The Young Scholar Episode 8

Author’s POV

In life no matter how pure we could be, we don’t get to see the evil around us until we are told to stay away by someone who have seen it deep. Whether we avoid it or not the truth is we end up creating our own enemy.

Abdulrasaq woke up at middle of the night in a hospital. How did I get here he asked him.. He became worried that he haven’t prayed Ishai the previous night and he won’t be able to leave the hospital that morning to make the adhan and observe salat.

His friends in the mosque (Imam Malik, Mallam Sani, Mallam Jibril) where also worried that something might have happened.. They all have fate and believe that “The Young Scholar” wasn’t relenting in his duty.

Abdulrasaq got up to used the restroom and performed ablution inside. He came out and look for a clean place to observe salat. While he was praying the nurse stood behind him so surprised. She was like Islam was really growing gradually in Apelle. Although this was the first Young boy she has seen praying under a sick condition and praying for hours (3 hours precisely).

She watched him as he observed every rakah and recite the verses with a soft tune. Even though she wasn’t hearing the meaning of what he was reciting, she loved it because it was melodious. After Abdulrasaq finish observing subhi, she approached him.

Nurse: Salamu alaiku…

Abdulrasaq: [smiled] Wa laka.

Nurse: is that the full greeting?

Abdulrasaq: No ma’am. I made it short “And you too” is what it means

Nurse: seriously. Is it hausa?

Abdulrasaq: No it’s Arabic

Nurse: So you can speak and interpret Arabic?

Abdulrasaq: Yes ma’am

Nurse: Wow! Amazing, [she felt excited] (in her thought of saying she would like to learn but she just let it)

Abdulrasaq: Thank you ma.. I’d like to ask

Nurse: Okay

Abdulrasaq: How did I get here?

Nurse: I don’t know either but I think I saw when they rushed you in .. I think your dad and your mom

Abdulrasaq: [Got so confused] Dad and Mom?

Nurse: I’m not sure who they’re to you

Abdulrasaq: they’re my neighbors… None of my parents are here. My dad is gone. My mom stays at Kene I’m the only one here in Apelle.

Nurse: sorry about your dad

Abdulrasaq: It’s fine… Death is inevitable! (He walked towards a patient on the third bunk after his own bed. He could recognize her as the old woman he tried to help the last Friday after Jumat) What Happened to her?

Nurse: she had an accident on Friday… The load she was carrying was too heavy for her and she couldn’t walk fast when crossing the road… According to her children who brought her here, a car hit her while trying cross the road on Friday afternoon.

Abdulrasaq: so she has been here since on Friday?

Nurse: No.. They brought her here same time with you yesterday. They were using native treatment for her but when they found out she wasn’t responding, they brought her here to general hospital.

Abdulrasaq: (feeling guilty)

Nurse: why are you feeling concerned about her?… Do you know her?

Abdulrasaq: I don’t her but I saw her on Friday while she was struggling with the load on her head. I wanted to help her but some boys distracted me.

Nurse: ohhh… If you had helped her, this won’t have happened.

Abdulrasaq: (shed a little tears that dropped on her hands)

As he was about to walk away from her corner. She held his hand. The nurse was shocked to see this happened. She called on him to listen to what she has to tell him. While he knelt down to listen, the nurse rushed to call the doctor from his office.

Old woman: My son, A spell has been casted on but you’re a survival and you’d succeed. You’re fair but not everyone likes to know that truth.

Abdulrasaq: mother… I don’t understand what you are trying to tell me.

Old woman: There are 3 in the mosque and they’re women. Sad about what you preached and one of them is your neighbor. They want you dead!.

Abdulrasaq: [finding it hard to believe because he doesn’t believe in fortune seers] okay mother… Allah will take care of us all.

Old woman: will Allah take of me?

Abdulrasaq: Yes He will if you sincerely say “La illaha illaha”

The nurse and the doctor arrived… The doctor was about to check her and examine if she was okay but she told him there was no need for that.

Old woman: I have fufil my mission and I have been granted peace.. ohhh my son Thank you for the favour in exchange.. “La illaha illaha”.

She gave up the ghost.

Abdulrasaq: Ina lillahi wa ina ilaihi rajihun

Doctor: She’s gone… What did she say to you? (He questioned Abdulrasaq).

Nurse: (cried silently,)

Abdulrasaq: That some women wants me dead.

Doctor: her last words were la illaha illaha you told her to say that?

Abdulrasaq: No, she said it sincerely so she would find peace in her grave.

Doctor: This is really strange… But she wasn’t a Muslim

Abdulrasaq: But she’s a seer and she definitely know why she finds it a favor.

Abdulrasaq asked the doctor what was wrong with him and if he could be discharged before 7am. The doctor told him to wait until the test results were out. While the nurse informed the family of the old woman to check in.

The doctor left thinking about all that just happened… In his heart he sees Abdulrasaq to be some kind of Angel. He went to his Lab to continue the blood test and when the results were out it shows he was poisoned with a deadly drug.