Allah’s Promises are Definite

The call of the dawn prayer reverbebrated in the front of the house. Dark clouds still covered the sky. Alif gazed at the wife who was praying after both had done taking tahajud prayer. Alif walked to a room and woke up his son to take the dawn prayer together. In the peep of day after eating breakfast, he walked Salman to school.  The days went by and felt so tiring to himself moreover after he had got the termination of employment. After walking his son to school, Alif went to look for a job.

“Assalamu’alaikum Mom, I’m home.” yelled Salman in the front of house.

“Wa’alaikumsalam…” replied his mother.

Before, when Salman had arrived at the school he looked at his friend, Doni, was parking his new bike whose brand was Mini BMX tipe MX 120  in the large field of school. Salman stared at that bike amazedly. He wanted that bike so bad. He had been wanted that bike since few months ago.

“Mom, when I was at school I saw Dony with his new bicycle. Mom, I want that bicycle... Please buy that to me...” whined Salman.

“Yeah, okay... But not now, my dear! We don’t have enough money and Daddy still has not found a job. You have to be patient. People who are patient will be loved by...” his mother had not finished talking, but his son cutted her words.

“Allah…” exclaimed Salman.

“Okay my lovely son, change your cloth and have your lunch right away!”

Nightfall came shining with sparkling stars which began appearing. The dark clouds of reddish mega yellow painted beautifully in the sky signified that maghrib had come.

“Assalamu’alaikum...” greeted Alif in front of the door and his wife greeted him back.

“How’s it going, have u found a job?” asked his wife as she gave him a cup of hot coffee. His husband just shrugged and shook his head. Then he sipped his warm tea.

“Let’s take maghrib prayer first. After maghrib, we’ll talk about it again. I’ll pray in the mosque with Salman.” said his husband.

After this family had prayed maghrib together, they sat down in the living room. The air of the night was delightful. Probably the air would be fresher if the ground around the house soaked because of rain.

“There was no job vacancy anywhere.” he said in a tired voice.

“Never mind, hubby. I still teach in a school and we can sell food in our house.”

“But then it’s still not enough, dear.  We have to afford Salman’s tuition fee and my severance pay almost run out.” Salman looked intently from his room, his parents were talking seriously. But his father realized that his son was peeking behind the door.

“Salman, come here!” called his Father.

“What’s up, my lovely son?” his Father asked gently.

“Emm... Dad, my friend has a new bike. The color is blue and very bright.  You know that’s my favorite color, right? Please buy it!” Salman whined to his Father.

“Yeah, my child. We will buy your favorite bike when we have livelihood.”

“Yes, Dad!” nodded Salman.

“Now you must study hard and don’t forget to pray to Allah so that what you want can be reached.”

“Oh yeah, Mom-Dad. My teacher said that I got an opportunity to participate in a MTQ competition for representing our school. My teacher said the way I read Qur’an was good.”

“When will the competition be held?” Alif asked enthusiastically.

“Next week, Dad.” replied him. “They said that the first winner will get Rp.700.000,-, the second winner will get Rp.500.000,-, and the third will get Rp.250.000,-.” he went on.

“Okay, then, Salman, you have to practice a lot in order to be the first winner. If you can get the first prize, you can buy your favorite bicycle.”

In the late night, this family slept together. Salman deliriousedly went to sleep all of a sudden.

“Come on Dad! Let’s ride bicycles in the park.” Salman talked in his sleep. Alif was wistfuling, thinking about his life. But he is lucky to have a wife who was virtuous and supported him all the time. Alif didn’t realize that his son was talking in his sleep beside him.

“Hubby, Salman is talking in his sleep!” Nadia interrupted her husband’s reverie.

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The day of the competition came . Salman came and accompanied by his teacher. The competition was held in Dian Al-Mahri Mosque, a big mosque which located in Cinere, Limo, Depok. There was a large park and this mosque having five domes which were layered with gold.  Salman had been practicing diligently with his mother since a week ago. He would read surah Al-Waqi'ah.

He read surah Al-Waqi’ah solemnly. After appearing in the competition, Salman was excited waiting for the annoucement of the result. Not the first or second place, at least, he got the third place of the MTQ (Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur’an) competition  in elementary school level. With a languid step and face slightly bent Salman took the trophy, a school bag and cash valued Rp. 250.000,-. 

“If I could win in the first place, I would buy a new bicycle, but it’s okay maybe it’s not my fortune.” Salman murmured and tried to be wise to himself. 

On the way home when he got off from the bus, Salman saw an old grandmother who would go cross the street.

“Grandma, where are you going?” asked Salman while helping that grandmother going across the street.

“I want to go home. My home is in Tebet.” replied grandmother.

“Do you bring money with you?” when Salman asked, he saw a piece of money in the grandma’s hand which was only two thousand rupiahs. Looking at the money that the grandma held, Salman could bring himself to look at the grandma and  immediately gave some of his money, Rp.100.000,-, gotten from the competition. 

