you again.”

Hadyia burst into tears while Bastian raised his voice in anger.

“Burn you and your Yahal! I love this woman and she me. I will bite off the head of this adder and ,when I am released from the pit, I will come for you and take back my child!”

Guards rushed the room at the sound of the first angered speech. Azeem did not care. He simply rose and left the room. He had a house to clean up and prepare for the arrival of his child.
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[Fashback] Faith Through Suffering

Postby Azeem Al'Din on September 10th, 2010, 8:39 pm

Azeem had returned to his normal life working his patrols with the guard. Each evening he spent in prayer thanking Yahal for the soon arrival of his child. On the first of each month he gave an offering to the temple and sacrificed a livestock to feed the poor. He felt completely at peace and thanked Yahal to all that asked about his situation.

When the time finally arrived, Azeem was summoned to the birthing of the child. He had not checked up on Hadyia or Bastion and knew not how they were doing. When his eyes fell on Hadyia, he was in shock. She had not mentally handled the stress of her situation and had begun to go insane. Her body, though pregnant, was haggard.

“This will be very risky, young one. Take a seat in the back.” The nurse mother had told him.

Azeem went into the back of the room out of the way of the people that were there to deliver the baby. He prayed for the safety of his child and even for the health of Hadyia. He began to question if it was his fault she was in this condition. He had to reject such thought, for the outcome was the the will of Yahal and had nothing to do with him.

The birth did not go well and after many hours of struggling, the child was born. Azeem has brought the little boy after he was wrapped. His cry was weak and though the nurse mother said nothing, Azeem could tell that things did not look good.

Azeem looked into the eyes of the child and tears began to roll. He would never have to wonder if the child was his and named him Ishvi which translated ‘he resembles me’. Ishvi looked up to his father holding Azeem’s thumb with his tiny hand, offered up one small cry, and passed away. Azeem cried himself to sleep that night asking Yahal ‘Why?’
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[Fashback] Faith Through Suffering

Postby Azeem Al'Din on September 10th, 2010, 8:40 pm

The Very next day, everyone met at the entrance to the adder pit. Hadyia yelled for forgiveness from all and asked for a quick death from Yahal. Bastion merely spit on the ground in defiance near the feet of the High Masha. Both were thrown into the adder pit.

As if Yahal had heard the cry of Hadyia, before the cage door could be closed three different adders moving with lightening speed and bit the woman. She thanked Yahal before succumbing to the poison and died. Azeem had thought he did not care to witness the punishment, but could not find the will to leave. He watched the entire time as the adders moved around the pit but never struck at Bastion.

The next morning, Bastion had been set free. He was immediately branded as an adulterer with the black tattooing. He knew the laws of the city and said nothing, but Azeem could see the hatred in his eyes when the two looked at each other.

Azeem went home to close out the entire day in prayer and worship. First he had lost his son, and though he has divorced, he watched his former wife die. His son he knew he would mourn for a long time over, but Hadyia he was at peace with. He had heard the shame in her voice, listened to her prayer to Yahal, and knew she was thankful for the verdict. He forgave her and prayed she would find peace in the heavens. It was too bad that it took death to bring Hadyia back to Yahal and solidify her faith on her death bed.

The funeral was beautiful, and Azeem allowed Hadyia to be buried next to Ishvi. He had sold his home and all of his belongings, quit his job, and purchased a myriad of traveling supplies. He intended to walk the desert and expand his knowledge of Yahal through a pilgrimage. Azeem did not feel satisfied any longer living in the walls of a city. This was to begin a journey of enlightenment and purity. He wanted to further his faith and truly become a devout follower of Yahal.
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Azeem Al'Din
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