Adventurous Boy | Yahuza Usman

It was a fresh July night when birds turned to their nests, ants to their anthills, sheep to their pens, men to their houses, and bats sang praises to Allah for the free gift of trees. Salim, a passionate Qur’anic student who had been away from school for three years, stole out of his father’s house. He took a footpath leading to a mosque to witness the grand finale of the year’s state Qur’anic Recitation Competition, which was held at Alh. SaniIzala’s Masjid, Saurara, located far away from his father’s house. Like an adventurous boy on a first date with his girlfriend, different thoughts lingered in Salim’s mind. Could he have the chance to share pleasantries with the participants? What benefit would he derive from watching? Could he meet his father, waiting for him to return before he closes the house? And if yes, is his father going to welcome him back with a dashing smile or with a thunderous voice? “If not because I want to see how melodiously well the participants will recite, what on earth could have taken me out of our sumptuous house and my smooth bed at this awkward hour?” he said and shook his head as he crossed a stream, fondly called Walawal, which was the main road leading to the competition venue. Salim expunged his mind of all thoughts and continued walking like a camel trekking through the Sahara.

The mosque was well decorated with adequate plastic chairs meant solely for guests, intriguing chairs for participants, and royal chairs for the judges assessing the competition. Salim was really overwhelmed by the mellifluous recitation of the participants; he felt so happy, like a person whose soul is pierced by the syringe of happiness that contains laughing gas. He said Allahu Akbar many times without knowing that he uttered it. Everyone there was aware of how Salim used to shake his head, expressing the depth of his immensurable ecstasy. Affluent people who graced the competition also did wonders by giving money to the participants who recited with a resonating voice. “Am I also going to be cherished like this if I can recite well?” Salim assumed in his mind that Musa Usman was the best participant that sat on the hot seat; he recited beautifully, and he was instantly awarded with a laptop that will help him in his career.

It was around 12:30am when the competition was over, and everyone was happy for what happened except Salim, whose mind was filled with thoughts of how to go back home and sleep. He was running with a heavy heart that kept reminding him of his father’s nature of treating any of his children who did wrong. All of a sudden, Salim’s attention was caught by a shadow he saw near the Walawal stream, which reminded him of the hazardous nature of the jinn that stayed there. He swiftly recited the supplication he learned from his father in his mind: innahu min Sulaimanawainnahubismillahir-rahamanir-raheem. At last, Salim was fortunate to reach the house, and he was unfortunate to have had the house locked. Being a creative mind, he fabricated a way to move into the house without raising any noise, and he dashed into his room to take a nap.

That night, Salim, the short, fair-skinned boy with a curious mind, was alone in his room and immersed in cacophonic reflection. “Why would my father close the house when I didn’t return? Is it because I didn’t tell him? Hmm! Why should I worry when my father has locked his house? He consoled himself while waiting in his bed for sleep to lead him into the land of dreams. Salim, who never allowed the first cockcrow to meet him in his bed before taking off for subhi prayer, was not opportuned to attend the Morning  Prayer in congregation, which was caused by the soul-soothing dream he had that very night. Salim dreamt of himself being accompanied by the King to his father; drummers were beating drums for him; royal bards were voicing verses for his honour; and he was on an attractively beautiful horse gifted to him by the King for his remarkable performance at a Qur’anic Recitation Competition. It was when they were about to knock at Salim’s father’s house that his short, sweet sleep was cut off. Like a sweet night’s dream halted at dawn, everything about him changed that very morning.