Bakmi Stall
Azzahra and Gus Zizan sat opposite each other. In front of them, smoke could be seen rising from hot tea with rock sugar. This typical drink complements boiled noodles in the city of Yogyakarta. Azzahra was busy stirring rock sugar in her cup. At the same time, Gus Zizan appeared to remove the heat from the boiled noodles by fanning them with tissue.
"Zahra, my sister... I beg you to be honest with your brother..." Gus Zizan suddenly spoke softly.
"What do you mean, brother..?? "Has Zahra been lying to you all this time so that Brother Zizan asked me like this?" Feeling confused by the question asked by Gus Zizan, Azzahra asked back. The girl looked at her older brother's eyes in confusion.
It was seen that Gus Zizan did not immediately respond; instead, he put a fork filled with noodles into his mouth. After chewing and swallowing it, the young man looked back into his sister's eyes.
"You might be able to trick Umi and Abi... Zahra. But you can't lie to your brother. How is your relationship with Gus Azzam? It's very bland, isn't it?" Without further ado, the man went straight to the heart of the matter.
Hearing this question, Azzahra felt naked by her older sibling. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, and the girl sobbed. Gus Zizan stared silently at his sister's beautiful face and took a tissue to wipe the tears dripping down Azzahra's cheeks. It seemed like the man wanted to let his little brother let out all the pain from his heart until finally.
"Stop crying, Zahra... you are not a weak girl. God chose you to live this destiny, and only you can live it yourself." A few moments later, Gus Zizan appeared to be advising the girl.
Azzahra was seen wiping the tears that were still coming out, then...
"I'm sorry, Zahra bro... Zahra has failed to fulfill Abi and Umi's expectations. But Azzahra is strong, bro..., and is trying to live out this destiny..." In a low voice, Azzahra responded.
Gus Zizan took a deep breath, and his eyes continued to scan his younger sibling's face. He felt pity when he learned about his only sibling's condition. Still, when he remembered his parents' hopes for the marriage, Gus Zizan tried to think wisely.
"There's no fault with you, Zahra... It's just that God is still giving you a test. Brother also understands that it is not easy to unite two different people who don't know each other enough to become a couple. "It will definitely require a lot of adjustments, and each must be willing to accept the shortcomings of each partner." Positioning himself as a good older brother, Gus Zizan gave advice to his younger brother.
"Thank you, brother... it's just that between Zahra and Gus Azzam, there is rarely intense communication. Apart from that, bro..., a girl among us is hurt. That girl is Gus Azzam's girlfriend..." As if she had been a good listener, Azzahra told her marriage situation.
Gus Zizan's face was filled with pity. However, as an older brother, motivating his younger sibling is his primary obligation.
"Keep trying to recognize your husband, Zahra. Or if you have a loose heart, you can share your husband with Gus Azzam's lover, so no one gets hurt anymore. But if you take the last choice, your brother will be angry with you." As an older brother, Gus Zizan gave advice but with a tone of sarcasm
"Wa in khiftum allā tuqsiṭụ fil-yatāmā fangkiḥụ mā ṭāba lakum minan-nisā`i maṡnā wa ṡulāṡa wa rubā', fa in khiftum allā ta'dilụ fa wāḥidatan au mā malakat, żālika adnā allā ta'ụlụ. This means: "If you are worried that you will not be able to do justice to (the rights of) an orphan woman (if you marry her), marry (another) woman that you like: two, three, or four. However, if you are worried that you will not be able to do justice, (marry) only one or any female slave that you have. That is closer to not doing injustice." Azzahra responded to her brother's words by reading a verse in the Al-Qur'an. The girl was silent for a moment, then...
"People with more than one wife, in practice, will not be able to act fairly, as the Messenger of Allah once did. Only lust is the basis of the marriage, even though various reasons are given by the men. And I, Zahra... will never tolerate that action. "There are many ways for us to reach heaven, not by letting our husband remarry..." continued Azzahra.
