What We Learned Along the Way

The following statements have been taken from
online review sites (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords.com).
They have not been altered in any way.

“This book is a KEEPER. The characters were
so realistic that you could identify with them on so many levels.
The story covers so many issues that may be found within the Muslim
community and the greater community at large that the reader will
find it hard to deny that it touches home. The Author did an
excellent job from page one of drawing you in and not letting you
go until the last word on the last page of the book was read.
Impatiently waiting for the sequel!!!!.. Would definitely buy
another book from this author. Well Written and Well Said.”

“I started reading this book at 8pm and could
not put it down until 3am. I believed some people can identify with
the characters in the book. I am anxiously awaiting the
sequel.”

“This is a very good book really glad i read
it loved the story from start to finish, read it in one day and
cants wait for the next one, but PLEASE hurry up i hate
waiting.”

“Nadirah Angail is the premiere novelist for
the current and future generations of readers. The female and male
characters display personalities that's familiar and extraordinary.
The plot is intriguing with every page read. I'm proud of Nadirah
for bringing for realistic examples of
The human experience!”

“So glad I bought this book. I figured I'd
try it since a friend suggested it and I'm so glad I did. I saw a
little of myself in every character, especially Aliya. The writing
is really easy to read also. I read it all in one day! Highly
recommended for muslims and non Muslims.”

“The only thing I didn't like about this book
was that it ended too soon! I hope there is a sequel.”

“This book pulled me in and wouldn't let
go.

I'm not sure I could have less in common with
these women, yet at the same time I wanted to know all about them
and felt for them on so many levels. The author has created a
myriad of characters that feel real in a setting that is timeless,
facing the same challenges we all face. I'll be keeping my eye out
for more from Nadirah Angail.”

~

For more information about Nadirah Angail and
her other books (future and previous) visit
nadirahangail.com
. Sign
up for the fan list to stay up-to-date on future releases, blog
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by

Nadirah Angail

* * * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

Nadirah Angail at Smashwords

What We Learned Along the Way

Copyright © 2011 Nadirah Angail

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal
enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to
other people. If you would like to share this book with another
person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If
you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not
purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com
and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work
of this author.

* * * * *

For: Everyone searching for self and those who have
already found it.

* * * * *

Abaya- over garment, worn over clothes

Al-Fatiha- Opening chapter of Quran

Alhamdulillah- means “All praises due to
God.”

Allah- Arabic word for “God.”

As salaam alaikum- greeting, means “peace be
upon you”

Ayatul-Kursi- Famous verse from the 2nd
chapter of Quran

Eid- Muslim holiday, literally means
“reoccurring festivities”

Hijab- In this context, used to refer to
headscarf worn by women

Imam- Muslim religious leader

Inshallah- means, “If it is the will of
Allah.”

Khutbah- speech or sermon given by an
Imam

Kufi- religious hat Muslim men wear as a
marker of their faith and devotion.

Mosque- Muslim place of worship

Nasheed- Islamic singing and chanting

Wa alaikum salaam- response to greeting,
means “and peace be upon you too”

* * * * *

“You’re wearing that?” Malikah’s mother asked
as she stood in the half-open door and gave her daughter a
disapproving glare.

“No, mother, I just wanted to put it on and
stare at myself in it,” Malikah said sarcastically.

“Honestly, Malikah, do you even care about
finding a husband? You can’t expect to meet a nice young man if
you’re not at least presentable.”

Malikah let out a loud huff. “And what would
you suggest I wear, mother?”

“I don’t know, but not that,” she said as she
started to leave the room, but not before sticking her head back in
the door for one last comment. “It makes you look fat,” she added.
Then she left.

Malikah slammed her door and walked over to
the closet to find another, more presentable outfit. The sound of
her phone ringing pulled Malikah from her search.

“Hey, girl, I’m outside.” Malikah pulled the
curtain back and saw Mariam’s blue Honda in the driveway.

“On my way,” Malikah told her. She took one
last look at her outfit in the mirror. “Why bother,” she said with
a small sigh. She closed her closet door and left her room, careful
not to cross her mother’s path.

“As salaam alaikum,” Mariam greeted her as
she hopped in the car.

“Wa alaikum salaam. So, where are we going?”
Malikah asked with a curious smile.

“Don’t worry about it. I told you it’s a
surprise. It’s your birthday. Just relax and have fun,” her friend
reassured her. Malikah smiled, but she felt a little uneasy. She
hated surprises and remembered how horribly her last surprise had
gone. The plan was to have a simple dinner party at Starr.
Everything was going well until Muhammad, the surprise guest
Malikah had been in love with for years, showed up. She hadn’t seen
him in months, but was pleasantly surprised when he walked into the
dimly lit room looking better than ever. Her plan was to let out a
cool “Hey, how’s it going?” as she casually leaned on the big glass
fish tank beside her.

It started off fine, until she realized the
tank was not stationary, but on wheels. Too late. She had already
leaned her weight into it and was scrambling to regain her balance.
She fell to the floor and had no choice but to watch the fish tank
slide into a table and crash to the ground, leaving a flood of
smelly water and helpless fish flopping around on the floor.

The mere thought of that day made her
cringe.

Mariam saw the horror in her friend’s face
and felt the need to comfort her. “Don’t worry. There won’t be any
fish tanks where we’re going,” Mariam said, flailing her arms
around in imitation.