“Come on ma’am, get on this bus!” said Salman.

“Thank you very much, boy, I hope what you want accomplished.” the old grandmother prayed as she caressed Salman’s hair.

“Amin, Grandma.” said Salman.

            On the other hand, Alif was riding his motorcycle. He saw a scavenger who was settled in front of the house. “Something smells fishy, here”, he thought. Alif frowned his head, seemed a scavenger being about to steal a bicycle in a very luxurious house in Pondok Indah. This house was very luxurious with a large yard and there were beautiful flowers blooming. Alif stopped his motorcycle.

“Hey, what are you gonna do?” shouted Alif.

“You, shut up!” snapped the scavenger.

“Do you want to steal it? Remember, stealing is a despicable deed!”

“Do you want to thwart my plan?”

“Yes, of course. Because it’s religiously forbidden.”

"Just shut up ur mouth. I’ll split the money made by selling the bycicle with you as long as you remain silent." the recycler said.

"Split the money?” Salman really wanted a bicycle. “Astaghfirullah... what am I thinking about?!” said Alif in his heart. Soon after the homeowner came out, he found that outside of his house was the fuss.

“What’s going on?” asked the the home owner.

“Here, sir, this person wants to steal your bicycle.”

“Oh..  you wanna steal my son’s bicycle? I’ll report you to the security guard!” threatened the home owner to the scavenger.

“Sir, thanks a lot for your help!” the home owner shook Alif’s hand and went escort the scavenger into the security post.

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“Salman, why are you crying?” asked Nadia when he saw her son came home with tears. Salman sobbed and leaned his head on the wall.

“Mom, I couldn’t won the first place… Hiks…hiks…”

“Huh? So, what trophy is this?” Nadia caressed Salman’s hair and kissed his forehead.

“I won the third place, and then there was a distress grandmother. How pitty, she didn’t have money. So, Salman gave her Rp.100.000,- from the prize of the contest."

“So, why are you crying? Are you not sincere about giving your money to her?”

“I’m truly sincere. It’s just that I didn’t win the first place and can not buy a bicycle.” whined Salman.

“Salman, listen to me. I’m proud of having a son like you who is more concerned about others rather than himself, whereas in fact Salman also desperately needs the money to buy a bicycle. Salman has already handout by giving your money to someone. Insya Allah, Allah will return the money to you in a multiply amount.”

“Really?” asked Salman.

“Yes, of course!” replied Nadia convinced her son.

A few minutes later Alif came and told the story that he had just experienced. He stepped into the living room and slumped miserably on the sofa.

 “Hufth… Rich but stingy, I should’ve received the invitation from that scavanger!” he said furiously.

“Don’t  say like that, hubby. As if you were a person who didn't believe in God."

 “After I helped him, he was supposed to give me some money!" Alif folded his arms and snorted.

“That’s the same as wanting a reward, though. We’re supposed to help one another. You’ll get a reward from God eventually.”

 “You’re right.  Astaghfirullahaladzim…” said Alif in istighfar. While they were talking, there was a knock on the door.

“Dad, look. There was a tap at the door.”

“What’s up, Mr.hamid?” asked Alif. Mr. Hamid was a neighbour who lived behind Alif’s house.

“I want to sale my son’s bike. Pay this as you could. I really need money... My wife is seriously ill in our home village...” he said miserably.

“But, Sir, I only have Rp.150.000,-. This is the money which was won by my son from a competition.”

“I heard you had got a termination from your office. Is that true?” asked Mr. Hamid.

“Yeah, sir, and until now I haven’t got a job.”

“If it’s so, why don’t you work at the place which I’m leaving? Just by chance, I’ll go to my home village to accompany my wife and the work place requires a new employee to replace my position .”

“Oh... I will take it, sir Thanks a lot!”

“You’re welcome. I’ll contact you soon.”

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The sun blazed in Jakarta, the city which was always crowded with the passing vehicles and was never quite. Alif arrived in Sudirman, the OCBC office. He was going to apply for a job there. He was hoping on being accepted to work in this office.

“Are you the one who wants to apply, sir? I think I have seen you.” The man who was asking Alif tried to recall the image of Alif’s face.

“Oh... I remember now. You’re the one who stopped the scavenger from stealing my son’s bicycle, right?”

“Yes, sir. We meet here again.”

“Okay, then. You will be appointed as the head of accounting departement. I see the diploma master degree management and your work experiences are suitable with the position.” the director who interviewed Alif blurted and directly appointed him to be an accountant in OCBC bank.

 "Thank you very much, Sir." they shook hands each other.

After discussing and being excused, Alif immediately prostrated of gratitude to Allah for every blessing given to him. He learnt his lesson about what had happened in and to his family.

“Fabiayyi’alaa’irobbikuma tukadzdziban… “Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?” Alif read surah Ar-Rahman quietly and full of solemn.