The Spark … Continued

Soheir’s tears gathered in her eyes and one by one dropped on her lap. Hala stood up, and said’ “This is too stressing for me, I am going to bed.”

“Take me with you, sister.” I said and followed her down the hallway to the bedroom,

Hahla decided to perform a prayer, before joining me in bed, for Khalid’s family.

“I feel sad for Khalid’s mother. May God give her patience to get through this tragedy; Khalid is a martyr (Shaheed). He is lucky. It is the will of God Almighty” She said and sat on the red velvet chair next to her bed to perform the prayer for the dead. Hala used the chair when she could no longer stand and prostrate during her prayers.

I envied my sister for her wisdom, and peaceful resignation to God’s will. I wanted to believe that the murder is the will of God, but I am not blessed with Hala’s angelic acceptance of such cruelty.

When she finished praying, I asked, “Why did Khalid’s life had to end this way? If God wanted him, he could have taken his soul peacefully?”

“Don’t ask such questions, Laila, and learn to accept the will of God. You will be much happier.” She answered smiling. She knew this was a subject that got me in many heated argument with her son Shawki during my previous visits to Alexandria.

Shawki believed we should never argue about the rules of Islam and I insisted that we have to interpret the rules logically and not put the responsibility of our action on God’s will. Neither of us ever won the debate.