“Oh, that’s real funny, Mariam. That’s just
what I needed, but seriously, where are we going?” Just as she
asked that question, she recognized the neighborhood they were
entering. They were going to Jaime’s house. “Jaime’s coming?”
Malikah asked in disgust. “I don’t want her ruining
everything.”

“Malikah, come on. You know you two are
always getting into fights. Then, you make up and act like nothing
happened. It’s what you two do.”

“No, Mariam, it’s what we used to do. I’m
tired of her looking down her nose at me, treating me like I’m such
a heathen. I may not be the model Muslim, but that’s no reason for
her to act like she does.”

“You know how she is, Malikah. She doesn’t
mean anything by it. She can’t help it; look at her parents. Let’s
just all go out and have fun,” Mariam pleaded.

Malikah took a second to think. “Well, her
parents are the most judgmental people I’ve ever met,” she
admitted. “Remember how shocked her father was when he first met
us? He couldn’t believe we wore pants.” The two of them laughed
until they pulled up to Jaime’s house. “Okay, you’re right. We have
been friends forever, but she’s not going to keep treating me like
this. We’re getting way too old for this.”

The two of them were still chuckling when
Jaime approached the car.

“What’s so funny?” Jaime asked as she opened
the car door.

“Nothing,” they said in unison.

“You look nice,” Mariam complemented Jaime.
Malikah didn’t want to admit it, but Jaime did look nice. Even
though Jaime only wore Islamic clothing, she always looked great.
Her long A-line abayas were always covered with delicate details
and flowed so nicely on her body. She and her parents traveled a
lot, so most of them were from other countries. Malikah never wore
abayas. She thought they made her look short and dumpy, but not
Jaime. On her long, lean, statuesque frame, they looked perfect.
Though Malikah would never say it to her face, she thought Jaime
looked like the Muslim Miss America. Malikah wished she could look
half as beautiful.

While they drove, Mariam talked to Malikah
and Jaime talked to Mariam, but Jaime and Malikah said nothing to
each other. Malikah loved her friend and hated giving her the
silent treatment, but she was tired of her snide remarks. Jaime was
smart in both secular and religious knowledge, and she made sure
everyone knew it. Any chance she got to make herself look good at
someone else’s expense, she took. When Sister Khadijah, mother of
the only two decent looking young men at her mosque, began to
inquire about Malikah, Jaime made it a point to suggest herself as
a far more fitting option.

“Oh, Malikah, she’s a wonderful sister,”
Jaime told Sister Khadijah in her sweetest voice. “She’s in college
and is really going somewhere in life. In fact, she spends so much
time at school that she’s hardly ever at the mosque. You know how
busy the women of today are,” she chuckled. “Never any time to pray
or study the religion.” She then gave a long speech, as if running
for political office, about how she was ready for marriage and
extremely dedicated to being a great wife and mother. Malikah would
have never known about Jaime’s scheme had it not been for her
sister Kalimah, who happened to overhear the whole thing. When
Malikah confronted Jaime about the situation, Jaime apologized, but
Malikah felt the apology was just as fake as every other one she
had ever given.

“Not another one way,” Aliya complained as
she drove through downtown Houston, looking for the concert hall.
She hated driving her new car through congested areas like
downtown. The last thing she needed was a dent in her fresh, red
paint. After driving in a few circles, she finally saw a sign that
read “Divas All-Stars Concert, This Way.” She let out a huge sigh
of relief and let the huge arrows lead her in the right direction.
Now that she knew where she was going, she could relax. Aliya put
the window down to let in some fresh air. She loved the feeling of
the wind blowing through her big, wild hair.

Aliya was the only one in her group of
friends who never covered her hair. When she was younger, she
covered all the time and never imagined there’d come a day when she
wouldn’t, but things had changed. It started when she was 16, after
her mother died of cancer. In one year’s time, she went from being
the head of her Muslim youth group to not going to the mosque at
all. Now, four years later, she had basically removed all aspects
of Islam from her life. One day she would reconnect, but not
now.

She pulled into the parking lot and checked
the time. The concert started at 8 o’clock, and it was only 7:15
pm. She called Mariam to see how far away they were. When Mariam
told her she had just picked up Jaime and still had another
30-minute drive, Aliya decided to walk around a bit. There were a
lot of men in the parking lot, and Aliya couldn’t help but smile.
Unlike her friends, she was not looking for a husband. She just
wanted to have fun. Every other Muslim woman she knew had been
looking for a husband since the age of 14, but that was the last
thing on Aliya’s mind. She didn’t care if he was Muslim, Christian,
or any other religion. She was an equal opportunity dater.

Ironically enough, she had found through her
years of dating all different types of men that she liked Muslim
men the least. She felt they were too strict and always trying to
control her, just like her father. He always had something to
say:

“You’re pants are too tight.”

“Why don’t you wear hijab anymore?”

“You don’t pray anymore.”

She couldn’t stand her father’s nagging or
the arguments that inevitably ensued, so she kept her visits short
and sweet. That was the only way she could consider her
relationship with him peaceful. Plus, she knew it broke his heart
to see his only child so far removed from the religion.

As Aliya walked through the crowd, she was
surprised to see so many men at such a girly concert. After she
thought about it, though, it made sense. What better place to catch
women than at a “Diva’s All-Stars” concert? She wondered if there
would be nearly as many men inside the concert as there were in the
parking lot, but it really didn’t matter. They were there now.
That’s all she cared about.