The Mystery Man

"Where am I?" Safiyya squinted to open her eyes.

She just woke up from what felt like a deep sleep. She carefully sat up - pushed herself up in pain - enduring the severe headache she was experiencing. The cold floor sent shiver up her arms as she touched them.

"O Allah, What is this place?" Her voice echoed through the dark empty room. She observed the room, trying to register whatever was happening. She could not think at that moment, not in that condition.

A door, she thought in surprise. It was too dark that she could not see that steel door in the first place. She crawled to the door as she realised she can barely move her left leg. She reached the door knob with hardship. Disappointed, the door was locked.

She paused as she saw a very small window high up. The window was closed. She stood up, struggling against the pain on her left leg. She made her way to the window limping. As she got closer, the height was just enough for her to reach. She opened it with all her might. Hopeless, she sighed. It was fully cemented. Not even a glimpse of light could pass through. The thought of escaping now become greater.

She carefully sat down where she was, putting both legs straight to the front, tolerating the pains. She fixed her hijaab, thinking how could this happen. She kept on praying in her heart that Allah will help her find her the way out. She had no one but Allah.

Suddenly, she heard something that seemed to be coming from behind the steel door. Startled, she moved backwards, away from the door. She was cautious, not because she was afraid but because she was sure Allah was with her.

The noise was simultaneously seen between the gap under the steel door. It was the sound of a door opening; not the steel door. As the other door cracked open, a light was seen under the steel door and two small shadows appeared along.

She was assured it was the shadows of a pair of feet. She heard footsteps followed as the other door closes. The footstep was heard until it stopped right infront of the steel door.

"Is it Zohr yet?" Safiyya asked what just popped in her head. She could tell it was around noon from the brightness of the light she saw earlier. A manly brief hum was heard from that person which defines it was true. Wether or not this man was the cause of all this, she did not bother. As long as the man does not touch or hurt her - yet.

Safiyya made her way slowly to the pipe on a corner of the room. She thought the pipe would not have water but she was wrong. The water was clean. She drank some and thanked Allah for it before she took her ablution. Her face cringed as the water flowed on her skin, painful.

Despite her pains, she performed her prayer in the darkness. She was immersed in her prayer. Her disability to prostrate made her eyes water. She wished she could, eventhough she would have to do it on the cold, hard floor. She just missed that position. She wanted to feel the closeness with her Rabb.

After she was done, she turned to the door. The man was still there. He did not move the whole time. Who is he? Safiyya asked herself. She wanted to ask that but instead, "You know," she started.

"Allah has created so many for us humans." She smiled on the thought of The Creator's Mercy. "The sun, the moon and the stars, all followed their orbits days and nights. The plants keep supplying oxygen and the fruits and animals provide food for us to eat. They obey Allah to serve us. Everything that He created has reasons, not just for the beauty of eyes to see. In suratul Mulk," she paused, afraid he might not understand, so she added, "- in the Quraan, the Holy book of Islam - Allah told us to look at the sky again and again, you would never see any flaw in His creations. Allah is Merciful that you could not stop loving Him." Safiyya ended with a smile from ear to ear. She felt like she fell head over heels in love with Allah all over again.

The man seemed to be listening to her 'story' - what Safiyya preferred to call it as reminders - eventhough he remained silent. Then, the man left. The sound of his footsteps faded eventually.

******

Days past by and it was already a week since Safiyya was locked up. Her leg has felt a lot better. It was weird that the man did no harm. No money was involve, no torture or even a single threat. He never show himself, just his shadows.

The man gave her food - canned food to be exact - and a paper written with numbers with a watch. To her surprise, the numbers are the time of prayers. Alhamdulillah! She could not believe that this man has a soft heart, eventhough he kidnapped her.

Her days was filled with her own reminders. She spoke to him about a lot of things, phrasing Allah in every word. However, the man never respond. He did not speak, not even a word yet he still listens.

"I hope Allah will grant you hidayah." Safiyya suddenly came to that after she finished her reminder. Silence. He probably did not know the word hidayah but this time, she just left it hanging. She did not explain what it means.

******

The next day, Safiyya was awaken by a familiar heat. She tried to open her eyes but the light was bright. She put a hand over her eyes to see what it was.

The sunlight shone bright to her face. She was surprised to see the steel door wide open. The other door was also open, letting the sunlight pass through. Masya Allah, praised Safiyya, amazed to see daylight for what felt like the first time.

She stood up and went out of the room. She loved the heat. She breathed in deeply and grinned. "Alhamdulillah!" It was the only word Safiyya could express.

She started to think about her family and found her way home. Her family greeted her in shock but they could never feel more happy. They did not expect Safiyya still alive after missing for more than a week. They praised and thankef Allah in unison.

******

The man was captured. The police was still in the process of investigating his motives. Right after Safiyya has returned, the police made a massive search on the man that kidnapped her.

Safiyya was told, the man just reverted to Islam and he purposely released her because he felt guilty, not because of his carelessness on leaving the doors open. In the jail, he kept on praying and repenting, asking Allah to forgive him. He even perform his tahajjud every night. He was touched by Safiyya's reminders and character that made him felt more curious about Islam and Allah. He fell in love with Islam when he looked up the word hidayah. He cried.

"The man do has a heart of gold," Safiyya whispered to herself, smiling in satisfaction. Alhamdulillah.

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