The council at the palace was in disarray following Ukashat's demand to lead the first wave of the attack. After a private deliberation, the **Wazir** announced that Ukashat’s request was granted, and he would depart in his red battle attire. The drums of war were beaten, and the soldiers bid emotional farewells to their families—some in tears, others celebrating the chance for martyrdom.
**Uzaifat’s Farewell:**
Shulaifa approached her son, Uzaifat, with a heavy heart. She reminded him of her three pillars of success: **Truthfulness, Trust, and Keeping Promises.** Uzaifat comforted her, asking only for her prayers. As she wept, she confessed her fear of becoming both a widow and childless, given the King’s grave illness and the perils of the jihad. They embraced in a tearful moment of shared grief before Uzaifat mounted his horse.
**The Malice of Muzaira:**
Unlike Shulaifa, Muzaira and Ukashat showed no sadness, only the cold confidence of victory. As the two divisions of the **Soldiers of Islam** marched out of the city, only the two queens remained. Muzaira approached Shulaifa with a wicked smile, claiming that within seven days, the King would die from a poison she had administered. She taunted Shulaifa, predicting that Uzaifat would perish in battle and Ukashat would rule, leaving Shulaifa to a life of humiliation lower than a palace cat.
Shulaifa responded with calm faith: *"Life and death are in the hands of Allah. Your poison cannot kill the King unless his time is up, and my son will survive by God's will. Fear the end of your own life, for those who sow evil shall reap it."*
### **The Journey into the Dark Forest**
The two armies traveled without rest until sunset, stopping only for prayer and a single meal. As night fell, they camped in a dense, terrifying forest filled with ancient trees and thickets—a place avoided by travelers for forty years.
**Uzaifat’s Premonition:**
Inside their tent, Uzaifat could not eat. He confessed to his commander, **Abul Shaja’a**, that he felt a deep urge to return in secret to see his ailing father. Abul Shaja’a advised against breaking the King’s command. Uzaifat then revealed his mother's dream of the King being poisoned, which he had confirmed through spiritual inquiry (*istihara*). He feared his father would not survive another seven days.
### **Betrayal in the Camp**
When it was time for the **Isha** prayer, Ukashat arrogantly pushed himself forward to lead the prayer, despite the King having officially appointed Uzaifat as the Imam for the journey. When Salahuddeen reminded him of the King’s order, Ukashat hissed: *"This is not home; here, both Uzaifat and I are Kings."*
After the prayer, Uzaifat attempted to discuss a joint strategy against the "Man in Black" of Shumbul, whose strength was legendary. Ukashat rejected him with hatred:
> *"Forget we are brothers. To me, you are a black cobra. You are a rival trying to dim my dreams. From today, do not speak to me; our kinship is dead."*
>
**The Disappearance:**
Uzaifat went to bed troubled. At dawn, Abul Shaja’a woke up to find the camp eerily silent. **Ukashat and his entire 300-man division had vanished.** Not a single footprint or trace was left behind. Strangely, all their horses remained tied up in the camp.
### **The Quicksand Trap**
Uzaifat and Abul Shaja’a mounted their horses and rode deep into the thicket to search for their missing comrades. After three hours of searching, they suddenly fell into a massive, treacherous **quicksand pit**. Their horses began to sink rapidly. As the mud reached their necks, Abul Shaja’a began to recite the testimony of faith (*Shahada*), accepting death.
Uzaifat rebuked him: *"Never lose hope in Allah’s mercy!"* He continued to pray fervently even as the mud reached their chins.
### **The Mysterious Rescuer**
Suddenly, a figure appeared atop a high cliff overlooking the pit. The figure was dressed entirely in **black**, with a masked face. The stranger quickly threw two ropes with nooses down to the drowning men. The ropes tightened around their necks, and the stranger began to haul them out of the mire.
The pressure of the ropes caused both Uzaifat and Abul Shaja’a to lose consciousness. The stranger pulled them to safety on the cliff and poured water on their faces to revive them.
When they regained consciousness, the stranger spoke, telling them to remove the ropes and climb higher. Uzaifat and Abul Shaja’a were shocked—not just by the rescue, but by the voice. **The voice was melodious and sweet, like a flute—it was the voice of a woman.**
Uzaifat whispered to Abul Shaja’a: *"Could this be the 'Man in Black' from Shumbul we were warned about? Is this a trick?"*
Abul Shaja’a replied: *"If it were an enemy, they would have let us die. We have no choice but to follow."*
*Masha Allah, the story continues as the princes face the unknown.*
"DAKARUN MUSULUNCI
The Departure and Maternal Malice**
The council at the palace was in disarray following Ukashat's demand to lead the first wave of the attack. After a private deliberation, the **Wazir** announced that Ukashat’s request was granted, and he would depart in his red battle attire. The drums of war were beaten, and the soldiers bid emotional farewells to their families—some in tears, others celebrating the chance for martyrdom.