Since childhood, Azzahra and Gus Zizan have mastered the knowledge of the Shari'a and Islamic jurisprudence from his family to the verses of the Al-Qur'an.
"Don't worry, Zahra. I will still support you and be with you. Do what you believe is right, and keep going. Brother just said, all the problems you face, don't become an obstacle in your studies. Because we won't know what your married life will be like in the future, right...?" Instead of refuting his younger brother's words, Gus Zizan provided support.
Azzahra's face smiled despite the sadness still hanging over her. Support from those closest to him became a new enthusiasm for carrying out God's destiny. The two brothers continued to discuss this during their dinner.
**********
After dinner, Azzahra and Gus Zizan did not return to the apartment immediately. Instead, they sat on long chairs often found on the sidewalk along Solo street. Occasionally, laughter could be heard escaping from both lips. At the same time, their eyes continued to stare at the traffic in front of them. Without the two people realizing it, a girl appeared approaching them.
"Hey Zahra, it turns out we are meant to be friends. We met again in this place..." the girl suddenly greeted Zahra.
Gus Zizan frowned, looking at the girl greeting his younger sister.
"Oh, that's right, Salsa. Why are you still outside at night like this without your muhrim accompanying you? Salsa. It could be dangerous, you know..." Azzahra returned the greeting and asked to remind him of the requirements for a Moosleem woman.
"Zahra really had to, I had to get out. Because I happen to live alone in this city, and I also happen to be hungry. So I went out alone to look for food." Without feeling offended, Salsa explained.
Azzahra smiled, and then the girl stood up to Salsa.
"Forgive my words, Salsa; it doesn't mean I'm interfering in your business. But as fellow Mosleem women, we have to remind each other, right?" Not wanting to make Salsa misunderstand her, Azzahra explained the meaning of her words.
"It's okay, Zahra... we have to remind each other. By the way.. who is with you..?" intending to investigate who was with Azzahra, Salsa asked about Gus Zizan.
"Oh… this is my biological brother Salsa. "Bro.. Zizan... this is Azzahra's friend; her name is Salsa." Azzahra introduced her brother to Salsa.
Gus Zizan raised his palms and cupped them in front of his chest, signifying that he was shaking hands with Salsa without saying a word. The girl did the same thing to Azzahra's older sibling.
"Okay, Zahra... I don't want to bother you. Besides, it's already late; I must return to where I live." Feeling uncomfortable with Azzahra's warning earlier, Salsa said goodbye.
"Okay, Salsa. Be careful on the road. Is that okay? Fi amanillah.., please be safe..." Realizing the girl's condition, Azzahra responded quickly.
"Assalamu alaikum..." Salsa said hello and nodded her head at Azzahra and Gus Zizan.
"Wa alaikum salam..." said the two of them, looking at Salsa walking away from them. For a few moments, Gus Zizan and Azzahra were silent; everyone was lost in their own thoughts.
Suddenly.
"Who was that girl, Zahra... do you know her well?" Gus Zizan asked about Salsa.
"What's wrong, bro..? Is brother Zizan interested in getting to know that girl?" Instead of answering her brother's question, Azzahra asked back.
"Hempphh... you are a habit, Zahra. Your brother is seriously asking to protect you. "It's not like you were interrogating back like this..." Remembering Azzahra's habit, Gus Zizan gently rubbed the girl's head.
"He.. he.. he.., sorry bro.. "Zahra has only met Salsa twice, and that happened by chance." Azzahra then told about the beginning of her meeting with Salsa.
Gus Zizan seemed severe about listening to his younger brother's explanation and occasionally took a deep breath.
"Be careful, my dear sister. Don't accept other people's kindness too easily. Who knows if that person has intentions toward us? It's just that sometimes we ignore it." Without intending to judge his sister, Gus Zizan again advised Azzahra.
Azzahra smiled and nodded her head in agreement. In her heart, Azzahra was also thinking about the coincidence of meeting Salsa. However, because she had no reason, Azzahra tried to ignore her thoughts.