Assalamualaikum
Cinta. When we talk about love, several tales would show up in our minds. Romeo and Juliet, Laila and Majnun, Uda and Dara. It's funny how most of the stories have a really tragic tale. But while we're busy reading about these tragic love stories, ada jugak kisah cinta ni yang ada penamat gembira. A really realistic one, but also really sweet. And it happened to real people too.
There was a tale, deep down inside Saidina Ali, that he never told anyone in this world before. Fatimah, his childhood friend, the princess of Rasullullah, his cousin, had never looked so captivating to Ali's eyes before.
Her elegance, her demeanor, and her beauty never had captivated Ali's senses until that fateful day. He saw this young lady tending to Rasulullah's wound, after being harassed by his own people. Fatimah was adamant, she went straight to Kaabah, standing up to the people who treated her father such way, and scolding them so hard, that the people just don't know how to react towards her.
Ali was mesmerize, all of his life, he never actually felt any love before. Now, he's actually feeling it, but he doesn't truly understands it that well. The feeling wasn't really mutual until one fateful day, Ali heard of a shocking news. A man had come to ask of Fatimah's hand in marriage. He felt devastated. To make matters worse, the man was the same man that is best of term with Rasullullah. A man who fought for Islam with his whole life and wealth. A man whose iman would never be doubt by Rasulullah or anyone else. Abu Bakar As Siddiq r.a.
"Allah is testing me" thought Ali. He truly felt like it was a test since he quickly compared himself to Abu Bakar. His place beside Rasullulah? Although Abu Bakar is not of the same line as Ali is to Rasulullah, Abu Bakar's determination in fighting for Allah can never be beaten by anyone. Not even Ali. When Abu Bakar chose to accompany Rasullullah for Hijrah, Ali was left to act as the decoy. Awaiting death for Rasullullah in his bed.
Just look at how Abu Bakar preaches of the way of Islam, how many important men that actually decided to embrace the religion. Such thing cannot be done by a man that seldom socialize like Ali. It wasn't possible after all. Just look at how many poor people that Abu Bakar actually aid, Bilal bin Rabbah, Yassir's family. How about Ali? In terms of wealth, Abu Bakar is a merchant, it's a clear thing that Abu Bakar can support Fatimah from financial aspect. Ali was a poor man from a poor family. "Such is brotherhood and love" mumbled Ali. "I prioritize Abu Bakar over myself, I prioritize Fatimah's happiness over my love." Love would never ask anyone to wait. It takes the opportunity or welcomes it. Love, is between bravery or sacrifice.
As time flows by, a small hope flickers insides Ali's heart. The marriage proposal was denied. The thankful Ali kept on waiting, making sure he himself would be ready. Somehow, the test had not yet end.
Once Abu Bakar was out of the picture, came another man. Such monstrosity and strength had earned him respect, and cause devils to run in his mere sight ever since he embraced Islam. Umar Bin Al Khatab. Yes, Al Faruq, the splitter of truth, had himself come to ask for Fatimah's hand in marriage. Umar embraced Islam 3 years after Ali, but who would doubt his honesty? His capacity to learn? To understand? Who would doubt the way only Umar and Hamzah would defend the Muslim community of that time period? Then Ali compared how he did the Hijrah with Umar. Ali did it quietly through the enemy sidelines. He had to do it at night-time, while during the day, he had to hide himself. Meanwhile, Umar in the other hand chose to announce it to the whole Quiraisy of his decision for Hijrah. Apart from challenging anyone that wanted to stop him in into a fight. Umar is a lion of a man. His bravery is unmatched by anyone. Excluding Rasullullah of course. Again, Ali thought, he is a man that is not yet ready to get marry. Especially marrying Fatimah Azzahra. No, it that case Umar is more than enough. Ali felt disheartened, but he accepts that fact anyway..
Love would never ask anyone to wait. It takes the opportunity or welcomes it. Love, is between bravery or sacrifice. For Ali, this is his sacrifice. To his confusion, Ali receive the news of how the proposal was once again denied.
Ali thought again, "What kind of man would Rasullullah want for his beloved princess? A millionare like Uthman who married Ruqayyah? Or Abul ’Ash ibn Rabi’kah , the Quraisy merchant whom married to Zainab? Ah, those two made me lose my confidence. Between the Muhajirrin, only Abdurrahman ibn Auf is actually qualified to ask for her hand."
Or maybe Rasullullah would want someone from Ansar to marry his princess? In order to strengthen their bonds. In that case, there's Sa’d ibn Mu’adzkah, the elegant, good looking leader of the Aus, or Sa’d ibn ’Ubaidah, the friendly leader of the Khazraj.
Out of no where, his Ansar friends ask Ali. "Why don't you try at asking her hand for marriage? Why not you try to propose to her? Somehow, we all feel that you might be the one that Rasullulah had been waiting for all this time for her princess." "I'm merely a poor man, kind I do this?" said Ali. "We will always be behind you friend" said his friends.
Mustering his whole courage, Ali went to meet Rasullullah and told him of his hope of asking Fatimah's hand in marriage. Yes, MARRIAGE. Ali knows, in terms of economy, he couldn't promise her anything. A suit of armor in his disposal and flour for him to eat. To ask for her to wait for 2 to 3 years would be a disgrace. "You are a true man among men o' Ali!" his heart kept telling him. "You are a man that is ready to be responsible for your love, to shoulder the risk of your choices. A man that believe in Allah's will."
"Ah lan Wa sahlan" This two set of words came out of Rasullullah's mouth after hearing of Ali's proposal. Ali doesn't understand. What does Rasullullah means? He went and asked his friends of the meaning of these words. "Such stupidity!, if Rasullullah agrees to something, he would say Ah lan, but for you, he went as far as to say Ah lan wa sahlan, that is more than enough to say that her agrees to your proposal o' Ali!" And with that, Ali marries Fatimah by selling away his armor. For his willingness in sacrificing his own love for the sake of his friends, and his lover. He was finally united with that one women that he loves so much.
Ali was a true gentleman. This is a path that a warrior such as himself had to take, a road that interconnected with love. And right here, Love would never ask anyone to wait. And like Ali, he takes the opportunity or welcomes it. The first is sacrifice, and the second is bravery.
But such things had also occur to Fatimah. One day after their marriage, Fatimah told Ali " Please forgive me, for I had fallen in love with a man before you married me." The confused Ali asked her "Why then do you agreed to marry me?" Fatimah merely answered with a smile on her face "Because that man is you.."
And that is the love story between Saidina Ali and Fatimah Azzahra.
Once again, aku quote ni,
"Andainya Kau adalah jodohku yang tertulis di Lauh Mahfuz, Allah pasti akan menanamkan rasa kasih dalam hatiku dan hatimu. Itu janji Allah..Akan tetapi selagi kita tidak diikat dengan ikatan yang sah, selagi itu jangan dibazirkan perasaan itu kerana kita masih tidak mempunyai hak untuk berbuat begitu….”
Reading this tale had me thinking. Kalau lah somehow, Oren had feelings for someone else..I think I would rather let her be with that person than still thinking of me. That way she would be happy, right? Takde lah dia keseorangan lagi kan? Besides, cinta itu tak pernah meminta untuk menanti. Tapi ianya antara mengambil peluang itu, atau mempersilakan ia pergi. I think, in my case, if things turn out that way, I will let her go. :)
Assalamualaikum
p/s: sorry eh, kalau entry kali ni tak menarik sangat, just untuk tatapan bersama je, hee.