**Uzaifat’s Farewell:**
Shulaifa approached her son, Uzaifat, with a heavy heart. She reminded him of her three pillars of success: **Truthfulness, Trust, and Keeping Promises.** Uzaifat comforted her, asking only for her prayers. As she wept, she confessed her fear of becoming both a widow and childless, given the King’s grave illness and the perils of the jihad. They embraced in a tearful moment of shared grief before Uzaifat mounted his horse.
**The Malice of Muzaira:**
Unlike Shulaifa, Muzaira and Ukashat showed no sadness, only the cold confidence of victory. As the two divisions of the **Soldiers of Islam** marched out of the city, only the two queens remained. Muzaira approached Shulaifa with a wicked smile, claiming that within seven days, the King would die from a poison she had administered. She taunted Shulaifa, predicting that Uzaifat would perish in battle and Ukashat would rule, leaving Shulaifa to a life of humiliation lower than a palace cat.
Shulaifa responded with calm faith: *"Life and death are in the hands of Allah. Your poison cannot kill the King unless his time is up, and my son will survive by God's will. Fear the end of your own life, for those who sow evil shall reap it."*
### **The Journey into the Dark Forest**
The two armies traveled without rest until sunset, stopping only for prayer and a single meal. As night fell, they camped in a dense, terrifying forest filled with ancient trees and thickets—a place avoided by travelers for forty years.
**Uzaifat’s Premonition:**
Inside their tent, Uzaifat could not eat. He confessed to his commander, **Abul Shaja’a**, that he felt a deep urge to return in secret to see his ailing father. Abul Shaja’a advised against breaking the King’s command. Uzaifat then revealed his mother's dream of the King being poisoned, which he had confirmed through spiritual inquiry (*istihara*). He feared his father would not survive another seven days.
### **Betrayal in the Camp**
When it was time for the **Isha** prayer, Ukashat arrogantly pushed himself forward to lead the prayer, despite the King having officially appointed Uzaifat as the Imam for the journey. When Salahuddeen reminded him of the King’s order, Ukashat hissed: *"This is not home; here, both Uzaifat and I are Kings."*
After the prayer, Uzaifat attempted to discuss a joint strategy against the "Man in Black" of Shumbul, whose strength was legendary. Ukashat rejected him with hatred:
> *"Forget we are brothers. To me, you are a black cobra. You are a rival trying to dim my dreams. From today, do not speak to me; our kinship is dead."*
>
**The Disappearance:**
Uzaifat went to bed troubled. At dawn, Abul Shaja’a woke up to find the camp eerily silent. **Ukashat and his entire 300-man division had vanished.** Not a single footprint or trace was left behind. Strangely, all their horses remained tied up in the camp.
### **The Quicksand Trap**
Uzaifat and Abul Shaja’a mounted their horses and rode deep into the thicket to search for their missing comrades. After three hours of searching, they suddenly fell into a massive, treacherous **quicksand pit**. Their horses began to sink rapidly. As the mud reached their necks, Abul Shaja’a began to recite the testimony of faith (*Shahada*), accepting death.
Uzaifat rebuked him: *"Never lose hope in Allah’s mercy!"* He continued to pray fervently even as the mud reached their chins.
### **The Mysterious Rescuer**
Suddenly, a figure appeared atop a high cliff overlooking the pit. The figure was dressed entirely in **black**, with a masked face. The stranger quickly threw two ropes with nooses down to the drowning men. The ropes tightened around their necks, and the stranger began to haul them out of the mire.
The pressure of the ropes caused both Uzaifat and Abul Shaja’a to lose consciousness. The stranger pulled them to safety on the cliff and poured water on their faces to revive them.
When they regained consciousness, the stranger spoke, telling them to remove the ropes and climb higher. Uzaifat and Abul Shaja’a were shocked—not just by the rescue, but by the voice. **The voice was melodious and sweet, like a flute—it was the voice of a woman.**
Uzaifat whispered to Abul Shaja’a: *"Could this be the 'Man in Black' from Shumbul we were warned about? Is this a trick?"*
Abul Shaja’a replied: *"If it were an enemy, they would have let us die. We have no choice but to follow."*
*Masha Allah, the story continues as the princes face the unknown.*