Zulaikah
When the Sheik took me away from the bridge, he locked me up inside an empty storage room in his basement. I slept on the floor that night after he had beaten me. Then, after being locked away for a day, the Sheik came at night while I was sitting on the dusty floor.
"I found someone suitable for you. Let's go!" The Sheik demanded.
I did what I was told. I followed Abdelnoor with my head held down in fear. Finally, Abdelnoor took me to his car, opened the trunk, and demanded that I get in.
"Why can't I ride in the back seat?"
"Do you want us to get arrested?" The Sheik asked.
If we are arrested, my punishment would be much harsher than the Sheiks. Without further hesitation, I immediately climbed in. Abdelnoor slammed the trunk closed. Within minutes I was back in the apartment. The Sheik demanded I get ready. He sat in the kitchen chair to watch me.
"Can I please have some privacy," I asked.
"You don't deserve any privacy after what you tried to pull!" the Sheik yelled.
"Could you please at least look away," I requested.
The Sheik turned his back, allowing me some privacy.
"I got dressed in minutes with an uncomfortable feeling."
When I was ready, the Sheik got up and walked towards me. He towered over with a stern look.
"Don't disappoint me," the Sheik demanded before leaving the apartment.
Within minutes there was a knock on my door. I quickly wrapped my black chador around me to answer the door. I immediately allowed the dark skin man to enter so he can be done with his time. Not knowing this man would become my true husband, I treated him like any other temporary spouse. I quickly rushed him in so I can be done with him. When I removed my clothes, I never expected him to reject me.
"Wait," Asad pleaded.
He picked up my chador from the floor and covered me. I was confused.
"You don't like what you see?"
"I am not here for what you think I am here for. I just want to talk to you!"
"What is there to talk about?"
"I want to talk about you. I stopped you from jumping yesterday."
"It was you who stopped me? How dare you," I replied with anger. "You had no right!"
"I had every right. I felt compelled by Allah to save you."
"Well, you can't save me from my problems!" I replied.
"Tell me about your problems. I will try my best to help you. My name is Asad; what is yours?"
"Zulaikah!"
"Nice to finally meet you, Zulaikah," Asad replied in a friendly, nurturing tone.
Even though his Arabic was not that great, I could tell he was sincere with his words.
"How did you end up doing Muk'tah marriage?"
When I started, I had no other choice?"
I was very uncomfortable when he asked me questions about my personal life. I did not want to answer, but I was obligated because he was my husband. We talked until it was time for Fajr prayers. He asked me to pray with him. I was surprised. Most men usually would leave before being seen leaving my apartment. I was more than happy to be his wife. Our time together actually felt like a forthcoming marriage. When we finished making salat, he asked me if I wanted to marry him.
"Why! No one in my country wants to marry divorced women."
"I am not from your country, and I want to help you. I know you don't want Muk'tah marriages anymore. I want you to come with me to America," Asad stated.
"You would marry me," Zulaikah asked me with a confused look.
"If you want."
"Won't make promises you won't keep!"
'Walahi, I will help you if you let me. It is the only way I can get you away from here."
Asad talked with conviction and sincerity. I accepted. Asad told me to pack a small bag containing the essentials and any paper of identification. Before Asad left the apartment, I gave him a hug to show my appreciation.
ASAD
After I left Zulaikah's apartment, I went back to Sheik Abdelnoor's office. When I walked in the door, his face lit up with a smile.
"Ah, my American friend, you are back."
"Yeah, there are things. I would like to discuss with you," I replied with a serious look on my face.
"Come and let's talk, my friend," the Sheik replied.
After we went inside, we sat across from each other; he had a grin on his face.
"So, I trust that your bride gave you all your rights as a husband."
He stated. I was pissed at him and wanted to reach over the table and bury my knuckles in his face. I knew if I did that, I would be in jail. So I gave a fake smile.
"So how can I help you, my friend. You want more time with Zulaikah?"
"Yeah, that is why I am here."
"How long? One day, two days, more?"
"I want more?"
"How long?"
"I want to marry her permanently," The Sheik looked at me with a surprised look.
"I am sorry. Other men may want to marry her."
"I'll be frank with you. What you are doing is prostitution. It is not permissible in Is-lahm!"
"How dare you come into my business and accuse me of such a vile act."
"You are pimping her. That is all to it!"
"Get out," the Sheik yelled.
"Oh, I will not leave until I get what I want."
"Fine, I'll let the police handle an abd (slave) like you."
The Sheik grabbed his phone and started dialing. So I decided to speak the language that he understood. I removed $500 from my wallet and spread it on the table. He immediately stopped dialing and looked at the money with greed. "You are serious about this? You know she has been with many men." He said as if Zulaikah was trash.
"Yeah, I am quite sure you had something to do with that."
"Fine, I'll marry you and Zulaikah."
"No, not by you! I want some else to handle my marriage."
"I am more than qualified," The Sheik bolstered.
I did not care if he was. I did not want someone who treated marriages like it was a two-for-one sale. I wanted something legit on paper.
"There is a courthouse in Sadr City. You can get married there," Abdelnoor replied.
He started to grab the money from the table, but I quickly grabbed it out of his reach.
"What is this? You are not going to pay my fee!"
"I am going to pay for you," I replied while counting $250.
"You'll only get half now! When you drive us to Sadr City, you'll get the rest of the money after
Zulaikah and I get married. Besides, it would look strange if Zulaikah and I showed up to get married without a wali present. You said you were Zulaikah's wali. So you'll be just that."
"Brother, I can't leave. I will lose business if I close. I am afraid I will need more money to compensate for the loss of revenue." The Sheik greed was indeed taxing my patients. "$1000 and not a penny more," I offered in a stern voice.
The Sheik's eyes widened as he accepted. Once we picked up Zulaikah from the apartment, she had two small bags in tow. She wore a pink abaya, a white hijab, and slight makeup for our courthouse wedding. I put her luggage in the trunk and told her to get in the back seat. When she saw the Sheik, she became fearful. I assured her that we are getting married, and he was taking us to Sadr City. Zulaikah looked at me, shaking with fear. I grabbed both of her hands. She looked at me, and I looked at her in her tearful eyes.
"I promised I was going to help. Allah as my witness, that is what I am going to do, Inshallah," I replied softly.
Zulaikah shook her head to affirm that she believed in me. She got into the car, and I sat next to her. She was still trembling with anxiety. I usually would not touch a woman I was not married to, but I had secretly grabbed her hand to comfort her. It seemed to help as she started to calm down.
Once we arrived, we had a five-hour wait. However, it was worth it because we were officially married by 2:00 in the afternoon. Once we received our marriage papers, I instructed the Sheik to take us back to my hotel. Once we arrived, the Sheik removed Zulaikah's luggage from the trunk. I paid him the rest of the money as promised. The Sheik left, and we never saw him again. Moments after settling into the hotel room, Zulaikah took a shower. I went on the internet on my laptop to book a flight to the United States.